Durnstein, Germany--Day Five

After breakfast on Day Five we arrived at the quaint little village of Durnstein. It is in the Washau Valley--pronounced Wa kow. This is the center of wine country along the Danube.
It was lightly snowing but melting as it hit the ground, making for some very pretty pictures along the path.

When looking at the mountain above the village I could see the ruins of Durstein Castle. This was where Richard the Lionheart was held prisoner during the Crusades.

Jim, by the path--Jeff in the distance waiting for us.We walked up this misty little path and into the village.

Along this part of the path there were little flats on either side with all kinds of little windows.

Finally at the top, the little village had cobblestone walkways with apartments and shops along them.

This window was a home, decorated for Christmas.

The Collegiate Church. We were told this was also an Abbey.

The Collegiate Church clock

Inside the church we enjoyed a Christmas Organ Concert. There were several playing the organ and by the difficulty--starting with very easy to very difficult--we surmised the organists must have been students and finally the teacher.

I thought it so amazing that a tiny town like Durnstein would have such an exquite church.One thing I found a bit unnerving was, in every church, there were several mummies in glass coffins. They were decorated with jewels and dried flowers. The garments covering them were silks and fine velvets.This statue of Christ below is on top of one of the glass coffins. I couldn't bring myself to photograph a mummy.

After the concert we made it back, past the little shop windows, down the paths, and through the tunnels to the misty path.

Waiting for us at the edge of the river were more wild swans, begging to be fed. Never approach a swan if you are wearing white. They interpret a person wearing white as another larger swan trying to invade their territory. They will chase that person and finally bite them on whatever is convenient. They were so beautiful and would arch their wings when we approached them.

Jim by a ship's anchor. Because of its shape, he called it a grappling hook. We laughed and laughed saying that only Goliath would be able to handle it if it were a grappling hook.

Looking back at the little village of Durnstein, you can see the wall that protected it from the Danube. It was really hard to fathom that this castle has been around since the Crusades. I would have loved to have been able to go up there

Looking at Durnstein as we sailed away on the ship.

Bratislava,Slovakia--Day Four

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia. It appeared to be a very poor city. "Old Town" was the part of the city we toured. The buildings had just recently been restored--for the first time since the end of Communism in '93. This was the city where Mozart performed his first concert when he was 6.
Every town had beautiful somewhat elaborate Christmas decorations--and they did not have problem calling it Christmas at all--no Holiday this or that.

The tour guide was so thrilled to tell us that we would ride downtown on the mini-train. It was bare bones but something they were very proud of having.

This was one of the example of graffiti that I thought was particularly indicitive of the desperation soneone felt.

This is a statue of Hans Christian Anderson. I guess I was talking,m taking pictures or not paying attention because I do not know how he relates to Bratislava--hmm have to look that one up. I tried to keep good notes but this one failed me. It is pretty and whimsical though.

Where this memorial stands was the synagogue of Bratislava. When the Nazi's came in they blew it up. On the wall beside it is a granite is a etching of the once vibrant synagogue and its community.

The buildings in Old Town have all been restored, but few of them are occupied. They are beautiful old buildings from the 19th century and for the most part are empty. it was a little on

the eerie side but there were some occupied by designer clothing shops like Gucci and Cartier.

For the most part the streets were just for walking but occasionally a car would come by. Every few blocks was a square usually adjoining a church. This is a statue of one of Napoleon's men, whimsical and a great photo op.

Jeff, Jim, Jan and Renie with Napoleon's soldier. Another of the squares in Bratislava.

There were numerous creches in every town we visited. This one was especially beautiful.

Another of the squares. We went to a little coffee house in this building.

Budapast---Day Three

We cruised the next morning to Budapest. The sights along the way were incredible. Every tiny little town along the river seemed to have a huge cathedral--most named St. Stephens or St. Tereasa.

Jim enjoying hte sights from the small lounge.

Jim, Renie and Jeff.

One of the cathedrals in a small town along the Danube.

Beautiful ,quaint, little house on the Danube.

Village on the River.

As our ship arrived in Budapeast, we saw this building, a former palace, now the Four Season;s Hotel. Budapest is actually two cities, Old Buda Hills and the modern city of Pest. We had a walking tours of pest.

Pest has hundreds of hot springs. This is the city "spa". We could see the steam from the springs as we drove by it. Most of the men go here after work, sit in the spring pools and play chess. There is a side for women and one for men.

Heros Square. Four thousand students were gunned down in 1956 as they protested against the Soviets. There is a tomb of the unkown heros who were killed in the middle of the square. The square is flanked by the art Museum and the Musem of Modern Art (which is in an ancient buidling).

This is one of the mansions that the Soviets came in and forced the owners out, on to the streets. When the Soviets left--they sold the homes to foreigners--most of the valueable homes and buildings are no longer owned by citizens of Hungary.
Jim in front of the Art Museum in Heros Square in Pest--pronounced "Pesht."

The Opera House in Pest. The Nutcracker was currently being perfornmed in almost every city we visited.

This building, built in the 12th century, is now The School of Architecture of Pest.

Traveling down the main thoroughfare of Pest, Andrassy Ut.

The Chain Bridge. When it was built, they were not sure it would hold the weight. To test it, as the legend goes--they invited all the mother-in-laws int he two cities to stand on it first. It held.

Budapest is the capital of Hungary. This is the Hungarian "White House". Their president has his office there. No security is needed because he is only a figurehead and has no power.

Next door is a sort of unassuming church (by eastern european standards). This is where Beethoven performed some of his organ concerts

Part of the remains of the imperial palace, where you can still see the mortar makes of WWII and from the Soviets.

View from the Fisherman;s Bastion of Old Buda and Pest across the river.

St Elizabeth;sa Bridge over the Danube.

A couple at the Fisherman's Bastion gazing at the view.

One of the Turrets of the Fisherman's Bastion.

Inside the Matthias Church across from the Fisherman's Bastion in Buda.

The view of Buda from Pest. It is not very clear but the building in the back is the Imperial Palalce, it was bombed and only the outside has been reastored. The lights inthe front are the chain bridge over the river.

The Fisherman's Bastion and St Matthias Church from across the river.

These bronze shoes are a monument to the jews who were killed by the Nazis. They took the people from their homes lined them up on the river and shot them into the river. There are about 100 pairs of shoes on the river. We walked down in the evening to see them. It was so moving.

When I saw this pair of baby shoes though, I lost it. They were about the size of shoe I had recently bought for my little granddaughter.

Budapest was the most hauntingly, tragically, beautiful place on our trip--it was like a lady dressed beautifully for a ball with a tears rolling down her cheeks.