Between the eating, drinking, talking and touring there has not been much time!


July 17 Vienna, Austria

Horses exercising

Arrived in morning after sailing all night. So nice to be having coffee on the top deck. No one around. Enjoying the quiet and the sun rise. Weather is perfect.

Off for a walking tour of the city. Beautiful! The city is much busier than any so far. The tour finished at St Stephen's Cathedral. We then mad a mad dash to the exercise time for the Lipizzaner horses. Some riders, carriages and some mares and fouls. Amazing horses.

Backstage Vienna Opera House

Then a walk around the city and a tour of the Opera house. Almost completely destroyed during the war, it has been rebuilt. Very nice but not as nice as the Budapest one. Not as fancy but does seat about 1700. The tour took us back stage. Huge! They have about 300 performances a year. A different performance each night of the week so the set management in a challenge.

Back on the boat for dinner. The waiters are hilarious. They have started to tease.

Concert - Vienna

Then to a private concert of some classic symphony music. Mozart and Beethoven. 8 piece orchestra. They were very entertaining as they added some comedy to the 1 hour program.
Part of a day in Vienna is nowhere near enough time for this city, even in the 35 degree heat.

1777 building

July 16 Woke up in Bratislava

Arrived in Bratislava, Slovakia about 7 am after leaving Budapest about 3 pm the day before.
Walking tour of Bratislava, Slovakia with a local guide. Great as city centre is very close to the dock. Only took 1 1/2 hours to tour. Most buildings are not that old, although the oldest is from 1777. Very nice city, but very quiet at 9 am. Lots of wide pedestrian streets.

Walked up to the castle that overlooks the city and river. The castle is now used as a gallery for artifacts and paintings. Most of the painting of people and were done in the 1700s.

Back to boat for lunch. All the food is something.

After lunch on a bus for a 30 minute trip outside of the city to a local home for coffee and cake. The lots are long and narrow. Very nice yard with potted flowers growing, which will be sold and many fruit trees. The lot next door has grapes growing. This is a wine producing area but apparently none gets exported, they drink it all!

Departed at 7 while having dinner. The group has grown. 2 Canadians from Edmonton, 2 Australians from WA, 1 cruise review journalist and the 3 of us. Too many laughs, and of course too much food and wine.




July 15 Budapest during day, sailing overnight

Bike ride around Margaret Island and past the Parliament Buildings and across the Chain Bridge. Left about 3 pm from dock. Very nice to sit on top deck and just watch the world go by. At time very close to the river banks. There is also a lot of boat traffic.

Up late again! Spent some time in the bridge house talking to Captain. Just checking out all the instrumentation.

Budapest Opera house

July 14 Budapest On the boat

Checked out of hotel and caught a taxi to boat. On arrival greeted very welcoming and invited to lunch. It is noon and check in is not until 2.

Very nice relaxing lunch on bow of boat and then off on metro to Opera house. Did a tour. An amazing building. Looks huge but holds about 1200 people. Lots of gold. Even got a bit of opera.

The boat is amazing! There is a 24 hour espresso machine! I am very happy! And it is very good coffee!
Dinner was a buffet. So much food and too much wine! Toughest part was having to put on long pants and shoes and socks too go for dinner, but I did survive. Dress is casual but sandals and shorts are not allowed!

Budapest Parliament Building

July 13 Budapest, Hungary


Up and gone by 9. I did a segway tour of the downtown area and then out to Hero Square. Lots of fun. Ankles a bit sore after 2 hours.

Then to Thermal Pool. We bought Budapest cards and 1 pool allowed free entry. Strange place. Almost like a hospital! They have treatment rooms for long stays. The place is like a maze. There are 4 pools, a cold one and 24, 32 and 40 degree pools. Also 2 outdoor pools. It was nice but did not take long to get cooked!