Grand European River Tour - Day 1

This is a narrative of a 2022 late summer river tour with Viking Cruises.  Their Grand European River Tour started in Budapest and ended in Amsterdam - along with a few changes and surprises along the way.

Not off to a great start. We have everything prepared on our end but the weather, Viking, and Delta are thwarting our well made plans for a smooth start to the journey.

Yesterday, got an email from Viking stating that because of low water, i.e., the Danube is no longer navigable, we will not be starting the cruise on the Vili but on the sister ship, Mimir. Mimir will take us as far as it can go then we'll transfer, presumably by bus, to the Vili, or some other ship that is blocked from the other direction. Viking claims they are experienced with this sort of disruption but we'll have to see how it goes. Of course, all this could change with some good rainfall which, according to the weather forecasts, could very well occur.

Tried to check-in yesterday at the Delta site - exactly 24 hours prior to departure - and was repeatedly denied. Called the "special hotline for Viking Air problems" and, predictably, was told that it's a Delta issue, contact them. And of course when I called Delta I was told that Viking screwed up the ticket and they have to fix it. Classic finger pointing that almost always occurs when there's a third party in a transaction. A call back to Viking resulted in a very polite and seemingly competent CSR telling me we just have to check in at the airport. So far, I'm not impressed with Viking. Still, they are highly rated so I'll remain more-or-less optimistic.

I've already learned something. Because these travel plans were booked almost 2 years ago the excitement of the travel after such a long wait, at least as of this moment, has waned considerably. I don't think I've ever been this apathetic about taking a vacation.

Life changes, even at the slower pace of a retired person, and 2 years, maybe even 1 year, is just too long to wait to go on an adventure. Covid played a role in the delay of course but after experiencing this I seriously doubt if I'll book a trip longer than 1 year in advance, maybe only 6 months.

Got lucky on our flight from Tucson to Atlanta. It wasn't quite full so even though we were in a later boarding group we had room to stow our carry-ons. 1 down 2 to go. Flight was uneventful although I was in the middle seat with a large woman sitting by the window. Cramped but it was a fairly short flight, 3 hours or so. Next flight, Atlanta to Amsterdam, got pushed back an hour so we are going to have to jog to catch our Budapest flight. Given the short window and the fact that Schiphol airport is at the epicenter of lost and delayed baggage for a couple months now I'd say there's a 50/50 chance that our checked bag will make it to Budapest with us. Good thing we had the foresight to pack our essential things and extra change of clothes in our carry-ons.

We left the house @ 9:00am and it's now 9:30pm and we're sitting in Atlanta, still 2 hours before our flight leaves for Amsterdam. It's a good reminder of how time consuming it is to travel out of Tucson to pretty much any other country   . . . except Mexico.

The Dutch (we're flying KLM) appear to be very much into sustainability. The food offered was chicken and rice or vegetarian pasta - no beef option (beef is not as sustainable as chicken). The utensils were made of wood, not plastic. Again, focus on sustainability. Of course, these were the people who pioneered wooden shoes. Which raises the question: In the flat, below sea level, lowlands of the Netherlands that are beset by constant winds, where do the trees for shoes, utensils, etc. come from? I've never heard of any great Dutch forests.

In a nod to their historical dominance of global trade, South African wines were served with dinner. I had a Cape Shiraz that was pretty good but maybe not as good as what's served on Air France flights but good nonetheless.
 

Day Rating (1 to 10): 7

Our KLM flight landed and we had less than an hour to get to our Budapest flight. Our departure gate, D87, was at the end of the terminal and we landed at E22 so we had quite a hike and to make matters worse we had to pass through Passport Control.  We jogged, paused, coughed, jogged more, paused to catch a breath, bulled our way through people strolling - kind of like the Autobahn except instead of flashing lights we gave a quick "excuse me" as we blew past. We, along with some fellow travelers in the same situation, pleaded with the passport people to let us jump ahead and they let us but the actual officers were S-L-O-W. People were getting antsy and irritated but we were ahead of most thanks in large part to the middle door of the plane opening up and that was much closer to our row. 

We got to the gate right around the time the flight should have left but we were the beneficiaries of divine intervention. Someone boarding the flight had a medical emergency (maybe someone else running for the gate?) and the ground crew had to dispatch an ambulance and suspend boarding for about 20 minutes. We were able to board and even squeezed in our carry-ons. Never rule out the power of divine intervention. Now, about that checked bag . . .

On a side note, for the first time, I swapped out a foreign prepaid SIM card (France's Orange) in my phone just before landing and it worked perfectly. When I turned the phone on it picked up the network in a couple minutes and assigned a French phone number. Even though I'm capped at 30GB, 120 minutes of international calls, and 1000 texts there should be no communication issues on this trip!

And our checked bag made it! Divine intervention - miracles exist!  Made the connection with the Viking people and had a largely uneventful bus ride in with a half dozen Scots, nice folks: Rose, Ross, John, Caroline, Gordon and Linda. I'm sure we'll catch a few meals together.

We had to take a circuitous route to the boat because of the Hungarian founding day festivities they have planned in the city. Big lights on buildings, bridges, monuments, they were setting up stages for performances and such all meant traffic diversions. We finally got to the boat around 6:00pm and by the time we got settled in the room we were late for the introductory meeting but still caught most of the do's and don’ts then dinner was served as the sun set.

The boat had to move up river a couple of kilometers for unspecified reasons and as we got underway the lights of the city started to come on and it was magnificent! Couldn't really get photos though because of the reflections in the glass and I thought it rude to jump up and leave the dinner table conversation but in retrospect, that's what I should have done. 

The conversation was fine, Wayne and Donna from Calgary with strong connections in Mexico and Arizona, but I really feel like I missed the ambiance of the city at night. There was an organized tour for that (Budapest at Night) but we hadn't booked it and the reality we were too drained and scummy anyway from 24 hours of travel (hadn't even had time to shower at that point) so we just returned to our cabin and wrapped it up for the evening. Sadly though, as we later learned, the boat leaves Budapest by 5:00pm the next day so that was our one and only chance to see Budapest at night. Unfortunate.

Day Rating: 8 

A comfortable room, a good night's sleep and awake before dawn, as usual, with recharged batteries. Really missing the local activity and lights from last night but lesson learned - arrive a day or two early for these organized tours to give some time to acclimate.

Did the tour to explore Budapest and it was much like every other guided tour - plenty of info and history but didn't spend enough time in any one place- it was like going to a buffet where you're only allowed to sample the fare rather than feasting - leaves you hungry for more.

Historically, the Hungarians have been set upon by multiple armies through the centuries since the 7 regional tribal leaders got together to form the country in 896. The Turks conquered the country in 1356 and stayed until they were driven out with the demise of the Ottoman empire in WWI and more recently when the Russians invaded it in WWII, albeit to remove Hitler's occupation, and stayed until1978. The Buda castle which lords over Budapest from a "hilltop" on the west side of the Danube has been sacked and destroyed 31 times. 31 times. And each time it was rebuilt it was built on the rubble of its predecessor - hence the "hilltop". Through multiple invasions though the country's people have exhibited a remarkable resilience. The architecture of the city conveys the opulence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and it is peppered with multiple iron buildings designed by none other than Gustave Eiffel.

After a too short tour of the city we bussed to the Lazar equestrian center where the spirit of the Magyars, the people who rode from the plains east of Hungary, alive. We were treated with palinka, a rough fruit Brandy and a short wagon ride before a performance by the center's Czikos. The  Czikos (cowboys) put on an impressive showcase of their horsemanship skills including riding while shooting arrows - nearly all of which hit their mark - and culminating with a rider commandeering a team of 5 horses while standing on the backs of two of them. Impressive. They also displayed their skills with a bull whip knocking over a bottle of wine from a stump. The Czikos recruited two people to attempt the same and Mary Jane was one of them. It took her 3 tries but she toppled the bottle - which will remain with us as a souvenir - although she also managed to cut her ankle with the business end of the whip. Fortunately, it was not severe.

We met up with the boat again in Visegard, home of the summer palace of the revered King Matthias Corvinus which has the distinction of having once imprisoned the hated Count Dracula. This portion of the river is heavily forested and attracts water enthusiasts looking to have a little water adventure in their fishing boats, speed boats, kayaks and paddle boards.

After boarding we enjoyed a dinner of Chateaubriand, Gordon and Linda who we first met on the bus ride from the airport joined Wayne and Donna and MJ and me for dinner as we headed up the Danube for Vienna with a drive by of Brataslava sometime tomorrow.

Day Rating: 8.5 

Starting to get into a routine. Up and out of the room in the wee morning hours. Headed over to the coffee bar for some Earl Grey with my morning vitamins. No Earl Grey but English Breakfast, good enough. Life is full of compromises.

Looked out the window before heading out on deck and so nothing but an algae-covered cement wall. Whaaaat?! Then I realized - we had entered a lock. Odd because I hadn't anticipated much of a dramatic rise in elevation between Budapest and Brataslava but nonetheless here we were. The Mimir, named after the Norse God of wisdom, is 443 feet long - much longer than a football field - and the pilot maneuvered the boat into a position such that putting my thumb on the railing I could touch the slime-covered concrete wall of the lock - that's a distance of about 10 inches and that gap was constant along the length of the boat. What was more amazing, when the gate was opened and the water rushed in elevating the boat a good 40 feet or more that gap remained constant. Truly amazing!

When the water level equalized we got on our way amidst he serenade of hundreds of screeching gulls who were clever enough to figure out that a lot of fish moving downstream are blocked by the locks and that makes for easy pickings.

As the darkness gave way to light first one then another then a third traveler began wandering up on deck and that was my cue to retreat back to the cabin. My morning calm was done for the day.

A couple of hours later in the morning light Brataslava, Slovakia was a drive by and I'm guessing for good reason. While there was some new construction, the majority of buildings along the river were dilapidated and you got the feeling that the place was not very well heeled, maybe even impoverished.

For most of the rest of day we moved up river towards Vienna. Thick forests lined both banks of the river and when the river widened it tended to spread out creating island and estuaries off the main channel. It was a great habitat for birds and at one point I could see literally hundreds of swans calmly plying the shallow waters.

Speaking of shallow waters, I occasionally saw signs of the much-touted European drought that threatened to halt shipping on the river, sand bars and exposed rocks, but it seemed those are natural features of shifting, meandering river beds. In fact, as we drew close to Vienna, the crew had to lower the wheelhouse (it's mounted on a huge hydraulic lift) lest it be ripped off as we passed under the 4 bridges downstream of the city. I really couldn't tell exactly how much clearance there was between the ship and the bridge because weren't allowed up top as we passed under them but from my perspective it seemed less than 5 feet, maybe considerably less. How this fact squares with the drought and "historically low water levels" is still a mystery to me.

We docked in Vienna around sundown and as most guests loaded the busses for the Mozart concert (MJ and I had attended that a few years ago and it was nice but neither of us are classical music fans) MJ, Wayne, Donna and I were a bit more adventurous and headed to the Metro to take the subway into the old center of town - home to St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Hofburg Palace and a plethora of high end designer shops.

The streets were loaded with tourists and pedestrians and it was wonderful to see those sights at night and absorb the lights, sounds, and energy of that vibrant city center.

Day Rating: 9 

It was up and out early on the tour bus to do the obligatory drive on the ring road that circles old Vienna.  We'd seen many of the sites before on our Insight tour of 2019 so it was unspectacular. Still, it was nice to be reminded of those snippets of history that we'd forgotten.

The bus tour ended at the back side of the Parliament Building and we began the walking portion of our tour - virtually retracing the steps we'd taken the night before!  The big benefit was that now we were getting the back story and history of the sites we were experiencing in the daylight - greatly enhancing our appreciation of what we were viewing. 

The grand rotunda we saw last night was the entrance to Franz Josef and his wife, SiSi's, palace. The grand column we took some photos at the previous night is commonly referred to as the Plague Column and in fact, as you studied the carved figures in greater detail you could see the story if the plague (at least one of them) that ravaged Europe in medieval times.

The walking tour ended at St. Stephen's Cathedral where we were left to wander about the city on our own for the afternoon.  Not knowing where our bus tour would take us, our original plan was to take the bus back to the boat, enjoy some lunch, then take the subway to see the SiSi museum and look more closely at the Cathedral. But since we were already there we didn't take the bus back and decided to immediately explore, later selling our subway tickets, which we'd bought before leaving in the morning, back to Viking.

A fellow traveler, Sue joined MJ and I. She's from Oregon and she's widowed but traveling with a group of 8 friends who do some things together but also take off to do some exploring on their own. Sue is very energetic and I can tell from her strides that she walks frequently. She joined us as we found an active farmers market that dates back to the 1700's and later at the SiSi museum and St. Stephen's.

The market had seen better days. There were very few tourists there and most of the vendors seemed to be from Turkey or Afghanistan. Some selling vegetables and staples, others selling clothing and housewares. There were a few outdoor restaurants but most of the seafood was frozen so we were not tempted.

After lingering a bit we made our way back to the Parliament Building, entering through a service entrance and wandering through a maze that eventually led us to the SiSi Museum. We bought entrance tickets and then sat down at a small cafe across the street to wait for the tour to begin.

Who was SiSi? Her given name was Elizabeth and she was a cousin and wife (a lot of that went on in Europe!) to Franz Josef, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary until his death in 1916. Franz Josef was the longest reigning ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and SiSi was one of his wives until she was assassinated in 1898.  The museum was dedicated to her and her husband's life and lifestyle and it was, to say the least, extravagant. For reasons I don't fully understand she was revered and idolized by the people of the empire and you still see images of SiSi nearly everywhere you go in Vienna. 

One of the more interesting facts was that the Emperor and Empress hosted many state dinners in their palace and these typically would consist of 9 courses or more and would be attended by dozens of people. The eating, for everyone, began only when the Emperor picked up his fork and it ended when he set his fork down. The Emperor was a light eater and these lavish dinners typically lasted a mere 45 minutes.

After leaving the museum, we wound our way through the streets of trendy, designer shops and returned to St. Stephen's Cathedral. With daylight streaming through the stained glass of this marvel of Gothic architecture took on a different aura from the previous night. We decided to opt out of climbing the stairs of the south spire and toured the catacombs instead.

As we descended the stairs to the underworld the first level was pretty finished with brightly lit, white, stucco walls and polished floors. In a large, open vault we viewed the final resting place of the patriarch of the Hapsburg family surrounded by the caskets of relatives, some of them child-size. The corridor leading to the crypt was lined with sealed, metal containers containing the internal organs of "lesser" family members, religious figures, and others. Apparently, every church and Cathedral wanted bragging rights to whoever was buried beneath their altars and one way to accomplish this was to place the embalmed body at one site and bury the heart and other internal organs at another. It seems a bit sacrilegious to just discard the internal remains so it certainly seems to be a reasonable solution.

As we descended levels we were able to observe decaying coffins and, literally, piles and stacks of bones and skulls. During one of the plagues that ravaged Europe some 11,000 corpses were dumped at the Cathedral and they were placed in a mass grave under the church. The bones we were looking at were from that time. Dust unto dust . . . as they say.

We left the church and got back to the boat just in time for dinner, but not before the three of us took the subway in the wrong direction and had to do some back tracking as soon as we realized our error. It was just a ten-minute delay though so it really didn't have a significant effect on us.  I didn't really track steps today but we walked a considerable distance and we both slept well.

The only unfortunate event of the day was us missing lunch on board - baby back ribs were on the menu and it was a unanimous decision by all who ate them that they were awesome!

All in all, a pretty good day.

Day Rating: 8.5 

Up and out at the usual time. A gentle sunrise with soft pinks and orange. We entered the Wachau Valley, home to small vineyards perched on steep slopes, pristine villages, and thick forests punctuated by vibrant green meadows. We were told that this is one of the more scenic parts of the cruise and it's living up to its billing.

Our group, 6 of us now as David and Susan are joining on with Wayne and Donna, commandeered the front starboard corner of the upper deck for some prime viewing. In reality though there were unobstructed views from anywhere on the deck. MJ and Donna went downstairs and came back with a plate of salamis, cheeses, and pastries so we had a little party up there as the boat cruised up the river. It was a perfect day for deck viewing - a slight breeze and slightly warm temperatures that kept us quite comfortable until lunchtime.

The trees along the river were showing the slightest hint of color change as summer winds down providing a sense of what this cruise will look like in a couple of weeks.  The forests are a mix of hardwoods and conifers not unlike the forests of New England or the Upper Midwest. It seems a cruise through the Wachau at that time would be a spectacularly colorful experience.

One of the more interesting sights was a helicopter delivering what we presumed to be mortar mix to small castle perched atop a rock promontory. As we cruised by we watched the chopper deliver bag after bag of material suspended from it by a long cable. Apparently that was the most economical way of delivering bulk goods to this renovation project.  All in all, a very placid, relaxing morning.

We docked at Melk, the early capital of the Austrian region, and proceeded up the hill to Melk Abbey, a Baroque fortress that was begun in 1089. It was expanded and enhanced in the 14th century but its current iteration in the Baroque style occurred in the early 1700's. The Benedictine order still maintains it as an active monastery, school, and place of worship. This group of Benedictines follows a tenet of Listening, Reading, and Praying and it seems to work well for them because I don't think I've ever seen as much gold in one place. It seemed that gold covered every decoration, statue, and embellishment. Even the Abbott’s clothes, cape, staff, miter and shoes had gold decorations sewn on with gold thread. There were few solid gold objects on display but in true Baroque style, gold leaf was used extensively everywhere.  They abbeys most precious object was a cross with a small, jewel-covered compartment supposedly holding a piece of wood from the crucifixion cross. But like many similar stories such claims are unconfirmed and people merely assume it is so relying on faith to confirm veracity - perhaps that's precisely how it should be.

For dinner, everyone except Wayne ordered the duck breast and it was pretty tasty although all the food seems to be just a bit off from 5-star rating. In fact, in rating the cruise thus far, it seems to me that the food is the weak link. It is not bad at all, just not up to the standards of everything else we've experienced on board and on the shore excursions.

Everyone in the group of six was feeling somewhat subdued in the evening, possibly a result of several days of continuous activity or perhaps a collective anticipation of the predicted change in the weather - 90% chance of rain tomorrow which may very well create a problem for David and Susan who are planning to do an e-bike tour tomorrow and even for MJ and me who are planning a small boat tour up the Inn river to the village of Scharding. It promises to be an interesting day and, as usual, flexibility will be the key to enjoyment.

Day Rating: 8.5

 A misty morning. An early morning fog shrouds the nearby hilltops and a comforting calm surrounds the river this morning. Very peaceful now but rain later today is inevitable.  That's actually a good thing. Word is that there is barely 5 inches of clearance for the ship and if we do not get adequate rain today we'll have to transfer ships and portage around the low water. Heard an unconfirmed rumor yesterday that a Viking shop got stuck coming down river and 30 hours later they took everyone off and transported them to another ship. Should be an interesting day!

Arrived in Passau - what an absolutely charming town! Perched on a peninsula at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and I'll rivers Passau is one of the best preserved pre-medieval towns we've seen along the Danube. Strict building codes require that any exterior modifications be done to preserve the medieval and pre-medieval facades. The result is pastel painted buildings, wrought iron shop signs hanging perpendicular to the walls and cobblestone streets.

The centerpiece is St. Stephen's Cathedral, a Baroque masterpiece housing what was once the largest, and by some accounts still is, the largest pipe organ in the world. It is certainly the most beautiful I have seen. MJ and I lingered after the tour for a short, 5 Euro concert and its magnificent music filled the Cathedral. Even though some of the artwork was covered with construction scaffolding (it is a 4-year project conducted every 80 years to clean and restore the ceiling frescoes) letting one’s eyes wander among the frescoes, sculptures and column embellishments as the pipe organ played was a religious experience.

As we walked through the old town we noticed high water marks on one of the buildings near the river - all dated and some going back centuries. Incredibly, more than one of those marks reached to the third story of the buildings. The reason for such high water is because in some years (March seemed to be the most common month for flooding) the Inn and Ilz pour into the Danube with such force that it prevents the Danube from flowing beyond the Passau peninsula and the result is that the Danube becomes a lake that inundates the town. To be sure, quite a site to see - but at a distance.

It was starting to drizzle as we made our way back to the ship and it was something we greatly welcomed. With less than 5 inches of clearance east of Passau if the Danube didn't receive sufficient rain run off our upriver progress would grind to a halt and we'd have to transfer ships - something no one wants to do.

A quick lunch of fish and chips on board and we were off to our optional excursion to the village of Scharding on the Inn River.  It was a 30 minute bus ride through rolling hills, farms, and forests reminiscent of my summers in Wisconsin. Our guide, a mature and just a bit too jolly German woman, reminded me of the 3 pigs from the original Shrek movie - understandable English with a heavy German accent, yah, and a hearty laugh that she used way too often. She laughed heartily at her own jokes and by the time we'd reached the modified salt barge that would take us to Scharding I'd already had enough of her although many travelers, mostly the mature women, laughed heartily with her and thought she was a hoot. Me? Not so much.

It had been raining steadily since we left and the highly varnished barge was pretty slippery. We sat on the upper deck and stayed pretty dry thanks to some tarps lashed to the framework overhead. Well, most of us stayed dry as those seated under the seams had to endure a pretty steady drip. We were provided with a selection of mediocre beers and pretzels - although the pretzels were not the big, soft chewy ones you'd expect to find in Germany but rather we had small, hard pretzels like you'd find in a Circle K back in the States. They did give us small glasses of Jägermeister though and THAT was both delicious and warming.

We kept flip-flopping across the German-Austrian border, docking on one bank then taking a foot bridge across the river to the opposite bank (the Inn river separates the two countries) then finally taking another bus to Scharding where we finally disembarked.

The town, although it may have been an important center in another time when salt from Salzburg was brought down the Inn River to the Danube for distribution further inland, was unremarkable.  We walked the streets in the rain, which, by the way, was actually a gentle, cooling, soothing rain, and were brought to a shop where we ground salt and dried herbs together with mortar and pestle to make an herb salt - an activity that I thought was more appropriate for someone in elementary school.

The whole "add-on", yes, we actually and unfortunately paid money to take this side trip, seemed contrived and was designed to bring tourists to a village that was not really geared to or ready to become a real tourist attraction.  I mean the only other shop I distinctly remember except for the salt grinding shop was a tattoo parlor.

We did have an "Aha" moment though. We didn't really bond with any of our fellow travelers on the trip to Scharding. It's not that the people were "bad" it's just that as we engaged in moments of conversation we never seemed to find common ground and communication was both superficial and stilted. It was a good reminder that even though we're seeing these wonderful sights and having, mostly, fantastic experiences it is the quality of interaction with others that really provide the enhancement and sense of fulfillment.

It was a mixed bag of a day and I think both MJ and I wished we'd just stayed in Passau to enjoy all it had to offer before we continued our journey up the Danube.

Day Rating: 7.5 

At daybreak we had just traversed the locks near Straubing when we abruptly reversed course.  We'd heard last night that there was sufficient rain to get us through the narrow and shallow passage west of Passau but this course reversal now cast doubts on that. We pulled over, a mere 20 feet from the bank. There did appear to be a mooring point there though so perhaps we were just making way for a coal barge which seem to have the right of way on the Danube. One can only hope.

It was a confusing morning and not only for the guests. There was no coal barge near us in either direction. As suspected, something was amiss. We later learned that around the time I awoke, 2 am, we had bottomed out. We were apparently stuck for a time and had to pump out a lot of our water to free ourselves from the Danube's sandy bottom.  Rather than risk damage to the boat, the decision was made, at the corporate level, to bus us in to Regensburg for our morning walking tour and for the boat to return to Passau where we would, in the morning, be bussed to some point up river and be transferred to the Vili - the ship we had originally been scheduled to travel on.  At least that's how things stood at 3:00 pm after having gone through several iterations of alternate plans to circumvent the will of nature.

So, our stay Regensburg was cut short but we perhaps now have more time to explore Passau. Not a bad tradeoff given that Passau has, in my opinion, more charm than Regensburg. Not that there was anything wrong with Regensburg, it was just a larger town, more people and didn't possess the quaintness of Passau.

Our guide was a teacher on vacation and it showed that she was experienced at conveying information. She had a binder of old photos showing the extent of flooding as well as of buildings from Roman times as the Danube was the northern extent of the Roman Empire in this part of Europe because the Barbarians lived beyond the northern bank. After the morning tour we barely had time to grab a quick Bratwurst with sweet mustard and sauerkraut (delicious!) and pick up a few pretzels for snacking before heading to the bus.

Mary Jane, in a hurry to get a good seat, sent me ahead to the bus while she went to the restroom. It was a hood plan but poorly executed as MJ stumbled coming out of the restroom and took a header. Before she even got on board, three travelers told me they saw her take a bad fall and a short time later she got on, smiling to hide her pain and embarrassment. There didn't appear to be any serious damage but she bruised her shoulder and cheekbone and scraped her hand and knee. We patched her up with some Neosporin and bandages and applied some ice to her shoulder and cheekbone after lunch. It seemed that was the extent of damage but time will tell if any other symptoms arise.

And, after only one week of travel, MJ was not the only one with medical issues. David has had GI problems (my own stomach was a bit wonky this morning) and Wayne has been coughing and feeling extremely low on energy. A good reminder that we've got to do these travels while our bodies still allow us to.

After a light lunch, well, OK, it was heavier than a normal lunch at home but lighter than how we've grown accustomed to gorging ourselves on board we retired to our cabins.

A pretty lazy afternoon but did get up on deck for quite a while to photograph water fowl and scenery. Still getting used to the camera especially when the big Sigma lens is connected. Practice, practice, practice.  Gotta make all those adjustments automatic by the time I embark for Antarctica.

Also spoke briefly with one of the crew engineers. I was curious to know just how low the Danube is since we'd heard lots of scraping along the bottom. I asked him how much water the boat draws. His immediate reply, which was both revealing and surprising, was that after they pumped out enough potable water to free the boat it was drawing 1.7 meters - about 5 feet! The Danube, one of the great rivers of Europe, was (at least in our vicinity) was only about 5 feet deep, most people wouldn't even drown if we got dumped overboard, life preserver or not.

The only one who joined us for dinner was Susan. David (today is his birthday!) Is still down with GI problems, Wayne is still feeling anemic, Donna decided to stay with him this evening. Maybe time to spend a meal with the Scot's - John, Caroline, Rose and Ross. We encounter them from time to time and we all enjoy the brief conversations.

All in all a very unsettling day, but not a bad one. Looking forward to what adventures tomorrow will present to us!
 

Day Rating: 8.0

We made it back to Passau overnight. Yesterday, rumors had it that we'd arrive around 2 am and it seems those rumors were accurate as when I went up on deck at 3 am we were already docked three deep with other Viking ships.

A smooth morning.  The usual breakfast, farewells to the wonderful housekeepers, waiters, chef and others who made our stay on board so comfortable.  Luggage was stacked in the halls by 7:30 and we trusted that the Viking staff would see to it that it got to our cabin on the Vili. We were up on deck by 8 am even though the boat didn't leave until 8:30 and there were many up there already enjoying this crisp, sunny morning.

On the bus, not so pleasant. It was a nice motor coach but many, many people coughing - a chorus of coughed. MJ and I moved after the couple who sat down in front of us started hacking but we quickly learned it was futile to escape all of them so we masked up and just resigned ourselves to the 3 hour drive to Nuremburg.

We sat with a couple from Canada a couple days ago and learned that there are only 10 Canadians on board - and we'd met 8 of them. One couple, Doug and Margaret, were especially colorful and they’re on the same bus as us. Doug had a toast that went, "Ziggy Zaggy, Ziggy Zaggy, Hoy, Hoy, Hoy!" Followed with a hearty "Probst!" Well, the phrase stuck with MJ and now Doug and MJ now greet each other with a Ziggy from one and a Zaggy from the other. Goofy fun. 

Gordon and Linda, the first Viking couple we met after the plane landed in Budapest, are also on our bus and Gordon had a phrase that stuck with me, "Many a mickle makes a muckle." He taught us that after a story of how MJ will argue with clerks over literally pennies if the bill total is not correct. The phrase, by the way, and in true Scotch fashion is something like pennies lead to dollars. And it's obviously worked for them because they're in one of the suites across the hall from us.

A pit stop at McDonald's (just as in the US, there's one at every fuel exit along the Autobahn) gave everyone a chance to stretch legs and empty bladders. When milling about waiting to continue the journey we compared notes and learned all the busses have caches of sick, coughing people. Definitely a bug going around the boat - as well as a rumor that someone who tested positive for Covid was removed from the tour. Not sure if that tidbit is true or not though and as Wayne says, "If you haven't heard a good rumor by noon, start one."

We'll be getting into Nuremburg after noon which is unfortunate because the mechanical clock, a Männleinlaufen, of St Mary's church only puts on its display daily at noon. It was one of the things I'd made a note to see but, unfortunately, it'll not happen on this trip.

Nuremburg was a mixed bag. First part of tour, a drive by of Nazi sites - Hitler’s rally stadium, SS headquarters (now a government immigration building) and Hitler this, Nazi that. Important to remember but boring to see. Interesting that the rally stadium was unkempt and dilapidated- weeds were even growing in the cracks in the concrete of the stands and grounds which once held over 100,000 loyal supporters of Hitler.

Nuremberg, or Nurnberg as the locals spell it, fortress though was a different matter. What a stronghold. Curving and uphill approach on the bridge across the moat (now dry) thwarted attempts to smash through the formidable main gate with battering rams. A long tunnel with square holes in its ceiling so defenders could pour down various forms of unpleasantries on attackers. Then if those defenses were breached the attackers were confronted with a strong, heavy metal portcullis. Masterful and successful as the castle had never been breached.

The medieval village within the walls was charming and there were commanding views of the city as the castle was built on a rocky promontory that was incorporated into the design of the fortress walls.

The whole ambiance though was severely marred by a major Red Bull mountain bike event that attracted thousands. Ramps and jumps were constructed on the streets, scaffolding for lighting and video productions were in many places, shops were virtually inaccessible - it was a circus.  Actually, the more I think of it, it was kind of like a festival day as it would have been centuries ago just modernized a bit. Still, it left me wishing I could tour the town in a more relaxed pace.

Earlier, after the 3-hour bus ride and before our Nuremberg city tour, the bus brought us to our new ship (actually the ship we were to have originally sailed on) the Vili.

It was a rough start for many but everyone took things with a grain of salt though because these changes and ship swapping have to be tough on the crew.

Day Rating: 7

We arrived in Bamberg and found it charming and festive. Overtones of Passau but quite a bit larger with typical cobblestone streets winding their way through the many shops, cafes, restaurants, beer gardens, and an open air market.

Our guided tour stopped at a large, charming courtyard where all the second story windows displayed beautiful flowers that were so perfect as to seem artificial. But they weren't and they were absolutely gorgeous against the back drop of the timbered walls. So attractive was this courtyard that it was chosen as a site for one of the scenes of the 2011 film of The Three Musketeers.

Our guide left us at the courtyard and we went exploring on our own. Our first stop was the magnificent Cathedral, burial place of Pope Clement II - one of the very few popes not buried at the Vatican and the only one buried in Germany.

Bamberg Cathedral, The Church of Our Lady, has another distinction and is unlike any other I have ever seen - it contains two alters at opposite ends of its central axis and, consequently, four towers instead if the far more common two. It is the only surviving four tower Romanesque Cathedral in Germany. 

After leaving the Cathedral and the old courtyard we wound our through the town to buy a few things but failed to buy any of the thing we most coveted - small burled wood bowls that we saw in a few shops on the guided portion of the tour that would've made excellent gifts for friends. We were just so wrapped up in the atmosphere and getting back to the ship before it departed that we just plain forgot about it.  Sadly, we never saw bowls like those again for the remainder of our journey.

The city has another unique oddity in that its traditional municipal offices, its town hall, is situated on an island in the river. It's a beautiful and highly decorated building approached by bridges on either side. The story goes that when the local merchants and business leaders asked the ruler du jour for permission to establish a municipality, the would-be clever prince granted permission with one caveat - they could not build the central government office on the prince's lands. In this way, the prince assumed the merchants and would be leaders could organize themselves for their benefit but could not become powerful. The merchants though outmaneuvered the monarch and decided the prince did not own the rivers - only the land - and that if they built their municipal center IN the river they could successfully achieve their goal. That's exactly what they did and the building survives to this day.

Bamberg has more breweries than any other town in Germany and they specialize in a "Smoked Beer" that people seem to love or hate. They preferred establishment for the brew was a green painted timber and stucco building with a small door up a couple of stairs. If you choose to drink and dine they had several dark dining rooms in front and a hallway that opened to a bright and airy beer garden in the rear. If you chose to order just a beer though you entered the establishment and there was a small window on the right where you laid down 6.90 Euro and received a large smoke beer and a red token. You were to take your beer out on the street to drink it (drinking alcohol in public is allowed in Germany) and if you didn’t want to keep the glass you dropped it off at the widow along with your red token and got 2 Euro back. I, of course, couldn't resist the temptation to try it and I laid down my money at the window, received my glass of brew and took it out on the street to join the other imbibers. The brew was dark and the first sip did have a smoky flavor but not nearly as strong as some had said. It was surprisingly light for a dark brew and it went down easily. In no time I emptied my glass, brought it back inside to retrieve my 2 Euro deposit and was merrily on my way.  It was a popular and busy place and for good reason.

One of the things that has struck me on this tour are the seemingly constant wars and political/religious maneuvering that the Europeans have endured for their entire history. Popes and Bishops wield their power by virtue of their divinity and the Emperors, Princes, and Dukes rule over all things material. The most powerful though we're the Prince-Bishops who held absolute power over all within their domain. Each had their armies and resources and a lust for yet more power and lands that resulted in virtually non-stop bloodshed and destruction as they conquered new lands or fended off attempts to be conquered. And those sentiments and attitudes spilled over into new lands uncovered in the Age of Enlightenment and Exploration and continue on today - witness Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Perhaps it is in our DNA but one cannot help but wonder what our world would look like, how life would be, if those "rulers" shelved their ambitions and bloodlust and opted instead to work cooperatively.

More positively though are the bells in the churches and cathedrals that ring out throughout the day as we wind our way through northern Europe, reminding us of a higher power, a more pure force, and a reassurance that all is well in the world despite all the ugliness that man inflicts on each other.

Day Rating: 8 

Sunday in Wurzburg. Shops were all closed because it was Sunday. Even restaurants and cafes were shut down because of the day of rest. There was a festive atmosphere in the town square though as the surrounding vineyards set up tents and tables there to serve meals and their wines.

First though, we toured the Wurzburg Palace, home to the world's largest ceiling fresco. It was truly large and each side depicted each of the four known continents at the time - Europe, the Americas, Africa, and India. It was ambitious to be sure but as for quality, well, Michelangelo’s reputation has nothing to worry about.

Some of them rooms were absolutely spectacular with their Baroque walls, ceilings, floors, and furniture. It was extremely hard to tell though what was new and what was original as the palace, in deed the entire city was heavily bombed by Allied forces in April 1945, just before the end of World War II. Photographs of the devastation were displayed in some of the rooms and they were absolutely sobering. About the only thing in the palace that was unscathed was the ceiling fresco and virtually all else was reconstructed from photographs. Absolutely stunning when one saw the amount of work that was necessary to restore the palace to its grandeur. 

Photography was not allowed in the palace and I thought I'd just buy a book at the end of the tour but our guide who left us to roam about at our leisure failed to mention that the exit did not lead us to the book and gift shop but out near the gardens and once you were out you could no longer gain access. Disappointing.

After leaving the palace and walking back through the town we made our way back to the bus and there was a great deal of confusion there. The drivers were told one thing and the guests another and the result was confusion for all. Still, MJ and I and another couple were chauffeured back to the boat fairly quickly while our fellow travelers found their own way.

It was a lazy afternoon and we finally left Wurzburg behind around 6 pm. There was a glass blowing demonstration on board beginning at 9 pm that we had good intentions of attending but we got back to our cabin after dinner and never mustered the energy to leave until the morning.

Day Rating: 7 - and if it weren't for the grandeur of the palace and seeing what it has become after the devastation of war it would have been a 5
 

This cruise is no longer a five-star experience. The service is horrible and the ship is not much better. Giant yellow jackets assaulted me as I sat in the upstairs lounge as I did my morning writing and I killed some but they eventually ran me off. Later, I compared notes with "The Four Scots" who typically sit in that part of the lounge after dinner and they said they had the same problem the previous night. More and more people are complaining about more and more things and this cruise is turning into a disaster for Viking. I am compiling a list deficiencies for the inevitable survey at the end of the cruise and I am already well into double digits.

We were to take the full day "Modern Aristocracy" tour but it was cancelled. For unspecified reasons. All well and good, we just saved $360. Instead, we'll take in the sights of Wertheim.

As we pulled in to Wertheim at daybreak the hillside off our starboard cabin came alive with the early fall colors and it made for some, hopefully, excellent photos. It was especially nice that they were on our side because the upper deck has been closed since we got on the Main river/canal due to its many low bridges. So close was the tolerance that not only the boats bridge and ancillary navigation stations were lowered but the upper deck railing also had to be removed as well so we could pass under the bridges without incident.

We disembarked in Wertheim after breakfast and spent the morning touring the small town. It was shabby in comparison to the other stops in Germany and they seemed to be plagued by flood, same as Passau. In fact, the town is located on a peninsula at the confluence of two rivers (Passau has three] and confluence themselves seem to be the necessary ingredient for flood disasters.

The shopping in Wertheim was unremarkable and we saw little of interest in the shops. The charming wooden burled wood bowls we saw in Regensburg (and didn't buy!) are now gone and we seriously doubt we'll see them again.

After the official tour, was over MJ and I climbed the hill to the castle ruins. We came upon a turnstile that required a 2 Euro coin to allow passage and we met up with Wayne and Donna there as they tried to make change. Another couple jammed the coin box with small coins and we could not get it to work. Donna and I climbed over the turnstile and MJ and Wayne stayed beyond. It was a good thing too as we encountered many steep stairs as we climbed to the tower to the lookout platform. It was a good workout and after reaching the top we were rewarded with a fantastic view of the town, the Main River, and the surrounding hills.

We made it back to the busses with a few minutes to spare and we were reunited with the boat half an hour down the river at Freudenburg. It had gone ahead to traverse two locks in an effort to save some time because there is a growing concern about water levels on the Rhine. We'll connect with the Rhine tomorrow in Koblenz and if the water is low we'll be forced to move more slowly downstream. Right now the crew believes we'll be able to make it without incident but you can sense a growing concern.

The boat was late getting to Freudenburg because it "got stuck in a lock" but it was only a slight delay and we were soon back aboard and enjoying lunch. The serving crew seem to be short staffed and try as they might the service is slow and choppy with table mates receiving their courses at different times. Guests started getting up to get their own appetizers and actually serving them to other tables. The service is rapidly becoming a joke - a bad one.

Sue, the new Tour Director as Gary had to leave for unspecified reasons, started her responsibilities today and she seems nice enough but does not seem to command the same degree of authority as Gary. With the guests nearly up in arms she's going to have her hands full unless they start pouring more free champagne - a lot more.

On a more positive note, the rains that have been predicted now for the last 3 days have not been materializing- good for touring the cities, not so good for water levels.  We're also starting to see more commercial barges on the river as we get closer to the Rhine and to the more industrialized part of Germany. Also starting to see more and more vineyards along the slopes in the hills lining the river/canal - quite charming and a stark comparison to our vines in Oracle which we now typically harvest in July. The grapes here still seem to be a few weeks from harvesting.

Tonight was "Taste of Germany" night for dinner. The kitchen prepared pretzels, cheeses, brats, other sausages, red cabbage, sauerkraut, potato salads, and multiple desserts. Keg beer flowed freely and pear schnapps was passed around at the end of the dinner. The waiters and waitresses wore German traditional costume and it was a festive evening. David and Susan emerged from their self-imposed quarantine and the six of us had a fun and boisterous time along with everyone else.

Day Rating: 6 - Taste of Germany saved it from a 5 

Today we arrive in Koblenz after having successful traversed the Main river/canal making our transition to the Rhine River. We linger on board and don't leave for our excursion to Marksburg Castle until 2:30 pm.

At 6 am we approached the confluence with the Rhine. It's a cloudy morning so too dark to see or photograph. Still have time for it to lighten up outside so I can at least observe the merge.

We didn't get to the Rhine until nearly 8 am. After breakfast the hot and uncomfortable dining room - they still haven’t repaired the air conditioning from the previous night - I went up to the sun deck to secure a corner location but a group of six beat us to it. Some folks had put a sweater or blanket on chairs in an attempt to "reserve" a spot, ala Carnival Cruise deck chair "reservation" style - tacky. I just ignored them and selected the next best spot which was pretty good.

The Rhine was much broader and industrial than the Mainz and the morning air and a brisk wind made it pretty chilly topside but I had to protect our spot so I weathered the cold until the rest of our group trickled upstairs.

We spent the remainder of the morning cruising by the many castles and vineyards along the Rhine and the cool air gave way to the warmth of the sun - perfect weather. Warm temps and trees preparing for autumn made for a fantastic morning - one of the best of the trip so far.

Around noon we broke for an unremarkable lunch and, of course, the air conditioning was not yet fixed. Unfortunately, we've grown accustomed to such things.

The boat let us off at the base of Marksburg Castle and it continued on to Koblenz.  Marksburg was amazing and one that had never been breached so unlike many of the ruins we passed along the way, this castle remained intact. This fortress was not like the walled towns of many other castles - it was meant to house the knights and warriors meant to protect the area and enforce tax collection for goods moving up and down the river.

It was fascinating inside with many artifacts of war - including cannons, armor, weapons, and all the paraphernalia needed to support the army. I found it all so intriguing I couldn't stop photographing and as a result MJ and I fell behind our group and we wandered about through dark, narrow hallways and staircases until another guide found us and led us back to our group. I offered my apologies to the guide and group but everyone took it all in stride.

After the tour we caught the bus to Koblenz where we disembarked and had some time to clean up and prepare for dinner. 

On the stroll to the ship though we saw a cable gondola that started on our side of the river and turned around at the Erhinbretstein fortress high on a hill on the other side of the river. We strolled around the barren grounds but it was late in the day so the fortress was closing and we couldn't go inside. We took the gondola back across the river and relaxed a few minutes before the evening presentation.

In the presentation, Sue, our new tour director, said we barely made it through this part of the Rhine with only 7 cm to spare - we came that close to having to transfer ships again or, more likely, taking a bus the remainder of the way and spending the last of our days in hotels.

Dinner itself was as usual these days - dining room too hot, (Viking still hasn't fixed their cooling problem), and food delivered not consistent with what was ordered, and just general incompetence. Example: Wayne asked for a Coors Light and the waiter asked Wayne's for his room number, not realizing that beer and wine are inconclusive with the meal. We all protested and the waiter relented. We were incredulous but we eventually made light if it and went on to enjoy our meal.

After dinner, MJ and I strolled the promenade up to the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine rivers and snapped some photos of the monumental sculpture of King Wilhelm residing there. All in all, a pretty good day.

Day Rating: 8

The Vili is scheduled to dock in Cologne around 9 am then we hit the streets. It rained a bit last night but the weather services have again pushed off any significant rain to tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to seeing St. Peter's Cathedral there. It was almost 30 years ago when I first saw it when exiting the train station and was confronted by this massive, dark wall that was so big it cast the street in shadow. I felt I had stepped into the bottom of a canyon.

The boat passed by the Cathedral and center of town at dawn. We continued down the river passing by a large industrial and waste processing facility. Mega cranes moved scrap from barges to rail cars (or vice versa) and where it went after that is an unknown. There were even huge mounds of ash or slag piled up along the river bank, or rather this industrial canal we've left the main channel of the Rhine.

Breakfast was as usual, which now features an overheated room as the engineers still don't have the air conditioning repaired.  We did have a conversation with Sue, our Tour Director, and politely expressed our disappointment with the latter half of the cruise. I frankly told her I am glad I had the opportunity to cruise on the Mimir because, as a first-time Viking traveler, if our experience was solely on the Vili we would not return to Viking. Our table mates wholeheartedly agreed. Sue got the message.

The boat docked in a large cul de sac of the canal. The area was still heavily industrial and it is where shops were docked for the extended Covid period when there were no cruises taking place.  A fifteen minute coach ride ended within walking distance of the great Gothic Cathedral of St. Peter's, once the tallest structure in the world.

It was as stunning, and as dirty, as when I first saw it 30 years ago. At that time, I exited the central train station adjacent to the behemoth and was looking at this massive, dark, sooty wall. I was not in Cologne for touring so I did not even know what it was until it dawned on me it was a Cathedral. I'm not even sure I went inside at that time because I did not recall the lavish stained glass windows which should have made a lasting impression on the viewer - I only remembered that huge, dark, sooty wall.

We did learn why it hasn't been cleaned though. The Cathedral is made of a type of sandstone and pressure washing or even harsh scrubbing necessary to remove the dirt and grime will erode the stone leading its eventual collapse. Those outer walls though are a sharp contrast to the brilliant light and rays of color inside thanks to all the stained glass. I could have sat there for an hour or more contemplating God, Man, and our mortal existence - reflecting the original intent of the structure. It did underscore the downside of organized tours though as our guide gave us a mere 10 minutes inside to enjoy all that beauty.

From there we wandered the streets around the Cathedral learning a bit about the history, the Kolsch beer popular in this area, and some quick window shopping before making our way back to the coach which brought us back to the boat.

After a lunch of pork belly and pureed corn (I described it as maybe the least healthy meal on board thus far and one which I enjoyed every bite!) we decided to shuttle back into the city and do some shopping. We'd actually bought very little and our shopping opportunities are dwindling so this gave us the chance to buy a few gifts to bring back home. We quickly changed clothes as this morning we erroneously believed the predictions of rain and dressed appropriately. The reality though was that the rain, predicted for four days now, never materialized and after an uncomfortably hot morning we needed to wear more summery clothes for the afternoon.

We caught the coach with seconds to spare and spent the afternoon looking more closely at the shops we rushed by earlier in the day.  We paired up with David and Susan and started at the Lindt Chocolate Museum but none of us wanted to pay 13 Euro to see the history of chocolate and such so we explored their chocolate shop - along with about 60 chocolate-crazed kids. From there it was some souvenir shopping at a store recommended by the guide - I think it may have been owned by a relative - and a stop at a pretzel shop that featured almond coated, nougat filled pretzels. The pretzels really weren't that good but the numerous bees inside the display case had a different opinion.  I asked the cashier if he'd ever been stung and he matter of fact  said he had and showed his most recent sting from earlier in the day.  Occupational hazard. 

From there it was time for a Kolsch beer with bread, mustard, and cheese at one of the many street cafes. The way the beer is served is unique. The glasses are small, maybe 6 ounces or so, and as you empty them the waiter will keep bringing you more beer until you place your coaster over your glass signifying that you're done. From there it was a brisk walk to the coach to catch it before it returned to the boat.

When we got back on board, we learned Wayne and Donna were saving a table, even though dinner was 2 hours away, at the bow so we wouldn't have to endure yet another meal in the hot dining room - the air conditioner in there still hadn't been fixed. The six of us shared shifts defending our turf and we enjoyed a meal of halibut as the sun set.

Our itinerary for the next day as well as our tickets for the windmill tour excursion were laid out on the bed as usual along with our final bill (a healthy credit since the Modern Aristocracy tour got cancelled), and our schedule for disembarking the boat on Friday. To avoid confusion and masses of people trying to leave the ship simultaneously, guests disembark based on their flight schedule. Because our flight leaves Schilpohl at 10:00 am we are among the first to leave. Luggage out at 5:00 am and we depart at 6:00 - only two other cabins leave earlier.

Day Rating: 9

In the early morning light we can see the terrain has flattened considerably as we approach the Netherlands. The sky is overcast but the predicted rains have still not materialized although you get the impression that today will be the day.

Electric toothbrush and shaver are still doing their job at the two-week mark after charging them before leaving Oracle so I've confirmed those charging units will not have to be packed for the Antarctic expedition.

Well, even though we had rain in the early morning the skies cleared and the sun broke through those puffy, moisture-laden clouds. It was another sunny but windy day.

In the morning, as the rain faded we passed under the bridge at Nijmegen. According to Sue, this bridge was the subject of the 1977 movie, "A Bridge Too Far". The bridge certainly looked like the one from that epic film but I was under the impression it was the bridge at Arnheim where the action took place. Perhaps a review of the movie now that I have photos of the Nijmegen bridge might be in order.

The amount of traffic on the Rhine is a dramatic change from the Danube. There is always another boat in sight be it passenger boat, container barge, or bulk barge - usually coal or gas.  At times along open stretches of the river you can count more than a dozen vessels, sometimes three across.

The rest of the morning was spent heading down the Rhine while Mary Jane and I packed our belongings for our 6 am departure tomorrow. Around 3:00 the Vili took a hard turn to starboard and we soon docked just outside of Kinderdyk, home to some 19 traditional windmills.

We disembarked and walked to a waiting boat that took us up one of the canals and past these behemoths. All of them have caretakers living on the premises and some of the windmills were turning thanks to the stiff winds coming from the North Sea.

It was fascinating to see them up close and only by standing at the base of one could you get an appreciation for their size and power. The one we entered was largely made of brick at the base but thick thatch, harvested from the canal shores, covered its heavy timber frame. These windmills, some nearly 300 years old, were built to pump water to and from rivers and canals and they were marvels of engineering for their time. The tour was every bit as fascinating as Marksburg Castle earlier in the week.

A short walk back to the boat completed our afternoon but we had an enlightening discussion with Dan and Mary, who were part of the group traveling with Sue. We commented that we hadn't seen Sue in a while and they told us she'd been in quarantine the last four days - she tested positive for Covid.

Apparently Covid is all around us. We'd seen several food trays in the hallways and it turns out those are all people under quarantine. I imagine we hadn't been told for fear if alarming us but we've certainly felt its impact as several of the crew have been stricken as well - and that explains the staff shortages we've seen and the fact that all staff are wearing masks. The rumor is that Viking may initiate daily Covid testing tomorrow when new guests come aboard. I don't put much credence in that rumor but it is clear that Viking is trying to keep the ongoing Covid drama, especially on this boat, very much on the down low. Covid is still with us and still very active and although, thankfully, not as lethal as when it first struck it us still having an impact on our daily lives.

Service at dinner was pretty good. The staff were doing what they should have been doing all along. Too little, too late. Sorry guys, all you get are the prepaid tip, no cash in hand. I felt a bit awkward and maybe some of the problems weren't of their making, but the reality is the level of service did not warrant a tip in excess of what they were already getting.

We said our farewells to our travel mates and sincerely hope to see them again. As Wayne said when we departed, traveling with people you enjoy makes it all so much better.

Shower, a little sleep and we're off to Arizona . . . home.

Day Rating: 9 

The final day. Up at 3:30, bags outside the door at 4:30 for a 5:00 pickup. We disembark at 6:00.
Right now, our flight is still on time and hopefully everything goes well. If so, we'll land in Tucson at 4:30, pick up Mickey, and be home by 7:00.

Smooth start to the day and a chill in the pre-dawn air. Luggage was picked up as promised and a staff person escorted us to a waiting van. Two other couples along with luggage were able to squeeze into the van and we unceremoniously left the Vili behind. The airport was surprisingly busy for that time of the morning, still dark out, and as we approached there was the sinking feeling that it’s over. The Grand European River Tour is done, the party is over, time to return to the “real” world.

The airport was as hectic as Los Angeles airport in the late evening – the difference is that at LAX most of the travelers were headed to Asia while at AMS most seemed to be heading to the Americas. There was some slight confusion as to which queue to get into but it was quickly sorted out, went through security and customs without incident, and then waited to board our flight. There were lots of shops at Schiphol but even MJ had been shopped out by this point. It was just time to go home.

The KLM flight was on schedule and only about two-thirds full – a real surprise in these days of flying! The food was really pretty good and except for the two children kicking the back of our seats from time to time the flight was uneventful and relaxed.

Arriving at Salt Lake City was a surprise because of the low visibility. Smoke from numerous forest fires from Washington to Montana and south to California, Nevada, and Utah cast a dull pallor over all. The smoke that replaced what should have been clean, fresh air was so dense that the outline of nearby mountains were just barely visible through the haze so long as you knew where to look. We retrieved all our luggage – ALL our luggage! Despite the bad reputation for baggage handling at Schiphol they came through for us just fine. 

While the airport at SLC was nice we couldn’t get out of there fast enough, in part because we were on the final leg of our journey home but also because the post-apocalyptic air outside the airport just made one uncomfortable . . . maybe that’s the kind of thing we should start getting used to though. Maybe that air around Salt Lake City will be more the norm, along with drying rivers in Europe and North America, as the earth adjusts to what poor stewardship has brought upon us. 

Maybe there are some things we should not get used to though. But how do you balance the wonders of travel, for example, against the environmental toll it takes? No easy answers, no easy solutions.
 

Day Rating: - 9.0
 

TRIP RATING:
Because of the dramatic change in service after transferring from the Mimir to the Vili it's  probably fair to give dual ratings - although the service is just one factor in the overall river cruising experience.
 

Mimir - 8.1

Great sites, excellent service. Had we not travelled on the Mimir we probably wouldn’t return to Viking.

Vili - 7.7 

If it weren't for the great sights and excursions, the bad service on Vili would've knocked it down to a 7 - and that's being generous.

So, overall, about a 7.5 - not enough to compel me to rave about Viking, but certainly not a bad trip either. I'm still undecided about booking with them again. 

The next time we do a river cruise I'll be doing a very thorough comparison with other lines though to see if Viking is really worth the money.

• Lesson 1 - really study the carriers and the trips in detail before laying your money down. What's their reputation? What are their policies? What excursions are offered - both included and optional?
• Lesson 2 - don't prepay the gratuities. Put the cash directly in the hand of the person who provided the service.
• Lesson 3 – plan some time to explore the city you start and end your journey in. We had a scant 24 hours in Budapest and no time at all in Amsterdam.
• Lesson 4 – the 3 P’s – People, People, People. The friends we dined with, the folks we exchanged quips and laughs with, those we had hoped to get to know better. As wonderful as the sites were, as enlightening as the guides were, as good (or bad) as the service was, it was the people we met along the way that added so much to everything we experienced. If you take away those new friendships and memories of interactions with our travel mates and support staff it would have been a very different excursion. So, for those new friends who we hope to see again, we are most thankful.