Monthly Archives: April 2016

Danube River Cruise day 11. Homeward bound, special memories.

DAY  11. – Thursday, Apr. 21: –  Off to the airport to leave Prague and homeward bound back to Canada. An early morning goodby to Liz and Lorece.   A bitter sweet day as we are sad the end of our trip is here but pleased to be on our way home. Here’s to a special group of ladies that made this trip special.

Make new friends, keep the old, the new are silver and the old are gold.

Our bow-tie thank you to our crew

Our bow-tie thank you to our crew

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Danube River Cruise day 10. Discovering Prague

imageDAY  10. – Wednesday, Apr. 20: – Today we spent as a day of our leisure. Everyone decided to start by walking to the Jewish 1/4 and take in the Maisel Synagogue. From there we went to the Pinkasova Synagogue with walls and walls of the names of all who parished in the Terezin concentration camp. There was also a room dedicated to the drawings done by children that were in the camp. We could not hold back the tears. How could humans do this to one another…. Yes defiantly a profoundly moving experience. Then on to the Old Jewish Cemetery were due to lack of space had to bury their deceased 12 deep. A few of the girls decided to go back and spend some more time checking out the Charles Bridge.

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imageHand painted names of 77297 Victims imageimageThe NAMES  hard to take inimage

The CHILDRENS drawings

The Cemetary

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After the Jewish 1/4 we split up into smaller groups and had a chance to have street food and more shopping for that most important keepsake. Can’t wait to have my morning tea in my Prague mug.

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At the end of the day some took in the lights of Prague by a river boat cruise.   The lights of the city looked amazing. I am sure they enjoyed it.

Danube River Cruise day 9. Prague city sightseeing

imageimagePrague – one wonderful cityimageimageDAY 9. – Tuesday, Apr. 19: – Pinch me we are in Prague. This morning’s sightseeing tour reveals why Prague is considered one of Europe’s most attractive cities, with a historic city center that’s recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We visited the 1,000 year-old Prague Castle and St. Vitus before walking down the hill and over the Charles Bridge to the Old Market Square. The rest of the day we spent shopping and just looking up is amazing. Another wonderful lunch at Mattyos suggestion in the basement of the Municipal House building all decorated in the Art Nouveau era. We were also serinaded by an accordion player. Some of the girls made it as far as Wenceslas Square. This a beautiful city and many of us can check this off our bucket list. The architectural history, he food, the shops and the peopleimage imageimageMunicipal house decorated in Art Nouveau .    imageimageimage imageCharles BridgeimageimageTouching for good luck

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Dancing buildings

Dancing buildings


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Yea! Earth day is every where !!!!!

Yea! Earth day is every where !!!!!

Great food in Preague

Great food in Preague. You have to have at least one street meal.

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The clock

The clock

Shops have crystal everywhere

Shops have crystal everywhere

imageimageimageimageJohn Lennon wall changes on a daily basis.

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Danube River Cruise day 8 – Regensburg and bus ride to Prague

DAY 8. – Monday, Apr. 18: –
Today was a busy day. We packed up and travelled by bus to Prague. It’s Auf Wiedersehen to the AmaSonata cruise ship.  This bus ride was not as long as we thought as it was broken with a stop at Regensburg, one of Germany’s medieval cities. We enjoyed a walking tour of the historic town, a quick lunch and some free time to shop. We were so excited to finally have our bus ride finally end at the Hilton Hotel in Prague. Check in was easy and well organized. Mattyos gave us a quick tour to help us get our bearings and recommended a perfect restaurant for dinner. The Plzenska Restaurant is located in the 140 year old Municipal House  The art nouveau style is charming and the food was delicious. We all had the best shower ever and a good night sleep.  

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Great food in Preague

Great food in Preague

Yea! Earth day is evert where!!!!!

Yea! Earth day is evert where!!!!!

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Duck dinner

Duck dinner

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Danube River Cruise day 7 – Passau, Vilshofen and farewell party

Our crew Roxanne our Wine guy Vanos, Dom and Vanos

Our crew Roxanne our Wine guy Vanos, Dom and Vanos

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A great day ahead!!!!!!!

DAY 7. – Sunday, Apr. 17: – Early this morning we cruised to Passau in Germany, where the Danube River is joined by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north. We enjoyed a walking tour of this 2,000-year-old city, noted for its Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture, cobblestone streets and St. Stephan’s Cathedral. More WOW factor. We had lunch back on the ship and cruised on to the medieval town of Vilshofen. Our tour of Vilshofen was a pleasant surprise as we all fell in love with leiderhausen and our very animated guide in them. Our time in the town was educational and full of great photo opps. In the evening we enjoyed a festive “Oktoberfest” celebration with beer and Bavarian folk music and dancing. What a hoot!!! As we had our last dinner on the ship we had a wonderful opportunity to show our appreciation of our bow tied crew. These guys/gal were so wonderful, happy and joy to see at every meal. The whole crew made our stay extra special. Our last night in the lounge a gentleman bought the Canadian girls a round of drinks. (Cheers to him) Do you think…..maybe we have been a little entertaining. We were all a little sad to be leaving but we know our waist lines are pleased. The AmaSonata on the Danube was a very memorable trip, the crew, the people the food and from all accounts the wine. Now on to our new adventure…. Prague

Good Morning Passau

Good Morning Passau

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Off on our walking tour

Off on our walking tour

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Our guide Sabastion

Our guide Sabastian

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Beautiful Sr. Stephan's

Beautiful Sr. Stephan’s

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Shopping in the town

Shopping in the town

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Our bow-tie thank you to our crew

Our bow-tie thank you to our crew

The other food guy

The other food guy

Our food guy Marius and. Sister of another mother Roxanne

Our food guy Marius and. Sister of another mother Roxanne

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Danube River Cruise day 6 – Salzberg and the Sound of Music

imageSpring is here, Shopping is great and the rain has stayed away.imageimageDAY  6. – Saturday, Apr. 16 ; This morning our ship arrived in Linz. We took a bus ride to Mondsee with the Alps as a back drop. We saw where some of the movie Sound of Music was filmed. The shops the history and spring time blooms made for another perfect day. imageimageA small guest at a local wedding. While in Mondsee we saw a wedding party.imageimageTeam Power Shoppers imageimage
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Our Sound of Music Sandra
Our Sound of Music gal, Sandra.

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imageThat’s our girl Sandra Vonntrapp! imageimageimageimageAbove is where they filmed the wedding scene in the Sound of music

Back on the bus and off to Salzburg for a walking tour of Mozart’s birthplace and the historic center made famous by the Sound of Music.  With the Mirabell gardens and the Baroque architecture the city was a must see. We all loved the Old Market and just enjoyed people watching. Back to the ship for dinner and to meet up with the girls that went to Cesky Krumlov, a charming mountain town in Czech-Austrain border. Another amazing dinner and belly aching laughter. We are all just enjoying ourselves and so pleased to be here.imageimageimageimageimageimageimageimage
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The Golden Arches only allowed this small M for their store

imageimageimageimageimageimageThe wall where movie set persons for the Sound of Music left up a huge nazi flag as filming ran late. They promised to remove it the next morning. Opps to late local dignitariies and Russian guest saw it first thing as they rode into the square for some official ceremonies. Wow….  wonder what was going through their minds.    imageimageimage

We are now on the move again on to Passau for 8:00 am. We are looking forward to some time in Germany.

 

 

Danube River Cruise day 5 – Wachau Valley and Melk

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DAY  5. –  Friday, Apr. 15: – The sunrise was beautiful from the ship all the while passing some wonderful landscapes homes and towns. We set off for a walking tour along Dürnstein’s cobblestone streets. We saw  the magnificent blue  tower of the local abbey church and the castle ruins high on a hill where Richard the Lionheart was once held for ransom. We enjoyed tasting some local wines and exploring the liitle shops. We return to the ship and continued onwards, cruising through the scenic Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the afternoon we visited the spectacular Benedictine Abbey in Melk, one of Europe’s largest and most revered monasteries and also an UNESCO World Heritage Site. We visited the museum, the library and the Abbey  that contains religious relics, frescoes and richly embroidered vestments, as well as the abbey’s priceless collection of medieval manuscripts. We all enjoyed our walk back to the bus checking out the shops and stopping for refreshments. While we were out touring the  ship cruised to Grein, we meet up with them there. This evening we enjoyed a  5 course dinner in the private dining room over looking the river. Many wonderful tastes and presentation’s.

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Danube River Cruise Day 4. Exploring Vienna.

We picked the wrong guy😕

We picked the wrong guy😕

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Getting directions in the best smelling store. Waterfall on the pillar behind them.

Getting directions in the best smelling store. Waterfall on the pillar behind them.

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St Stephen's

St Stephen’s

So many great photo opps

So many great photo opps

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Known for the music !

Known for the music !

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Getting directions in the best smelling store. Waterfall on the pillar behind them.

Getting directions in the best smelling store. Waterfall on the pillar behind them.

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Known for the music !

Known for the music !

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Tables with legs ...go figure

Tables with legs …go figure

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LThe world famous Lipizzaner Stallions

The world famous Lipizzan stallions

DAY  4. –  Thursday, Apr. 14: – Today we had an extensive bus tour around Vienna seeing the Opera House, the Parliament buildings and many more amazing historical sights, ending up at St. Stephen’s Cathedral. There is a WOW factor when you enter this Cathedral for sure. The rest of the day was at our leisure to stroll the boutique lined Karntner Street or visit one of Vienna’s world-class museums or just indulge in one of the city’s grand cafes. The Parliament buildings we’re hosting an a apple festival with lots of treats of the liquid type. The gardens here were all most in full bloom. Lunch on the Maraihiler St. was wonderful and a great chance to people watch. The street was busy but full of many wonderful  surprises. A few of use got a little involved in rally for a Presidential candidate but were informed by our cab driver no way will he win (the Donald Trump of Austria). We had another wonderful dinner and then off to the Sound of Vienna to listen to music of Mozart and Johann Strauss. Then a tour to see the lights of Vienna at night. This was not the end to our day just yet as we all go together in the ships lounge and sang and danced the night away. The travelling girls are having a blast. Sorry for the wait……connectivity issues.

Danube River Cruise day 3. Bratislava and Vienna


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imageimageimageDAY  3
. – Wednesday, Apr. 13:
We arrived in Bratislava just in time for breakfast on the ship. Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia. Here we enjoyed a walking tour of the city’s top sights, including the Old Town Hall, the Mirbach Palace, and St. Martin’s Cathedral. With some free time before lunch we shopped for more treasures to take home. Some of us went to the Primacialny Palace to check out the priceless tapestries that were made in England by special order in 1620. (no photos allowed)

 

 

This afternoon during our cruise to Vienna we sat on the top deck to enjoy the magnificent scenery, the warm sun and a variety of Austrian weekend homes that look like they are for fishing in the river. They are built on stilts to protect against flooding. This evening we enjoyed a fun filled dinner with some antics of  a few members of our group. The girls are off to enjoy an evening of wine tasting in Viennese and Music in a rustic wine tavern outside the city – a Viennese tradition. A little rain tonight so hoping it will be gone in time for our outings tomorrow.

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Danube River Cruise day 2. Budapest to Bratislava

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Car made from paper cardboard and plastic runs on lawn mower size motor

Car made from paper cardboard and plastic runs on lawn mower size motor

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DAY  2. – Tuesday, Apr. 12 – Spring has sprung In Budapest. We walked from the ship to the Great Market Hall and shopped for paprika; sweet, hot or smoked. Lots of fun treasures here! We then visited Budapest’s Historical Sites including Buda Castle, the Fisherman’s Bastion, St. Stephen’s Basilica and Heros’ Square. Back to the ship for lunch, a few free hours to explore Budapest on our own then back to this ship for some dancing entertainment.  We set of for Bratislava in the late afternoon and have a wonderful view from the top deck of the Budapest skyline. As night time settles in we pass the largest Roman Catholic Church in Hungary  all lit up at night. Then one of our crazy gals went for a night time swim while cruising the Danube River.
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