River Cruise From Vienna to Amsterdam

March & April 2004

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To Atlanta, Georgia - March 21 - 24, 2004 - Paducah, Kentucky.  

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15 Pictures

Williams home and new garage


Day One - March 25, 2004 - The Trip to Vienna.  

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7 Pictures

Dan gets everything but a strip search.  We meet our Tour Directors.


Day Two - March 26, 2004 - Wein.  

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43 Pictures

The first day in Europe we walked around Vienna.  It was cold and snowy. 


Day Three - March 27, 2004 - Melk Abby

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128 Pictures

Melk Abby.  We woke up to snow.  We passed some castles on the way up the Danube to Melk Abby.
We toured the Abby and the town.  This was the first day that we got to walk on cobble stones and walk through towns built on hills.  It became the daily routine.  We stopped at a grocery store and spent our first Euros.


Day Four - March 28, 2004 - Passau

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72 Pictures

Passau.  The day started out very cold, but (glory of glory's) by noon, the sun came out, and it started to warm up.  We visited the cathedral and the town.  Some of us visited the glass museum, and crossed the river to climb the hill to the old castle.  By the end of the day, some of us got to use the balconies on our cabins (that cost extra), and some of us were very tired.

We got the bad news.  A boat has crashed into a bridge up stream from us, and the tour may be over.


Day Five - March 29, 2004 - Regensburg

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102 Pictures

We get better news.  The boat is a barge;  It was not really a crash, it came loose and floated down into a bridge; and it may be able to be removed it if they can get a big enough tug to pull it off the bridge.  The tugs in the area do not have enough power.

Regensburg.  Instead of being docked in Regensburg, we dock in Deggendorf and take busses to Regensburg.  We tour the town, eat bratwurst, and see parts of the original Roman wall.

When we return to the boat, we get even better news.  The barge has been removed, and by leaving immediately, and traveling all night, we can be back on schedule by morning (on schedule being a very German thing).


Day Six - March 30, 2004 - Kelheim & Riedenburg

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39 Pictures

Kelheim.  This was a particularly busy day because we got to take two field trips.  We started out by visiting Kelheim, and the Weltenburg Abby in the morning.  Walking around the town was nice, if only because it wasn't built on a hill.  Dan tried to purchase distilled water there.  Describing "water" (vasser) was easy.  Describing "distilled" was not.

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29 Pictures

Riedenburg.  The highlight of the day, and one of the highlights of the whole trip was the visit to a German family and their home.  It was one of the few times during the trip when we were able to talk to local people who were not either guides (and trained to talk to us) or a clerk in a store.  The family we met with was a delight.  


Day Seven - March 31, 2004 - Nurnberg

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85 Pictures

Nurnberg.  During breakfast, we see a barge worker bathing in the lock.  We tour some WWII and many Nurnberg historical sites, and tour the historical museum.


Day Eight - April 1, 2004 - Bamberg

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94 Picture

Bamberg.  Another beautiful cathedral, and more hills.  We must be in Bavaria.  This village is particularly picturesque - with a river running through town, and buildings built in and around it.  From the garden on a hill we could see a sea of orange tile roofs.  While there, we were treated to the local German Beer which has a bacon flavor.

In Bamberg we heard the first English we had heard on the streets in days.  There is a US military base near by, and we met US service people both in and out of uniform.


Day Nine - April 2, 2004 - Wurtzburg & Rothenburg

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52 Pictures

Wurtzburg.  In the morning, we visited the "Residenz" there, followed by a visit to the "Hospital" for a wine tasting. 

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68 Pictures

Rothenburg.  In the afternoon we visited historic Rothenburg where we walked 11th & 12th century streets, and climbed the walls of the city.


Day Ten - April 3, 2004 - Wertheim

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150 Pictures

Wertheim.  We cruse down the Main river during the morning to Wertheim where we get to see a glass blowing demonstration and walk around town.  For the first time while in Europe, we have an opportunity to check our E-Mail.  We even get to do it using English keyboards.

After the demonstration and a tour of the small town where they are having a street fair, some of us climb to the very top of an old castle ruin. 


Day Eleven - April 4, 2004 - Heidelberg

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165 Pictures

Heidelberg.  We toured the town and the university, including the student "jail".  We had our first pastry and coffee and it was delicious.  After walking around town, where Jean bought a red hat, we had dinner at the castle, and then toured the castle.

After spending most of the day in Heidelberg, we returned to the boat, and continued on to Frankfurt where we walked around town after dinner.


Day Twelve - April 5, 2004 - Mainz & Rudesheim

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101 Pictures

Mainz.  We visit Mainz, the Gutenberg Museum, and St. Stephen's Cathedral.  While there, we have the very best pastry and coffee of the trip.

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64 Pictures

Rudesheim.  After lunch, which we have while cruising down the Main, we stop in Rudesheim where we walk around the village and have dinner in a local restaurant.


Day Thirteen - April 6, 2004 - Rhine Castles & Koblenz

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61 Pictures

Rhine Castles.  We spent the morning cruising the Rhine gorge, with castles on every mountain precipice.  Mysteriously, as we passed the large rock rising 440 feet above the river, Lorelei appeared in the lounge.

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45 Pictures

Koblenz.  After lunch, we docked at Koblenz and walked around town - mostly in the rain.  


Day Fourteen - April 7, 2004 - Klon

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76 Pictures

Klon.  We tour the Cologne cathedral, and have our last taste of German Pastry. 


Day Fifteen - April 8, 2004 - Amsterdam

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134 Pictures

Amsterdam.  We took a buss and boat tour through the canals of Amsterdam.  Then we visited the Van Gogh Museum and the Flower Market. 


Day Sixteen - April 9 - 12, 2004 - Home

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14 Pictures

We fly home and Ralph grills fish for dinner. 


EZ Address for this page:  www.Europe.DanWheeler.us

Updated 6/2/05