Monday 9th August

 

09/08/04 - Day 37

As our exploration of Austria continues my plans begin to crystalise for my eventual (and dove'details!) return. So the train to Krems was not the stuff of travel writing, but a 20 minute walk brought us to the key side of the Danube where our ship awaited us. Krems to Melk is "the" picturesque stretch of the Danube" and doing it in this direction means we get an extra 2 hours of it.

The weather was perfect - scorching hot sun tempered by the cool breeze of the boat's motion. We motored at a compulsively relaxing rate, stretched out on the top deck watching the towns, castles, Abbies and mountains slide past. Despite seeming to attract the noisy Germans and despite the guide tape being given in no less than 6 languages, and despite a fair smattering of photo posers, we had a most beautiful voyagge which rates as one of the top moments so far.

As for the scenery, I shall leave it to Heather to get excited, as there were a number of grisis and greater expections on her part. I felt that while it was lovely and more than I expected Austria had to offer, I have seen it before.

But back to my formulating: they are big big big on bike tours here. So my return to Vienna will become a bike tour from Vienna to Salzburg, followed by a complete circuit of the Innerseg, Austria's premiere walking trail: a huge route taking in the entire Austrian mountain ranges and lakes. This latter addition to the plan came from homorous Shirenivyans. Parky from & just seeing the size of it, partly from the photos, largely from seeing the scenery & itself, and really from my disappointment and annoyance at not being able to enjoy it fully this time.

But back to today.

I was surprised by Salzburg. I think I had been led it was a big city, but I was kind of expecting a (post-Cesky, st a Melk. We got (Heather) decided that whatever the map side may say, it wasn't that gar to walk, so an hour later we arrived at thehostel having & had a useful whistle-stop tour of town. This hostel is a classic school trip establishment where they charge you hostel prices justified by small, personal, friendly hostels, but completely unjustified by the huge, impersonal, production line standards they employ. ( POI - my opinious was considerably altered the following morning!)

We headed into town to find some food, and instead found ridiculously expensive prices at every restaurant - so Heather settled for a German hot dog and chips and we ate in Dan Platz listening to Artek Mozart, being played as people gathered for the evening's festival performance broadcast as free on the outdoor screen.

The highlight of the evening was the beer in front of the Sound of Music at the hostel.

Leaving Vienna was very sad but it was time to head in search of fresh air and greenness. The Ferry was quite fantastic as we passed Durnstein with a well cool castle, Stein, Wolfenkirchen (wine growing regions), churches and ended in Melk picking an abby on the way in and arriving under the dominating benedictine monastery, which happens to be featured in the hook I'm reading and shall be studying next term (Lucky lucy bogan core...). The halls seemed to have been painted in green as the rooms were so picture perfect. Lots of speed boats passed us and we passed swimmers, sunbathers and fishermen. We picked a spot by & the Danube to take a trip down and it was well worth it. (I'm liking the linking along the Danube idea, as long as my bags are carried for me...). So the Ferry Ride was second on the list of sights that when I close my eyes I will remember for a very long time (after Arnachitove). Tram drivers in Melk seem to think that the train station is only there for decoration and park the tram about 20 metres passed it, home our confusion and the have jentkilling time in Melk, which is a very pretty town, by the way. I like the little towns in this region, because as we reflected on life, we discovered that England has one (like this) with each town having a bakery, a chemist, a butchers, etc and now, sadly due to Tesco's (whom we love) our towns have become villages with nothing but houses. This is why I like the little towns on Austria - a great sense of community and on a biking tour I would come include lots around the towns. Only one problem - we haven't found a hostel which is there for the residents and not for the tourists. Hence everything was been really expensive and very touristy. We arrived in Salzburg, which was very really going to compare after Vienna. Its nice in the middle with the kongeler and Mosaertplatz but the shops are ridiculously expensive, as are the cafes and restaurants. The only kind of tourism you could participate in was take & a full-blown all day tour for about €30 a shot which isn't what we wanted and confirmed my suspicions that Salzburg isn't for backpackers but for middle aged - retirement aged couple (ooing away at years to spend their hard-earned cash out for School trips where each day is like a package tour holiday. This was my thought on arrival at a's hotel, which had "familienximmer" and single-sexed dorms. There were groups of teenagers and groups. We managed to be in the same room (lager) and the first night there was only 5 in an 8 bed dorm. D the accommodation was fine from that point of view. The staff weren't terribly helpful as they seemed only to know which time tours left and nothing about the attractions if you wanted togo on your own. Like entrance prices, a-prime example. The bear infront of the Sound of classic got me through it.