Eurocruise Vienna 13/05

We sailed for 24 hours. At 2am we went through our first lock. As we were sailing up the Danube, the locks were lifting us up, that is the water filled the lock and raised us to a higher level. I did not rise for the 2am lock experience, there were many more to come. Nor did I rise before 7am to see Bratislava. Slovakia to the right of us and Austria to the left.

Fishermen's huts along the river.

Approaching our first daytime lock. The captain had invited groups of no more than six into the wheelhouse. It was our turn.

All very high tech. The captain was at another control system at the side of the boat to control our entry into the lock.

You can see a little of the control tower for the lock, but in an cost saving exercise, control now happens remotely from about three central  places.

The wheelhouse. It can be lowered, and was, down into the boat to pass under low bridges. For the lowest of all bridges the captain had his head out a manhole cover in the roof of the wheelhouse.

About 1pm we docked at the river boat port in Vienna. We were bused in coloured groups into the centre of Vienna after a drive along the circular road that rings central Venice, ringstrassen if you like, and after a walking tour we were left to our own devices, with a meeting point at the opera house to return to the ship. Vienna is classy city but so full and crowded with tourists.

The Spanish Riding School, where horses are trained to do quite unnatural movements.

Some Roman ruins.

 This was a very wide walking street in Vienna, leading to St Stephen's church.

In spite of the beautiful cakes we all were hungering for strudel. I was upsized when the waiter asked if I wanted vanilla sauce and I replied yes. It was another $2. Vanilla sauce turned out to be custard and I don't regret the choice. It was the best strudel I have eaten.

Two wealthy looking Viennese women window shopping.

When trams can only be driven at one end, they must have somewhere to turn around, known as a loop.

Remember the post about heights of world ferris wheels. The wheel in a suburb of Vienna is the oldest in the world, dating back to the 19th century and it has an unusual configuration. It looked great.

We were double berthed and had to walk through another boat to get to shore.

We were bused back to our boat for dinner and then bused out back to City Palais Liechtenstein for a concert.

The decoration of the venue was disappointingly restrained.

Champers again.

The chandeliers each weighed four tonnes.

Two female opera singers.

An orchestra and there was a youth performance.

What is the word for three people. Two is a duet. They were terrific and fun too. Did you do this in Vienna too Victor?

Not only am I not so good with the camera, I am not so good with filming either, but I tried. A Strauss waltz in Vienna, how stereotypical, but it was good fun. It was great night and here is a short video that I thought might be classy. It isn't.

It has been a very full day and on the way back to the boat, we toured the Ringstrassen again. We have another day in Vienna yet.