The Wachau Valley

The Wachau Valley is where most of the grapes are grown in Eastern Europe. I am used to seeing flat sandy land, or gently rolling hills with vineyards. So when I saw these vineyards that were practically straight up and down, I was amazed. Each level is terraced with rocks to hold it up. It is hard to see teh rock walls in these pictures, but each level is held up by a rock wall.


The vineyards on the mountains went on for what seemed like miles and miles. Every once in a while we would see someone out checking on them up high on the side of the hill. They literally covered the mountains in the region.

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.