Melk, Regensburg and Random Musings

Melk was a combination of a lush, rich monastery which unfortunately didn’t allow photos (though I snuck in a few) and a 1000 year-old castle on a cliff overlooking the Danube that has been turned into a restaurant along the lines of Medieval Times.

Cesky Krumlov in Chechia was very pretty and very touristy.  Lovely winding motorcycle roads across southern Bohemia in from Austria (through Lintz, Hitler’s hometown) and then out to meet-up with the ship near Passau in Germany.

To my other complaints about touring tourism I am adding the thought that just passing through and taking some photos gets boring pretty fast.  Seen one old church, seen ‘em all.  The real pleasure of travelling is in getting a little deeper I think. 

Then there is the structured bit.  And of course the tour guides themselves.  Life is full of disappointments. Was thinking that if I shoved his little flag stick up his arse that our guide would permanently have his badge of office waving from the top of his pointy little head. But it was of the  telescoping variety, like a radio antennae. It wouldn't even really chip away much of whatever it is that has been blocking his colon for the past couple of decades.

The consensus amongst our ten people at dinner last night was that no one would do this again as no one could afford it ever again. And those who said they would if they won the lotto would probably just stay on the ship and loll about in luxury.

We all also arrived at a conclusion about quick visit tourism: that it must get rather boring to just 'see the sights ' take some snaps and move on. Stay for a week or two at least. Make some if not friends then at least acquaintances. See the sights in the first hour and then spend the rest of your time doing opinion surveys in bars and working through wine lists with a guide, chatting with the newsagent.

But if you do go the quick and dirty route remember to stuff your guides in a sack and throw them in a river when done with them.

Today in Regensburg but Geri not having a great day so we stayed aboard other than a quick walk around the centre of town .  The weather is lovely and we needed to do a bit of shopping.  Pretty town but I am losing interest in these flying visits.  Grabbed some shots of a few manhole covers for David though.

Cruise review done and posted, hoping to post this before we are bussed off to Munich airport and the train into the city proper.

One week left.

Finally got some photos uploaded and organized. Regensburg  HERE.Melk HERE.  And Cesky Krumlov HERE.