Cruise provided friendship, follies, enjoyable — however do not contact the Steinway

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My spouse, Lorraine, and I lately returned from a cruise on the Danube, a river immortalized in tune and romanticized within the Medieval cities, historic capitals, and majestic castles alongside its historical banks. As with the Rhine journey we took final fall, the sights once more had been spectacular: breathtaking vistas, beautiful structure, ornate church buildings, cities and cities that date again a few millennia, to the time of the Romans who solely moved in as soon as the Celts bought itchy ft and moved out.

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In writing concerning the Rhine journey, I discussed the wealthy historical past, the splendor of the websites we noticed, and the issue of ever once more pondering of the Limestone City as being “old.” Kingston’s outdated, simply not European outdated.

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Last fall’s splendors had been once more matched and infrequently surpassed as we toured a very scenic stretch of the Danube’s 2,850 kilometres.

At our start line, Budapest, we visited St. Stephen’s Basilica, with its 96-metre-high spire, beautiful mosaics and Hungary’s heaviest bell — a behemoth that suggestions the toledos at 9,250 kg. (roughly the load of 4 pickup vans) and chimes on the hour to remind you it’s on the job and nonetheless hanging round. In the night, we strolled previous the large Hungarian Parliament Building, so long as three soccer fields and floodlit in golden hues. And talking of gold, some 40 kilograms of it went into the ending touches. The place has 29 staircases and 691 rooms.

Nearby, alongside the east financial institution of the Danube, a “shoe memorial’ is a jarring reminder of the fascist group Arrow Cross that executed thousands of “undesirables” on the river’s edge within the remaining years of Second World War. Sixty pairs of period-appropriate males’s, ladies’s and youngsters’s forged iron sneakers line the stone embankment.

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Two-hundred-and-fifty-seven kilometres west on the Danube, Vienna provided us numerous examples of old-world craftsmanship and startling proof of 1 household’s grip on wealth and energy — the Hapsburgs. From their sprawling palace in central Vienna, the Hapsburgs dominated from the thirteenth century till the tip of the monarchy in 1918. The palatial palace, which was prolonged by every successive emperor, options 18 wings, 2,600 rooms and 19 courtyards. Tucked away on a Vienna aspect avenue is the Bockshorn pub, an oasis the place ale drinkers have been whetting their whistles since 1759. In Vienna’s high-end buying district, we stopped in on the Steinway & Sons piano retailer the place a salesman rapidly sized us up as browsers and politely requested that we “Look, but don’t play.” One glistening mannequin caught my eye, as did the worth tag — $361,000 Euros ($580,000 CDN). I do know a discount after I see one. “Maybe next time we’re up this way,” I advised the salesperson on the way in which out. He grinned and walked away.

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Located 70 kilometres west of Vienna, excessive above the Austrian fairytale city of Krems, is the imposing Gottweig Abbey, a Benedictine monastery based in 1083. Beneath its red-tile roof are frescoed ceilings and the biggest baroque grand staircase in Europe. This is hard-fast apricot nation and sweet-tasting apricot wine is the principle byproduct. An abbey information identified that the massive round piece of wooden on show is the underside of an enormous Forties-era oak barrel that might maintain 26,000 litres. That’s nearly sufficient to kickstart a Queen’s Homecoming Weekend.

Moving west alongside the Danube, we got here to considered one of Germany’s most fascinating and finest preserved cities. Regensburg is in jap Bavaria. Unlike neighbouring cities Munich and Nuremberg, each of which had been 75 per cent destroyed by allied bombs close to the tip of the Second World War, Regensburg was spared. Ditto for its outdated buildings, neighbourhoods and bridges, together with the Twelfth-century Stone Bridge and its 14 arches.

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Not talked about in final autumn’s Rhine cruise article had been among the fascinating folks we encountered on our travels.

Like the earlier cruise, the overwhelming majority of the 186 passengers aboard the Viking lengthy ship ‘Jarl‘ were American, The ship’s registry additionally indicated 4 Brits and 4 Canucks.

There was ‘Alberqurque Jamie’, a bass baritone in a barbershop quartet again dwelling in New Mexico, and Motor City Phil, a die onerous Detroit Red Wings fan who grew more and more grim-faced as his beloved Wings step by step slipped out of the NHL playoffs.

Two of the extra peppy passengers had been the ‘Sunshine State Sisters’, Erika and Monica, each from Miami. Erika is a licensed Heart Centered Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist (I didn’t ask) whereas Monika is a hair stylist with an upper-crust clientele. One of her prospects as soon as introduced her alongside on a visit to Italy as a safeguard, one assumes, in opposition to a foul hair day within the Azzurri.

At dinner one evening within the ship’s restaurant, the 2 sisters talked about that their 84-year-old mom had as soon as dated Elvis Presley. Around the desk, ears perked up. Vintage photographs from the Sixties revealed a shapely, beautiful brunette girl in her 20s. whereas current snapshots revealed a nonetheless youthful-looking (and nonetheless brunette) octogenarian. Alas, no {photograph} of Mom with the King of rock ‘n roll was produced. No matter. By that time the wine had kicked in and everyone within earshot was all shook up and caught up in the story. As the old newspaperman said in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”

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“Buc and Regan” (real names Craig and Carol) were our most frequent meal companions. Like my better half, the Nebraska couple are both retired school teachers. Buc and I are kindred spirits, the youngest members of large male-dominated families and lifelong baseball fans. Buc is a devotee of the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team for which I — like Bing Crosby — have always had a soft spot. Minutes after meeting, we were discussing the fortunes of the current team and naming players from the Pirates’ two championship groups within the Nineteen Seventies. We shared a deep admiration for the good Clemente.

The “Geordies” had been without delay essentially the most participating and entertaining couple we met. Joan and Ron had been straightforward folks to love. They peppered their vigorous banter with wit, knowledge and wisecracks, with their ace within the gap was the charming and distinct North England “Geordie” accent. Joan’s 83, nice and shiny. Ron’s 94, well mannered, personable, and fast with a quip. They’ve recognized each other since they had been younger, however solely turned “close friends” after their respective spouses died a yr aside just a few years in the past.

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One morning at breakfast, I requested Ron if he was a ‘morning’ individual. “I like to get meself up early,” he mentioned. “But by the time I put on me socks, put in me teeth, put in me ears, and by the time I find me glasses, it’s lunch time.”

Both usually held their very own throughout the each day guided strolling excursions, Ron together with his hazelwood strolling stick sporting 9 metallic journey badges from previous journeys. There was one hiccup, nonetheless.

Ron bought separated from Joan throughout the midday hour rush in a peopled part of downtown Vienna. My spouse, Lorraine, stored Joan firm whereas the Sunshine State Sisters looked for the affable old-timer.

Ron stored cool as a cucumber regardless of having no money and no cellphone with him, solely his debit card. After a quick wait, he took a taxi to a close-by ATM machine after which the quick distance to the boat. The 10-minute experience price him 100 Euros ($160 CDN).

“Maybe he took me for a ride, bu the joke’s on him,” Ron recalled later that evening, cheerfully shaking off the inflated cab fare. “I would’ve paid twice that amount considering me situation.”

Patrick Kennedy is a retired Whig-Standard reporter who’s saving his loonies and toonies for a return journey to that Steinway & Sons piano store. He might be reached at [email protected]

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