Prague

Today the sun returned as we disembarked the Amalegro and headed back to the city to have a historical tour of the section of Nurnberg dealing with the Nazi era. Saw the Zepplin arena and marching fields Hitler built for his rallies as well the courthouse where the Nurnberg trials took place. One last brief stop at the Christmas Market and then on to Prague.

Again we were driving through snow-covered countryside. Very memorable 1st meal in the Czech Republic -- McDonald's on the Autobahn! Actually, it was the fastest way to get a meal so that we would get to Prague sooner.

The Czech Republic is my 7snd country and one I've been anxious to see. As we drove through the old part of the city to our hotel, The President Hotel Prague, I could easily see why visitors rave about its beauty. The architecture of the buildings was just incredible. We all gathered for a walk though the Old Town to the City Square which had the most gorgeous Christmas tree I've ever seen. It was a tall fir decorated with thousands of tiny blue lights and white lights that looked like stars shooting from top to bottom. My words do not do it justice -- you had to be there to appreciate the beauty.

Tomorrow we will have a tour of Prague in the morning and then be free all afternoon to explore the sites and the wonderful Bohemian crystal shops. Everyone's suitcases are bulging and several people have bought extra ones. Our final evening in Prague will be a special dinner at a local Czech restaurant and then it's off to the airport early Tuesday morning.

We've had a wonderful time, made new friends, eaten way too much, consumed a lot of Gluhwein, raised the local economies and experienced Christmas in the beautiful settings that gave birth to our traditions.

Merry Christmas!

Linda

Nuremberg--Gingerbread, Lebkuchen...Ummmm!

You are probably tired of hearing me rave about the winter scenery, but today we cruised all morning up the Danube with heavy, snow-laden forests and medieval villages on either side. No Christmas card could ever compare with these views. About mid-morning we left the Danube behind and entered the monumental Main- Danube Canal, linking the North Sea to the Black Sea. Through a series of locks it is possible to cruise from Romania to the Netherlands.

After lunch we drove into Nurenberg, Bavaria's 2nd largest city where we explored this medieval city. Founded in 1050, it developed into one Europe's greatest trade towns during the 13th century. Famous citizens include Albrecht Durer, one of German's greatest artists, and Martin Behaim, geographer and maker of the first globe . Fortunately, much of the old city was spared the WWII bombings and is something straight out of history books. The market is huge -- the largest in Europe-- and was very crowded on a Saturday afternoon, but we still managed to make more purchases, sample Nurenburg's bratwurst specialties, drink more Gluhwein (mugs #7 and 8) and sample some Lebkuchen -- the famous Nurenburg gingerbread cookies.

Tonight was our final night on the Amalegra and we had a delightful Captain's dinner, culminating with a sparkling baked Amalegra (the ship's version of Baked Alaska).

Tomorrow morning we will tour the portion of Nurenburg dealing with the Nazi era and war trials and have a brief time at the market for last-minute German purchases, then we are off by bus to Prague.

Hopefully, I will find a business center in the Hotel President Prague where we spend our last 2 nights.

It's been a great trip with a wonderful group of people. Can't believe we only have 2 more days.
Linda

Regensburg - A Winter Wonderland

Finally, we had a late morning and got to sleep in. When we did wake up, the view was one of the most beautiful winter scenes I've ever seen. Snow had fallen during the night and left a heavy coating on the trees and river bank. I've waited a long time to see snow and this scene was perfect.

Passing through several locks our water level rose as we cruised up the Danube to the Continental Divide. We arrived in Regensburg about noon and docked right at the entrance to the Old City.This Bavarian city of 150,000 was spared destruction by the bombs of WWII and is famous for it's Gothic cathedral and 900-year old stone bridge. Unlike modern bridges, this structure has never been repaired and is still a strong, reliable bridge across the Danube.

We bundled up and headed out to explore the cobblestone streets of this snow-covered Bavarian city. One interesting site was the home where Oskar Schendler rescued over 1200 Jews from being sent to Nazi death camps. Another proud son of Rgensburg is Pope Benedict XVI. My favorite spot was the Thorn and Taxis Palace whose grounds were even lovlier with their winter coat. The center courtyard had a nice, small Christmas Market where I acquired Mug #7! They had fires burning in the market and it was great to sit by them sipping Gluhwein, listening to Christmas music and watching the snow drift down.

I elected to take a leisurely walk back through town to enjoy the Christmas lights that were now on throughout the city. Our guide had told us about a famous small sausage shop right by the old bridge so I decided to stop and sample one. The wurst was grilled right on the spot and with a crusty homemade roll, sauerkraut and their special mustard, it was a special taste treat, especially since I was sitting on a bench beside the Danube River.

Following dinner tonight we had a concert of German Christmas music performed by former members
of the famous boys' choir known as the Regensburger Domspatzen.
This is our last night to cruise on the Danube. Tomorrow we arrive at our last cruise destination, Nurenburg.
Linda

Salzburg - Mozart and The Sound of Music

What a day! Headed out at 8:30am for Salzburg. Beautiful drive into the hills on the way to Salzburg. Shortly outside of Linz we began to see snow and the view was beautiful -- truly a Christmas scene -- evergreens and the ground covered in snow. First stop was at Mondsee, a lake near Salzburg which was the site of the abbey and church used in The Sound of Music. The priest saved this decaying church by charging each tourist 1Euro and used the money to restore the building to its original beauty.

From there it was a short drive to Salzburg. one of the most beautiful cities not only in Austria but also in the world. Following a tour which included the Mirabell Gardens, Mozart's house (Salzburg was his birthplace) and the Bishop's residence, we were on our own. For 2 hours we ate bratwurst, drank Gluhwein (another mug!) and explored the city's Christmas Markets and shops on our own. A perfect ending to this day was hot chocolate and Sacher Torte(famous in Salzburg) in a lovely coffee shop in one of the squares in the Old Town.

We returned to our ship which had sailed to Passau, Germany, in our absence and was docked in the center of the city. This relatively small city of only 50,000 inhabitants is located at the junction of 3 rivers, theDanue, the Inn (Innsbruck), and the Llz. The main part of town is somewhat squeezed between the Danube and the Inn. Fifteen minutes after reaching the boat, we headed into town to explore the historic areas -- and the Christmas Markets. Just as we purchased our Gluhwein (if you're counting, this is mug#6, )big snow flakes started to fall. It was just like something out of a movie to be walking through this beautifully decorated town square with it's brightly lit stalls, sipping hot Gluhwein and watching the flakes fall. I even found a booth selling Feursangen. For those not familiar with this German specialty, it's a traditional Christmas drink which friends sip around the fire and tell tales. I have a Feursangen bowl from our days in Germany 35 years ago and hope to find a new one eventually.

We were in for a special treat after dinner (delicious as usual) as the ship's crew sang Christmas carols in German, Hungarian and then English with our assistance. THEN, Santa arrived with special gifts for any of us who sat on his lap for a photo -- got some great pictures (maybe even a little blackmail). A very fun eveinging drew to a close as we gathered around the piano to continue singing carols and the ship sailed toward Regensburg, Germany -- our next destination.

Linda

The Wachau Valley - Melk to Linz, Austria

This photo is of the square in Linz brilliantly lit for the Christmas Market -- but more about that later.

In true Austrian tradition, let's 'start at the very beginning'...
Today we left the sunshine and city lights of Vienna and sailed into the beautiful Wachau Valley of Austria where our view from our cabin was one of trees with light dusting of snow along the banks of the Danube. With the valley's charming villages, the landscape is one of a picturesque countryside. We passed through several locks as the river level rose toward the Continental Divide.

Our excursion this morning was a tour of the 1000- year old Benedictine monastery in Melk. For over 900 years monks have continually lived and worked in Stift Melk following the rules laid down by St Benedict. Views of the Danube and the valley from this Baroque monastery as well as the interior rooms were well worth the climb up the hill.

Following the Abbey tour we spent about an hour in the the small village of Melk, and I managed to find a vendor selling hot Gluhwein on the street. My German and his English made for an interesting conversation. One of my favorite activities in Europe is to spend time with locals in tiny villages so I loved this hour.

Back on board we immediately set sail for Linz and passed through 2 more locks during lunch. After lunch we visited with the captain on the bridge learning some of the intricacies of sailing a river boat.

By 5pm we docked in Linz and walked to the old part of the city and the Christmas Market. Each market has its own distinctive character and this one was truly a "Happy Hour" gathering for the young people of Linz. Sipping Gluhwein (yes, I did acquire my 4th mug) and munching on Christmas goodies, they were definitely enjoying the season.

Following dinner we were treated to a special concert from 3 very talented singers who had driven down from Salzburg. They began with arias from Mozart's Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute and finished with wonderful renditions from The Sound of Music. Edelweiss is especially moving when heard in Austria.

Tomorrow we head for Salzburg(by bus) for a full day in the mountains.
Linda

Vienna - From Sweets to Symphony

Greetings from Vienna!
I lived in Germany for 3 years and was in Europe in 2005 on a different Christmas Markets Cruise and have never seen a day like today. Our cabins have full length sliding doors so we have a great view while cruising. I woke up early and saw a sky full of twinkling stars -- my first clue that weather forecasts had been wrong and we were going to have a gorgeous day. There was not a cloud in the sky, and, although the weather was cold, it felt wonderful -- just like Christmas should feel.

By 8:30am we were driving along Vienna's famous "Ringstrasse" to the heart of the city -- St. Stephen's Cathedral. After a brief tour of this famous cathedral, we walked along several of the streets admiring decorations like the ones in the photo. The architecture of Vienna is equivalent to Paris in the areas that were spared the bombing of WWII. Our stroll took us to the Hofburg Palace, winter residence of the Hapsburgs, who ruled from the 13th century to 1918. There was a small Christmas market near the palace, and I had enough time there to get a steaming Gluhwein in a 'Vienna' mug. Each market has a different mug commemorating that year's market. My collection from 2005 will definitely be enlarged (and possibly my liver!) by the time we get home. Nothing tastes as good as steaming hot Gluhwein on a crisp, cold day as you walk through the stalls decorated for Christmas.

From there we drove to the famous City Hall, one of the most beautiful in Europe and had time to stroll through another Christmas Market located nearby. There I acquired one more mug to add to my collection and got some great pictures with the blue sky above the Christmas greenery.

After a very quick lunch on board, we left again for a tour of the Schonbrunn Palace which was the summer home of the Hapsburg. The Palace had rooms that rivaled those of Versailles but was on a smaller scale. Near the Palace was another small Christmas Market which was fun as it was getting dark and the moon was rising over the colorful stalls. The aroma of the food was tantalizing, but we headed back to the ship for a quick dinner. Since we were in Austria, the chef's specials included Austrian foods such as weinerschnitzel and apple strudel -- both wonderful. The menu for each meal includes at least 3 choices for each one of 4 courses along with a delectable cheese tray and fruit.

Vienna was known as the 'Music Capital of the World' until 1918 so tonight we went to the Auersperg Palais for a beautiful concert of music by Strauss and Mozart. Tonight we cruise to Melk, Austria.

Busy day -- but wonderful.

Linda

Budapest - A Tale of Two Cities

We made it to Budapest about 4 hours behind schedule, BUT we are here and it's beautiful. I had been worried about snow delaying us in Chicago, but that was not a problem. We did get stuck due to a mechanical problem and missed our connection in Frankfurt but arrived in Budapest about 6:30pm. I had notified the cruise line and they were waiting for us.

As we neared the Danube where our boat was docked, we caught sight of the symbol of Budapest -- the beautiful Chain Bridge which is lit at night. The boat looked warm and welcoming with its Christmas decorations and friendly staff waiting for us. All of our group was already on the Amalegro and waiting for us join them for our first night on board. If all the meals and wines are as delicious as this night's were, I'll have to buy an extra airline seat to get home. They served Hungarian wines (red and white) , and I loved the dry white reisling. Wine is included with dinner so we weren't shy about 'sampling' them. It was a clear, cold evening, but we all went up on deck to see the moon and the sparkling lights of Budapest and the Chain Bridge.

This morning was one of the most gorgeous mornings I've ever seen in Europe in the winter -- not a single cloud in a beautiful blue sky. Again, breakfast was delicious with almost any option you can imagine. I did manage to pass on the Mimosas, but it was hard. About 9am we took off for a tour of Buda and Pest which are the 2 cities that united to become Budapest. Starting with Pest,the newer city, we drove down beautiful tree-lined streets, reminiscient of Paris and stopped at Heroes Square with statues erected to commemorate Hungarian statesmen. From there we crossed the Danube to the Castle District to visit the Fisherman's Bastion providing a gorgeous view of the river and the beautiful buildings of the city as well as the Buda Castle, the Royal Palace, St. Stephen's Basilica and more. Back on the Pest side, our bus dropped us off at the Christmas Market with a brief time to explore and grab our first hot Gluhwein (spiced red wine) in a Budapest mug. Our boat had sailed out of Budapest while we were touring the city and headed up the Danube, but we caught up with it in the small town of Esztergom. Following lunch on board, we have been cruising the Danube Bend past quaint towns nestled on the curve of the river bank. The winter sun has just set (about 4pm) culminating our wonderful day in Hungary. Tonight we continue sailing and will be in Vienna when we awake tomorrow morning. Linda

Christmas Time Cruise

For those of you who followed my last blog, this adventure will be very different. Far from the tropical rainforests and volcanoes of Costa Rica, I am off to celebrate Christmas early by visiting the countries where many of our holiday traditions originated.

Tomorrow, I am hoping to fly to Budapest to join my group of 22 travelers for a Christmas Time Cruise down the Danube. I say 'hopefully' because 8 of us have a tight connection in Chicago and the local forecast is 'snow. ' It seems as though weather has certainly been a deciding factor in my recent travels after a 3-day delay to Costa Rica due to Hurricane Ike.

In Budapest we will board the Amadeus Amalegro River Boat for a 7-night cruise on the Danube, Europe's second largest river. You can follow our voyage on the map as we cruise from Hungary through Austria, across the Continental Divide to Nuremberg, Germany. There we will disembark and travel by land to Prague for our last 2 days. Besides stops at charming towns along the way, we will view beautiful vistas in Bavaria and the Wachau Valley. In addition to daily sightseeing in local areas, I'm sure we will find time to visit the famous Christmas Markets and take advantage of the strengthening US dollar against the Euro.

Hopefully, my next blog will be from our ship when we board in Budapest.