European River Cruise - Vienna, Austria

Our first tour started with four buses lining up along the dock.  We were divided into four groups each lead by a program director. 

As we headed into Vienna, the first thing we passed was the St, Francis of Assisi Church in Mexikoplatz.  So why was the plaza named for Mexico?  Well Mexico was the only nation to protest when the Nazis overran Austria.

The "U" is the underground transportation network and this is one of the entry points

This is what an ambulance looked like in Vienna

Urania is a public educational institute and observatory

Regierungsgebäude, a building housing government offices

Close up of the decoration on top of the Regierungsgebäude

With the tramways, roadways and pedestrian areas, this all looks chaotic to me.

Statues, statues everywhere.  I didn't hear the location of this one.

The Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna

Statues on top of the parliament building

Votive Church erected by Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian after the attempted assassination of his brother, Emperor Franz Joseph, in 1853 to thank God for saving the Emperor's life

Vienna tram

So we get off the bus tour and start a walking tour of town.  First we go up the stairs and into a narrow alley

Bumpers were put on the buildings to keep the wagons and carts from damaging them.

Here we heard the story of Augustin.  Dear Augustin, Liebe Augustin, had the misfortune of being found on the street, presumed dead, when the plague torn through Vienna in 1679.  He was only drunk.   After spending the night in a pit of dead people, he played his bagpipes until he was rescued.

Now Der Liebe Augustin is the name of a restaurant housed in the building with all the foliage covering it.

Street sign advertising a business

Anyone for some candied rose petals?

Alley we went down that leads to one of the best restaurants for weiner schnitzel

St. Stephen's Cathedral

St. Stephen's Cathedral ornamentation



St. Stephen's Cathedral Romanesque towers were constructed between 1230 and 1245.

Carriage rides around District 1 were available.



We walked on down Graben to The Pestsäule (Plague Column)

This statue was erected on order of the Habsburg emperor Leopold I.  He promised to god to erect a memorial if Vienna was saved from the plaque.

Holy Trinity on top of statue

Notice the statues, top and bottom, of this building at the end of Graben.  Statue on the right side of the photo is in front of the alley leading to St. Peter's Church

St Peter's Church just off Graben

Closer view of the statues

The Michaelertor, the main entrance gate to the Hofburg Palace

SE wing of the Michaelertor

NW wing of the Michaelertor

Dome of the Michaelertor

Roman ruins found in Michaelplatz, which is the plaza in front of the Michaelertor

St Michael's Church on Michaelerplatz

Ornamentation on St Michael's Church

Statues to one side of the Michaelertor

The Loos House's upper stories didn't fit the style the Hapsburg ruler wanted so flower boxes were placed to give the windows "eyebrows".

I sure wanted to ask why they put covers on the horses ears

Talking about horses, our next stop was past the Spanish Riding School where I caught this glimpse of one of the famous Lipizzaner stallions

At least this one didn't seem shy

Josefsplatz displays a statue of Statue of Emperor Joseph II

As different Hapsburg Emperors added onto the Castle, structures like the Castle Chapel were surrounded by other buildings

Entering the Swiss Courtyard of the old Hapsburg Palace circa 13th century

Swiss Gate (Schweizertor) dates from the 13th to 16th century.  That's our Program Director, Randy making sure the group stays together as a local guide leads the group.



My sister modeling a Whisper receiver that let us hear the guide

Imperial Chancellory Wing

Statue of Austrian field marshal, Prince Eugene of Savoy, in front of New Castle

New Castle construction completed  in 1913

Statue of Elisabeth of Austria, Sisi, in Volksgarten.  She was the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph which gave her the additional titles of Empress of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Queen consort of Croatia and Bohemia.  Sisi loved the Voksgarten, the peoples garden more than the Burggarten, the private palace garden

After we returned to the ship, we enjoyed the view out our windows and were even visited by some swans.

Night view of the St. Francis of Assisi Church in Mexikoplatz.

European river cruise - The MS River Adagio

 

After 10 1/2 hours in a plane and a 1/2 hour van trip, my sister, Jolene, and myself finally made it to our home for the next two weeks, the MS River Adagio.  As you can see, sometimes we had to pass through other ships to access ours



The forward Skydeck is where the wheelhouse is located.  The wheelhouse, awning and forward navigation tower can all be lowered to go under low bridges.

Most of the Skydeck is up six more steps.  All railings, awnings and deck furniture must be lowered to go under low bridges.
 

Night shot of the ship in Vienna.  The lit area is the dining room.  We had two of those windows right on the water.

Lower Skydeck with awning and forward navigation arm lowered.

Upper Skydeck with awnings lowered.

Upper Skydeck with everything, including the railings, down.

Ship's lobby - looking forward to lounge with sliding doors on both sides for access to the Skydeck

Lobby - looking aft with stairways leading up and down to rooms, dining room, library and exercise room.
 

Landing one level down from lobby with access to public restrooms, elevator and some rooms.
 

Our room after we were settled in and had made a mess of it.  The beds fold down from each side.

My side

Our restroom with shower (curtain was removed to be cleaned this day) and toilet.  If you've never been to Europe, the box on the wall above the toilet is the flush activator.

Sink was just in front of toilet

Looking back toward our cabin's entry door, you can see the desk and the closet.

Hallway to our room

Lounge in forward section of ship.  Bar is just to the right out of the photo

Dining room set up for lunch service

Better photo of the River Adagio when it was docked at Rudesheim



Docked at Rudesheim, Germany

Huron Lightship and the St. Clair River at Port Huron, MI

I sure thought a lightship would be bigger.

The Blue Water bridge spans the St Clair River between Ontario and Michigan.

Saw quite a few of these "trolley" buses running around town.

Looks like traffic going into Canada was backed up.  It was backed up miles into Michigan by the time we left town.

The US Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock.  Sure wished I knew how it got that name.  The forward boom has "Sentinel of the Inland Seas" written across it.

 

 


Click to read the top part.  This river is speedy!

Here comes a freighter!

Going under the bridges

They're all watching to see how close we will get.  As long as we stayed on the other side of the walkway, they would stay.

Here comes another freighter!

It sure seemed like the "little" 50' yacht was close to the freighter.

Oh this is much bigger than the previous freighter.  Someone else watching the freighters go by told us this was is 1000' long.

Two guys were siting in swinging chairs on the back balconies.

The nice walkway along the river.

There were places where you had your choice of two different levels of sidewalks.