Passionate About River Cruising

The numerous splendid reasons to sail in cruise luxury sometimes became background art on a canvass when we found ourselves intrigued by chance encounters with people river cruising. We sat by a gentleman sipping his morning coffee in a quaint cafe near the river. He politely tried to talk in his native language, which we did not understand. Then we expressed ideas with gestures and understood each other perfectly. While nearby, an elderly street musician played lilting music on his worn violin and drew us into his world, as his mutt watched us and wagged his tail. Unexpected connections and discoveries wait to be seen, heard, and felt in towns along the river banks. Come journey with us, where my husband and I sailed between Passau, Germany to Budapest, Hungary, on a Viking Danube Waltz river cruise.

Journeying along waterways allowed us to navigate narrow ports and shallow channels to access extraordinary places. Rivers intended for trade routes have become increasingly popular with holidaymakers. Sailing from one port to the next meant discovering a village we must visit again. Photographing scenic river sections was worth using up the battery charge on our iPhones. Experiencing local taste and cultures materialized as an exercise in humility, a reminder of the expanse of civilization beyond where we reside.

Český Krumlov On Foot  

We stepped off our tour bus into the Czech Republic’s charming red-roofed village of Český Krumlov. Quickly becoming our new favorite town, we felt warmly welcomed into what looked like a Grimm’s Fairy Tale. We peeked into a quaint house along the cobblestone street, and almost believed we would see Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear with three bowls of porridge on the table, but it was a normal home. However, imagine our surprise when we rounded the next bend and actually saw three bruins under the drawbridge of the famous Bear Moat, which these animals have called home since 1707. Those brown furry creatures lazily woke up, stretched their stocky legs, and yawned widely from their slumber. It was clear that castle protection detail is no longer in their job description.

Hearing something off in the distance, we half expected to see townsfolk dancing with colorful skirts twirling. Instead, it was a blond-haired street musician decked out in black leather, cowboy hat, and boots. We listened to him play his fiddle while he sat on a dusty green lawn chair in the middle of the wooden walking bridge traversing the leisurely river. Closing our eyes, we savored the tunes as the enchantment of this place came alive and gave us the feeling of living within this fairy tale.

Like a maze, means of access at roof level skirted the square, followed streets, and connected buildings. Where do all these passages go, we wondered? Our guide explained that during the reign of Wilhelm von Rosenberg in the 16th century, Rosenberg was fascinated by the magnificent and refined Renaissance style. He began his building career by transforming the narrow, dark, and gloomy rooms inside his castle by rebuilding them into a merry, inviting, and spacious palace. Since this Czech lord truly loved his mother, Anna Maria, he also meticulously built enclosed passages for her to easily visit the chapel and medieval castle towering over the village from her home in town. The mud, rain, and snow no longer sullied her shoes.

Whimsical Bratislava  

Another town made for strolling, called Bratislava, is wedged between the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Austria. Catching a bus to the most prominent landmark, we saw the striking Bratislava Castle surrounded by flourishing grassy parks. Truthfully, we felt puzzled about the simple exterior of the recent facelift. However, that dissipated as our eyes eagerly took in the superb views from this isolated rocky hill directly above the Danube River.

Later, striding toward the center of the town, we stumbled upon St. Michael’s Gate topped by the only surviving tower on the medieval city walls. The energy we felt here was inspiring. Beneath this striking bell tower, chic cafes and classy boutiques called out to young European professionals, thousands of university students, and in recent times, tourists like us. 

We love statues and look for them everywhere we go. List in hand, we set out to locate the famed Bratislava whimsical brass statues scattered around the cobblestone square. We sat next to Napoleon’s Army Soldier stationed in front of the French Embassy leaning against a park bench. Schӧner Naci, an eccentric elderly gentleman who wandered the streets in the early 1900s, is still tipping his hat to women today. And my favorite is the resident Cumil, also known as Rubberneck, a jolly sewer worker peeking from underneath a manhole cover. Rub his cap to have good luck!

Trabi Adventure   

While docked at our Hungarian port, we encountered a historically relevant motor vehicle. Instead of a bus to get to various destinations, our guide, Viki, informed us we would be driving around Budapest in a legendary smoke-belching “people’s car” called a Trabant. Walking toward some parked automobiles, ours was easy to spot by its dubious rumble and tailpipe smoking like wildfire. Nicknamed the Trabi, the sole purpose was to provide a cheap but mostly reliable car.

We met our driver, who opened the hood to show us the heating system. A pipe extends from the exterior front grill, past the engine, into the passenger space. This fancy arrangement moved air, mixed with nauseating exhaust from the vehicle in front of us, continuously. By rolling down the two windows, we had our basic air-cooling system. With more to learn, we watched our driver take two separate canisters and pour them into the tank. He grabbed the roof and vigorously rocked the car back and forth. The light came on in our minds, he mixed oil and gas. I started to laugh and realized my husband was laughing, and so was the driver. 

When our guide offered, “Who would like to drive a Trabi?” I paused and glanced at my husband, then reasoned why not and said “I will”. A few instructions were needed then off Janos and I went with me bravely gripping the old steering wheel white-knuckled. I drove fine on those roads barely wide enough for 1 ½ automobile until I slowed to a crawl for the upcoming hill in dread of someone barreling over the top toward me. Slow is not an option unless you want to start rolling backward. Janos pleaded with me, “gas, gas, gas”, as he pushed on my knee. I finally figured it out and up we zipped. 

Fumbling with the stick shift and slowing as I approached my parking space, I glanced down to get in the right gear. When I looked up again, two tourists had walked directly into my path. Before I realized what I was saying I yelled, “Woman driver, move, move, move!”. Thankfully, they jumped back. My cheeks got rosy, and I was mortified by what I said. Despite my embarrassment, everything turned out OK. I finished pulling in and returned the driver’s cap to Janos. However, I swear his gray hair had turned a lighter shade, bless this dear man.

21 Hungarian Kitchen For Foodies     

After all the driving excitement, we had worked up an appetite and headed to 21 Hungarian Kitchen for epicurean dining. Sitting down with precious new friends from our Viking cruise at a quaint outdoor café table for four, our waiter Akko greeted us. The sparkling white wine and seasonal veggies with a dip that he delivered to our table made us feel pampered. Especially as we looked around and noticed no one else received these complimentary items. Whatever the reason, Akko’s generosity enriched our magical evening as the mellow amber sun bowed behind the neighboring baroque residences and the bistro piano player filled the atmosphere with classical tunes. 

A local recommended we try the famous Bohr’s wine. While perusing the menu, we saw it was the featured house wine that evening. The characteristics of this wine came across as fuller-bodied with dark jammy forest fruits and tannins like a Cabernet Sauvignon, pairing perfectly with dinner. Legend, we learned, asserted that the Turks saw the Hungarian army drinking copious amounts of something red. Seeing the Hungarian bloodshot eyes, red-stained beards, and fiery temperaments, the Turkish soldiers rushed back to their captain and were adamant about leaving the opposing army alone because they had been drinking the blood of a bull!

Following our history lesson, our next course consisted of chilled watermelon gazpacho topped with a marinated cherry tomato. This combination was unusual to us and we wondered if we could recreate it at home. Taking a sip revealed a rich, tangy, and complex blend of garden-fresh ingredients which must have come from the local farmer’s market. By now, our taste buds believed they had entered heaven, even before the arrival of our exquisite main course of roasted stuffed duck breast laying atop chilled butternut squash pottage enhanced with fresh dill. Again, a new blend for us. The chef knew how to take Hungarian cuisine from the “good old days” and give it an innovative update. 

Relaxing after dinner, sipping on our delicious Bohr’s wine, Akko shared his aspiration to visit the U.S.A. When we tipped him, he grinned and said, “I save all my cash tips in a jar at home, and thank you for contributing to my dream to visit the United States.”

Enchanting Budapest At Night  

On our final post-cruise evening, we dined at the classic Hungarian Pest-Buda Bistro in the middle of the Castle Hill district packed with historic sites and famous for its superb vistas. We also chose this location to experience the oldest hotel in Hungary since 1696, which underwent restaurant and hotel renovations in 2016. Our Maître d’ pulled us aside, “might I recommend a stroll to the most romantic spot this evening in Budapest, the nearby terraces of the Fisherman’s Bastion? Under the well-lit, balmy evening, you will have panoramic views of the river and city.” Heeding his suggestion, we strolled hand in hand under the shimmering moon. Like a dreamy nighttime movie set, glowing lights highlighted both the turreted fortress inspired by early medieval times in the Neo-Romanesque style and the later medieval Neo-Gothic design of the Matthias Church. Meanwhile, the caress of sweet strains from a local violinist playing in the shadowed courtyard swirled around us.

 Suddenly the sky cracked open with a few plinking splatters. Quickening our pace, we dashed up the ancient steps to hide under one of the crafted stone turrets, before we got drenched. The turret became our giant umbrella, as the rain began pelting down and looked like a waterfall pouring over the stone arches. The sounds of the cloudburst soon muted the chatter around us. Magic like this happens when it is least expected. We stood mesmerized, overlooking the expanse of Budapest, as we soaked in the scenes of the inky winding Danube River, the immense Parliament Building lit in splendor, the collection of colorful bridges, and a city bursting with twinkling lights in the background. The real meaning of travel comes in these unexpected moments.

“Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else.” – Lawrence Block

Pamela Lovegren’s expertise flows from building her own successful business to guiding small and mid-size companies. Her experience ranges from resort management, leadership conferences, property management, and business consulting to extensive traveling and travel editor of Well-Traveled Pen. Pamela enjoys celebrating and encouraging women of 50+ who desire to live life with spirit and passion each day.

LivingBetter50 is a magazine for women over 50, offering an over 50 magazine free download for women with spirit!