European Riverboat Trip

BETTY and DON’S EUROPEAN RIVERBOAT TRIP

Basel, Switzerland to Vienna Austria

June 28-July 12, 2015

DAY 1 – OFF TO BASEL:  When we planned this trip we took the amount of time we’d be in the air into consideration.   Our decision was to upgrade our reservations to Business Class and travel comfortably.  We must say that British Airways, partnered with American Airlines, treated us royally – no pun intended.   Yes, I’m spoiled.   In London we showed our boarding passes and were promptly directed to the “Fast Track”.  We were able to bypass incredibly long lines and rushed through security checks.  Fine with us.  We were soon on our way to Basel to begin our two-week adventure.  

 A Uniworld representative met the plane and took us to our home for the next two weeks – The River Ambassador.    

                   

Our Tour Director informed us there would be a bus leaving for a two hour “on-your-own” visit to Basel.  Don was tired but I decided to go.  As we got off the shuttle I picked out a couple and asked if they minded if I adopted them for the afternoon.  I wanted to see as much as the two hours would afford us, I just didn’t want to do it alone.  Quaint is a word that will probably describe much of what we’ll see during this trip, and Basel was just the beginning.  Narrow streets, window boxes filled with flowers, homes and buildings on the edge of the sidewalk, interesting fountains and statues, curb-side bistros – we saw it all.  

DAY 2 – STRASBOURG, FRANCE:   Our first full day of touring began with a canal tour into Strasbourg.  Until the 5^th century it was a Roman military fort and trading post.  Then Attila The Hun overtook the city and for the next several centuries it was part of the German Holy Roman Empire.  It was annexed by Louis the 16^th of France in the 1670s and then in 1871 it became part of Germany after the Franco-Prussian War.  After World War I it again became part of France but then Germany re-took control of the city in 1941.  In 1945 after an American bombing the city was liberated by French General LeClerc.  It was a French Army Officer, Rouget de Lisle, who wrote “La Marseillaise”, the French National Anthem, while he was stationed in Strasbourg in 1792. Interesting history.

Our trip took us past covered footbridges that linked three medieval towers and into an area of 15^th and 16^th century homes of Petite France, a picturesque neighborhood of cobblestone streets and houses with windows filled with flower boxes. The water-taxi dropped us off and our local guide led us to the square where we visited the Cathedrale de Notre Dame, one of several so-named cathedrals throughout France.  This particular church took three centuries to complete – 1176 to 1439.  For many years its 469-foot spire was the tallest in Europe.  During World War II its many stained-glass windows were removed and stored in nearby salt mines for safe keeping.  

   

DAY 3 – HEIDELBERG AND NIERSTEIN, GERMANY:  It seems that we arrived in Europe in the middle of an unprecedented heat wave.  No one under the age of 40 seems to recall it ever being this warm in this region.  

Today was one of those days when there were two tours to choose from.  As a result I chose one, Don chose the other.  My trip was via bus to Heidelberg on The Neckar River, once called The Most Romantic City in Germany. The extraordinarily beautiful castle ruins which overlook the city.  Heidelberg is home to the country’s oldest university founded in 1386.

          

 

Next stop: Nierstein where we did wine tasting at one of the smaller vineyards.  We met the owner, were given a “Welcome” glass of Riesling, and took a tour of the facility before sitting down for a bit more tasting. 

                                  

While I was doing all of this, Don was taking part in a trip to a different vineyard. The vineyard owner picked up this group in two wagons pulled by tractors and took them for a scenic drive through the vineyards
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DAY 4:  MILTENBERG, GERMANY:   We were able to enjoy a morning of sailing on this day as we were not scheduled to reach Miltenberg until around Noon.  We walked down the main street which is lined with half-timber houses built in the 14^th and 15^th centuries. On the main square in town we found “The Blue Hotel” – The Hotel Zum Reisen.  According to our local guide this hotel is the oldest one in Germany.  

                   

There were several tours this afternoon; we chose the one to a local brewery - The Brauhaust Faust Brewery established in 1654.  Our tour included stops in two tasting rooms to sample various beers.  
 

DAY 5 – ASCHFELD AND WURSBURG, GERMANY:  Aschfeld is a small Franconian Village that is home to about 2,000 people.  Upon our arrival in town we were met by a gentleman who had been mayor of the town for 46 years, a woman who narrated our tour, and two other women that we would meet up with a little later in our visit.  The mayor welcomed us then told us a bit of the history of the town.  Our tour ended up with refreshments.  First we stopped in one room where the two ladies we’d met earlier served us generous helpings of local Schnapps.  Then we all gathered in a dining area for cakes that other local women had made. 

The afternoon tour was to The Wurzburg Residence, the second to be built by the Prince-Bishops, Lothar Franz and Friedrich Carl, felt that the original palace wasn’t big enough or imposing enough. The Wurzburg Residence is an 18^th Century 300-room palace was commissioned by the two Prince-Bishops mentioned above. As you enter you walk up a sweeping staircase that makes the one in Gone With The Wind’s “Tara” look like a step-stool.  At the top we went to one corner where we stared up at the largest ceiling fresco in the world.  It took artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo over 14 years to create this masterpiece.  Photos were not allowed inside; the top two below are from the Internet.

 

                

DAY 6:  ROTHENBURG, GERMANY:  Rothenberg is a fairy-tale village with great stone walls, cobblestone streets, towers, bastions, and more. It is also home to one of Germany's most iconic and photographed corners.

We made our way through the masses of people to the Market Square to see the Town Hall which is a combination of Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque architecture.   We had a couple of hours to see the town at our own pace.  Our first stop was the world-famous Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas Store, then we found the very popular Teddy Bear Store.  As had it had done all week the temperature had turned incredibly warm, so we did the only thing you can do in a situation like this – we found a street-side café where we could enjoy a nice cold beer.  Sometimes you just have to do what has to be done. 
 

DAY 7 – BAMBERG, GERMAMY:  We celebrated the 4^th of July holiday in the charming city of Bamberg.  Bamberg, like Rome, is built on seven hills.  Here, however, there is a church at the top of each hill.  Along our tour route we visited the Old Town Hall built on an artificial island because the Bamberg bishop in the mid-14^th century did not want to give up land to the citizens.  The residents constructed the “island” and built this huge town hall upon it.  

        

Our tour of the city took us to the Romanesque Imperial Cathedral which dates back to 1007.  It is the resting place of Pope Clement II (1046-1047 AD), the only Pope to be buried in Germany.          

The town is probably best known for its Smoky Beer first brewed in 1536.  Legend is that fire broke out at a brewery. Fire officials were going to destroy the beer bottles that hadn’t perished.  Firefighters quickly grabbed up all the bottles and drank the beer instead of seeing it wasted.  The taste quickly caught on among the residents.  Don had a glass; I think he’ll stick with Yuengling.

                    

DAY 8 – NUREMBERG, GERMANY:  
Our visit to Nuremberg included taking a WWII historical tour.  Our first stop was at The Zeppelin Parade Grounds, originally called Nazi Party Rally Grounds..  In 1933 Hitler commissioned architect Albert Speer to construct an arena where thousands of Nazi troops could   assemble to salute Hitler.  The facility is four square miles with huge grandstands seating 400,000.  

From the Parade Grounds we traveled a short distance to visit the Documentation Center. There are twenty-plus rooms which document through pictures, films, and audio the events surrounding the National Socialist tyranny.  Our final stop on the tour was at the courthouse where the Nuremberg Trials were held.  We went to Room 600 and were able to sit and imagine what it must have been like in 1945 when twenty-one members of Hitler’s highest ranking officers were put on trial for, among other things, crimes against humanity.    
                                                                                       

As we sat for lunch the boat began the afternoon sailing that would take us through several locks.  Three in particular were rises of 81 feet each as we rose above and across The Continental Divide.  As much as we have experienced locks we are still fascinated by these marvels of engineering.  All together during our two week trip we will pass through sixty-nine locks – twelve on The Rhine River, forty-six on The Main River, nine in the Main-Danube Canal, and twenty-three on the Danube River.  

DAY 9 - REGENSBURG, GERMANY:   The first settlements in Regensburg date to the Stone Age with a prehistoric settlement given the name Radasbona.  Regensburg is known for being the home of a Messerschmitt Bf 109 aircraft factory, the home of Oskar Schindler (of “Schindler’s List”), and where Napoleon had a home when he came to this area.  One thing that we saw all over Regensburg was churches.  The most prominent is St Peter’s Cathedral.  The spires of this imposing Gothic building rise so high that no matter where you are in the city you can find your bearings just by locating the spires.   Just across the square sits the Lutheran Church dating back to the 15th Century.

Our tour guide took us to the site of the Porta Praetoria, a gate in the city built by the Romans during the time of Marcus Aurelius’s reign (161-180 AD). We walked across the historical stone bridge built between 1135 and 1146.  The bridge allowed Regensburg to compete as a trading powerhouse providing merchants a way over The Danube. 

                                                 

DAY 10 - DEGGENDORF, GERMANY:  The “official” stop was Deggendorf but we didn’t spend any time exploring this city.  Our destination was The Bavarian Forest, about an hour’s drive away. Our guide, Hans, was colorful and quite entertaining – literally.  He arrived in traditional Bavarian dress of lederhosen and carried an accordion.  During our drive into the hills he not only gave us a wonderful background and history but also sang and attempted to teach us all how to yodel.  I think all we accomplished was getting quite a good laugh!    We stopped in the small village of Barnzell where we were greeted by a local woman and her granddaughter who prepared delicious home-made bread baked in a wood-fired oven. They also served us small individual bottles of locally made blood-root schnapps.  It is supposed to be renowned for its medicinal properties.  That may be so, but I don’t think I’d ever be that sick!  As we were finishing up our bread our attention was drawn to two horse-drawn wagons approaching.   We climbed into the wagons and were taken for a ride through a section of the forest that surrounds the area.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

We then visited the Theresienthal Glass Museum where we saw gorgeous pieces of glass that had been produced for courts of Europe during the 19^th century.  From the museum we walked down the hill to the factory where we watched four men blowing the glass and creating beautiful pieces.

                         

After dinner we were invited to a night of special entertainment.  Elisabeth von Trapp is one of the grandchildren of Captain von Trapp and Maria, of Sound of Music fame.  Elisabeth’s father was portrayed in the movie as Kurt, the 13-year old, although that wasn’t his real name. She was delightful and we all enjoyed her singing.  If this particular day didn’t make one feel totally Bavarian, nothing will.  

DAY 11 – PASSAU, GERMANY:  Situated in Lower Bavaria, Passau is often referred to as the “City of Three Rivers” as it sits at the confluence of The Danube, The Inn and The Ilz Rivers.  Built in the 10th Century much of the town was destroyed by fire in 1662.  It was rebuilt by Italian Baroque masters is the 17th Century.  We walked up and down narrow cobblestone streets; more aptly they should be called alleys.  We visited the palace where The New Bishop’s Residence was built in the 18^th Century.  The highlight of this day has to be the visit to St. Stephens Cathedral.  The original cathedral was destroyed by the fire of 1662 and was rebuilt by a famous Baroque architect.   Walking into the square we were in awe of the cathedral as it stood before us with its green-domed spires reaching for the skies. Then we went inside.  Even more impressive than all the works of art that cover the walls and ceiling is the organ on the second level at the rear of the cathedral.  With 17,974 pipes and 233 stops it is second in size only to the Congregational Church in Los Angeles.  We were treated to an organ concert; there is one performed each day at Noon. What an amazing sound all those pipes make.

              

DAY 12 – WEISSENKIRCHEN, AUSTRIA:   The day started with a beautiful sailing on the Danube into the Wachau Valley where we saw several castles - or what's left of them.

Our afternoon tour was one of the most fascinating of the entire trip – The Melk Abbey.  The Abbey was founded in 1089 and has a school founded in the 12^th century.  The abbey survived several threats to its existence during the Napoleonic Wars and also the period following the Nazi Takeover of Austria in 1938 when the school and a large part of the abbey were confiscated by the state. Today there are still about 90 Benedictine monks who live at the abbey and the monastery school has become co-ed with more than 700 students.

During the years 1702-1736 the current abbey was built. The library of 100,000 volumes contains over 80,000 original books and manuscripts printed before 1800.

                   

DAY 13 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA:   Based on all I’d heard about the city I had a definite preconceived notion of what Vienna would look like. Tall glass and steel skyscrapers wasn't it.  The city of 1.8 million has a very modern side.  Early in the day we boarded our bus and headed for a morning of discovery. As we wound our way through the streets of the city it was like taking a big step back into 16th and 17th century history. Now that's what I expected.

Our walking tour started at the Vienna State Opera House. This neo-renaissance theater opened in 1869 with a performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Each year there are at least fifty operas performed at the theater, many of them produced by Mozart. There was minor damage to the building during WWII but the main entrance, the foyer and the grand staircase were all unharmed and retain their original grandeur.

From the opera house our walk took us past the Winter Palace of Franz Joseph and the empress Elisabeth, better known throughout history as Sissi.  Across from the Palace are the stables for the Lipizzaner Stallions.  A walking mall leads to the impressive St. Stephens Cathedral.  There was no way to get a picture but I found one on the web.

                                    

The groundbreaking for the cathedral was in 1137 and the church was completed in 1160. The construction of the massive South Tower took 65 years, 1368 to 1433. There is an elevator up to a lookout room near the top if one is so inclined. This observation point served the city during The Siege of Vienna in 1529 and again in 1683 during The Battle of Vienna.

Our afternoon tour was to the Summer Residence of Franz Joseph and Sissi, the Schonbrunn Palace.  We walked through about 20 of the 1,441 rooms. Behind the Palace are several acres of gardens which include sculptures, a large fountain, a children’s garden, a maze and labyrinth, a pavilion, and covered walkways.

DAY 14 – HOMEWARD BOUND: Our trip home was a bit of an adventure, unfortunately.
We approached the check-in for our flight and were dismayed to find out they didn’t have any reservations for us. We were directed to a service desk across the room. We had all the proper paperwork, just nothing in the system. We found out two reservations had been made in our names for the London to Basel flight. The second flight considered us “no-shows” and as such cancelled our remaining reservations. A few phone calls and lots of haggling; we were put back on both flights.  We knew we would have a five-hour layover in London. Fortunately we had access to British Air’s Club so were able to spend the time in comfort with food and beverages provided. Don went for a walk and came back with the news that our flight had been delayed two more hours. On the plus side all our haggling Vienna paid off. To our amazement we found we’d been upgraded to First Class London to Phoenix – Nice……. I could certainly get used to traveling in such style.  We arrived home around 12:20 am Monday morning; approximately 30 hours after we’d gotten that 3:15 wake-up call in Vienna.  A very long day, for sure.

To sum things up, our trip was everything we thought it would be, and then some. There was the service, the most delicious and plentiful food, the friendliness of all the staff, the variety of tours, the local entertainment, and more. We’re happy to have sailed with Uniworld and would happily recommend them to anyone considering such a trip.