Passau

Wednesday, 11 December 2024

Passau lies at the far southeast corner of Germany. At Passau, two rivers flow into the Danube: the Ilz from the north, and the Inn from the south. We had a morning walking tour through the old city.

In Residenzplatz, a fountain is turned into a large wreath for Advent.

Wealthy merchants like to display their wealth by building towers as part of their houses.

The Rathaus clock tower.

With three rivers coming through the city, Passau floods regularly.

Buttresses in the narrow lanes help support the houses on either side.

An old city gate with a mural of St. Christopher.

A closer look at the St. Christopher mural.

Passau is a damp environment, as testified to by the mold and moss growing on roof tiles and wall.

Deutsche Post delivers from safety-yellow cargo bicycles.

Inside St. Stephan's Cathedral (Dom St. Stephan). The bucket crane is there to help set up and decorate the Cathedral's Christmas tree.

Like most Christmas Markets, the Passau Christkindlmarkt is in the Domplatz at the entrance to the cathedral.

Food is a large part of the Christmas markets. This booth had wood-grilled sausages.

Another booth was smoking salmon.

The large Christmas tree in the market. All the Christmas trees we saw on the trip were real.

After visiting the Christkindlmarkt, Lon and I walked down to the Inn River, then around the point back to our ship.

The Schaiblingsturm on the Inn River.

Looking across the Inn River to another part of Passau.

Houses on the north bank of the Danube at Passau.

As we left Passau we went through a lock. We were so close to the Viking Cruises riverboat next to us that it just looks like one continuous deck. There was less than a foot of clearance between the two riverboats. Everything from the top deck had been lowered (including the ship's bridge!) to be able to go under bridges. The bridge at the end of the lock looks like it should not be a problem, but the ships will rise about 20 feet in the lock, and then it's a close call!

Salzburg

Tuesday, 10 December 2024

Continuing up the Danube, we docked at Linz for an all-day bus trip to Salzburg, where we could indulge in all things Mozart and all things "Sound of Music". (The movie was filmed in Salzburg.)

We had a rest stop at Mondsee before arriving at Salzburg.

After a short (30 minute) concert by a string quartet (music by Mozart, of course) in the Mirabell Palace cathedral, we walked by the palace gardens.

We crossed the Salzach River to get to the oldest part of town. The Hohensalzburg Fortress dominates the town from its hilltop site.

Looking up at the fortress from the Kapitalplatz. The funicular can be seen going up to the fortress on the right end of the fortress wall. The large gold ball with a man on top is an art installation.

The funicular has been running since 1892, but these cars are quite new. It's a quick ride to the top - much quicker than the "inclines" we've been on in Pittsburgh.

We took the funicular up to the fortress and were treated to an amazing view of Salzburg.

A view of the funicular from the fortress.

The fortress is really a whole town unto itself.

St. Peter's Cemetery is at the base of the fortress.

Salzburg Cathedral

The Cathedral has five organs. Four small organs are in this photo - one at each interior corner of the transept.

The Salzburg Christkindlmarkt.

Dürnstein and Melk Abbey

Monday, 9 December 2024

The small village of Dürnstein was our first stop today.

Dürnstein sits on a hill above the Danube.

The Danube floods regularly, so the lower buildings are not lived in. Fortunately, most of the buildings are made of stone, so floods do some damage, but do not destroy.

The Water Gate connects the town directly to the river. It is a relatively steep walk up from the Danube.

Looking upriver at the picturesque Wachau Valley from the terrace at the church.

A courtyard in town.

Inside the church we had short organ recital.

From Dürnstein we sailed upriver to Emmersdorf, where we docked, then took a bus across the river to the small town of Melk, where we visited the Melk Abbey (Stift Melk). The Abbey does not allow inside photography, so I have only outside photos.

The town of Melk from the abbey terrace. The channel is not the Danube!

The exterior of the abbey church.

Christmas Markets - Vienna (Wein)

Saturday, 7 December and Sunday, 8 December 2024

We went with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for a Danube cruise with an emphasis on traditional German Christmas Markets (Christkindlmarkts or Weihnachtsmarkts). We started in Vienna and ended in Nuremberg. Of course, there was a lot more to see than just the markets.

The entrance to the Weiner Christkindlmarkt, the largest in Austria. It's at the "Rathausplatz" (City Hall Plaza). The Gothic building in the background is not a cathedral, but the City Hall ("Rathaus").

Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral) has an interesting roof. It also has a small "Weichnachtsdorf" or Christmas Village (aka Christmas Market). (There are eight Christmas Markets just in the center of Vienna.)

A gate in the large Hofburg Palace.

A Lippizaner stallion getting a heated massage prior to the morning exercise at the Spanish Riding School.

The arena for the Spanish Riding School.

The arena before the morning exercise. No photos were allowed while the horses were training.

Carriage rides were available in several places. This is the line at Stephansdomplatz.

Schönbrunner Schloss

In the afternoon we traveled a short distance to the outskirts of Vienna to visit the Schönbrunner Palace. (The names mean "beautiful fountain".) The massive palace has large gardens that are closed for the winter, and a large Christmas Market taking up the plaza in front of the palace.

Reflection in an ornament on the large Christmas tree in front of the palace.

The large palace was very similar to the Russian czars' palaces we visited in St. Petersburg. That's not too surprising since Versailles was the model for Baroque palaces. (For comparison, here are my blog posts for the Hermitage, Catherine's palace, and Peterhof.)

Painted ceiling.

Elaborate parquet floor.

The large Weihnachtsmarkt outside the palace. The markets really shine at night. Even though sunset was about 4 PM, we usually had to be back aboard our ship before nightfall.