November 13, 2024
Following our Melk excursion and a satisfying lunch, the Emerald Sun meandered down a scenic stretch of the Danube River. As there were many notable historic sites and interesting land features, Andras narrated for an hour or so. The best view was from the bow deck so that's where I headed. It had gotten quite chilly out though, and the wind was cutting, so I bundled up to my eyeballs and stood close to the glass wall. First up was Schloss Schonbuhel, a castle dating back to the twelfth century.
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| Castle ruins top a peak clad in dark autumnal foliage |
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| The Emerald Sun flies the flag of the country we are passing through. Here the Austrian triband of red and white. |
Quaint villages hug the shore of the Danube. Many with church steeples or blocky towers lifting up into the cloudy sky. Unfortunately I wasn't able to memorize the names of them, and a later search didn't produce much beyond the general location.
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| Fourteenth Century Weissenkirken Church |
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| Golden vineyards hug the hillsides in the fertile Wachau Valley |
One very unique feature in the landscape was a rock shaped exactly like the tip of a nose, jutting up out of the ground. Worn smooth as it was, I imagined on warmer days children from the nearby village climbing up on it their bellies smoothing its cool gray surface.
On the hills overlooking the city of Durnstein are the oft-visited ruins of the Durnstein Castle. Constructed in the early 1100s, Richard the Lionheart was royally ensconced as a prisoner there later in that century. In 1645 the castle was blown up and reduced to ruins by the Swedes. There is a walking trail leading up to the ruins.
By this time, most of my fellow passengers had returned to the lounge to warm up. That being the case, no matter where I stood, I felt like I was blocking someone's view. There was just one last notable sight awaiting us. The Durnstein Abbey.
