MS Amadeus Riva: Day 9! Our day began with some scenic cruising of the famous (and beautiful) Wachau Valley. I didn’t go topside immediately (after waking up at 0600) but spent some time in my room reading and catching up on social media. After breakfast, I made my way to the Sun Deck for some walking and was treated to very beautiful scenery on both sides of the “Danau” (Danube). Our first port visit today was at the little town of Durnstein, known for its vineyards and for castle where Richard the Lionhearted was held prisoner for during the Crusades. On top of the history, our early morning excursion was biking - what a treat! At 0815, we walked off the ship to waiting “beach cruisers” and headed east (i.e., back down the river) on a beautiful paved bike trail. Our guides were Maggie (lead) and Lies (a real ham). The weather was pleasant - low 70s - and the overcast was still great for cycling. There were about 20 of us and there wasn’t much time for photos but I made the best of my opportunities. The ride included cobblestones, narrow streets, historic buildings and lots of grape vines. There was, apparently, a huge battle nearby (Austrian victory) during the Napoleonic Era but I didn’t see any historic markers. After about four miles of cycling, we stopped for refreshments at Hein Spiele. We had hot chocolate, water and assorted sweets - I am still not certain of the names of the pastries but I heard names like banana schnitte, Sachertorte, fruit schnitte. We then headed back towards the ship and enjoyed the improving weather (sunny and low 80s). The group got spread out much more and I was able to stop for a lot of photos and take my time. We ended up getting a group photo eventually and everyone's faces showed what a great time we had. After returning the bikes, I took a walk (downriver) towards Durnstein. I'd learned that this place was where King Richard the Lion Heart was held captive during the Crusades and the winding streets of the citadel seemed almost as old as that period. There were amazing views (from the top of the hill) of the Danube, some pretty church buildings, lots of tourist shops and cafes and a wonderful Medieval feeling throughout. I had enough time to wander the old city streets and marvel at the strong river current before I had to get back on the ship again. I found a marker with the flood levels (impressive) but was shocked to learn later that one of the previous summers had such a dry year that people could walk across the river to the other side! Today, though, the water was high enough that the little ferries (running between both banks) had to add a huge crab to their course in order to reach their target. Our ship departed the port at 1130 and then made our way farther west (upriver) through the Valley. I spent time on the Sun Deck, watching the pretty scenery, before enjoying a light lunch (more pasta) at noon. The dessert was another version of the Schmarrn (Vienna pancake). During the meal, I had another long talk with Bill & Pat (Emory) and Ron & Sandy (ND) - later, I helped Ron with WhatsApp. Next, I spent another hour on the Sun Deck, watching as our ship passed more pretty scenery in the Wachau. Almost every town was a gem of architecture and Austrian beauty and there were high cliffs in several places. Lots more vineyards were visible and we learned the region is famous for its vintages. At 1415, we tied up at another pier - this time at the famous town of Melk. This stop allowed for a treat - since we’d stayed on schedule, there was enough time for another excursion. Most of us eagerly boarded the shuttle buses that had been hired to take us up a high hill to the Abbey (“Stift”). Time was short so the excursion ended up mostly being about the interior of the Benedictine Monastery - unfortunately, photos were forbidden. We had a wonderful young lady, Maria Theresa (a student who graduated from the Abbey School) as our guide and she took us through a series of rooms with lots of historical, artistic and learned artifacts. I’d learned earlier in the day that many of the religious orders had founded plain monasteries in this area at about the time of the founding of the Holy Roman Empire. The monks in Melk continued a simple life, living by the Order of St. Benedict, until the start of the Reformation. After that, the strongly Catholic monarchs of the region amply rewarded the monks in Melk (and most other nearby places), with extensive patronage. This caused an explosion of opulent buildings on the site of the former simple buildings. We learned that the fancy “palace-like” buildings were supposed to show God’s glory on earth. The imposing Abbey, located high above town and the Danube, was spectacular. I’m not sure how many people it led to conversion, though… One major highlight of the visit was seeing a small sampling of the 120,000 books of the Abbey’s library. Imagine how much one monk would learn in such an environment. The books are now shareable with a University in Vienna so the world benefits from a nearly 1000 year tradition of learning. The interior of the church was quite impressive too - wish I could have taken photos. As I’ve seen at most sites on this trip, the Abbey was undergoing a massive renovation project so it wasn’t possible to get ground level views of much. I did learn (towards the end of our visit) that I could access the grounds of the gardens with my entry ticket so I walked around there for a little while before it was time to leave (1645). Fifteen minutes later, we were back on the ship and, almost immediately, we left the pier. For a little while, I walked on the deck, waving to oaters and homeowners on the Danube. After that, I spent some time getting ready for our disembarkation the next day. Next, I got ready for the Captain’s Reception (1830), where I met (and got to thank) the crew. Bitburger was flowing freely and I enjoyed some of it. We passed through a big lock during this time, one of the last we'd see during our river journey. At 1930, we attended a fancy Farewell Dinner (salad, dumplings, sherbet, beet gnocchi). Dessert was Baked Alaska (with “fireworks”) and we again got to thank the crew. During this meal, I sat with Jim and Steve (ND) and their wives. Afterwards (2115), I briefly considered going on deck but decided to retire to my cabin. Finished blogging for the day and went to sleep at 2215. We are now headed to Germany - wish this cruise didn’t need to end…
