The next leg of the trip took us into Austria.  An introduction to Vienna by night was a visit to a pub.  I cannot say much about the spreads that were offered to us since I tasted only one of them and ate the rest of the cracker plain.  The wine we tasted was lovely, a product of the area.  We were told that most of the wine is consumed locally so it is not well known throughout the world.  A gentleman played his accordion and the group joined in singing the familiar melodies he played.

The next morning we went into the city and explored the famous landmarks.  By the art museum they painted the steps to let the public know what was on display.  When you first looked at the steps they seemed to be just a beautiful design, but when you backed away you could see the logo.  It was hard to believe that they paint the steps for each change of an exhibit.

The afternoon was spent at the Schoenbrunn Palace.   The castle was modeled after the Versailles Palace.  There was a hall that ran behind all of the rooms so that the servants could access the beautiful porcelain stoves that kept the palace warm.  Since Maria Theresia and her large family lived there I could just imagine all of her children going from room to room by that same hallway.

That evening we were treated to a concert in a beautiful hall known as the Kursalon.  Johann Strauss used to conduct the orchestra there.  Such history was all around us from the beauty of the hall to the classic Viennese music.  A mild night allowed us to wear light sweaters when we attended – that way we did not have to check any coats.  During the intermission we gathered on the porch to enjoy the beautiful moonlit evening.  It was one of those full moons.

The next leg of the journey in Austria took us to one of the smallest towns.  Although Durnstein is a small walled city it is a popular tourist destination.  Less than 1000 people live there, but it maintains its old-world charm.  One hotel is named after Richard the Lionhearted.  The city was the home to the Durnstein Abbey in the 1400s.  It was time for another wine tasting.  Don’t worry; you did not get enough wine at any one sitting to intoxicate you.  It was simply a taste of what the area had to offer.

The city of Linz was founded by the Romans about 800 A.D.  It was an important trading center. In Linz we saw a statue in the central square that paid tribute to the black plague that devastated Europe.  We walked along the cobblestone streets trying to see everything at once.  It was really difficult to watch for not only the cars and trucks, but the bicycles that sped past us with little notice.  This city is an important center for the arts with numerous universities.  We enjoyed a Linzer tart and a cup of very strong coffee.  The tart had raspberry jelly inside of a crust.  Once I arrived home I found a recipe for Linzer cookies, but they have an apricot filling.    They grow a lot of apricots there.  The coffee house that we stopped in had a picture from the newspaper showing them making the largest Linzer tart for the Guinness Book of Records.

This area of Austria is known as the Wachau Valley.  It is some of the most beautiful picturesque scenery along the Danube.  We noticed the many terraced vineyards that line this valley on both sides of the river.  The hillsides are steep so all work on the vineyards is done by hand.  The climate is ideal for the growing of grapes.  I liken it to the area around Lake Erie and the area near the Finger Lakes in New York.  The water keeps temperatures mild for a long period of time so that the grapes mature and sweeten.    They grow many Riesling grapes in this area so of course, the wine is also Riesling.         

“p1″>Passau is located near the Austrian border.   This city is located at the confluence of the rivers Danube. Inn, and Ils making it “The Three Rivers City”.  This means we had crossed into Germany.  The night before traveling to this destination we were warned that the water level was extremely low because of lack of rain.  Our captain later assured us that he was sure he could make it through and he did.  He found a spot in the river where another ship could pass him and we were on our way.

“p1″>We visited many cities in Germany with one of the most interesting being Bamburg.  We entered town in the area known as “Little Venice” because of it canals.  We found out that the main level of each house was not used for living.  The space was reserved for storage of boats and cars.  I found a German diary there so I have the words for the days of the week and the months.  This will help me remember the glorious trip all through 2017.  I also found a ravioli cutter that I believe I can also use to make some little tarts.  A gingerbread man cookie cutter rounded out my purchases.

“p1″>The first port located on the Rhine was Rudesheim.  We visited a mechanical music museum.  We found out the owner had passed the week before our visit but his son has vowed to keep it going.  One of the ladies in our group was invited to play the grand piano after it played automatically.  She played “How Great Thou Art” while everyone sang along.  I will fondly remember all of those restored instruments that made such beautiful sounds.

  Since I have ancestors that came from Germany I was interested in the culture.  We did not go to Darmstadt, but the cities we visited were typical.  Years ago I had a German pen pal that I learned a great deal about the country from.  Now, finally I have seen it.

Ann Swanson writes from her home in Russell, PA.  Contact at hickoryheights1@verizon.net