We left Cesky Krumlov this morning, on our way to Vienna, with a stop in Melk. Although we only spent part of the day in Melk, the activities were so extraordinary, I felt that it deserved its own page. It was not long at all before we were crossing the border from the Czech Republic into Austria. Both countries are members of the EU and there is nothing to tell you that you are leaving one country and entering another except for a small sign. We stopped at an Autogrill for lunch. We have eaten at several of these on our two Rick Steves tours, and the food is very good!
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Our next stop was Melk Abbey. This Benedictine abbey overlooking the Danube was first built in the 11th century. It was destroyed by fire and restored by the Habsburgs, ruling family of the Austrian Empire, in the 1700s. Today only 30 monks live at the abbey and the majority of rooms are used for the school, which serves about 900 students, both boys and girls. We were given a short tour by an enthusiastic and delightful Hungarian guide.
Tour Day 9: Monday, June 27
Cruising the (not so) Blue Danube
The tour included the library, which houses many medieval manuscripts, and the impressive dining room that was used by the Habsburgs when they visited. The ceiling of the dining room is covered with a fresco, and painted so that the perspective is perfect if viewed by those seated around the dining table in the center of the room. We all took turns standing in the spot where the Habsburgs dined, looking up at the perfect view they enjoyed. We were then allowed to spend some time on our own in the church. I don’t spend much (any) time in churches, so Greg was sure to get a picture as proof. We looked around the church, grimacing at the skeletons behind glass.
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We were all to meet back on the bus at a specified time. But this time when we did the buddy check, we were missing two, including Greg’s buddy. There was an upper and lower lot where tour buses were parked outside of the Abbey, so it was easy for me to see how someone might mistakenly go to the wrong parking lot. We all held our collective breath as Jana frantically tried to reach them on their cell phones. When she could not, she made the decision that we had to leave so that we would not miss the boat for our Danube River cruise from Melk to Krems. After dropping us off, she said she would go back and look for them. By the time that we arrived, they had called Jana. So we all hurried off the bus and Kamil sped back to the Abbey to get them. I have never seen a bus move that fast. Kamil made it back with them in time to catch the boat, and we all cheered. This was the 2nd incident that nearly caused Jana to have a stroke.
Melk Abbey
We boarded the boat and made our way to the upper deck. It was cool and somewhat overcast --a perfect day to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful views of hillsides and towns as we floated by. In addition to the rolling hills and ancient castles, we were also treated to an impromptu fashion show/photo shoot by some fellow Chinese passengers. Complete with dramatic poses and scarf, hat and purse changes, this took place literally right in front of where Greg and I were sitting. The Chinese ladies were completely oblivious to the gorgeous scenery around them as they played to the camera. Greg thought it was hilarious, and started taking pictures of them as well. Some of our fellow tour members who were sitting across from us also got a kick out of it. I was more on the annoyed side, given that they were invading our personal space, but now when I think about it, it is a pretty funny memory. And it instigated an interesting conversation about cultural differences with our tour buddies after we disembarked.
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After the cruise, we got back on the bus and continued on to Vienna. One ornate building after another greeted us on the drive in. We stayed at the Hotel Am Stephansplatz, in the city center with historic St. Stephen's Cathedral right outside our door. This hotel was fantastic, the nicest that we stayed in, and the staff were super friendly and helpful. We truly felt pampered here, from the luxurious bathroom, with large soaking tub and separate shower, to the view of St. Stephen’s Cathedral outside our windows. We spent a few minutes watching the carriage horses line up outside of the cathedral, then freshened up for our group dinner at the restaurant Brezel-Gwolb. After dinner we took some night photos of St. Stephen's and stepped inside for our first look at the cathedral. We were enchanted with Vienna after just one evening.
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Fitbit: 2.92 miles, 7,256 steps, 10 flights