Along the Danube

Meandering down the Danube puts one in a pensive mood. As we travel west I remember that the bank to our left was part of the Roman empire. The bank to our right was controlled by the disorganized Germanic tribes that eventually defeated Rome.

Whatever may have happened in the past, today I am impressed with the beauty of the Danube. Hills that reach to the sky are covered with miles and miles of Riesling grape vineyards. Spiking up into the heavens are the ruins of old castles that formed Europe’s history before anyone had ever heard of a nation-state.

Each town wears evidence of the former power of the Christian Church. The tall church spire tops the largest building of every town we pass. The people we meet here are now, however, are usually thorough secularists. Their primary loyalty is to the state.

With the rise of trans-national corporations, one must wonder what will replace the nation-state as the structure around which the world of the future will be organized. The colorful panorama passing by the Emerald Dawn gives one much to consider.Read more