Danube Waltz

Saturday, November 25, 2017

We arrived on time in Munich and quickly cleared customs. A Viking representative met us and as we were assembling I changed dollars for Euros. When all of our group w as collected we went outside to board the bus but our coach had been redirected around the airport once again by the polizi so we waited for another fifteen minutes.

Oliver, our driver, arrived in a Viking coach and we set out for the 130 kilometer drive north to Passau. We were delighted by the beautiful drive through Bavaria. As we drove we saw numerous fields containing solar panels. These went on for miles. We also saw a nuclear power plant and one windmill.

Arriving at the city we saw a Viking ship at the city center but that was not our vessel. The Skadi was three kilometers further. We would in-process to the ship and sail to the city center later.

Passau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north.

Passau's population is 50,000 of whom about 12,000 are students at the local University of Passau. It is renowned in Germany for its institutes of economics, law, theology, computer

107 science and cultural studies.

In the 2nd century BC, many of the Boii tribe were pushed north across the Alps out of northern Italy by the Romans. They established a new capital called Boiodurum by the Romans (from Gaulish Boioduron), now within the Innstadt district of Passau.

Passau was an ancient Roman colony of ancient Noricum called Batavis, Latin for "for the Batavi." The Batavi were an ancient Germanic tribe often mentioned by classical authors, and they were regularly associated with the Suebian marauders, the Heruli.

During the second half of the 5th century, St. Severinus established a monastery here. In 739, an English monk called Boniface founded the diocese of Passau, which for many years was the largest diocese of the German Kingdom/Holy Roman Empire, covering territory in southern Bavaria and most of what is now Upper and Lower Austria. From the 10th century the bishops of Passau also exercised secular authority as Prince-Bishops in the immediate area around Passau.

In the Treaty of Passau (1552), Archduke Ferdinand I, representing Emperor Charles V, secured the agreement of the Protestant princes to submit the religious question to a diet. This led to the Peace of Augsburg in 1555.

During the Renaissance and early modern period, Passau was one of the most prolific centers of sword and bladed weapon manufacture in Germany (after Solingen). Passau smiths stamped their blades with the Passau wolf, usually a rather simplified rendering of the wolf on the city's coat-of-arms. Superstitious warriors believed that the Passau wolf conferred invulnerability on the blade's bearer, and thus Passau swords acquired a great premium. According to the Donau-Zeitung, aside from the wolf, some cabalistic signs and inscriptions were added. As a result, the whole practice of placing magical charms on swords to protect the wearers came to be known for a time as "Passau art". Other cities' smiths, including those of Solingen, recognized the marketing value of the Passau wolf and adopted it for themselves. By the 17th century, Solingen was producing more wolf- stamped blades than Passau did.

After a light lunch we boarded a bus for a walking tour of the town. Alexander, our local guide, familiarized us with the area. Of Chinese ancestry, his parents came to this city and operated a restaurant. He was born and grew up in the city but had no intention of continuing the business which was failing as he finished school. He then helped his mother adjust to retirement and stated she believes they should have abandoned the business years ago.

We drove to the center of the town where the Viking Skadi was docked. Tonight our ship will move to that berth and we will have breakfast at that location. But today we will have an initial orientation and then return to our ship upstream. As we walked Alexander told us Alexander told us that there are 12,000 students at the University of Passau. It is renowned in Germany for its institutes of economics, law, theology, computer science and cultural studies.

“Passau became a major migrant entry point into Germany. Refugees and economic migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa who have reached Europe, often entering either overland via Greece or across the sea via the Mediterranean, then head north and sometimes enter Germany. In 2015 the BBC reported that traffickers drive migrants and refugees through Austria and leave them on the side of the autobahn. The migrants and refugees then often walk unaccompanied into Passau, the first German town northwards. This situation has caused the government of Passau to divert funds from flood prevention to housing and feeding the refugees and migrants, around 10% of whom are unaccompanied

108 children.”

After our orientation we had a little time to explore and shop. The stores would be closed tomorrow so this would be our only opportunity here. There were some cafés on the square and people were bundled up in the open air seating and enjoying Glühwein. The Kristkindl Markt would not open until Thursday but we will have many opportunities to shop the markets in other cities further down the river. Liz did check our some of the souvenir shops and we did sample the Glühwein and bought the Kristkindl Markt cups to bring home.

109 Returning to the ship, we went to the lounge for a cheese and wine tasting followed by the welcome briefing. We met two other couples and introduced ourselves. It turned out to be a fortuitous meeting as we became friends quickly and would join each other for cocktail hours, dinner, and excursions for the entire cruise.

Lori and Chuck Beckey live in Littleton, CO. They are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this cruise. Lou Phillips lives in Windham, ME and his sister, Pat Batary, lives in Broadview Hights, OH. Lou and Pat are of Hungarian descent and he surprised his sister, with the help of her daughter, with this trip for her birthday. They would help give us insight to some of the traditions and food choices we would learn while we toured.

Our Program Director, Chantal de Goede, opened the briefing and welcomed us to the Viking Skadi. “The giantess Skadi is the Norse goddess of winter. She is also associated with hunting and skiing. When her father is slain by the gods, Skadi straps on her armor and weapons and heads to Asgard, home of the gods, to avenge his death.”

Captain Peter Titz and the Hotel Manager Katja Geyersbach were introduced in turn. Chantal then explained what would happen this evening and reviewed tomorrow's program. Maitre D' Marta Zburinova and Executive Chef Mario Tayong stepped forward and the chef announced the recommended menu choices for tonight, adding suggested wine parings as well. We then went to the restaurant for dinner. As we dined the ship cast off from Lindau and proceeded to the Passau berth.

Sunday, November 26, 2017

After breakfast we met Hans, our local guide for a walking tour of Passau. Hans grew up in Passau and spoke with the authority of a native who loves his homeland. One of his first comments, echoing those of Alexander the day before, was “the blue Danube” is not blue. There is too much soil from the farmlands to ever have been “blue.”

Hans said, “The earliest evidence of human settlement dates back to the Neolithic. Passau was part of the Roman Empire for more than 400 years. It became an Episcopal seat in the year 739 AD. Passau was an independent prince bishopric for over 600 years. Finally in 1803 Passau was annexed into Bavaria. The setting of the Old Town, created by Italian baroque masters in the 17th century, shows soaring towers, picturesque places, enchanting promenades and romantic lanes.

In the heart of Passau on the Old Town’s highest point rises St. Stephen’s Cathedral, in which the world’s largest cathedral organ sounds. Sitting high above the rivers, the majestic fortress Veste Oberhaus on the Danube’s side and the Pilgrimage Church "Mariahilf" on the Inn’s side frame the city outstandingly beauty.”

Today we would not be distracted by shopping although there were a few purely souvenir shops open. However, Hans held our attention as we wandered through the streets. We walked toward the Rathaus as he spoke of the impact of three rivers and resulting trade on the development of this city. The Danube is Europe's second-longest river, after the Volga River. It's source is Donaueschingen, Germany. The Ilz begins in the Bavarian forest, and the Inn begins in the Swiss Alps.

110 As we came closer to the city hall Hans spoke of the flooding in 2013. The levels of high water were marked on the entrance of the Rathaus and the only higher water level was about a foot higher... in 1501. This was well over the entrance to the building.

As we walked past pastel facades of the buildings Hans pointed out the Veste Oberhaus high above the city. “This fortress was built in 1219 by Ulrich II, the first prince-bishop of Passau, at the location of a previously existing chapel dedicated to St. George. The intention was to express the military strength of the bishopric and support the bishop's status as an elector of the Holy Roman Empire, granted in 1217, and also to protect against both external enemies and internal threats such as those citizens of Passau who wished to acquire the independent status of a free imperial city.”

Then Hans posed a riddle and asked who could read the date on the side of the castle. When none could he said that the second number was written like an “8” which had been cut off a little below the halfway point. This was a way to mean half eight or “4” and the date should be read as 1499.

As siege techniques improved over the centuries, Veste Oberhaus was repeatedly renovated and extended, beginning in 1255–56, so that it offers an opportunity to study fortification techniques from the 13th through the early 19th century. The inscription "1499" prominent on the facade refers to one of these renovations.

The fortress was attacked five times between 1250 and 1482, each time without success. Twice, in 1298 and 1367, the attackers

111 were the citizens of Passau themselves in rebellion against the bishop.

Between 1535 and 1540, numerous Protestant Anabaptists were imprisoned in the castle dungeon for their beliefs. During their imprisonment, the Ausbund hymnal, still used in Amish religious services, was developed. Some of the hymn writers died while imprisoned; many were martyred.

In 1704, 1742, and 1800 the fortress was forced to surrender to various forces.[1] Secularization in 1802 brought an end to the rule of the bishop. Napoleon made use of the fortress during his campaign against Austria, placing it under the control of his allies the Bavarians as a border outpost, but in 1805 it surrendered to the Austrian army. After the Congress of Vienna the area was controlled by Bavaria and for almost a century, until 1918, the fortress served an additional purpose as a state and military prison. It was feared as the "Bastille of Bavaria".

Continuing our walk we stopped at the Glasmuseum Passau. We wouldn't have much time to look at the exhibits but Hans suggested we should return to his city and make this a point of interest. With 30,000 glasses, the world's largest museum of Czech glass. Registered in the list of "National Valuable Cultural Property".

The museum gives a comprehensive overview of the different eras of Bohemian glass art from 1700 to 1950. From baroque to modern times you will find everything in the "most beautiful glasshouse in the world".

One of our group asked if we could walk to the confluence of the rivers and Hans led the way to Dreiflüsseeck, a park pointing into the rivers.

At the foot of the Niederhaus castle, first down the river, the Ilz flows from left into the Danube and shortly thereafter from the right to the Inn of the Danube.

The water of the Inn, which comes from the Alps, is green, that of the Danube is blue and that of a moor area Ilz black, so that the Danube has a longer piece after the confluence three water colors (green / blue / black). It is striking how strong the green water of the Inn pushes aside the water of the Danube.

In addition to the sometimes very large amount of water in the Inn, this is mainly due to the very different depths of the two waters (Inn: 1.90 meters / Danube: 6.80 meters) - "the Inn overflows the Danube". Although the Inn has an annual average of about five percent more water than the Danube itself; However, this mainly stems from the heavy floods of the Inn during the snowmelt, while the Danube has a much more constant flow of water. It carries more water than the inn most of the year (seven months, October to April).

112 Leaving the park we passed an orphanage which today houses 30 individuals. Then we climbed the steps to gain access to St. Stephen's Cathedral, a baroque church from 1688. It is the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Passau and the main church of his diocese.

Since 730, there have been many churches built on the site of the current cathedral. The current church, a baroque building around 100 meters (328 ft) long, was built from 1668 to 1693 after a fire in 1662 destroyed its predecessor, of which only the late Gothic eastern side remains.

Over time, the Passau Cathedral has acquired the largest organ outside of the United States. It is also the largest cathedral organ in the world. The organ currently has 17,774 pipes and 233 registers, all of which can be played with the five-manual general console in the gallery. Portions of the organ have their own mechanical-action or electric-action consoles, for a total of six consoles. "This magnificent instrument inspired Liszt to write his Hungarian Coronation Mass."

Our last stop of our walk was a visit to Café Simon. The owner briefed us about his being the 4th generation of bakers. He explained how they made gingerbread and how, by tradition, they worked closely with bee keepers and candle makers because of the sweetness and the wax products of the hive. Samples were passed out for tasting and one could buy their products from the store. We did buy two Kristkindl Markt cups to take home.

Back aboard the boat the chef was hosting an Austrian Tea Time and Gingerbread Decoration. Liz decorated a gingerbread heart with piped frostings. This was later followed by the captain and hotel

113 manager toasting all the passengers.

Afterward Chantal gave the daily briefing about tomorrow's excursions and events. Later, after dinner, she would host a Trivia quiz.

Monday, November 27, 2017

Today there are three excursions in Linz. The Linz Walking Tour was included and there were two optional tours; Austrian Countryside or Voestaipine's World of Steel. However, the six of our group had already, separately booked an excursion to the Czech Republic before we joined the cruise. We were alerted to carry our passports in case authorities might ask for them.

We all planned to go on the Český Krumlov Walking Tour. I had requested that the staff link our excursion plans so that the six of us would be on the same coach. This did not take place for this first trip so I will check out the disconnect later. All this means is that our four coaches will begin at a different portion in the beginning but our group will be able to rejoin during the free time.

Our guide was Sandra, a local woman who spoke English with the American accent she learned working four years as a nanny for an American couple in Berchtesgaden. She has two children and we

114 learned of Czech schooling and Czech society from her viewpoint. Her eldest son is now deciding what schooling he will attend for college. He is an accomplished musician but this is more of a hobby than a career choice.

Český Krumlov is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Its historic center, located around the Český Krumlov Castle, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992 and was given this status along with the historic Prague castle district.

The settlement arose beneath the castle, which was erected from about 1240 onwards by a local branch of the noble Vítkovci family, descendants of Witiko of Prčice. The fortress was first mentioned in a 1253 deed as Chrumbenowe. According to local legend, the name derives from Middle High German krumbe ouwe which can be translated as "crooked meadow", after a bend of the Vltava River. It was also mentioned in the 1255 Frauendienst poem by minnesinger Ulrich von Liechtenstein. Located at a ford of an important trade route in the Kingdom of Bohemia, a settlement arose soon-after beneath the castle. The Czech name Krumlov is documented as early as in 1259.

In 1302 the Vítkovci line became extinct and King Wenceslaus II ceded the town and castle to the Rosenberg family (Rožmberkové). Peter I of Rosenberg (d. 1347), the Lord Chamberlain of King John of Bohemia, resided here and had the present upper castle erected in the early 14th century. The majority of inhabitants were German-speaking at that time, immigrating from neighboring Austria and Bavaria in the course of the Ostsiedlung. A Jewish community is documented since 1334. By 1336, it can be expected that Czechs formed a small minority, which had its own priest.[2]

The Rosenbergs strongly promoted trade and crafts within the town walls. In late 15th century, when gold was found next to the town, German miners came to settle, which shifted the ethnic balance even more. In one of the churches the sermons were preached in Czech until 1788, when St. Jošt Church was closed. William of Rosenberg (1535–1592), High Treasurer and High Burgrave of Bohemia, had the castle rebuilt in a Renaissance style.

In 1602 William's brother Peter Vok of Rosenberg (1539–1611) sold Krumlov to the Habsburg emperor Rudolf II, who gave it to his natural son Julius d'Austria. After the Bohemian Revolt and the 1620 Battle of White Mountain, Emperor Ferdinand II gave Krumlov to the noble House of Eggenberg and the town became seat of the mediate Duchy of Krumlov. From 1719 until 1945 the castle belonged to the House of Schwarzenberg.

In 1947, the Schwarzenberg property, including Český Krumlov, was transferred to the Czech provincial properties and after the abolition of the provincial system it became the property of the Czechoslovak State in 1950.

After a scenic drive through the Czech countryside, our coach drove to the Český Krumlov Castle gardens. The tall rock cliffs jutting out over Vltava river was populated long before the oldest parts of today´s castle and church were founded. The first settlement of the castle promontory dates back to the Bronze Age. The Baroque and Renaissance style castle is built in the rock face of the hill and includes caves alongside.

We walked through the well laid out grounds and admired the symmetry of the of the garden. There were stands where one could climb to gain a better vantage to take in the layout. Because of the season, the fountains have been turned off and much of the statuary has been protected by wooden cages to better survive the winter.

115 As we moved from the upper grounds we noted a Cloak Bridge which stood on tall stone arches. This bridge allowed passage from the castle to the gardens and, at times, was used as a horse paddock to exercise the mounts of the nobles.

Walking past the garden exit of the Cloak Bridge we continued toward the courtyard and onto an overlook of the city below. This allowed an understanding of the strategic strength over the town. We also learned “The castle houses the Český Krumlov Baroque Theatre, which is situated on the Vth Castle Courtyard. It is one of the world's most completely preserved Baroque theaters with its original theater building, auditorium, orchestra pit, stage, stage technology, machinery, coulisses (stage curtains), librettos, costumes etc.”

As we reached the main entrance we saw the Bear Moat. Our guide informed us that “Bears have long been part of the Rosenberg family. It is believed that bears were first held at the castle starting in the second half of the 16th century, and they started living in the moat around 1707. Bears also make an appearance on the family’s coat of arms, holding up shields.”

We did not enter but passed by the armory, pharmacy, monastery, and castle gate. Then we descended castle hill as we walked past shops, restaurants, and museums enroute to the Renaissance Town Hall. There we were released to open time and given directions to explore the Gothic Church of St. Vitus.

Here we met up with Lori and Chuck and Pat and Lou. I suggested a restaurant which intrigued me and I explained why. I had read Good Soldier Švejk when I went to Germany in 1971. I equate him to our Beetle Baily but it is more complicated than that.

"Good Soldier Švejk is set during World War I in Austria-Hungary, a multi-ethnic empire full of long- standing ethnic tensions. Fifteen million people died in the War, one million of them Austro-Hungarian soldiers including around 140,000 who were Czechs. Jaroslav Hašek participated in this conflict and examined it in The Good Soldier Švejk.”

Many of the situations and characters seem to have been inspired, at least in part, by Hašek's service in the 91st Infantry Regiment of the Austro-Hungarian Army. The novel also deals with broader anti-war themes: essentially a series of absurdly comic episodes, it explores the pointlessness and futility of conflict in general and of military discipline, Austrian military discipline in particular. Many of its characters, especially the Czechs, are participating in a conflict they do not understand on behalf of an empire to which they have no loyalty.

116 The character of Josef Švejk is a development of this theme. Through (possibly feigned) idiocy or incompetence he repeatedly manages to frustrate military authority and expose its stupidity in a form of passive resistance: the reader is left unclear, however, as to whether Švejk is genuinely incompetent, or acting quite deliberately with dumb insolence.

With this background as the reason to stop at this restaurant, I thought it would be fun to sample Czech fare. The restaurant was quite popular with a large tourist crowd. We ordered Smažená králičí stehna s francouzskou hořčicovou omáčkou podávaná s opečenou bagetou (Larded rabbit leg with french mustard sauce served with toasted baguette) and Pečená stehna telecí s jemnou čerstvou křenovou omáčkou podávané s domácími knedlíky a praženými mandlemi (Roast leg of veal with fine fresh horseradish sauce served with home-made dumplings and roasted almonds). Both choices were scrumptious and we equally enjoyed two glasses each of Pilsner Urquell, the perfect beverage with Czech cuisine. And our entire lunch was $15.00!

When we returned to the boat I asked about our grouping and discovered they had listed our stateroom as 102 instead of 101. Now the three cabin numbers will be grouped together for future excursions. The Viking Explorer Society (past guests) met in the lounge for a cocktail party. There were sixty passengers on this cruise who have previously sailed with Viking.

Tonight's entertainment was a compilation of music from Mozart, Stolz and Lehár along with the most beautiful melodies from the Sound of Music by a Salzburgian ensemble dressed in traditional period costumes. At 23:30 our vessel would continue to our next port, Melk, Austria.

Tuesday, November 28 , 2017

The Skadi arrived in Melk at 07:00 and our shore excursion to the Melk Abbey would begin for two bus groups at 08:45 with the other two groups beginning at 09:15. We could see the abbey from the berth and we would remain in Melk until one o'clock. Then the boat would continue sailing the Wachau Valley.

Melk is a city of Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria, next to the Wachau valley along the Danube. Melk has a population of 5,257 (as of 2012). It is best known as the site of a massive baroque Benedictine monastery named Melk Abbey.

The town is first mentioned as Medilica in 831 in a donation of Louis the German; the name is from a Slavic word for 'border.' The area around Melk was given to Margrave Leopold I in

117 the year 976 to serve as a buffer between the Magyars (Turks) to east and Bavaria to the west. In 996 mention was first made of an area known as Ostarrîchi, which is the origin of the word Österreich (Austria). The bluff which holds the current monastery held a Babenberger castle until the site was given to Benedictine monks from nearby Lambach by Margrave Leopold II in 1089. Melk received market rights in 1227 and became a municipality in 1898. In a very small area, Melk presents a great deal of architectural variety from many centuries.

The Forsthaus, which accommodates the city archives and the tourist information office, is the starting point of the tour. Beside the Forsthaus the Zaglauergasse meets with the Wiener Straße. The Zaglauergasse is restricted on one side by remnants of the ancient city wall. At this junction one could find the Wiener Tor (Vienna Gate) until 1874. It has been, along with the Linzer Tor (Linz Gate) on the other side of the city, one of the two entrances to Melk throughout the centuries.

After several metres, the Wiener Straße opens to the affectionately restored Rathausplatz, which got its name from the Rathaus built in 1575. The facade of the town hall was redesigned 150 years ago and the highly elaborate entrance door, made of wood and copper, is the town hall's most outstanding feature.

To its left is the former Lebzelterhaus, which dates back to 1657 and which nowadays is a pharmacy. To the right is a secular building from the Middle Ages. The Kolomanbrunnen market fountain, which is a gift from the abbey to the city, is in the center of the Rathausplatz. On the top of the fountain the statue of St. Koloman can be seen.

Chantal accompanied our coach and we parked in the lot above the garden entrance to the abbey grounds. She wanted to get ahead of us to obtain the tickets for our group so she asked us to follow down the steps five minutes after she left. Once we did so she met us at the courtyard entrance where we waited a few more minutes for our local guide, Koloman Pfeiffer, to meet us.

We walked with Koloman into museum rooms that depicted stages of the abbey and its patron saint. Our guide told us of how [his namesake], “Saint Colmán (Koloman) of Stockerau was an Irish pilgrim en route to the Holy Land and was mistaken for a spy because of his strange appearance. He was tortured and hanged at Stockerau, near Vienna, Austria, on 16 July 1012. Later tradition has it that he was 'a son of Máel-Sechnaill, high king of Ireland.'

At the time of his death, there were continual skirmishes among Austria, Moravia, and Bohemia. Coloman spoke no German, so he could not give an understandable account of himself. He was hanged alongside several robbers.

118 He was made a saint by the local people, possibly out of remorse for the deed and because of his endurance under torture and the many miracles reported from where his body was buried.

A legend states that Coleman's body remained incorruptible for eighteen months, remaining undisturbed by birds and beasts. The scaffolding itself is said to have taken root and to have blossomed with green branches, one of which is preserved under the high altar of the Franciscan church at Stockerau.”

Koloman (our guide) pointed out many exhibits which depicted various stages in the development of the abbey. As we walked he related that this was still a working abbey with thirty monks still in the cloister. This seemed quite appropriate to us but the abbey is huge to only serve that few people.

Then our guide announced that there are also 1,000 high school students attending classes. There are 99 lay teachers and 1 monk involved with the daily instruction of these students. He himself attended school here and is one of those lay teachers. Melk is his home and students come from Austria and neighboring countries. He attends university classes in Vienna and commutes back to the abbey for his work.

Melk Abbey (Stift Melk) is a Benedictine abbey above the town of Melk, Lower Austria, Austria, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube river, adjoining the Wachau valley.[1] The abbey contains the tomb of Saint Coloman of Stockerau and the remains of several members of the House of Babenberg, Austria's first ruling dynasty.

The abbey was founded in 1089 when Leopold II, Margrave of Austria gave one of his castles to Benedictine monks from Lambach Abbey. A monastic school, the Stiftsgymnasium Melk, was founded in the twelfth century, and the monastic library soon became renowned for its extensive manuscript collection. The monastery's scriptorium was also a major site for the production of manuscripts. In the fifteenth century the abbey became the center of the Melk Reform movement which reinvigorated the monastic life of Austria and Southern Germany.

Today's Baroque abbey was built between 1702 and 1736 to designs by Jakob Prandtauer. Particularly noteworthy are the abbey church with frescoes by Johann Michael Rottmayr and the library with countless medieval manuscripts, including a famed collection of musical manuscripts and frescoes by Paul Troger.

119 Due to its fame and academic stature, Melk managed to escape dissolution under Emperor Joseph II when many other Austrian abbeys were seized and dissolved between 1780 and 1790. The abbey managed to survive other threats to its existence during the Napoleonic Wars, and also in the period following the Anschluss in 1938, when the school and a large part of the abbey were confiscated by the state.

The school was returned to the abbey after the Second World War.

As we climbed to the top floor of the abbey Koloman further described the ceiling frescoes and the curved ceiling illusion projected by the artwork. Trompe L'oeil at its magnificent capability. We then continued outside this room and walked outside the the opposite wing which housed the library.

“The library of the Melk abbey consists of a total of twelve rooms containing about 1,888 manuscripts, 750 incunabula (printed works before 1500), 1,700 works from the 16th, 4,500 from the 17th, and 18,000 from the 18th century; together with the newer books, approximately 100,000 volumes in total. About 16,000 of these are found in this library room.”

Our final stop was the nave of the abbey church. Our guide pointed out the St. Koloman altar as well as the venerated but empty sarcophagus of St. Benedictine, so placed to honor the founder of the order. We then had some time to reflect on the baroque architecture before moving to the exit and the museum shop.

We were met at the entrance of the abbey by Chantal. She gave us directions to walk back to the ship. This route also took us through the old town, past the Rathaus and the newly assembled Kristkindl Markt stalls. It was but a fifteen minute walk back to the Skadi. And time for lunch before sailing the Wachau Valley.

As we cruised, Program Director Chantal provided a running commentary, "The Wachau is an Austrian valley with a picturesque landscape formed by the Danube river. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations of Lower Austria, located midway between the towns of Melk and Krems is known for its high-quality wines. It is 40 kilometers (25 mi) long and was already settled in prehistoric times.”

The architectural elegance of its ancient monasteries (Melk Abbey and Göttweig Abbey), castles and ruins combined with the urban architecture of its towns and villages, and the cultivation of vines as an important agricultural produce are the dominant features of the valley."

The Wachau was inscribed as "Wachau Cultural Landscape" in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in December 2000 under category (ii) for its riverine landscape and under

120 category (iv) for the medieval landscape that depicts architectural monuments, human settlements, and the agricultural use of its land.

We now have visited Chateau Gaillard, King Richard the Lion- Heart's castle on the River Seine in Normandy. Then we saw the tomb where his heart was buried in Cathédrale primatiale Notre-Dame de l'Assomption de Rouen in Normandy. Today we observed the ruins of Kuenringerburg castle above Dürnstein where King Richard was imprisoned for a year because he insulted Duke Leopold V of Babenberg by showing disrespect to the Austrian flag (he had thrown it into a drain). Even though he was traveling in Austria (returning from the Crusades) in disguise, he was identified in an inn in Erdberg, now a suburb of Vienna.

We docked at Dürnstein and got ready for our next excursion: Wachau Valley Winery Tour & Tasting. The Wachau wine region comprises just 3 percent of Austrian wine. But its reputation for producing the finest whites in Central Europe is unparalleled. The unique combination of terraced slopes, dry stone walls, hillside castles, vineyards and rich cultural tradition earned it a place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wine has been produced here since the time of the Celts, long before the Roman Empire introduced the Riesling grape.

Our guide was Trinta, from Connecticut. She married her Austrian sweetheart, “but I didn't know then that he was a catch-and- release husband.” She has three children she is raising in Austria. She worked as a translator and at one time she was called upon to assist with some negotiations with a local vintner. That person turned out to be Erhard Mörwald and Viking was then contracting to purchase over 350,000 bottles of his vintage per year.

Trinta told us that she and Erhard

121 worked well together and that he speaks some English but was more comfortable working through her. They have almost a comedy sthick they work together. He would describe the operation of his keller and include buzz and whistle sound effects. She would translate his descriptions and duplicate the sound effects. As they did so, his team would pour six wines to taste as he described his operation.

We had seen some of his wines on the Skadi but they were not the only wines that Viking buys. I felt that Viking probably buys the great majority of his vintage but his full output only meets a small fraction of Viking's requirement. It was impressive to understand some of Viking purchasing power.

Tonight we enjoyed Taste of Austria, “a hearty Austrian buffet while our performers charm you with a selection of beautiful melodies and upbeat festive tunes from Vienna and the Wachau Valley.”

Program Director Chantal hosted the game Majority Rules in the lounge. This was followed by music and dancing with entertainers Veselin and Irina. At midnight the boat departed Dürnstein for Vienna.

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Our guide for this morning's Panoramic Vienna was Anna, who would direct us to the center of Vienna and point out much of the history and architecture of the city.

122 Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.8 million, nearly one third of Austria's population), and its cultural, economic, and political center. It is the 7th-largest city by population within city limits in the European Union. Until the beginning of the 20th century, it was the largest German-speaking city in the world, and before the splitting of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I, the city had 2 million inhabitants.[11] Today, it has the second largest number of German speakers after Berlin. Vienna is host to many major international organizations, including the United Nations and OPEC. The city is located in the eastern part of Austria and is close to the borders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. These regions work together in a European Centrope border region. Along with nearby Bratislava, Vienna forms a metropolitan region with 3 million inhabitants.[citation needed] In 2001, the city center was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In July 2017 it was moved to the list of World Heritage in Danger.

Apart from being regarded as the City of Music because of its musical legacy, Vienna is also said to be "The City of Dreams" because it was home to the world's first psycho- analyst – Sigmund Freud. The city's roots lie in early Celtic and Roman settlements that transformed into a Medieval and Baroque city, and then the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is well known for having played an essential role as a leading European music center, from the great age of Viennese Classicism through the early part of the 20th century. The historic center of Vienna is rich in architectural ensembles, including Baroque castles and gardens, and the late-19th-century Ringstraße lined with grand buildings, monuments and parks.

Evidence has been found of continuous habitation in the Vienna area since 500 BC, when Celts settled the site on the Danube River. In 15 BC the Romans fortified the frontier city they called Vindobona to guard the empire against Germanic tribes to the north.

Close ties with other Celtic peoples continued through the ages. The Irish monk Saint Colman is buried in Melk Abbey and Saint Fergil (Virgil the Geometer) served as Bishop of Salzburg for forty years. Irish Benedictines founded twelfth-century monastic settlements. Evidence of these ties persists in the form of Vienna's great Schottenstift monastery (Scots Abbey), once home to many Irish monks.

In 976 Leopold I of Babenberg became count of the Eastern March, a 60-mile district centering on the Danube on the eastern frontier of Bavaria. This initial district grew into the duchy of Austria. Each succeeding Babenberg ruler expanded the march east along the Danube, eventually encompassing Vienna and the lands immediately east. In 1145 Duke Henry II Jasomirgott moved the Babenberg family residence from Klosterneuburg in Lower Austria to Vienna. From that time, Vienna remained the center of the Babenberg dynasty. [46]

In 1440 Vienna became the resident city of the Habsburg dynasty. It eventually grew to become the de facto capital of the Holy Roman Empire (1483–1806) and a cultural center for arts and science, music and fine cuisine. Hungary occupied the city between 1485 and 1490.

In the 16th and 17th centuries Christian forces stopped Ottoman armies twice outside Vienna (Siege of Vienna, 1529 and Battle of Vienna, 1683). A plague epidemic ravaged Vienna in 1679, killing nearly a third of its population.

"The Pestsäule (Plague Column) or Dreifaltigkeitssäule (Trinity Column) is a Holy Trinity column located on the Graben, a street in the inner city of Vienna, Austria. Erected after the Great Plague epidemic in 1679, the Baroque memorial is one of the most well-known and prominent sculptural pieces of art in the city.

123 In 1679, Vienna was visited by one of the last big plague epidemics. Fleeing the city, the Habsburg emperor Leopold I vowed to erect a mercy column if the epidemic would end. In the same year, a provisional wooden column made by Johann Frühwirth was inaugurated, showing the Holy Trinity on a Corinthian column together with nine sculpted angel (for the Nine Choirs of Angels)."

As we drove Anna described the Ringstrasse, “This grand boulevard was built to replace the city walls, which had been built during the 13th century and funded by the ransom payment derived from the release of Richard the Lion Heart, Richard I of England, and reinforced as a consequence of the First Turkish Siege in 1529. The walls were surrounded by a glacis about 500m wide, where buildings and vegetation were prohibited for military defensive reason. But by the late 18th century these fortifications had become obsolete. Under Emperor Joseph II, streets and walkways were built in the glacis, lit by lanterns and lined by trees. Craftsmen built open-air workshops, and stalls were set up. But the Revolution of 1848 was required to trigger a more significant change.

In 1850, the suburbs (Vorstädte) were incorporated into the municipality, which made the city walls an impediment to traffic. In 1857, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria issued the decree ordering the demolition of the city walls and moats. In his decree, he laid out the exact size of the boulevard, as well as the geographical positions and functions of the new buildings. The Ringstraße and the planned buildings were intended to be a showcase for the grandeur and glory of the Habsburg Empire. On the practical level, Emperor Napoléon III of France's boulevard construction in Paris had already demonstrated how enlarging and widening the size of streets effectively made the erection of revolutionary barricades difficult and thus an easier target for artillery.”

As we began our walking tour we came upon the Hofburg Palace,

124 winter residence of the Hapsburgs and home of the Spanish Riding School with its Lipizzaner horses. Just looking from the street we could see workmen in the yard but only one of the famous horses could be seen in a stall. I don't know if others were elsewhere but it was interesting to see the grounds.

St. Peter's Church (Peterskirche) is a Baroque Roman Catholic parish church was transferred in 1970 by the Archbishop of Vienna Franz Cardinal König to the priests of the Opus Dei. Today there were tents set up as a small Kristkndl Markt and we walked through the stands. Just a few blocks further is Domkirche St. Stephan (Cathedral of St. Stephen). We have been here several times in the past so here too we just walked through the Christmas market.

We had time to admire the Vienna State Opera from the outside before we returned to our ship for lunch. The opera facade is decorated with frescoes depicting Mozart's opera, The Magic Flute.

After our lunch we caught a shuttle from the pier to the Rathskeller. This gave us two hours to walk through the city's largest Kristkndl Markt. We bought Christmas presents to mail when we got home. We even helped a few other customers to negotiate the shops. I took a photo of Liz in front of a lit Snow Angel shape and then she took one of me in front of a Vienna snow globe Then we returned to the Skadi for one last excursion in Vienna.

Over the years Liz and I have been to several Heurigan and we had another opportunity to do so tonight. Chuck and Lori Beckey would join us and we met Ferdinand, our guide, who explained how the term Heurigan came about.

“Heuriger is the name given to a tavern in Eastern Austria, where a local winemaker serves his or her new wine under a special licence in alternate months during the growing season. The Heurige are renowned for their atmosphere of Gemütlichkeit shared among a throng enjoying young wine and simple food.

On 17 August 1784 Austrian Emperor Joseph II issued a decree that permitted all residents to open establishments to sell and serve self-produced wine and juices. At first no food could be sold in order to prevent competition with restaurants, but over time these restrictions lessened.

Each Heuriger is only open briefly, usually 2 or 3 weeks during a four month season in the Fall,

125 although it may reopen again later in the season when more wine has been produced. It serves only its own wine, and but a limited selection of food as an evening meal, generally local, homemade products offered as small dishes such as Liptauer spread, various meat or sausage and Semmel combinations, or cheese boards.”

Our group drove to Buschenshank Wolff and two anesthesiologists from Brooklyn joined the Beckeys and us to fill out a table of six. We were served various kinds of spreads with two slices of bread. Followed by Saumaise (pork) with Horseradish, Mustard and Bread. They served Grüner Veltliner 2016, the traditional varietal of Austria. They also served a Blauburger 2013 for a taste of red.

An accordionist and a fiddler played Austrian folk music and some Christmas carols. The staff poured generously and we drank freely. So much so that Liz and I mistakenly rode the second coach. It wasn't a problem, both coaches went back to the Skadi at the same time. Chuck and Lori thought we might have been left behind.

When we returned the crew invited all who wished to enjoy a late snack of gulaschsuppe on the Aquavit Terrace. And by 01:00 AM all were to be back on board for the departure for Bratislava.

Thursday, November 30, 2017

There were two walking excursions of Bratislava and we signed up for the maximum sized group of 40 people. Chantal accompanied us but she was not the guide. That person was Maria, who had the dubious responsibility to schlep through three inches of slush that covered the streets. We all would endure wet and cold feet together.

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, and with a population of about 450,000, the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia, occupying both banks of the River Danube and the left bank of the River Morava. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two sovereign states.

As a consequence of Ottoman advances through Hungarian territory and the capture of Buda, the city was designated as the capital of Royal Hungary in 1536. The history of the city has been strongly influenced by people of different nations and religions, namely by Austrians, Croats, Czechs, Germans, Hungarians, Jews, Serbs and Slovaks. The city served as the coronation site and legislative center of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1536 to 1783, and has been home to many Slovak, Hungarian and German historical figures.

126 The Kingdom of Hungary was part of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1526 to 1918. It was also made a meeting place of the Hungarian Diet from 1542 to 1848 (with interruptions) and the coronation town for Hungarian kings and queens from 1536 to 1830 (in the St. Martin's Cathedral). The first coronation is that of King Maximilian of Habsburg, the last one the coronation of Ferdinand V. Altogether, 11 kings and 8 queens were crowned in the town. [14] However, in the 17th century, the town is touched by anti-Habsburg uprisings. In addition, there are fighting with the Turks, floods, plagues and other disasters. The Evangelic Lutheran Lyceum (Evanjelické lýceum), a kind of Protestant grammar school and in the 19th century also a kind of university, is founded in 1607.

Since the 18th century the city has been an important center of the Slovak national and cultural movement (Slovak National Revival). The Great Plague Epidemic kills 3800 people in years 1710 and 1711. Later Holy Trinity column is erected in thanksgiving to God for its ending. In the 18th century, many new baroque buildings are erected, the economy flourishes (1st manufacture in 1728), first parks arise (today's Hviezdoslavovo námestie), the town wall is demolished in 1775 to enable further expansion, and the first city theatre was opened in 1776 and Pressburg becomes the largest and most important town on the territory of present-day Slovakia and Hungary.

Bratislava is the political, cultural and economic center of Slovakia. It is the seat of the Slovak president, the parliament and the Slovak Executive. It is home to several universities, museums, theaters, galleries and other important cultural and educational institutions. Many of Slovakia's large businesses and financial institutions also have headquarters there.

In 2017, Bratislava was ranked as the third richest region of the European Union by GDP per capita (after Hamburg and Luxembourg City).

As we walked along the river we passed the Passenger Port Bratislava. It is a cement block construction which is scheduled to be renovated. Then we continued past the state engineering high school (Fajnorka), Fajnorovo nábrežie; a very impressive old building.

Maria told us of an online attempt to name the bridge spanning the Morava river and Slovakia’s border with Austria the Chuck Norris Bridge however it was officially dedicated as the “Freedom Cycling- Bridge” in memory of people killed attempting to escape communist eastern Europe. We were left scratching our heads at that story, “why Chuck Norris?”.

Arriving the Ludovit Stur Statue Maria told us that he was the protector of the Slovak language during the nineteenth century and as such is very much seen as a fore father to the modern Slovakia. This statue is a good soviet type inspired statue to commemorate and remember such an important man.

127 The Hviezdoslavovo Square is flanked by the Opera House and the plaza was already set for a Christmas Market however we were too early for them to be open. So we continued up the street where Maria stopped by a monumente and asked us if we knew who was depicted by a local statue. We couldn't even guess but were impressed it was of Hans Christian Andersen. This sculpture was made in honor of his visit in 1841 and is surrounded by characters from his stories. I think Maria said he was only there for a few days.

Maria then described construction of the medieval fortifications in Bratislava (Pozsony for most of its history, when belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary) started in the 13th century. By the end of the 14th century, there were three gates leading to the town. "Michael's Gate and two sections of walls remain today.” We noted those walls outside of the St. Martin’s Cathedral, “the site of Hungarian coronations for more than 250 years.”

St Martin's Cathedral (Katedrála svätéhob Martina) is the largest and one of the oldest churches in Bratislava, known especially for being the coronation church of the Kingdom of Hungary between 1563 and 1830. Eleven Hungarian kings and eight queens were crowned in St. Martin's Cathedral

Long before the construction of the cathedral, the site had been the crossroads and contained the former center of the town, a market and probably also a chapel. Worship services were held at Bratislava Castle, where the chapter and provost’s office had their seat. As the visits became less bearable and the castle’s safety was threatened, King Emeric of Hungary requested the Pope Innocent II for permission to relocate the provost's office into forecastle, and The Pope assented in 1204. The church was relocated in 1221, and was originally built in Romanesque style and sanctified to the Holy Savior.

The tower is topped by a gold-plated replica of the Crown of St. Stephen. It was placed in 1847 following restoration of the damaged tower, to commemorate the cathedral's importance as a coronation church. It weighs 150 kg (330 lb), measures over 1 m (3.3 ft) in diameter, and rests on a gold-plated pillow. The pillow and crown contain a total of 8 kg (18 lb) of gold and were restored in August 2010.

Over the centuries, the cathedral's sepulchers filled with many significant figures, such as ecclesiastic dignitaries, presidents of the historic Pozsony county as well as Jozef Ignác Bajza, the author of the first Slovak novel, but also with dozens of bishops, cannons, French priests fleeing the French revolution and many people outside the Catholic Church.

Upon leaving the cathedral we were on our own to return to the ship. We did not tarry but headed back to Hviezdoslavovo Square and the river. We were wet and looking for dry and warm. All aboard time

128 was 11:45 and the ship would be departing for Budapest.

At mid-afternoon the staff set out Hungarian Teatime with a variety of teas and cakes. We could enjoy the panorama of the river and relax before Captain Peter Titz hosted a farewell toast. The trip was winding down but we still had the best part of the cruise remaining.

There was a Christmas tree trimming part in the lounge. Everyone was invited to write phrases on Christmas ornaments and then hang them on a tree. Then, at 22:30 we were invited to observe the lights of Budapest as we sailed into our berth under the renowned Chain Bridge.

The Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Designed by the English engineer William Tierney Clark and built by the Scottish engineer Adam Clark, it was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary. It was opened in 1849.

It is anchored on the Pest side of the river to Széchenyi (formerly Roosevelt) Square, adjacent to the Gresham Palace and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and on the Buda side to Adam Clark Square, near the Zero Kilometer Stone and the lower end of the Castle Hill Funicular, leading to Buda Castle.

The bridge has the name of István Széchenyi, a major supporter of its construction, attached to it, but is most commonly known as the "Chain Bridge". At the time of its construction, it was regarded as one of the modern world's engineering wonders. [citation needed] It has asserted an enormous significance in the country's economic,

129 social and cultural life. Its decorations made of cast iron, and its construction, radiating calm dignity and balance, have elevated the Chain Bridge to a high stature in Europe. It became a symbol of advancement, national awakening, and the linkage between East and West.

Friday, December 01, 2017

At 08:30 everyone boarded one of the four coaches to take in the Panoramic Budapest Excursion. This would give each of us the opportunity to take an orientation tour of the two sides of this capitol.

Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. Its 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times onward. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views.

The history of Budapest began with Aquincum, originally a Celtic settlement that became the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia. Hungarians arrived in the territory in the 9th century. Their first settlement was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241. The re-established town became one of the centers of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century.

130 Following the Battle of Mohács and nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule, the region entered a new age of prosperity, and Budapest became a global city with the unification of Buda and Óbuda on the west bank with Pest on the east bank on November 17, 1873. Budapest also became the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a great power that dissolved in 1918, following World War I. The city was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Battle of Budapest in 1945, and the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

The Magyar tribes led by Árpád, forced out of their original homeland north of Bulgaria by Tsar Simeon after the Battle of Southern Buh, settled in the territory at the end of the 9th century displacing the founding Bulgarian settlers of the towns of Buda and Pest, and a century later officially founded the Kingdom of Hungary. Research places the probable residence of the Árpáds as an early place of central power near what became Budapest. The Tatar invasion in the 13th century quickly proved that it is difficult to mount a defense on a plain. King Béla IV of Hungary therefore ordered the construction of reinforced stone walls around the towns and set his own royal palace on the top of the protecting hills of Buda. In 1361 it became the capital of Hungary.

The cultural role of Buda was particularly significant during the reign of King Matthias Corvinus. The Italian Renaissance had a great influence on the city. His library, the Bibliotheca Corviniana, was Europe's greatest collection of historical chronicles and philosophic and scientific works in the 15th century, and second only in size to the Vatican Library. After the foundation of the first Hungarian university in Pécs in 1367 (University of Pécs), the second one was established in Óbuda in 1395 (University of Óbuda). The first Hungarian book was printed in Buda in 1473.

The Ottomans conquered Buda in 1526, as well in 1529, and finally occupied it in 1541. The Turkish Rule lasted for more than 140 years. The Turks Ottomans constructed many prominent bathing facilities within the city. Some of the baths that the Turks erected during their rule are still in use 500 years later (Rudas Baths and Király Baths). By 1547 the number of Christians was down to about a thousand, and by 1647 it had fallen to only about seventy. The unoccupied western part of the country became part of the Habsburg Empire as Royal Hungary.

In 1686, two years after the unsuccessful siege of Buda, a renewed campaign was started to enter the Hungarian capital. This time, the Holy League's army was twice as large, containing over 74,000 men, including German, Croat, Dutch, Hungarian, English, Spanish, Czech, Italian, French, Burgundian, Danish and Swedish soldiers, along with other Europeans as volunteers, artillerymen, and officers. The Christian forces plundered Buda, and in the next few years, all of the former Hungarian lands, except areas near Timișoara (Temesvár), were taken from the Turks. In the 1699 Treaty of Karlowitz, these territorial changes were officially recognized to show the end of the rule of the Turks, and in 1718 the entire Kingdom of Hungary was removed from Ottoman rule.

Our guide was Malinda and as cleared the road from under the Széchenyi Chain Bridge she directed our attention toward the Pest side of the river. We immediately reached Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest. “The site was once occupied by Nákó House, a neo-classical palace built in 1827. In 1880, the London-based Gresham Life Assurance Company bought the property.”

We noted the trolley station we would use later in the afternoon and Belinda pointed out where we might visit the Kristkndl Markts and the Central Market. Continuing with the history of the city she told us of what we would see when we crossed over the bridge to the Buda side. As we drove she described the engineering design by the English engineer William Tierney Clark and the construction by the Scottish engineer Adam Clark.

131 We passed the entrance to the Budapest Castle Hill Funicular (Budavári Sikló) railway. It links the Adam Clark Square and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge at river level to Buda Castle above. The line was opened on March 2, 1870, and has been in municipal ownership since 1920. It was destroyed in the Second World War and reopened on June 4, 1986.

Climbing the hill toward the Castle District Malinda said, “If you ask someone from here where they are from they will say 'Budapest' if they are from Pest or 'Buda' if they are from that side”. I presume 'Buda” is the more exclusive answer and people prefer to identify with that when they can.

Our coach parked slightly below the western crest of Capitol Hill and we walked a short distance upward and toward Buda Castle, a palace razed and rebuilt over centuries, now home to the Hungarian National Gallery and Budapest History Museum. Along the way we checked off cafés, shops, restaurants, and grocery stores to check out later. After all, Lou Philips and his sister Pat Batary, as well as Liz and I would be staying at the nearby Hilton Budapest for our additional two days in the city. Those places would prove to be important later.

For now, Belinda directed our attention to the turrets and terraces of Fisherman’s Bastion offer views over the Danube and nearby Matthias Church. At Plaza Szentháromság (Trinity Square) we learned of the meaning of the monument dedicated to the Trinity.

The column commemorates the people of Buda who died from two outbreaks of the Black Plague.

The Black Plague (causing the death of 30-60% of Europe’s total population) swept across Europe in 1691 and 1709, and many were buried in mass graves. Since people believed that erecting a column would keep away the plague, the foundation stone was

132 laid in 1700.

Even though, the first pillar was ready by 1706, three years later the plague returned to Budapest, and therefore a new, larger plague pillar was planned in order to keep the plague away at any costs. Residents believed the Holy Trinity Statue did its job, as the plague never returned after 1709.

Sharing the square was Fisherman's Bastion, a terrace in neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style , around Matthias Church. It was designed and built between 1895 and 1902. We walked across the terrace, admiring the view of the Danube from this vantage.

Its seven towers represent the seven Magyar tribes that settled in the Carpathian Basin in 895. From the towers and the terrace a panoramic view exists of Danube, Margaret Island, Pest to the east and the Gellért Hill.

The Buda side castle wall was protected by the fishermen's guild and this is the reason why it was called Fishermen's Bastion. Other people say, it got the name from the part of the city, which lies beneath the tower. The guild of fishermen was responsible for defending this stretch of the city walls in the Middle Ages. It is a viewing terrace, with many stairs and walking paths.

A bronze statue of Stephen I of Hungary mounted on a horse, erected in 1906, can be seen between the Bastion and the Matthias Church.

When we finished that part of our walk we entered St Matthias Church and our guide briefed us about

133 the history. As we admired the inside, we could hear the choir practicing.

Matthias Church (Mátyás-templom) is a Roman Catholic church originally built in Romanesque style in 1015. The current building was constructed in late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was extensively restored in the late 19th century. It was the second largest church of medieval Buda and the seventh largest church of the medieval Hungarian Kingdom.

The church was the scene of several coronations, including that of Charles IV in 1916 (the last Habsburg king). It was also the site for King Matthias's two weddings (the first to Catherine of Poděbrady and, after her death, to Beatrice of Naples). During the century and a half of Turkish occupation, the vast majority of its ecclesiastical treasures were shipped to Pressburg (Bratislava) and following the capture of Buda in 1541 the church became the city's main mosque.

The church was also the location of the "Mary-wonder." In 1686 during the siege of Buda by the Holy League a wall of the church collapsed due to cannon fire. It turned out that an old votive Madonna statue was hidden behind the wall. As the sculpture of the Virgin Mary appeared before the praying Muslims, the morale of the garrison collapsed and the city fell on the same day.

The church was the venue for the coronation of the last two Hungarian Habsburg kings, Franz Joseph in 1867 and Charles IV in 1916.

We returned to the ship for lunch. We had selected an optional excursion, Grand Market: Taste of Hungary for the afternoon. This was a very vivid memory of my trip to Budapest in 1980 and I looked forward to the visit. Had I thought ahead I would have held back on the ship's lunch.

We met Elizabeth, our guide for the market, at dockside and then walked about 150 feet to the trolley station. She passed out tickets to each of us and then told us how to validate the tickets once onboard. This is necessary should transport officials request them, failure to have a validated ticked will result in a substantial fine.

The first two trolleys that came by were too full to allow us all to board as a group. We managed to stuff ourselves in the third one but it was so tight we had to pass our tickets to Chuck Beckey and have him cancel the tickets on at a time. We then traveled three stops down the line and assembled around Elizabeth to walk to the Central Market.

The Great Market Hall (Nagyvásárcsarnok) is the largest and oldest indoor market in Budapest, Hungary. The idea of building such large market hall arose from the first mayor of Budapest, Károly

134 Kamermayer, and it was his largest investment.

The building was designed and built by Samu Pecz around 1897. The market offers a huge variety of stalls on three floors.

Most of the stalls on the ground floor offer produce, meats, pastries, candies, spices, and spirits such as paprika, Tokaji, Túró Rudi, and caviar. The second floor has mainly eateries and souvenirs. The basement contains butcher shops, fish market, and picked vegetables including the traditional cucumber pickles, as well as cauliflower, cabbage, beets, tomatoes, and garlic.

During the World Wars it was completely damaged and then closed for some years. Throughout the 1990s restoration works brought back the market to its ancient splendor.

As suitably impressed tourists we gaped and marveled at the size of the market. It was all lit up for the Christmas season and we were amazed at the sheer amount of vendors selling similar or the same products. Our first stop was a Konditori which was marked with a roped off area to denote a group, pre-paid taste section rather than “free samples” for anyone. This was supervised by an employee and we were invited to sample savory and sweet Strudel. It was the first time I had tasted savory before. There was a cottage cheese and an onion among others. And these were accompanied by red and white wine cups.

Several stalls later we sampled clover, lavender, and orange blossom honey. We were invited to see if we could identify the subtle flavors but this was not a particularly honed skill set for most of us. The next vendor offered slices of numerous sausage, to include beef, pork and venison varieties.

One end of the market offered vendor space to small, local cheese makers and Elizabeth translated the names of cow, sheep, and goat cheeses we were offered. From there we went one floor lower where we could sample plates of pickled vegetables. These are common in this region and I was surprised to view a wide range of root and vine grown vegetables that are pickled. Further along this floor we came upon that part of the market that featured seafood, fish, and shellfish. We were able to taste samples here too.

After two hours we returned to the front entrance where Elizabeth gave us return tickets to return three stations on the trolley. Our other option was to walk back and experience the sights and smells of the Kristkndl Markt. There was a small version across the street from the Central Market but we paused here only briefly.

135 The Budapest Kristkndl Markt was just three blocks away on Andrássy Avenue, the Champs-Élysées of Budapest. We enjoyed hearing musicians, street music, and Christmas carols as we walked. The people watching was memorable. Of course, the children we the most fascinated and fascinating to watch. Their excitement transcends language. At Andrássy Avenue we diverted several blocks to observe the large store Christmas light displays.

Two blocks later we were back at the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest. That put us across from our ship. As we got ready for dinner Lori Beckey told us the crew had decorated their room for their 50th anniversary. We all went to check it out, There were orchids and other flowers laid out on their bedspread. A lovely gesture. It set the tone for our last evening together. Lori and Chuck would fly home tomorrow. Pat and Lou would join us at the Hilton after breakfast.

Saturday, December 02, 2017

Because we were on a post-cruise extension, we disembarked from the Skadi at the respectable hour of 10 o'clock. Our coach took us back to Castle Hill and the Hilton Budapest. We were met by another Viking team of guides who welcomed us to the hotel and coordinated the issue of room keys while insuring our luggage was later transferred to our room.

Hilton Budapest is a 5-star hotel located in the historic Buda Castle District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The hotel building includes the renovated parts of a 13th-century Dominican cloister and monastery. The contemporary design is combined with the 13th century Gothic remains of a Dominican cloister. The hotel was constructed in such a way that the walls of the cloister are visible on one side. The ruins of the medieval monastery are also visible from the lobby bar.

In 2012 TripAdvisor placed it on the 5th place in the List of top 10 hotel rooms in the world with the most beautiful views.

We had a couple of hours before an excursion to Szentendre so we took advantage of the time to check out the historic attributes of the Dominican cloister before we walked the district streets with an eye toward reading menus of the possible restaurant options later this evening. We also stopped at a grocery store to purchase some wine and snacks for tonight or tomorrow.

Szentendre is named based on the Medieval Latin form Sankt Andrae (St. Andrew).

The area where Szentendre is today was uninhabited when the Magyars arrived. In the 9th century, Árpád's companion, the sacral prince Kurszán, settled here. He renovated the Roman fortress that had fallen into ruin and reestablished a settlement on the remains of the Roman buildings.

Little is known about the history of Szentendre between the 9th and 10th centuries. Some sources suggest that there was a settlement called Apurig in this area. The word apor means "brook" and so presumably the settlement was located on a small river-way. Based on maps of military surveys, there were five brooks in the area: Dera, Bükkös, Öregvíz and Sztelin. It is unknown as to which brook the Apor can be identified with.

The city was largely depopulated in the Ottoman era. According to a 17th-century census, only one family and their service staff remained here at that time.

136 After the Ottomans were expelled from the area, foreign settlers moved to the settlement. Today evidence of the town's prosperity in this time can be seen in the baroque style of the houses, the Mediterranean atmosphere of the town's architecture, its beautiful churches, the cobblestone streets, and its narrow alleys. During the Great Turkish War, Serbs were invited to emigrate to Hungary to evade the Ottoman Empire. Because of this invitation, there was a mass emigration of Serbs in 1690 to the Szentendre region. These Serbs left enduring traces on the townscape and its culture. The buildings in the city center have tried to preserve this Serbian influence in their architecture, but these buildings do not in fact date to the 17th century. Based on maps from the end of the century, the city center actually boasted other buildings at that time.

The drive from Budapest to Szentendre is a little under 25 kilometers but the traffic was heavy and it took almost forty-five minutes to make the trip. Oliver, our guide, was most informative as he told us the history of the area. I was surprised when he pointed out Roman ruins as we drove.

From the first century BC to the fifth century AD, western Hungary was part of the Roman Empire. It was called Pannonia, and its largest town was Aquincum, the ancestor of Budapest. As the center of Pannonia, Aquincum played an important leading role. The excavated ruins date back to the second century, when the city had around 15,000 inhabitants. Remains of an amphitheater, mosaic floors, tombstones, statues and a reconstructed water-organ are the main attractions.

When we reached the outskirts and a coach parking lot we set out to walk through the main street which featured craft artisans on both sides. Our guide said, “Szentendre is well known for its galleries, art and museums, this is a cultural hot spot”. This also led to the center plaza and featured a Christmas tree and nativity scene across from the Blagovestenska Templom (Annunciation Church).

We continued toward our main attraction, the Margit Kovács (1902-1977) Museum, one of Szentendre’s best known

137 attractions. The collection consists of a number of clay pieces including plates, pots, statues and tiled murals, many featuring images of the artist’s mother. Kovács’ works are a tribute to her Hungarian roots and this exhibition is definitely a must visit for anyone interested in the contemporary culture of the county.

Margit Kovács was born in Győr, Hungary on 30 November 1902. She originally wished to become a graphic artist but she grew interested in ceramics in the 1920s and went to study in Vienna with Hertha Bücher, a famous Austrian ceramic artist, from 1926-1928. Then she studied clay modeling in Munich at the State School of Applied Arts under Karl Killer (1928–29). She was a fellow student here, then lifelong friend of Julia Bathory, glass artist. She studied in Copenhagen in 1932 and in 1933 she was at Sèvres Porcelain factory where she mastered the art of modelling with chamotte clay to make figures.

She won international awards in Milan, Paris, Berlin, Brussels and Rome. She was very popular in Hungary and received many public commissions. The Communist regime gave her the Distinguished Artist Award in 1959. Kovács died in Budapest on 4 June 1977.

After reviewing the exhibits for an hour we had the opportunity to walk through the shops on our own. We found ornaments and souvenirs and were intrigued by the preparation of Kürtőskalács (Chimney Cakes) made from sweet, yeast dough, of which a strip is spun and then wrapped around a truncated cone-shaped baking spit, and rolled in granulated sugar. It is roasted over charcoal while basted with melted butter, until its surface cooks to a golden-brown color. During the baking process the sugar stuck on the kürtőskalács caramelizes and forms a shiny, crispy crust. In my opinion they are too large for one person but great to share.

When we finished our shopping we returned to the coach parking lot a little early and were ready to re- board the coach for a return to Castle Hill. When we reached the hotel we were able to recover our luggage and partially unpack.

It was time to find our restaurant for the evening. We wanted to taste Hungarian and felt that Jamie's Italian Budapest would not meet our expectations. We crossed the corner and discovered Ramazuri Bistronomy, a newly opened restaurant. We read the menu and were intrigued by an item described as Duck Liver Ganache, Home Made Milk Loaf, Pear. Sharing this appetizer, we both decided this was the most

138 unctuous pâté we have ever tasted. Ordering Keserű Méz (Bitter Honey), an India style pale lager, we then selected Hungarian Beef Goulash and Veal Ragout Soup. Both were exactly what we had expected to taste when in Budapest. We finished the dinner with Sponge Cake.

Sunday, December 03, 2017

We enjoyed a delightful breakfast at the Hotel Hilton. There was the standard fare of a typical continental breakfast as well as oriental choices such as congee, spring rolls, and sushi. I preferred the Hungarian cheese, sausages, and bread options and made sandwiches of brotchen. Of course, I did follow those up with Hungarian pastries. After all, I can get eggs and bacon when I get home, it will be a while before I will be able to sample Hungarian delicacies again.

Earlier several of our guides had mentioned that Conrad Hilton had proposed construction of the hotel on Buda Castle Hill. However the project was turned down several times until his wife, the internationally known Zsa Zsa Gabor, and native Hungarian, spoke to city officials and cleared the way for development in 1976. After breakfast we walked through the 13th century Dominican cloister foundation of the hotel. It made for a stunning combination of the old construction with the new architecture. The walls of the cloister are visible on one side and the ruins of the medieval monastery are also visible from the lobby.

After walking through the hotel we went to the St Matthais church to attend mass.

Matthias Church (Mátyás-templom) is a Roman Catholic church located in Budapest, Hungary, in front of the Fisherman's Bastion at the heart of Buda's Castle District. According to church tradition, it was originally built in Romanesque style in 1015, although no archaeological remains exist. The current building was constructed in the florid late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was extensively restored in the late 19th century. It was the second largest church of medieval Buda and the seventh largest church of the medieval Hungarian Kingdom.

The first church on the site was founded by Saint Stephen, King of Hungary in 1015. This building was destroyed in 1241 by the Mongols; the current building was constructed in the latter half of the 13th century. Originally named after the Virgin Mary, taking names such as "The Church of Mary" and "The Church of Our Lady," Matthias Church was named after King Matthias in the 19th Century, who ordered the transformation of its original southern tower.

139 The church was the scene of several coronations, including that of Charles IV in 1916 (the last Habsburg king). It was also the site for King Matthias's two weddings (the first to Catherine of Poděbrady and, after her death, to Beatrice of Naples). During the century and a half of Turkish occupation, the vast majority of its ecclesiastical treasures were shipped to Pressburg (present day Bratislava) and following the capture of Buda in 1541 the church became the city's main mosque.

The church was also the location of the "Mary-wonder." In 1686 during the siege of Buda by the Holy League a wall of the church collapsed due to cannon fire. It turned out that an old votive Madonna statue was hidden behind the wall. As the sculpture of the Virgin Mary appeared before the praying Muslims, the morale of the garrison collapsed and the city fell on the same day.

Although following Turkish expulsion in 1686 an attempt was made to restore the church in the Baroque style, historical evidence shows that the work was largely unsatisfactory. It was not until the great architectural boom towards the end of the 19th century that the building regained much of its former splendor (1873-96).

Tourists are excluded from the church during mass so we were initially queried as to why we wished to enter before we were allowed to enter. There were about two hundred people already seated as we found a place to sit. The service was a Latin mass and apart for my rudimentary understanding of my altar-boy training, I understood little else as the vernacular was Hungarian.

I did note that the altar-boy who gave the first reading appeared to be about ten years old. The choir was backed by beautiful organ playing that resonated through the church and could be heard from the outside as well. I enjoyed the service and the people watching too. As we left we saw that there were people lined up to restore the tourist flow into the nave.

We had an appointment for an excursion in a couple hours so we walked through the Castle Hill area and reviewed restaurant menus for later this evening. There were several which seemed appealing so we would have a good deal of choice for our last Hungarian evening.

Our final excursion was scheduled this afternoon and we gathered at the Viking desk in the hotel to meet our guide, Claudia. Boarding the coach, we proceeded over the Elizabeth Bridge and down the Pest side of the Danube Promenade, about 300 meters (980 ft) south of the Hungarian Parliament. Along the way Claudia pointed out an unusual memorial one could easily miss.

140 “Shoes on the Danube Bank gives remembrance to the 3,500 people, 800 of them Jews, who were shot into the Danube during the time of the Arrow Cross terror. The sculptor created sixty pairs of period-appropriate shoes out of iron. The shoes are attached to the stone embankment, and behind them lies a 40 meter long, 70 cm high stone bench. At three points are cast iron signs, with the following text in Hungarian, English, and Hebrew: 'To the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944–45'. Erected 16 April 2005”.

Our driver dropped us off and we walked to St. Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest’s largest Roman Catholic Church and a neo-Renaissance treasure.

St. Stephen's Basilica, a Roman Catholic basilica, is named in honor of Stephen, the first King of Hungary (c 975–1038), whose supposed right hand is housed in the reliquary. It was the sixth largest church building in Hungary before 1920. Since the renaming of the primatial see, it's the co-cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Esztergom- Budapest. Today, it is the third largest church building in present-day Hungary.

As we walked through numerous stalls set up for the Kristkndl Markt Liz stood in front of angel wings, like those of a snow angel one sweeps at your side. From there we entered the basilica and admired the architecture and observed the Stephen I reliquary.

After touring the basilica we went to Andrássy Avenue, which Claudia stated "This is recognized as a World Heritage Site, was built to connect the city center with City Park (Városliget). Construction began in 1872, and the avenue was inaugurated in 1885. Its Eclectic Neo-Renaissance palaces and houses were built by the most distinguished architects of the time. Aristocrats, bankers, landowners and noble families moved in. The iconic avenue was named after Prime Minister Gyula Andrássy, a key advocate of the project.

At the time of its completion in 1885, Andrássy Avenue was considered a masterpiece of city planning and even public transport was prohibited to preserve its character. This brought about the idea to build a railroad beneath it. The Millennium Underground Railway, the first subway line in continental Europe, opened in 1896."

141 Claudia pointed to several grand mansions which now house businesses and apartments. We continued to the “music box of Pest,” the luxurious Hungarian State Opera House. Construction began in 1875, funded by the city of Budapest and by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary, and the new house opened to the public on the 27 September 1884. It is the second largest opera house in Hungary.

After viewing the main theater boxes and observing the entrance halls we gathered in the grand foyer where one of the vocalists of the current opera sang a couple arias for the tourists. Then we crossed the street to visit Művész Kávéház.

Művész Kávéház (Artist Café) is a historic coffee shop with patisserie designed in 1884. From 1898 it became Művész Kávéház. In 2008, the coffee house was renovated and restored the original condition with old furnishings and wall paneling. We entered the salon and waitresses took our order for coffee, tea, or wine. Then we went to the front of the patisserie where we selected cakes and tortes when then were delivered to our tables. It was elegant fun.

When we finished at the coffee house boarded the continent’s first subway, the Millennium Underground Railway, opened in 1896. We rode this train for two stops and then joined our coach for our return to the hotel.

We had a couple of hours to relax and assemble our luggage for final packing. We could almost finalize that effort before we went out for dinner. We went back to Ramazuri Bistronomy only to discover it was closed for a private party. We then selected the Vár: a Speiz Restaurant, right across the street from the hotel.

We were the first to arrive as it was too early for the locals. Presumably the prime time would be around eight o'clock but we were two hours early. Our first choice was to share a Vegitarian Speiz Salad (aubergine cream, pesto, tomato vinaigrette, walnut). We also shared Gulyásleves (Hungarian

142 Goulash Soup with homemade nipped pasta) and Paprikás Csirke (chicken in Paprika sauce, Spätzle, cucumber salad). Everything was delicious but too much food to include dessert. It was now time to get an early sleep... it would be a long day tomorrow.

Monday, December 04, 2017

We set our alarm for 02:45 so we could clean up and finish packing by the time we planned to place our luggage in the corridor at 03:45 for the hotel porter. We then left the room to go to the Viking desk and turn in our keys. There we were given a boxed breakfast and invited to wait for our 04:15 pick-up for the drive to the airport. People were assigned transportation based on their flight times and our group would consist of four passengers.

Unfortunately the other two people from our group did not show up and we were getting anxious. The Viking representative checked with the front desk and they actually sent a representative to the room only to discover they were still asleep. Finally, forty-five minutes late, they arrived at the Viking desk, complaining that the hotel had failed to give them a wake-up call... so it was not their fault. I wanted to point out that the hotel has alarm clocks in every room and they might have set their own alarm as a back-up.

We finally got on our way and had to listen to these two guests complain about the “hotel responsibility” all the way out to the airport. I was grateful that the Viking representative at the airport provided assistance and we were easily given our boarding passes and we proceeded to our gate area. We had time to order coffee and watch the reader board for our gate number to be posted through a 20 minute countdown. Our connecting flight would be through Frankfurt and while we were in the gate area we met and re-said goodbye to Lou and Pat at the next gate. They would connect through Amsterdam.

Liz and I would be in different rows, I was in row 14 and Liz was in row 33. I tried to adjust the seating but the ticket agents would hear none of it. We set up our iPods to listen to our taking book on the hour and forty-five minute flight. Liz was seated to Peter, an American who was flying to Seattle on a business trip and we would accompany each other through the Frankfurt airport and waiting room.

Peter plans to later fly to San Francisco and then onward to San Diego to visit his father. He has lived in Europe many years and married his Hungarian sweetheart. He has two children and I believe his oldest is preparing to receive a driving license. They are contemplating other advanced schooling but are well aware how expensive it would be to send them to Germany, France, or the United States.

Peter works for PACCAR, Inc. a leading manufacturer of premium light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Subsidiaries include Kenworth Truck Company, Peterbilt Motors and DAF Trucks. He is working in automating programs for self driving vehicles among other things. It sounded interesting and fantastic at the same time.

Our seats were together for the flight to Seattle. They were on the bulkhead, row 33, and we prefer not to have bulkhead seats because they give you little space to store personal items one would like to reach during the flight. They do provide a bit more leg room and that is appreciated.

Of course, this flight was long and we departed Frankfurt 45 minutes later that scheduled. There was no

143 way to make up that time so some passengers would miss connecting flights in Seattle but that was our end destination.

A real problem for both Liz and me was that during the flight we experienced sinus congestion which indicated we were in for a bout of fighting a cold. It may be that this had been ongoing but it was on the aircraft that it became evident. We dug out tissues and antihistamine and settled in for a long day.

We arrived home at 14:30 and placed our luggage on the floor in the living room. We will unpack tomorrow. I adjusted the heat for the house and Liz brought out lap blankets and started the fireplace. We had some arroz con pollo for an early supper and then we crashed for an almost twelve hour nap.

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