Sandy's Travels 2014/2015: Around the World 2014 - Danube River Cruise (Posting Three)

There are three postings for my Around the World trip. Posting One covers everything except my two cruises - the Norwegian Fjord Cruise and the Danube River Cruise. Please visit all three postings.

July 31 - August 11, 2014 - Danube River Cruise

We left the Vienna hotel at 4:30 am. We wanted to make sure we got to the airport in plenty of time. Luckily both flights were on time, but we had to wait 90 minutes at the Bucharest airport for all the guests, before leaving for the cruise ship. It was almost a two hour ride to Oltenita, our port of embarkation. Our original ports of call in the Ukraine had been switched to Romania, for obvious reasons. I did not need to visit a second country at war. We actually were in the Ukraine, since it was on one side of the Danube River.

View from my cabin. I was on the lower deck and my bed was below the water line.

August 1, 2014 - Tulcea, Romania

The city was quite small but you could see the communist influence. I walked in to town with my new friend Cindi. The main square was beautiful, but the city hall was a concrete uninspired building. In the afternoon we took a boat trip to the Upper Danube Delta. We saw lots of birds, not my favorite attraction. We also got lots of history, which went in one ear and out the other.

Fountain in town center

Subject for a painting?

August 2, 2014 - Sulina, Romania

Today's port was even smaller. I signed up for a bike ride through the village to the Black Sea. It was Saturday and the beach was crowded. What else is there to do in Sulina? I touched the Black Sea, which was black. We road back to the ship for an early departure.

At the Black Sea

The beach with all the locals

Our radar

August 3, 2014 - Fetesti, Bucharest and Oltenita, Romania

We had an all day sightseeing tour of Bucharest. I had been there a few years ago, but saw a lot on the this tour. The first stop was a beautiful church I missed last time. Our lunch stop was excellent with local dancers and musicians for entertainment. Finally we went into the People's Palace, the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon. We were on the balcony where Michael Jackson greeted the people of Budapest (wrong city).

Beautiful lake

Our evening entertainment included the same dancers from the afternoon, but this time we all got up and danced with them.

August 4, 2014 - Rousse, Bulgaria

I can now add another new country and city to my list. We started our city tour in a boring museum. The concrete buildings reek of communism. I visited my daily church - one a day maximum. At the town square we had refreshments before returning to the ship. The sunset on the river was awesome.

The museum

Which way to the Wizard of Oz?

The Rosa Silva

Sunset on the Danube

August 5, 2014 - Day on River

It was nice to have a day off to relax. We went through two locks while heading upriver on the Danube. The locks were called the Iron Gates, which generate a lot of power, but stop the fish from spawning further up the river. This would never be allowed in the USA.

The locks

The Danube's Cauldrons - like Mt. Rushmore

August 6, 2014 - Belgrade, Serbia

This was my first time in Serbia. During the city tour we visited the Belgrade fortress. Then we went to the obligatory church, which was under construction. Finally we had coffee at the Majestic Hotel. After lunch we walked the pedestrian street to visit the government buildings. I could have seen the musical Chicago in Serbian. Our final stop was the local farmers market.

Gardens in Belgrade

Some government house

What does this say?

Love the umbrellas

More beautiful gardens

The farmers market

August 7, 2014 - Mahacs, Hungary

This was another river day, only stopping to get our passports stamped.

August 8, 2014 - Budapest, Hungary

In the morning I took the city tour provided by A Rosa. Having already visited Budapest, it was a nice refresher course. After circling the city we made the obligatory cathedral stop. This one was very pretty and I was impressed with the wallpaper. Outside you got a magnificent view of the parliament.

Bridge in Budapest

Peppers to make paprika

Paprika

One of my friends

The Central Market

Another bridge across the Danube

The parliament

We went further up the hill for a panoramic view of the city. After the tour it was off to the Central Market Place to have Hungarian goulash for lunch. I also got plenty of Hungarian paprika, both hot and sweet.

The sunset over the Danube was beautiful.

August 9, 2014 - Vienna, Austria

There are no kangaroos in Austria! You were reminded of this in every tourist shop, that along with Mozart chocolates. My friend Cindi and I skipped the tour and headed into the city. We wanted to tour the opera house but were five minutes too late.

This is for Gary and Sebastian, in Melbourne

Amazing olives

Me and Mozart, same pose

Look at the size of the Wiener Schnitzel

With my new friend Cindi

We walked to Naschmarkt and relaxed with a nice refreshing bier. We walked and walked and walked, revisiting many sites during my visit a week earlier. In the evening we feasted on Weiner Schnitzel and apple strudel. We were so full, it hurt walking back to the ship.

August 10, 2013 - Krems, XXX and Melk, Austria

We drove along the Wachau Valley on the Danube. I'm sure the locals are glad when the tourist season is over. This is where King Richard the Lionhearted was held prisoner. Our final stop was to see the abbey in Melk. The building was beautiful, but the tour guide was boring.