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Paris to Prague
  • Janette and John
May – Jun 2017

Paris to Prague

A 28-day adventure by Janette and John Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 20, 2017
    Janette and JohnParis to PragueJanette and John
    The route - add a Singapore stopover each way.
    View from our room across to the airport.

    Flying tomorrow

    May 20, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    We are at the Parkroyal at Tullamarine Airport. We fly out tomorrow morning for Singapore. Staying here tonight means we can just walk across to the airport in the morning and check in. It's nearly 8pm so we'll go down to the restaurant for a snack. J&JRead more

  • Janette and JohnParis to PragueJanette and John
    On Orchard Rd again.
    Monsoon rain on our arrival in Singapore

    Breakfast Melbourne, dinner Singapore

    May 21, 2017 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Today was really just about flying from Melbourne to Singapore. The flight was really good - 10.30 to 6.30 (4.30 Singapore time). There was monsoonal rain when we arrived - hopefully the picture shows the volume of water coming off the roof as we waited for our hotel transfer. Fortunately, the rain eased after we checked in. Our hotel is very close to Orchard Road so we walked there about 8 pm and went into a food hall to eat. We didn't need much as we seemed to have eaten a lot on the plane. With two full days now in Singapore, we're trying to work out where to go.....Read more

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    Holding the building in her hand.
    Merlion.The old, original Raffles Hotel.Great sculpture of kids jumping into the river.

    A day in Singapore with Murphy

    May 22, 2017 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    You will all be pleased to know that Murphy has come on holiday with us. Not being too hungry this morning after eating a lot yesterday, we walked to Orchard Rd, had a coffee and muffin and checked out our tourist brochures. With our package with Singapore Airlines we got some freebies - a pass for the hop on / hop off buses and free entry into many attractions. Janette read about a book on Singlish - a dialect which is a cross between Singaporean and English. We caught a bus to a spot closest to the shop selling this book and then walked for what seemed like miles in what seemed like 100%+ humidity. Anyway, we found the shop only to see a sign on the door "closed for stocktaking". We walked further to visit the Malay Heritage Centre. Guess what? - closed on Mondays. Caught a bus back to the Suntec City. This massive complex has a food hall the size of Benalla. We had a lovely seafood lunch each.
    One of our freebies was a river cruise, so again a bus to a point near Clarke Quay and took the cruise. Very interesting to see Singapore from that vantage point. One crew member took great delight in posing passengers for photos so that it looked like they are holding buildings in their hands.
    Again the bus- this time to Raffles Hotel and a traditional gin sling in the 'long bar'. As it was 6.30ish we ate the as well and then took a leisurely stroll back to our hotel with a stop for a coffee on the way (everywhere is open till 10pm).
    J&J    Read more

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    Singapore Botanic Gardens.
    Singapore Botanic Gardens.On the Singapore Flyer.On the Singapore Flyer.A goanna in the Botanic Gardens.It's all done by mirrors.

    Murphyless Tuesday

    May 23, 2017 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Started the day at local stall where we bought a flash new iPad case which we were after and a very expensive pair of binnoculars which we were not. They will be well used when checking cattle eartags! Our amazing salesman, Geoffrey, has a daughter studying design at RMIT.
    Then we rode on the Singapore Flyer (like the Melbourne Star). Half an hour of truly magnificent views. Then it was off to the Botanic Gardens - we loved the orchid and ginger gardens (in fact we had a sensational lunch with ginger flavours at the restaurant in the ginger garden). The main gardens were amazing but you would really need to spend a day there. How lucky were we to see a " Singaporean goanna" - it even has the same gait as our Molyullah Goanna!
    After packing our bags and a casual meal it is off to the airport ... next notes from Paris!!    Read more

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    Hotel du Collectionneur - a short walk from the Arch de Triomph.
    Arch de Triomphe1Musee Jacquemart-AndreBistroThe road to the bistro.

    1st day in Paris

    May 24, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Flew 14 hours overnight to land in Paris Wed morning about 7.30. Got to the hotel, L'Hotel du Collectionneur, by about 10.30. The lady who picked us up for our hotel transfer told us about a gallery near the hotel, the Musee Jacquemart-Andre. Seems that about 1913, a bloke with lots of money decided to buy major artworks and build a house to hold them. The works include some from Gris, Gaugauin, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Picasso and others. The whole place is amazing. We walked there and also had a scrumptious lunch in its little cafe.
    Having a little time left before our 6.00 pm meet and greet drinks, we walked to the Arch de Triomphe. After the drinks we asked the concierge to recommend and book us a restaurant. It was about a 20 minute walk with a beautiful meal of Rockling.
    Tomorrow morning it's the Eiffel Tower and at night it's the Moulin Rouge.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnParis to PragueJanette and John
    View from the river.
    View from the cafe.Dancing by the river.Australian section of the museum.One of the many bridges over the Seine.Notre Dame

    Up the tower and the Moulin Rouge!

    May 25, 2017 in France ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    After breakfast, onto a coach for a tour of Paris. Turned out that today is a public holiday so very little traffic. A lot of people take the Friday off too and make it a long weekend - how very Aussie. The French call such a day, a bridge day. Shops may not be open on a public holiday here. If a shop is to open the staff must volunteer to work and will be paid double time. If there aren't enough staff, they don't open.
    The tour was excellent with the most interesting commentary from our guide. We had tickets to the Eiffel Tower for 11.30, and being a tour group, we got fast tracked past the queues. Hard to describe what it's like to be somewhere like that.
    The coach was to take us back to the hotel and then have free time. We elected to stay as there is a museum near the Tower - Musee du Quai Branly - which hosts a very large Australian section. The museum had a lovely cafe so we decided to have lunch before viewing the exhibition. One photo of the tower is taken from the cafe. We had to queue to get in - short staffed - in hot sun. This week has seen Summer arrive.
    We said we were happy to share a table, so we lunched with two delightful Parisienne ladies, one of whom spoke fluent English. Whoever you speak with here, one thing comes across very strongly - they are passionate about Paris, France, their history, everything.
    After lunch we did a quick look at the Aussie section then down to the River Seine for a one hour boat cruise. Paris and the Seine are famous for its bridges and the cruise went under 22. It's a great way to see a different angle on the many landmarks around Paris.
    Because it's a public holiday, the banks of the river were crowded with people enjoying the lovely weather. One photo shows couples ballroom dancing by the river.
    Evening saw us have dinner and show at the Moulin Rouge - spectacular!    Read more

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    So good, we bought a cd.
    Sacre Cour, Montmartre.Montmartre is very high.Montmartre shops.Cafes and market stalls in the square at Montmartre.Paris metro.

    Weary but worth it

    May 26, 2017 in France ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We're absolutely buggered - I don't think we've wasted a minute. The morning today was taken up with a tour to Montmartre, the area where many of the famous artists - eg Toulouse la Trec, Renoir - lived in the late 1800s. It is the highest point in Paris with the basilica, Sacre Cour, on the peak. Montmartre village is centred with a village square with shops and cafes all around. The centre is filled with cafes surrounded by artist stalls leaving a walkway between them and the shops - photo might show this. We wandered around and found a cafe with some room. We had coffee and a crepe - more food. We were taken up to the peak in a little tourist train. While waiting for the return trip down the hill, we watched the most amazing West Indian guys busking. They had the crowd singing and dancing with them - very entertaining.
    We didn't take the coach back to the hotel, choosing instead to take the Metro to take us to Luxemburg Palace and gardens and the Latin Quarter. We walked through this area, which is also the centre for research centres and universities, to another Metro line for the ride back. I think we reached the far side of Paris. The Metro is very user friendly and very efficient.
    After all our walking in the last few days, we went for dinner and went into the first Bistro we came to. Lovely food!
    Back to the hotel to pack for the morning. Our bags have to be outside our rooms by 7am. We will travel to Amsterdam by very fast train.
    J&J    Read more

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    Canal cruise boat, Amsterdam.
    Gare du Nord - Paris North station.Bike park - Amsterdam.L'Etoile du Nord - the North Star.At Gare du Nord.Outside the station.

    When it's Spring again.....

    May 27, 2017 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    It's Saturday, we must be in Amsterdam. Left Paris on the 10.30 very fast train from Gare du Nord. We had 1st class tickets, so it was like being on a plane, with a steward coming down the aisle with a trolley. First there was morning tea and later lunch - all at 300 kph.
    Arrived at Amsterdam central and a 10 minute walk saw us at the boat. WOW!!!... photos later in the trip.
    Because 6 of us took the train, we were a lot earlier arriving than the others so we walked back towards town and took a canal cruise. You need to be very careful as a pedestrian in Amsterdam - there are cyclists everywhere going very fast. Where we have car parks, they have massive bike parks.
    Dinner is in the restaurant but there is also a small one called the chef's table which only holds 28, where there is one menu for the first week and then a different one for the second week. All passengers can go once each week but must book. The head waiter came over and told us about it and asked if we would like to go tonight. Another wow! 7 courses with matching red and white wines.
    Tomorrow morning Cologne and after lunch - sailing. J&J    Read more

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    Windmills to pump water and to power industry.
    Milling pigment for artists' paints.Zaanse Schans village.A house at Zaanse Schans village.Cows on the banks of the Rhine.Horses on the banks of the Rhine.

    We are sailing......to Cologne

    May 28, 2017 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Today we were coached to Zaanse Schans, a village of typical Dutch houses, windmills and craft stores. The windmills are functioning. Some windmills were for pumping water to drain land and others were to power workshops. We went on a tour of one which makes paint pigment as it would have been made for the old masters. There are clog makers, a cheese factory and, of course, an antique shop and craft stores.
    When the coaches left the ship, it sailed off and we caught up with it at midday. The rendezvous point was the lock which was to lift us 3.5 metres from the Amsterdam-Rhine canal to the Rhine River.
    Explored the ship then guess what ??? - more food - afternoon tea. Everything looks so nice and is even tastier than it looks.
    Then time to get ready for the Captain's Welcome Dinner tonight. First champagne (and a long stemmed rose for each lady), then a lovely dinner. We sat in the dining room at a table for four and were joined by a lovely couple from Sydney. This is a bit of a strategy so that we can meet as many people as possible and not get into a group.
    We will be sailing through the night in order to reach Cologne in the morning. We were very surprised to see cows and horses freely walking on the beaches on the banks of the river.
    On return to our room, there is an invitation to dinner tomorrow from Princess Heide von Hohenzollern at her Palace. First chance to really frock up! J&J    Read more

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    Cologne.
    Cologne Cathedral.Deux cafe au lait, s'il vous plait.Namemby Castle.Piano recital.Dressed up for dinner.

    Oh the Cologne

    May 29, 2017 in Germany ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Spent the morning in Cologne. For the first hour we had a guide showing us some of the old town. There are beautiful old buildings and a huge gothic Cathedral. The Cathedral was hit by 14 bombs in WW2, but has pretty well been patched up now.
    We then wandered around the shops, went into a cafe and had a cuppa before buying some eau de cologne. We couldn't find the original brand so we bought 4711.
    As our ship had sailed as soon as we disembarked, we were coached to Bonn to rejoin it. This meant we had a nice drive through the town of Bonn. Back on board in time for lunch. Janette's caught a cold so had a sleep and I sat up the pointy end and watched the Rhine roll under us.
    Tonight - dinner at Namemby Castle - wow! The Princess and her daughter live there in a private wing. We were free to explore the rest of the castle and the garden until the gong sounded for dinner.
    Dinner was served in the Mirror Hall - three courses with a piano recital between each. APT are involved in helping young piano masters, and it was one of these who played for us tonight. Julia Polinskaja, born in Moscow, raised in Hamburg, was our pianist. Don't know if it was appreciated by a few, but most knew how good she is.
    We stay here in Bonn tonight and set off again at 5.30 am tomorrow.
    Tomorrow we sail through the Rhine Gorge. This is one of the cruising highlights. It has been highly recommended the we all be on deck for this. J&J    Read more

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    Rhine gorge.
    Loreley Rock.One of the many castles.A motorised player piano.This one sounds like a small orchestra.Rudesheim.

    Rhine gorge, castles and the Loreley

    May 30, 2017 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We set sail at 5.30 am for one of the highlights of the trip - cruising through the Rhine Gorge with its steep vineyard covered banks, lots of scenic villages and even more castles. The river is at its narrowest, deepest and most dangerous about halfway through the gorge at Loreley Rock. Apparently there are many stories about the Loreley, particularly about Lore, the daughter of Father Rhine. (Google opportunity).
    After lunch we went into Rudesheim, a very old, very quaint town. We visited Siegfried's Musical Cabinet, a museum that has a collection of mechanical musical instruments. The museum is housed in Bromserhof, a noble house built in 1542. (Google op). Also, check out Rudesheimer Coffee.
    A leisurely stroll through the very narrow, shop filled streets took us back to the ship in time to set sail again at 4.30.
    Quite soon after setting off we did a lefty from the Rhine into the Main (pronounced mine) and two more locks to lift us higher. That's four so far - 64 more to go.
    Tomorrow - Miltenberg. J&J    Read more

  • Janette and JohnParis to PragueJanette and John
    Miltenberg.
    Miltenberg.Miltenberg.Miltenberg.Miltenberg.The morning's on board entertainment.

    Well I'll be blowed.....

    May 31, 2017 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    After breakfast we were entertained by a glass blowing demonstration. This area is a major area for the glass industry. There are four glass industries - glass instruments (laboratory), medicinal (drug vials), fibre optics and creative (xmas decs, bowls, animals etc).
    The on-board entertainers are called lock-hoppers - they board the ship at a lock and disembark at the next one.
    After an early lunch (all we seem to do is eat!) it was off into Miltenberg. This little village suffered greatly after the 30 years war and couldn't afford to replace its old, medieval heart with its half timbered houses. As a result it looks like it's straight out of Hansel and Gretel. Our guide assured us that we (the tourists) are the lifeblood of the village. The place looks very quaint, but Janette assures me that the shops are excellent.J&J    Read more

  • Janette and JohnParis to PragueJanette and John
    The Christmas shop.
    Christmas shop bus.A sneek-peek inside.Now that's a chemist!Medieval staircase up to the top of a tower.View from the top of the wall.

    Rothenburg - home of the Christmas Shop

    June 1, 2017 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Docked at Wurzburg and went by coach to Rothenburg. Rothenburg is one of the most famous and most picturesque towns in Germany. It is completely surrounded by a town wall.
    The town is home to Germany's famous Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas Shop. This is the original Christmas Shop - it seems every town has one, dedicated to selling Chrissy decs and religious paraphinalia. Janette spent our time there in the Chrissy Shop - surprise surprise - apparently it is huge.
    I went exploring the town. The wall has towers at regular points and some of these are also gateways. There are steps to go up and walk along the walkway at the top - a great way to see the medieval town.
    Janette stocked up on Christmas decorations and arranged for them to be mailed home.
    Back to Wurzburg and a chance to walk around here - a really good comparison as it turned out. Wurzburg is a university town and not really geared for tourism. It was nice to walk around a 'normal' German town.
    Tomorrow we leave the Main River and enter the Main to Danube Canal at Bamberg.    Read more

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    Bamberg.
    Bamberg.Little Venice, Bamberg.Bamberg.Bamberg.Bamberg.

    Bamberg - a tale of two cities.

    June 2, 2017 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We continued to sail this morning as we would not reach Bamberg till lunchtime. Unless our cruise director is pulling our legs, there is a German tradition called Fruhschoppen. This means that on a Sunday they eat sausage and drink beer as a pre lunch snack. Although it's only Friday, we did it this morning. We had pretzel, sausage and venison ham, all washed down with an ale. All this a couple of hours before lunch.
    After lunch we set off for a walking tour of the old, medieval town within the bigger, newer town. By the river is an area called Little Venice. These houses were originally all owned by fishermen. Today three fishermen still earn a living here.
    We walked with a guide for an hour or so and then everyone went their own way exploring the town and its shops. As is our want, we found a cafe / beergarden and had drink.
    This is another university town which means there are people on bicycles everywhere, and they go very fast and therefore they seem to think they have right of way.
    Tomorrow - Nuremberg    Read more

  • Janette and JohnParis to PragueJanette and John
    A market in Nuremberg.
    The Beautiful Fountain, Nuremberg.Turn the brass ring seven times for good luck (?).Phew! It's closed.Top of The Great Dividing Range.On board presentation on the locks and the heights ascended and descended.

    Over the top

    June 3, 2017 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    This morning Nuremberg. The guide on the bus gave us an excellent commentary on the points of interest around Nuremberg, including where the war trials were held.
    We didn't take the walking tour today, instead, along with half the passengers, we strolled around the town. I assume that, because it's Saturday, there were markets and buskers and a very nice, friendly atmosphere.
    At over 5kms, Nuremberg has one of the longest intact city walls.
    Nuremberg is possibly best known for its Christmas market - the largest and busiest in Germany, it attracts visitors from worldwide.
    As with so many old towns, there is a market square in the centre. In the square is the 'beautiful fountain'. There is a loose brass ring in the wrought iron around the fountain. A local told me that if you turn it seven times, it brings good luck. A short walk from here is the large shopping area similar to most larger towns.
    The markets have wonderfully fresh and delicious looking fruit and veg, flowers, cheese and, possibly my favourite, gingerbread, another thing Nuremberg is famous for.
    The canal that we're in was only completed in 1992. It joins the Main and Danube Rivers and makes this cruise possible. The canal crosses the Continental Divide. We have climbed up the northern side of the divide and, until now, all the rivers flowed North towards the North Sea. Now they flow towards the Black Sea. Today we have climbed about 175 metres by 11 locks, the last being 3 in a row, each lifting us 25 metres. This took us to the top.
    The continental divide is marked by a fairly insignificant wall.
    Anyhow we'll be dropping about 68 metres overnight and heading for Regensburg tomorrow.
    J&J    Read more

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    Just cruisin'.
    Regensburg Cathedral - Left and right don't match .?.The old stone bridge.Look how rich I am!A tower just to show wealth.More cruising.

    Mainly cruising today

    June 4, 2017 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Bit of a laid back day today - later breakfast and sailing till lunchtime to Regensburg. Regensburg is a perfectly preserved medieval city on the banks of the Danube. It is so well preserved because it escaped being bombed in WW2. The town is dominated by the spires of its huge cathedral. Its charm lies in its narrow alleys and quaint squares.
    There's a bridge across the river called 'the old stone bridge' claimed to be the oldest stone bridge in Europe. Right next to the bridge on the river bank is Germany's oldest sausage kitchen, dating back to 1135. It sells 6,000 sausages a day. Even though we are eating far too much, we had to try one - a roll, mustard, sauerkraut and two sausages - wow!
    The cathedral took hundreds of years to build, and, because of this, has some distinctive features. Some of the stone is white and some darker in colour. White stone is dearer than the dark, so when things were tight they bought the cheaper dark stone to at least keep going. The right hand side was built first, up to the bottom of the steeple. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the left doesn't match the right.
    The other strange building feature of this town are the towers. The rich merchants would build big houses to show off their wealth. When this wasn't enough, they would extend. They would add on a tower - it wasn't used for anything - it was just to say 'I'm so rich that I can build this big, tall tower that I don't use'.
    Big day tomorrow - we're off to Salzburg and the sound of music?
    J&J    Read more

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    Now, that's a train.
    Morning tea on board.Our carriage.First class.Another carriage.Entertainment on the return leg.

    The Majestic Imperator.

    June 5, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Early start today - 8am to catch 8.30 train to Salzburg - not just any train - the Majestic Imperator. It is a replica of the royal train built for the Emperor, Franz Joseph. It is the most amazing train, with each carriage furnished with tables and chairs, but each carriage totally different to the others. We set off from Passau in Germany and the trip to Salzburg took three hours. Tea, coffee and cakes were served on this leg.
    The return trip took us to Linz in Austria where our ship had sailed to during the day. This took two hours and included soft drink, beer, wine and savouries. It also included three singers who went from carriage to carriage singing both opera and sound of music songs.
    J&J    Read more

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    A nice way to see Salzburg.
    Wrought iron business signs.The fortress.Guess who lived here.Salzburg, as seen from the top of the fortress.Mozart busking with no visible means of support.

    The hills are alive

    June 5, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Had a few hours in Salzburg, which claims Mozart and the von Trapp family amongst others. This is where the Sound of Music film was made. It seems Hollywood took a fair bit of poetic licence with the story - never let the truth get in the way of a good yarn eh?
    Again a bus tour of the sights and recommendations of where to go from our guide. We had to get our own lunch today, so we found a nice little cafe and ate.
    If you like churches, have I got the place for you! Salzburg has 22 catholic and 1 protestant church.
    The town is overlooked by a huge fortress. There is a funicular railway, to its lower level, up the very steep hill. Once there, there's quite a climb up lots of steps to the top part which could hold an army and looks impregnable.
    There is so much history - one street has a wrought iron sign outside each premises. In the days when most people couldn't read and write, these signs depicted what the business was without words. A carpenter might have crossed hammers, a wheelwright a couple of wheels. There are many lovely, narrow arcades and the old graveyard.
    Alongside all this is the new, blending in nicely. The city has many squares, used for market stalls, buskers and street artists.
    A nice way to see the city would be in one of the many pony driven carriages.    Read more

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    Melk Abbey.
    Melk Abbey overlooking the town.Lovely old town.The ship's bridge.There are views all the way.Cruising the Wachau Valley.

    Melk (Aboriginal for slow moving river)

    June 6, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Docked at Melk this morning - home town of our cruise director. Melk is named after its river which runs close to the Danube just here. Two guided tours available today - Melk Abbey or a walk around town with a guide, which is the one we did. The walking groups are about 30 people usually and we each have an earpiece tuned to the guide's mike.
    Another interesting place. We started by getting a ride up to the abbey - just as well as the abbeys always seem to be at the town's highest point. The abbey is huge and although there are still some monks here, it is primarily a school these days. The fees are €90 a month. It is basically a Catholic school, but any faith is welcome. But, all students must attend religious instruction - Catholic or Protestant - even if they are Muslim or Jewish or whatever. All students must also study latin and achieve a pass level.
    Melk is a nice little town, as they've all been. The guide showed us some sites of interest and a bit of history, and then we wandered around ourselves. Then a fifteen minute stroll took us back to our ship in time for lunch - I wish our calves would put on the daily weight increase that I am on this ship.
    After lunch we set sail for Durnstein, 32kms downstream. The ship carries some bicycles and some people cycled along the river and rejoined the ship at Durnstein. This stretch of the river is the Wachau Valley and is spectacular.
    Anyone who wanted to could go ashore here and explore on their own. In the lounge, the chef gave a lesson on making 'the best apple strudel in the world' - Janette went to this.
    At the same time the bridge was available for group (15 people at a time) tours by the captain - John did this.
    Entertainment in the lounge tonight was an Australian singer who lives in Austria - Brett Reid.
    This is certainly the best direction to do this cruise - it just gets better the further you go - and we've still got Vienna, Budapest and Prague to come.
    Tomorrow Vienna. Tomorrow night our classical concert in Vienna.
    J&J    Read more

  • Janette and JohnParis to PragueJanette and John
    Melk.
    Melk Abbey overlooking Melk.Coloman's tomb in the Abbey church, Melk.

    Coloman - Austria's Irish Saint.

    June 6, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    The main street of Melk is a cafe and restaurant strip. In front of them is a statue of a saint - in fact a patron saint of Austria. What's more he was Irish.
    He was a pilgrim on his way to Jerusalem in 1012AD. Unfortunately, he had unwittingly entered a war zone. Strangely dressed and speaking Gaelic, he was assumed to be a spy and was lynched.
    After his death, miracles were said to have started. His hair and nails continued to grow, the dead tree from which he was hanged started to bloom and people who came in contact with his body were healed of their ills.
    The locals began to venerate him as a martyr. He was buried in a nearby church and the miracles continued.
    Today, Coloman is still the patron saint for hanging convicts, passengers and livestock, and is invoked against disease, head and foot problems, plague, storms, fire hazards, and rat and mice infestations. Wow, he's a busy little saint!
    His tomb can be seen in the Abbey church of Melk.    Read more

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    Tick this one off Janette's bucket list.
    It looks good enough to eat!Another cathedral.Taxi rank - Vienna style.Lunch in one of the many laneway cafes.Typical Vienna laneway.

    The Ringstrasse in Wein (Vienna)

    June 7, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    The Ringstrasse (ringroad) in Vienna is as famous as the Champs Elysees in Paris. It is Vienna's ringroad and is the best way to see all the major buildings from a coach. There a so many grand old buildings it's a bit overpowering.
    The Museum Quarter possibly has the greatest concentration of museums anywhere in the world. St Stephen's Cathedral dominates the city centre.
    Again we were coached into the city and then had a walking tour with a guide. We've been a bit spoilt with all the beautiful medieval towns we visited, and to come into a large city is a bit of a shock to the system.
    The city centre is really nice with a very nice atmosphere. There is a large fleet of horse and carriage. There is a large pedestrian area in the centre. The shops are full of Summer clothes - all of very high quality, I'm assured.
    In the main street (a mall) there are food stalls and tables and chairs. There are many laneways with boutique shops and cafes - all with tables and chairs outside.
    We elected to stay in Vienna and find our own way back to the ship. First on the agenda, a visit to the Hotel Sacher for the world famous Sacher Torte and coffee - a very enjoyable experience. Then the obligatory shopping - two tops for Janette.
    Lunch next at one of those cafes. We then navigated the Metro to return to the ship in time to get frocked up for our concert tonight.
    J&J    Read more

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    Stairway to the reception and concert.
    Corridor to the Grand Hall.The Grand Hall.Viennese Imperial Orchestra, soprano and tenor.Viennese Imperial Orchestra and tenor.Viennese Imperial Orchestra and boys of the Mozart Boy's Choir.

    A concert in Vienna

    June 7, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Our concert was at the City Palace, a residential building in the heart of Vienna (google City Palais Liechtenstein). From the outside it's just another big stone building - on the inside it's pure opulence.
    After a champagne reception we were seated for a one hour concert by the Viennese Imperial Orchestra, featuring a soprano, tenor and three boys from the Mozart Boys Choir.
    All in all, a most memorable occasion.
    Tomorrow we're going on a tour to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.
    J&J    Read more

  • Janette and JohnParis to PragueJanette and John
    Bratislava Castle.
    Bratislava.Bratislava.Peeping Pete - Bratislava.Bratislava.Part of the 1500 turbine wind farm.

    Bratislava, Slovakia

    June 8, 2017 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Talk about spoilt for choice - today's options were, the Schonbrunn Palace, the Spanish Riding School or Bratislava. We're sure we chose the best.
    Our guide, George, a Bratislavan, was witty and knowledgeable.
    We were after all going into a country that was communist until fairly recently, so what an opportunity. Bratislava is a one hour drive from Vienna. We turned off the freeway ASAP and went through lovely countryside and villages.
    We also went through the biggest wind farm you might imagine, km after km of wind turbines - 1500 in all !!! A spectacular sight.
    First up we had a bus tour of the town - yet another beautiful old town. Would you believe there is a castle on the highest point above the town? We parked there and had a guided tour.
    Back on the bus and down into town for a walking tour. Then two hours to wander around on our own, have lunch and check out the markets and shops. Everywhere in these old towns are narrow, winding and cobbled laneways with little shops and little cafes with tables and chairs outside - Europe has such a great cafe culture.
    Tonight - cocktails with the captain then a 'celebration gala dinner'.
    Tomorrow Budapest.
    J&J    Read more

  • Janette and JohnParis to PragueJanette and John
    The approach into Budapest.
    The food market on the lower level.The top level with amazing handicraft stalls.Handcraft stall.More handcrafts.A street in the Pest side of Budapest.

    Another 'pinch me' moment

    June 9, 2017 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We've just come back from walking around town. Budapest that is, or more correctly the Pest side, Buda is on the other side of the Danube - who'd have ever thought we'd be here!
    It was everyone up on deck at 9am for our approach into Budapest. At our nightly briefing last night, our cruise director suggested being on deck by 9.00am tomorrow. We knew from experience that these suggestions were worth taking notice of. The approach into Budapest was something not to be missed.
    Once we'd docked anyone interested could walk into town for a look around. We walked to a market. The ground floor was food stalls and the upper floor had crafts, leather goods, souvenirs, clothing etc. From there we walked around some of the main streets, and back to the ship for lunch.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnParis to PragueJanette and John
    Looking across the Danube to Pest from Buda.
    St Stephen's Basilica.Buda Castle, Castle Hill, Buda.Buda Castle.Shopping in Buda.Heroes Square.

    The two sides of a city

    June 9, 2017 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Budapest became one city in 1873 with the amalgamation of right bank Buda and left bank Pest. Pest is very flat and Buda sits on seven hills. Because of this, Pest was prone to flood and sustain severe building damage. Therefore much of Pest only dates to the 19th century. Buda is much older because of this. It's also the Toorak / South Yarra of Budapest.
    Pest has a huge square called 'Heroes Square'. This is where , in 1989, a young man urged a large crowd to throw out the communists. The square was surrounded by Russian tanks and it wasn't long after Tiananmen Square. The world press were there and the Russians did nothing. That young man went on to be Prime Minister. Next to the square is a huge city park.
    So Buda has the history of the old buildings etc, but Pest has the significant political history.
    Tonight - a night cruise to see the lights of Budapest.
    J&J    Read more

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