Danube Cruise Trip - Day 15

MS Amadeus Riva: Day 10! After nine fun-filled and beautiful sailing days, we reached the end of our Danube Journey.  My last sleep aboard the ship was full of lots of bumps in the night (I learned later that we'd had to clear several locks during heavy rain and wind.  I was awake at 0530 and spent more than an hour packing, reading and doing Duolingo exercises (this was also the time when I paid for my room mandatory gratuities).  At 0700, I went to breakfast (my last meal on the ship).  While I was eating, I we passed through more locks.  Back in my room, I cleaned up for the last time and left bags in the passageway.  Though I felt like resting until it was time to depart, I decided to spend time walking on Sun Deck.  There was some very pretty fog - due to the cooler weather.  At around this time, I also talked to many of the crewmembers and gave tips to exceptional staff (Suci & Kadek & my room cleaner).  While talking with other passengers, learned it was Father Pat’s birthday yesterday and I was able to wish him many happy returns.  Overall, I believe this morning was the best, weather wise, we've had during the whole trip but most of the other passengers thought it was "too cold" (60s F).  We crossed into Germany (my first time there since before I retired from the military) before 0930 and were docked in Passau by 0945.  About 15 minutes later, we boarded busses parked on the pier and left for a tour of the town.  Our departure from "Amadeus Riva" for the last time was bittersweet.  To get to the area where we'd have our walking excursion for the morning, we had to travel through a long tunnel under the mountain.  Apparently, the only means to reach the city center in the past was to travel there by boat. The little German town, located at the junction of three rivers (Inn, Ilz, Danau) reminded me a little of Pittsburgh but also had the distinction of being at the crossroads of several countries who relied on the river traffic in ancient times. Our local guide, Daniel, took us through the pretty, cobblestoned streets and told us a lot about Passat’s history and unique place in the trade between empires. He was a teacher (off for summer break) and was a very guide, sharing stories about life in his hometown and the education of young people in Germany. We had to climb and descend a lot of stairs because Passau has always been prone to flooding. This was such a pretty place - and far eastern part of Bavaria, a fact I’d not considered prior to this trip. It was also a Catholic Bishopric which made it unique in the make up of the population (i.e., only Catholics lived there all the way up to 1945). The tour lasted from about 1015 to 1145 and we then were given some free time. I wanted to see more of the riverfront do walked down the hill on the Danube and walked along rows and rows of cruise ships and “party cruise boats.” Ultimately, I walked all the way to the end of the peninsula, where the Danube and Inn Rivers mixed. Very pretty. I then made my way back towards the restaurant (I believe it was called something like “Peschl-Terrasse”) where our group was supposed to meet at 1230. The walk ended up being longer than I’d planned so I was about 10 minutes late. It didn’t matter, through, because they still fed me well: local beer (house lager), salad, Wiener Schnitzel, boiled potatoes and apple strudel! It started raining while we were eating so I skipped the next “free time” we received and just relaxed on the comfortable (and covered) terrace. We had to meet our buses at 1345 so I used my umbrella during the walk (glad I brought it). We departed Passau and the Danube at 1400 - this was another bittersweet moment...  We drove north on Route 12 toward Prague, which was located about 165 KM away.  Andrea, our local guide lady, spent a lot of the drive talking about the history of the area and prepping us for our arrival in Prague.  She was interesting and upbeat and, before long, I realized we had crossed into the Czech Republic without noticing it (I never saw the sign).  Meanwhile, the weather improved.  We took CR-4 to the north through the old region of Sudetenland, an “Iron Curtain” no-mans-land that was very mountainous, forested and had lots of road construction zones.  At 1605, we stopped for a bathroom break at a gas station in Strakonice.  While there, I got some gummy bears (good sugar rush).  After getting everyone to deign to rejoin us on the bus, we got on our way again.  CR-4 eventually transformed into a more modern highway but I noticed that some of it wasn’t finished.  Andrea continued providing information about history, agriculture, architecture and culture.  In the background, she had music playing - this was "Ma Vlast", by Smetana, a piece that my mom had introduced me to in the 1980s with a cassette tape.  As has happened with several other key moments during the entire trip, I thought about her at that moment.  We made it to the outskirts of Prague by 1745 but it took another 30 minutes to reach our hotel, the Art Deco Imperial.  By then (1820), I was quite tired and was happy to get my room key rather quickly.  Unfortunately, I then had to wait for more than an hour for my bag to be brought to the room.  Meanwhile, the ND folks had made a reservation for dinner and asked me to join them - of course, I accepted!  Soon after I’d made a call to the front desk (a rare “complaint” for this trip), my bag arrived at the door.  Feelin relieved, I changed clothes and went downstairs to join Steve and Donna, Jim and Sue (1945) at the Impreal Cafe (hotel restaurant).  Hoping to get into the local cuisine and "brew culture", I tried a local dark beer (Sumavsky Special, almost like stout), turkey club sandwich and lots of good conversation.  We finished eating our delicious meal just after 2100.  Afterwards, I went walking with Jim and Sue.  It was a pleasant evening!  They dropped off near the Powder Tower but I continued walking until I reached Old Town Square (Stare Mesto) - less than 10 minutes after I'd departed my hotel.  Along the way, caught glimpses of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Old Town Hall, Jan Huss Monument, Marian Column and Church of Our Lady Before Tyn. Encountered a lot of Bright Young Things walking in the square and enjoying a wonderful evening with friends. Despite the maze of streets, I made it back to the hotel at 2200 without too many issues.  Before heading to bed, I did some blogging and reading - I fell asleep at 2315.  With just a little time this evening, I can feel a great vibe in this fascinating city!

Danube Cruise Trip - Day 14

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…

Danube Cruise Trip - Day 13

MS Amadeus Riva: Day 8! We docked in Vienna (near the Reichsbrucke Bridge over the Danube) before sunrise but, like most other days, had less than 24 hours allocated for activities ashore.  I was awake at 0630 (after sleeping alright) and spent some time reading, blogging and working on Duolingo exercises.  After that, I got ready and went to breakfast at 0730.  I joined the “Timeless Vienna” lecture that took place before the excursions started - I was hoping to gain a little more insight into the city.  Even without this, though, I had already spent days planning the things I wanted to do with the limited time.  After all that, I was itching to leave the ship when our excursions began (0915). With recommendations from Gerard (a cousin with extensive experience in Wien), I decided to take the group tour (by bus) to Schloss Schonbrunn, the summer palace of the Hapsburgs during the 18th Century. For the first day during our whole cruise, the weather started and remained in the 70s! It was still sunny but it seemed that recent storms had cleared out most of the heat and humidity - such a relief! While boarding the buses, I noticed that we were parked immediately in front of a beautiful church (St. Francis of Assisi) - what a nice start to the day. We made our way through the Prater Park towards the Danube Canal and then joined the eastern arc of the famous Ringstrasse. Our guide, a lady named Varina, pointed out good historical, architectural and cultural landmarks as we made our way towards the Palace. Arriving just after 1000, we were given an excellent tour of the main building (1000 rooms total but we only visited about 25). Everything was quite opulent and it was clearly a favorite residence of the royal family. Much of the tour was dedicated to learning about Empress Maria Theresa - designs/decorations were mostly her idea. After the tour, we got to explore the extensive gardens and I made the most of the hour I had. Got lost in topiary mazes, marveled at beautiful flowers and statuary, climbed the hill behind the Palace to visit a pretty fountain and then even higher to see an interesting monument. This latter landmark provided a spectacular view of the entire Viennese skyline - wow! I had to really hustle to reach the bus before it departed (1200) but was able then to enjoy a continuation of the clockwise circumnavigation of the Ringstrasse (this time, the western half). After such a great tour, I realized I didn't have cash for a tip for the guide - dang (will need to do better with that...).  We arrived back at the ship by 1300 and I went to my room for some cleaning up and repacking.  After that, I went to lunch (and liquids!) in Promenade Lounge, hoping fuel up before catching the 1430 shuttle bus (provided by the ship) to the City Center. I was actually the only person on board (strange) but I was glad for the ride.  We arrived in Schwedenplatz at 1500 and I immediately began my systematic Recce of Vienna. I had a few location goals in mind: St. Stephan’s Cathedral, the Hapsburg Imperial Crypt, the State Opera House and the Hofberg (Imperial Palace).  The latter location was HUGE - it took me a long time to navigate small courtyards, narrow passageways and large gardens just to see it all. For anyone who knows Vienna, the photos likely show an experimental navigation - it might be true. Trying to save my phone battery, I just explored with patience and curiosity, trying left and right passages before straight. I’d never admit I got lost but there were a few “I’ve been here already” moments before I found the “correct” path.  During my 3+ hour trek, I reached almost all of the places I'd hoped to see - and many others besides (e.g., Anker Clock, Mozart Death House, St. Augustin Church, Albertina Museum grounds, Parliament and Rathausplatz). I found Vienna to be an amazing, walkable city, with landmarks, monuments, architectural masterpieces and green parks visible from almost every corner. Actually, I never got bored all afternoon! My initial route basically bisected the center of the zone inside the Ringstrasse and I only had to pay for a ticket at one place (Crypt) - otherwise, everything was free. This was partly because some museums were closed on Mondays while others (e.g., Opera Tour, Treasury Tour, Lipizzaner Riding School) closed just before I reached them. Undeterred, I went crazy taking photos as I kept unwinding string on my walk through a maze of streets. I probably ended up walking the entire western half of the Ringstrasse arc - more than six miles without really stopping. Actually, that fact made me feel even better: heal bursitis may be gone! The sun was shining, a gentle (and cool) breeze was blowing and the crowds parted when they say my determined face and gait. At about 1815, I decided I wanted some local food and wandered a few more streets before stumbling across Heindl’s Schmarren & Palatschinkenkuchl (restaurant). My authentic Wiener dinner included: Zwettler Original (lager), a salad with tart dressing, Wiener Schnitzel, roasted potatoes, Styrean Apple Schmarren (house dessert specialty) and a shot of Weiser Williams Pear schnapps. The ambiance was wonderful and all of the food/drink was delicious.  By 1930, I arrived back at Schwedenplatz after an amazing afternoon - I’m blown away by this wonderful city!  Without much difficulty, I located the last shuttle bus bound for the ship - once again, I was the only passenger onboard when we left the City Center. Once aboard, I changed clothing and headed for the restaurant.  I arrived after most of the courses had been served but I managed to get glass of wine.  It was good that I'd showed up, though, because I ended up needing to help Steve (bad back) get out of his chair and up the stairs.  Most of the passengers (including me) next attended a Viennese music and dance performance in the Promenade Lounge (2100 to 2145).  The youngsters who were showing us the beautiful moves were engaging and smiled throughout their rounds on the dance floor.  Unbeatable!  Like we've seen in other cases during this cruise, the demonstration had an interactive quality - I didn't join the dancers but several other passengers did.  Afterwards, I returned to my room and did some blogging and reading.  Headed to bed at 2300 after an unforgettable day - there is no doubt that this city deserves a revisit

Danube Cruise Trip - Day 12

MS Amadeus Riva: Day 7!  I slept fitfully last night (weather) and was wide awake by 0630.  Spent some time reading and Duolingo; later went on deck for almost 40 minutes of walking, audiobooks and photos.  The crew was busy wiping down the decks after the heavy showers.  The Danube was visibly narrower and shallower - I enjoyed watching barges and cruise ships having to jockey for position (current, buoys, etc.).  I was a bit disappointed that we’d passed through the Danube Bend during the night but the rural scenery later was still pleasant. We passed many rural campsites along the water's edge.  At 0800, I attended Mass (with Father Pat, ND) in the Amadeus Club.  I got breakfast afterwards and, by 0900, I was in my room, reading about Bratislava.  We continued cruising all morning, , straddling the borders of Hungary and Slovakia, and completed a transit of the Gobcikovo Lock (0930) with MS Amadeus Nova (built in 2024).  I attended a “Disembarkation” Brief (for Passau, Germany) & Port Brief (1015).  During this time, I noticed busy bike trails following the River’s edge on both sides.  Resting in my room after this, I did some more Bratislava excursion prep and Vienna research.  Meanwhile, lots of people were bailing on their excursion choices (there was a handwritten “explosion” of interest in the “Music” tour).  At 1300, I went down to eat lunch (more delicious pasta and some Monte Cristo sandwiches) in the Promenade Lounge.  By 1345, we had docked in Bratislava, Slovakia and I was one of the first passengers off the ship. There were some interesting excursions planned for later in the day but they weren’t expected to visit several points of interest that interested me. At first, I stayed with fellow passengers but it soon became clear that they only wanted to shop. I detached from them and explored several streets in the Central Square, photographing many interesting buildings. Highlights included: the Opera House, the Roland Fountain, the Primate’s Palace and the Michael Gate. At the latter location, I made my way through the old city wall boundary before encountering neighborhoods and office buildings. My main target was a place well off the beaten path: the Blue Church. This took some sleuthing to find but I was soon marveling at the Robin’s egg colored walls and interior decorations. Very pretty! Working my way back towards the Danube, I made stops at a large mall complex and partially crossed the “Old” Bridge. It was only then that I realized there was another tier to the city skyline: from the high vantage point, I could clearly see the Hrad (castle) that dominated the higher part of the terrain. Unfortunately, I was too far away to visit in person… Our ship was nearly below the bridge so I returned there to change out my sweaty clothes (it was in the 90s again) before the official excursions began at 1515. Joining the “Bratislava City Highlights” tour, with local guide Eva, my walking pace slowed to a crawl as we made our way over some of the same ground I’d earlier covered. The tour ended up being better, though, because there was some excellent commentary and exposure to things I’d missed. We made our way farther west until we reached the Holocaust Memorial and Cathedral of St. Martin. We spent some interesting time there before walking into the Central Square. Eva pointed out lots of historical markers, local landmarks and told us the backstory on life under the Hapsburgs. It was easy to see that the Slovaks love gelato - there were stores on nearly every street!  We reached a little coffee shop (Kaffee Mayer) where our tour group was treated to pieces of “sachertorte” (chocolate cake). While at the rest stop, I also ordered a brandy-like drink, Tatratea (Original flavor, 52% alcohol) - it packed a good punch! The group walk was supposed to continue but I’d noticed a nearby Beer Hall and asked to be excused. One of my new ND friends, Steve, had expressed an interest in trying a flight of drinks there so we walked back there. We ended up trying four local drafts, all from the Sladovna Brewery - each Slovak taster was great! Our time in Bratislava was rapidly coming to an end as we finished our flight (1800) so we headed back to the ship before “All Aboard”. The rest of my evening was spent with another delicious dinner (salad, soup, chicken medallions) and (red) wine.  I talked a lot with an older couple from NY (Binghamton) whose love story was portrayed in a NYT article and later went topside with several others.  Throughout the evening, I heard more of the “you are a baby” comments because of my "youth" compared to the other passengers...  Speaking of this, I finally determined there were two younger (40s/50s?) couples onboard with me.  However, they were very lovey dovey and only one of the four (a guy) has spoken a word to me all cruise.  Still feeling good about being a solo traveler but the age discrepancy is stark.  Before heading to my room again, I stopped on the Sun Deck to enjoy the interesting scenery and pleasant evening breezes. After that, I did some blogging until bed (2315).  We are now fully in Austria - tomorrow should be epic!

Danube Cruise Trip - Day 4

This morning marked the end of pure “Jim Time” and I started my journey to rendezvous with the other members of the Tour Group. I was awake at 0600 and spent most of the early morning reading, doing Duolingo and packing.  Eileen and I were able to text a bit - that was nice. I went to breakfast in hotel restaurant at 0810 (another good buffet).  Done at about 0855, I then went for a walk in my Bucharest neighborhood.  There was some shade (trees and tall buildings) and this kept temps cool.  However, it was already hot in the sun.  I passed by an Orthodox Church that appeared to be conducting services - there were some ominous gentlemen at the door that gave me enough pause to avoid trying to enter...  Back in my room by 0930, I spent an hour wrapping up my stay and checking out of the hotel.  Catalin picked me up at 1030 and we drove to the airport (pretty close to the same route as last night).  We had an interesting French and Romanian flag (they kind of look the same) discussion on the way.  We arrived at airport by 1100 and I did my best to thank Catalin for his excellent driving.  Before the trip began, I had a choice: accept route planning from the Tour Company (transfers included) or make up my own air itinerary to reach my hotel in Bulgaria. I chose the former and this involved two flights (one to Vienna and the other to Sofia).  So, my first order of business in the terminal was to locate the check-in counter for Austrian Airlines.  It wasn't easy...  I was finally able to find a self check kiosk to print boarding passes but then had to wait in a huge line for the bag drop.  This was due to the fact that Austrian shared desks with Lufthansa and Swiss Air - ugh...  I ultimately got through the line by 1200 (whew; 15 minutes to spare).  The desk agent had tried to convince me to check my bag but I successfully declined.  Fortunately, security checks were no issue.  I spent some time before boarding walking through the crowded "OTP" terminal.  I noticed they had no WiFi, potable water or available seating - almost 180 out from my Amsterdam experience.  I eventually found a spot on a window sill and waited until boarding began (1250).  At that point, it was a free for all throughout the boarding process (no zones called).  Also, I couldn't tell - did I need my passport or not?  Once I got aboard (A320 window seat), I was pleased to see a petite woman sitting in the middle seat - this appeared to bode well for elbow room.  Unfortunately, my neighbor changed seats with a larger guy and all the extra room was immediately gone.  Needless to say, I was relieved that it was a shorter flight...  We were all in our seats well in advance to the scheduled takeoff but we still departed 30 minutes late (mostly because there were two empty seats that the gate attendants wanted to fill) - SMH.  At least we had Strauss playing in the background!  It was strange to transition from the rather musical Romanian to the harsher Deutsch. But the crew members were as friendly as any Central Europeans I’ve met. One of the Flight Attendants had a Nina Blackwood voice (I couldn’t get that reference out of my head).  During the flight, we had free internet (for messages only) but there were no charging ports so I turned off my phone.  During the drink service I realized that everything cost money - I got a special bag of (Austrian?) Haribo gummies.  While we were airborne, I read some more of my travel book (Bulgaria and Sofia stuff).  We had a Danube overflight for the first 30 minutes - I took photo and later identified the section of the river (bridge west of Iron Gate).  We must have flown due west after that because I noticed a giant lake to the north I think it was Lake Balaton in Hungary.  If I'm correct, we later turned north.  We were given Austrian chocolate just before arrival.  I saw lots of windmills in the fields of Austria during our approach to Vienna.  Also saw second lake closer to the city.  Another bonus: Bratislava was visible in the distance.  We landed at 1410L (one hour time change).  After parking, we got an Austrian passport check on way off of aircraft.  Since we landed late, I spent only about 30 minutes in the terminal.  In this short period, though, I experienced long lines for the bathroom, good internet and plentiful USB power outlets.  When boarding for my next flight (Embraer E95) began (1500), it was again a free for all (“all passengers may board”).  This ended up being much more critical than previously because we had to get on a bus that took us far out onto the ramp.  Even after the bus parked, there was no one to point anyone towards one of the jetways.  As a result, people randomly chose doors and there was opposing traffic in the cabin.  Fortunately, I was in an early group and found (limited) room for my carryon.  Everyone was pretty efficient in the end and we took off almost on time (1530L).  During the climb out, I got a nice view (although we immediately turned and it was short) of the nearby Danube and Vienna city skyline.  The snapshot view of the city, the wide river and hills to the northwest - all in the late afternoon sunlight - is imprinted in my mind. Wow!  There was another time change again enroute.  During the drink service, I ordered an early dinner (chicken paprika wrap) and an Austrian beer (paid in Euros).  Watching the Danube overflight again - this time, I had the map on my phone and realized (due to the visibility and distinctive landmarks on the Danube and Sava rivers) that we were overflying Belgrade.  After that, I noticed a marked increase in the rugged terrain (much different from Walachia).  The descent was uneventful and we landed in Sofia, Bulgaria at 1755L (early).  I was near the front of the plane but took my time heading to baggage claim.  The airport had good WiFi but seemed pretty empty.  Since I was awaiting a 2000 bus from the AHI Travel team and didn’t see the point of hurrying, I got some more steps and took care of texts with the kids).  However, when I finally got my bag and left the arrival area (1830), I encountered a representative of AHI who seemed frantic about my "lateness".  At first, I took this as a sign that I wouldn’t have to wait the full time.  But it was a bait and switch and they took the entire time to wait on other people and flights.  Before the trip, I’d thought about taking taxi instead of waiting - in hindsight, that would have been better...  Meanwhile, I met an older gentleman (widower from Connecticut) named Dennis who I had been on the same Austrian flight I took.  We ended up talking the time away.  Eventually (2000), we had nearly 20 people from our tour assembled and were escorted to a waiting bus.  The drive to our hotel in downtown Sofia took about 25 minutes and our local guide (Ivan) pointed out sights along the way.  There were so many pretty buildings!  I met another solo traveler (Robert from Texas).  We were dropped off in from of the Sofia Balkan Palace Hotel and walked to our own special hospitality area in the back of the lobby (our bags were delivered to our rooms).  We were met by our tour coordinators (Nani, Vessy and Alan) and received a short orientation.  With our room keys, we also got a three day itinerary.  The bulk of the group seems to be Silent and Boomer Generations so this may be a lot less mobile and active than I’d hoped. But everyone - including the local guides and travel hosts - was extremely nice.  On the way to my room, I skimmed the events for the following day and noticed that I needed to get up early for breakfast, Mass (with ND group) and .  Everyone else headed to their rooms to go to bed early. As you might have guessed, I only stopped at the room to drop my stuff before heading out to explore (2100). The hotel is located right across the street from the ruins of the Thracian/Roman settlement of Serdica, a huge mosque, a statue of Saint Sofia and a pretty church called the Cathedral of Saint Nedelya. All of these things were well lit for the evening and very pretty. I wandered down Bul. Vitosha, a closed street with pubs and restaurants. The weather was pleasant and the area was full of young people. I stopped for a few (half) pints of Bulgarian beer and dessert of Pavlova (mint, lemon, strawberry, blueberry) at a place called the Social Cafe Bar & Kitchen - everything was good. There was much less English being spoken and I have had no exposure to Bulgarian - but some expressions, words and gestures are universal. Cyrillic characters and words are also going to be a unique challenge - not since my days visiting Japan have words been so tough to decipher. I noticed a lot of people (even young ones) were smoking in nearly every place I visited.  Wrapped up my evening excursion at about 2145 and headed back to the room to get ready for a full day of food, lectures, Mass (with the Notre Dame priest who is with us), a lecture about Sofia, a city walking tour and Welcome Reception/Dinner. Before going to bed (2330), I texted with Erin and worked on my travel blog.  Excited about my cruise itinerary - so much new stuff to see/do! 

Neuschwanstein (Germany)

Unbelievable day! First visited Dachau Concentration Camp (a moving experience). It was really something to walk around there - somber and sureal. Later, we drove over towards the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Gas at Hoherain West (Berg) around 1100. Ended up getting a little lost (our map is not good at all) and ended up in Austria (!) - and we only realized this when we saw the flags on the buildings. Things sure are different from when I last visited Deutchland (see Summer 1986) - no border checkpoints! Made it to Neuschwanstein around 1400 - just enough time to go inside. It was amazing - everything I thought it would be. Being in the Alps in the winter was a jazz too. Toured another nearby castle (Hohenschwangau), too (1700). On the road back to Ramstein around 1900. It started to get dark, but the moon was pretty bright. Luckily (and I should underline that), Kurt had marked our starting position yesterday, since we had no idea where to go without the hand-held GPS. Made it to our hotel around 2200...