Passau, Germany / The Danube River
The thin overcast burned off by mid morning, yielding yet another delightfully sunny, warm day. These were perfect conditions for exploring the small southern Bavarian city of Passau, home to fifty thousand residents and five breweries.
This “City on Three Rivers” sits at the point where the green waters of the River Inn and the black waters of the River Ilz enter the blue Danube. Whether forging up the hill to the viewpoint, Veste Oberhaus, examining the famed collection at the Glass Museum, or exploring the narrow streets and hidden secrets of this town with local guides, we each found our own way to enjoy this city that traces its history back to Roman times. For many, the highlight was a visit to the baroque Saint Steven‘s Cathedral for a memorable concert played on the world’s largest organ.
The afternoon found the River Cloud making her way downriver, surrounded by sublime scenery. Green clad canyons; verdant fields populated by cows (including the endearingly shaggy “highland” cows), sheep, goats and deer; small villages hugging the shoreline; swimming swans and ducks; foot ferries for hikers and bicyclists – these were our views as we crossed from Germany into Austria. The passage included transiting locks and the hairpin turns of the Schlögener Schlinge section of the Danube.
Underway throughout the afternoon, evening and night, we enjoyed the good company of our shipmates and continued excellent fare from the galley as we made our way towards Melk.
