Europe (again) 2014: Goodbye Austria

It is true that there are no Kangaroos in Austria, so says the sign in the souvenir shop. Austria though, I think it would be fair to say, would probably outdo the Australians ten to one when it comes to culture. For our final night in Vienna it seemed appropriate that some of this culture should be passed on to us and it was in the shape of a string quartet and I must say, that for someone such as I who is not known for his embracing the arts, it was very enjoyable, a most polished performance.
We moved on from Vienna in the afternoon and arrived in Melk late last evening during the drawing of the ship's raffle. The Dutch compere managed to make this into a very humorous affair which made up for our failure to win any of the tack that was on offer. On arrival in our cabin we found a letter on the bed inviting us to drinks with the captain Thursday evening in recognition of my birthday last weekend. I am hoping to be one of many as that the small talk can be spread a little wider. Anyway it is nice that the effort is made.

Passing under a low bridge. The ships bridge is lowered as are any masts etc. The bridges over the Main were to be even lower still and the sundeck became "Out of bounds" and the ship piloted with the Captain's head protruding from a hatch, bridge being lowered so as to be at deck level.

hatch

Main foyer and reception area

Looking aft along the passageway to passenger cabins.

So here we are in Melk, a small north Austrian town with a big Abbey and lots of tourists to see it. The Abbey stands atop the hill behind the town and so we were bused up to it but took the walking option on the way back down. This is a Benidictine Monastery which now incorporates a school taking both boys and girls.

A basic chart of where we are at and where we are going

Treasures in Melk Abbey

Use your imagination to turn through 90 degrees and you have another treasure from Melk Abbey

As can be seen from above we are now on the Main canal and currently in Wurzburg a pretty medieval town in the Frankia region of Bavaria. We had thought that Britain had lots of churches and cathedrals but Germany can outnumber them about five to one. In some towns several may adjoin each other. Some of these churches are so ornate that they become almost garish in appearance, but that is the way of it and the poor peasants who paid for this extravagance have long since departed from this world. One can only hope that they have found the peace and happiness due to them.

Unfortunatley the internet connection aboard the good ship Lord Byron is so bad currently that it has become almost impossible to upload photographs into this blog so I shall plod on without them.

Life aboard becomes a routine after just a few days, only the menu and our location changes. Last evening was the Chef's diner and was a sumptuous affair with some six courses to wade our way through, very very good quality. Tonight it is Indonesian night in the Lido Bar restaurant and we are joining eight others at a table. I think that this will fill this small alternative restaurant so should be good fun.

On the entire trip we will pass through some 66 locks and cruise on three different rivers which have been cunningly connected by canal. It was a novelty for the passengers to watch the transit through the locks to begin with but now is scarcely noticed.

You may remember my mentioning one passenger who unwittingly or other bore more than a passing resemblance to Mr Hitler, not a good choice for a secret personna for one travelling through Germany I would have thought. I still have no idea why Mark (His deal name) has chosen this course but he was in his element in Nurnberg, striding onto the stage at Zeppilin Field and bursting into mock oration. It seems he suffered some sort of accident some years ago which resulted in a change of personality. Whatever the reason his wife has no sympathy and ribs him when he goes off the rails in this way. When one speaks with him, instead of the clipped voice one is expecting, he has rather a soft voice and is known to be a very humorous companion.

Mrs Currin has this afternoon gone for a walk ashore and has left me to continue with this blog, but without the help of pictures it is not so easy. I do hope she gets back in plenty of time for us to set sail, I am not sure that she has taken her shore pass with her. No, I see her approaching as I speak, do that is ok then. The passengers have by and large formed into groups for meals and other activities. We have in our circle an ex Brewery exec., a GP, an architect and a farmer... all decent sorts and very English. Their seems to be a large number of ex rugby players on aboard and so the interest in last Saturdays game was quite widespread.