Through My Lens - Bratislava

Wordless Wednesday

Cruising The Danube - On To Bratislava, Slovakia

For the second day in a row we had a morning of cruising the Danube. It was leisurely but not quite as sunny as the day before. The interesting scenery was interrupted only by the presentation of apple strudel making. The chef came into the lounge where most of us were gathered and demonstrated how he makes apple strudel (his mother's recipe). The tasting was the best part.


Shortly after lunch we arrived in Bratislava and gathered our things to go on an excursion. The temperatures had warmed a bit and it was a much more pleasant day for touring. The focal point of Bratislava is hard to miss. It sits high above the city and the river. It is the Bratislava Castle, a square building with four towers. This would be our first stop.


Unfortunately we could not get inside the castle itself but the grounds were interesting and the interior courtyard was decorated for Christmas. There were some live animals to delight the kids as well as a huge nativity scene and a neat sleigh.


The view from the castle was lovely as would be expected but of course still a little chilly and windy.

We boarded the bus and rode down to the old town area and began a walk through the main area of the town. The town was not bustling. For some reason I seem to recall that many shops were closed. Perhaps it was a holiday we weren't aware of.


We passed one window that caught my eye with an unusual product--at least one I'd never seen. Honey wine. I looked it up. It can be served hot or cold and in the old days, the very old days, it was called mead. A while later we got to sample a warm honey wine. Tasted a bit like I remember a hot toddy tasting when my parents would make one to chase away cold symptoms.



There are apparently a lot of unusual statues in Bratislava but the one our guide was most happy to point out to us was one in the street, a service worker crawling out of a manhole. He has a name, Cumil and has been there since 1997. You can understand why his head and nose are shiny. You rub one and you get good luck. You rub the other if you want children--of course after looking at our group she said grandchildren would work too. I hope I rubbed the right one for luck, kids.


Our tour ended at the Christmas Market where we were on our own to explore as the sun disappeared into an early evening twilight. The market was a bit different than the ones we'd seen in Austria and Germany. Of course they would exhibit more of the Slovakian culture and the local flavor of Bratislava.


I liked Bratislava. Something about it felt homey. Maybe because it was closer to my Czech roots.


Our walk back to the riverboat was pleasant. If only the weather had been this cooperative earlier in the week there would have been much more pleasant outings along the way. But what do you expect when you choose to explore during the Christmas season?

Cruising The Danube - Krems, Austria

City Gate

After a morning of cruising along the Danube, we arrived at Krems, Austria. It was already mid-afternoon and with the winter days, the sun was already getting lower in the sky. Our guide for our tour of Krems and the Christmas Market was very energetic. She was a little difficult to keep up with at times.

Being Sunday, a lot of the places in town were closed and while it was a quaint area, it didn't offer a lot to do that day. She did manage to get us into a gift shop that was open. Other than giving the merchant a chance to make some money, I have no idea why we were there. Perhaps the building had some history but it wasn't evident.

We visited another church. Maybe I'm a bit worn out on churches but after a while they begin to look alike. As we entered, the guide began fumbling in her purse and then apologized for not having remembered her two Euro coins for the box that would turn the lights on.

Bob reached in his pocket and pulled out two one Euro coins and she gave him a big smile. "Your sins will surely be forgiven," she said with a chuckle. He got a lot of slaps on the back from fellow passengers who congratulated him on being set free from sin.

The church was beautiful and ornate. Lots of gold accents and a lovely organ in the loft overhead. My interest was waning however and I was getting cold and tired. When we were told we were going to see another church that was set up on a hill I shrugged and started up a long set of stairs that was to take us to the door.

"We don't have to do this you know," said Bob as he put a hand on my arm to stop me.

"You're right," I said. "Thank you."

We turned around and went down the few steps we'd taken and found our way back to where the bus had dropped us off. The small Christmas Market was right there but most of the booths were closed. A couple had some warm drinks and we indulged. The best part was a booth that held a group of instrumentalists who were paying Christmas music. As I looked around, it seemed we had become a part of the neighborhood. Everyone smiling with Christmas cheer and friendliness.  It didn't even bother me when a few snow flakes fell.

Cruising The Danube - Cruise Morning

My idea of river cruising was always sitting on the boat and watching the scenery go by. That doesn't happen a lot as much of the movement on the river is done at night. There were a couple of times however where we could spend a bit of time watching as our boat made its way along the Danube. One such morning came between Passau, Germany, and Krems, Austria.

There was a beautiful sunrise to begin the day and the sun stayed with us for most of the morning's journey. We sat in the forward lounge and sipped coffee and watched villages and farms and churches pass by.

Lock near Hofamt Priel

Along the way we went through several locks which are always interesting to experience. I think the river locks are more fun than even the Panama Canal locks--although the history and the size of the Panama Canal locks certainly make them a bit more spectacular. It is a thrill to see the boat either raise or lower to the level of the river as you circumvent the dams. The gates to the lock open and you see the river ahead and continue on your journey.

Lock near Persenberg-Gottsdorf

About mid-morning, there was a Crystal Society Party in the lounge (can you tell we never moved from the lounge?) We were in the top three for number of days cruising with Crystal Cruises. That 108 day world cruise gave us quite a boost--and probably the upgrade.

I love how my iPhone labels my pictures. It makes it so much easier to tell where they were taken. I have wished for that for a long time. This trip I had left my camera behind. I was glad I did. My phone took great pictures and with the labels I can tell now where the picture was taken even though I am writing this weeks after the journey. I will label some of the pictures we took as we cruised that morning.

Seeing the beauty of the landscape along the Danube makes it tempting to take the trip again--only in warmer weather.

Ybbs an der Donau

Weissenkirchen in der Wachau

Cruising The Danube - Vilshofen, Germany

This cruise day began with snow. We had been originally scheduled to cruise to Vilhofen but were held overnight in Passau because of some bridge work being done that would not allow our riverboat to pass beneath it. It was not a terrible inconvenience as Vilhofen was just about a 30 minute bus ride from our boat.

Much as I wanted to enjoy the snow as a part of the Christmas theme to our cruise, I was concerned about slipping on icy walks and the cold weather was really beginning to wear on me. Every so often I had that fond memory of 80 degrees and sun in Miami we had left behind. We had signed on for this excursion to Vilhofen and the Aldersbach Abbey not really knowing what to expect other than seeing another Christmas market.

Our bus ride ended at a small riverside parking area but a ways from the Christmas Market on the riverbank. It was a bit of a walk on slippery cobblestone and pavement and it ended at the market area that was closed. It didn't open until much later but our tour guide obviously felt obligated to show us. I took a couple of pictures, inhaled the lingering chocolate smell from one of the closed booths and admired the large nativity that had been set up on top of a riverboat moored at the shore. Just then the hotel director from the Crystal Mozart who had joined our tour asked that the tour guide just take us back to the bus before someone fell. He apologized. We returned to the bus and made our way to the Abbey.

I fully expected another church to look at and wasn't disappointed. There was a church and a monastery. The church was under renovation and icy cold. I could feel the cold seep up through my boots.

The Aldersbach Abbey however was known for something more--their beer. Ah, those monks knew how to make beer and the Abbey continues to turn out all sorts of brews. Our tour guide handed us over to a lady who took us on an extremely educational tour of the brewery. She showed us every which way they make beer. I always wondered about how they got different colors and flavors and it has to do with the grains they use and how long they roast them before they put them into the mixture with the hops and the yeast. Oh yes, and there were two kinds of yeast. One that stays on top and one that works from the bottom so that lends to a whole other flavor and texture.

Maybe it was because everyone seemed quite attentive or maybe because she was such a precise person who seemed a bit like a school teacher but I leaned over to another woman in our group and said I hoped she wasn't going to give us a test at the end. She giggled. "I was just thinking the same thing."

Our brewery tour ended in the pub with some samples of beer and the best part, the famous white sausage of Bavaria accompanied with sweet mustard and a soft pretzel. Yummy does not sufficiently cover that eating experience.

The trip back to the boat was quiet. Eating comfort food has a way of doing that to you. We spent the afternoon watching Christmas movies and warming up. After all, we had this wonderful room and a big TV and a really comfy couch and bed. And it was the Christmas season. . .

Wordless Wednesday

Through My Lens - Passau, Germany

Cruising The Danube - Passau, Germany

It was a miserable day. Rainy. Cold. But we were signed up for a walking tour of Passau and a visit to their Christmas Market. We dressed warmly and grabbed an umbrella. A short bus ride into town and we set out with our lively tour guide who was a student at the university there. She made the tour interesting and fun despite the weather.

And despite the weather I managed to get some very nice pictures of the town. Passau is in Bavaria and has all the makings of a nostalgic German town. We wandered around and absorbed some of what she was telling us. Mainly we were trying to stay warm and dry.

Like many of the places along the Danube, there were markings to show how badly it floods from time to time. I was amazed at how resilient the people were here. There were some really big floods and I’m sure it led to a lot of damage but if you didn’t see the markings on the wall that showed how often it happened and how high the flood water got you wouldn’t know there had been any disaster.

The town sits on three rivers (kind of reminded me of Pittsburgh in that sense but they play a different kind of football). The three rivers that converge are the Danube, the Inn and the Ilk. On either side of the rivers, the land rises and of course offers great views if you care to visit some of the buildings that sit on top of the hills. 

On one side there is the Veste Oberhaus, a fortress that was once the stronghold of the Bishop of Passau. There was something about the date on the wall that we could see but unfortunately I let too much time go by to remember what it was. It had to do with the way they wrote the date in those days. (When it's raining you don't take notes.)

On the other side of the river valley was the Pilgrimage Church and Pauline Father's Monastery. To make a pilgrimage to the church you would have to climb over 300 stairs--something none of us were willing to do raining or not. For those of nimble body and with nicer weather the views would be spectacular (I've seen pictures online).

Along our walk we found buildings with some of the intricate folk painting that southern Germany is so famous for. This part of Germany is Bavaria and Passau lived up to all the traditional architecture and culture of the area. 

Near the end of our tour we went into St. Stephen's Cathedral which I believe was sitting pretty much in the middle of the Old Town area. It was good to get out of the rain but it was even better to have been able to see some spectacular paintings and appointments in the beautiful interior of the Cathedral.

Our last stop was of course the Christmas Market where our guide led us to the booth that she considered the best. It was where her friend was working. She had arranged for us to sample the warm wine and a little treat. While the goodies were nice, it was even nicer that the rain had let up and we were encouraged to tour the market area a bit more on our own, then return to the parking lot where a cruise shuttle would take us back to the boat.

The market offered a bit more variety of things than we had seen elsewhere and there was lots of  different sausages cooking as well as some huge slabs of salmon that were slowly cooking over an open fire. 

What intrigued us most though was the 1/2 meter sausage sandwich. We wandered in a circle passing it twice before finally giving in and buying one. I took a picture before the lady in the booth cut it in half for us. It was as good as it had looked and smelled.

One more stop at another booth that was baking a sweet dough that was wound around a spool and then rolled in whatever sweet topping you wanted. We chose cinnamon sugar and with our warm purchase in hand, headed for our ride to the boat where we would get a cup of coffee and enjoy our treat in a warm dry place.

Later that afternoon, we listened to a lecture about Bavaria and enjoyed learning more about this beautiful area--rain or shine.

Through My Lens - Mauthausen Concentration Camp

Cruising The Danube – The Mauthausen Concentration Camp

Chances are we may never make the trip to Auschwitz so when the opportunity arose to take an excursion to another concentration camp, we took it. I’ve always been touched deeply by the Holocaust and what it unleashed in the world. The trip to Mauthausen was another reminder and an opportunity to pray that the hatred in the world and the quest for power would be replaced with the peace and love for one another that God intended.

The sun was shining brightly when we drove through the countryside to just outside a small town where the camp was built. It was actually referred to as a labor camp as those who were brought there (men mostly followed by a few women as the years went on) were forced to work in the large granite quarry where the camp was built.

Mauthausen survived the years after the war much better than some of the other camps as it was built from the stones dug from the quarry and carried on the backs of the prisoners. We left our bus and walked to the entrance where the officers cars would enter and leave. There was a large swimming pool there and our guide told us that the officers’ families would enjoy the pool while just on the other side of the fence people were dying from the conditions in the camp.

Walking some steps up from the garage area, we found ourselves standing in front of the entry gate. That was the first thing the new prisoners would see as they were led up by foot from the village road below. Looking through the gate as our guide spoke, I could imagine prisoners lined up in the parade area between the barracks before us, shivering from the cold or oppressed by the heat of the day.

Our guide walked us through one of the three original barracks that have survived. I believe there were at least 20 that housed prisoners and at one point they were so full that a group were put in an open area outside or made to work 24/7 because there was no place for them to rest.

The buildings across from the barracks were used as a kitchen and a “medical building” among other things. The medical building was where prisoners who could no longer work or make it up the “steps of death” (186 steps that led up out of the quarry) with their hundred pound quarry rocks on their back were taken. There was no return from the medical building. At first those prisoners were sent to camps where their was a gas chamber or they were killed by lethal injection. Eventually Mauthausen got their own small gas chamber and crematorium to take care of their own.

We were left on our own to explore the museum buildings that contained pictures and memorabilia from the camp. There were too many stories to read in the time we had but one that was outstanding was a good one.

One survivor of the camp was given a bicycle by nuns in Linz. He did not want to wait for everything to be organized for his return to his home in Poland. Together with two other survivors, they set off with the bicycle on the long journey home. He kept the bicycle until the end of his life as a memento of his trip and it was eventually donated to the museum.

Prisoners wore labels on their striped clothing and were classified as Political, Professional Criminal, Emigrant, Jehovah’s Witness, Homosexual and Antisocial. There were also special markings for the Jews (star of David), Poles and Czechs and other small groups of prisoners categorized in various ways.

The business of the camp was to send the granite mined from the quarries up the river from there to where they would be made suitable for sale to construct buildings and such. Basically the camp was economically successful and lined the pockets of some of those in power.

Someone asked the question of our guide about what the village of Mauthausen thought was going on here. While he said it was not an excuse, he asked us to put ourselves in the shoes of those in the village at the time. Most of the men were off fighting in the war which left women at home trying to feed children. When the soldiers demanded food for the camp there was little they could do to refuse. They needed to provide for and protect their children. Thought provoking at the least.

Our group eventually returned to the bus as the sky was getting dusky in the early winter evening. One more stop was in store though before returning to the Crystal Mozart and our beautiful accommodations. We stopped at the quarry.

As we stood looking at the 186 Steps of Death that led up and out of the quarry and to the camp, our guide told us how he leads a tour of teens from the high schools who come as part of their education. He first takes them to the quarry and has them climb the steps to the camp. As kids do, he says they start out heartily challenging each other to be first to the top. The further they go, the harder it is, until they reach the top winded and tired and usually ready to listen. That is when he begins the story of how a prisoner with little food in his belly, a cramped space to share with three or four other prisoners in a bed, and with thin clothing that did not protect from the heat or cold would make that climb several times a day and with a huge rock on his back. To stumble and fall could mean a death sentence.

The ride back to the boat was a bit quieter. 

Wordless Wednesday