Showing posts with label cruise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cruise. Show all posts

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Danube Reflection - Grein, Austria


WELCOME TO GREIN, AUSTRIA! A small village of about 2,900 people on the Danube River. Grein roughly translates into "shriek" or "scream" in old German. The Danube use to be very treacherous here and the city was named after shipwrecked sailors yelling and their widow's cries. 




Stadttheater Grein. Notice the three dates on the building. 1468 was the year it was constructed as a granery. 1563 is when it became a rathhaus (city hall). 1791 is when it installed a theater. Emperor Josef II encouraged the construction of theaters so the proceeds could be used to fund poor houses. A cause that was really supported by citizens after a major flood. 


Inside Stadttheater Grein, the oldest theater in Austria. Lots of funny and interesting facts about this theater. The first couple of rows had an early form of season ticket holders. To guarantee your seat, you were given a key. When you weren't at the show, you'd fold your seat to the back and lock it so there was no place for a person to sit. 

Shows use to be very, very long. So, there's a small bathroom located stage right for the audience. The only barrier was a small curtain. This meant if an exciting, funny, or climatic scene was about to happen you could peek out the curtain and not miss a thing. "It didn't smell nice near the bathroom, so these seats were cheaper..."

This building also had a small jail that was located stage left. To keep the prisoners entertained, they gnawed a hole in the wall so they could watch from their cell. The audience was very kind to the prisoners bringing them food and drinks during the show. A somewhat selfish gesture though because this was to prevent them from yelling and disrupting the show.

I think this is my favorite theater.

St. Giles Church - Saint Giles was a hermit living in the woods of Septimania and Provence. He foraged for food and drank the milk from a deer. Because of this, St. Giles is the patron saint of lactating mothers.

Looking toward the Danube from Böhmergasse

View of the Wachau Valley from the Grein cemetery.

View of the Danube from the grounds of Schloss Greinburg

View of old town with mist rising of the mountains in the background.

DANCE PARTY ON THE CRUISE!

And yes, Marianne is to the far left dancing with her tiny hands... YEAH!!!

More vacation posts at:
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Sunday, October 16, 2016

Danube Reflection - The Wachau Valley


WELCOME TO THE WACHAU VALLEY! A region known for its high-quality wines and delightful villages. 


Dürnstein was founded in 1019 AD as "Tirnstein," which means "dry stone." 


Dürnstein is a village of 800+ people living on one street between the castle and the river.


Dürnstein is famous for its wine and the place of imprisonment of King Richard I of England (Richard the Lionheart). Apparently, King Richard went to Acre in the Crusades. While there, he took down Leopold V, Duke of Austria's flag and stepped on it. Obviously, this offended Leopold. So, when Richard was returning from the Holy Lands he had to make a detour through Vienna on his way back to England. Knowing he upset Leopold, he dressed as a common soldier while in the city. But, he was recognized in a bar because he wore a fancy ring. Richard was arrested and shipped down to Dürnstein Castle for his imprisonment. Of course, he was held for a King's Ransom (about 100,000 pounds of silver).


Interesting mural in a pediment.


Stift Dürnstein (Abbey Church of Durnstein) - Constructed in 1410, this was a monastery for monks until 1788. Emperor Joseph II required monasteries to provide schools in exchange for the privilege of having these institutions. The monks refused, were kicked out, and part of it is a school today for 18 local students.


How's this for a grand entrance?


Another grand entrance with the tower in the background.


The Baroque Alter inside the church.


Sankt Quirin (?) Church, which we passed on our bike ride to Krems and back.


Vineyard grapes working hard to become Riesling or Grüner Veltliner wines.


The Wachau Valley has the perfect micro-climate for making dry wines.


Dick biking by one of the many fine wineries.


Vineyards and churches everywhere!


ACHTUNG KINDER!
1) What kind of mischief is this kid up to?
2) Who did a caricature of me as a kid and turned it into a sign?


Wine Tasting in Weissenkirchen


Inez and Marianne with their big glasses of wine.

More vacation blog posts at:
Vienna, Austria - http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2016/10/danube-reflection-vienna-austria.html 

Bratislava, Slovakia - http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2016/10/danube-reflection-bratislava-
slovakia.html

Grein, Austria - http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2016/10/danube-reflection-grein-austria.html

 Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic/Linz, Austria -
 http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2016/10/danube-reflection-cesky-krumlov-czech.html

Passau, Germany - http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2016/10/danube-reflection-passau-germany.html

Regenburg, Germany - http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2016/10/danube-reflection-regensburg-germany.html

Prague, Czech Republic - http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2016/10/danube-reflection-prague-czech-republic.html
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Saturday, October 15, 2016

Danube Reflection - Bratislava, Slovakia


WELCOME TO BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA! The capital of Slovakia on the Danube River.




Slovenská filharmónia (Slovakia Philharmonic) Building. The European Union (EU) just wrapped up a summit here right before we arrived. That's why there's all the barriers.




Slovenské národné divadlo (Slovak National Theatre) - Constructed in 1885-86 for the opera and ballet.




Morový stĺp (Holy Trinity Column) - You guessed it, the Plague came here too and a lot of people died. So, this is a "thank you" from those that survived.

Pavol Hviezdoslavovo overlooking Hviezdoslavovo námestie (Square) - He was a poet and a member of the Czechoslovakian Parliament.

Katedrála svätého Martina (St. Martin's Cathedral) - This was the coronation church for Hungary from the 1500s-1800s.

View down Panská Street



Lekáreň u Salvátora (Pharmacy Salvator) - Constructed in 1904 and a great example of Neo-Renaissance architecture.

View of Michalska brana (Michael's Gate) looking down Michalska Street. Built sometime around 1300 and it's the last surviving gate from that fortification.


Romantic little street leading up to the castle

Hlavné námestie (Main Square) looking toward Old Town Hall

Inside the courtyard of Stará radnica (Old Town Hall)

Marianne with the Pig Knighty of Bratislava

View overlooking the Danube from the Castle. To the left, you'll see the Nový most (New Bridge) that appears to have a UFO on it. Appropriately enough, it house's a restaurant called UFO.

View of the Danube River from Bratislava Castle's fortification wall.

Megan and I

Dick, Megan, and I

Old Town Bratislava from Bratislava Castle

"Oh, Bratislava is so beautiful!"

Wandering the lanes of Bratislava

Large section of the old city walls that was built in the 1200s

Glass flower sculpture in pediment of building on Gorkého street.

The most famous man in Bratislava: Cumil the Sewer Worker.

Megan finally found a bagel to fulfill her hunger at Bagel and Coffee Story

Kostol trinitárov (Trinity Church) - We peeked in just long enough to take this shot. The original church on this site was destroy in the Ottoman War in 1529. This church was it's replacement starting in 1717-27. Everything above the round windows is flat and painted (trompe-l'œil fresco)

Disko cookies and Erdinger Dunkel Beer for people watching in the main square. When we travel, Megan and I like to get some snacks and hang out in a public gathering place. It's pretty entertaining and we meet some interesting people.

More vacation posts at:
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