Wed., 7.18.18 Passau, Germany
- Jul 18, 2018
- 2 min read
We have been informed by the Viking staff that, due to low water levels, we will not be able to sail any further north. So today is our last day on the ship. We will be bused up to Nuremberg tomorrow morning where we will stay in a Hilton hotel. Thursday's excursions will be moved to Friday and we will participate in the Nuremberg history tour upon arrival.
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Of course this is a disappointment, but the staff is scrambling to make the transition as smooth as possible. The only response from the guests that I've witnessed is understanding and good cheer. By the end of the announcement, the ship's manager Oliver received a round of applause!
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John and Kerry departed for their all-day excursion to Saltzburg. Steve and I took a walking tour of Passau.
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What a beautiful city! Passau is situated at the confluence of three rivers- the Danube, the Inn, and the Ils. We walked up from the ship and up cobblestone streets and steps to get to the main town. Despite the elevation, Passau has had a number of floods over the years (most recently 2013) and some of the buildings have high water marks from over time. The 2013 flood line was probably 10-15 feet above the level of the square. It's very difficult to image this city so deeply under water! How did all these businesses and residences survive?
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Up and up we walked, stopping to listen to the guide along the way. Then we descended down to the Inn River and walked along the banks there. Climbing back up was through narrow alleys and steps. Very cool.
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After the guided tour, we attended an organ concert in St. Stephen's Church.
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Steve and I stopped at an outdoor cafe in the main square (pictured below) where we shared a bread and cheese flight and had a couple of Pils beers.
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Below are a few other images from this day, including some art hung between buildings. This city-wide installation features art made exclusively from recycled trash items.
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We celebrated our last night on the ship with another magnificent meal in the dining room. Afterwards, we had to pack for an early morning departure.
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