Lover of Wine – Travel along on our adventures – DAVID & JANEEN

Day 6 of our Mystery Cruise and we are sailing along the Danube heading towards Durnstein for a quick visit.  However, along the way, Rik, the Cruise Director, provided some commentary about the views we were seeing along the way.  The Danube has been a major means of travel for centuries and many of the castles were built to safeguard the local area from invading forces as well as to collect a ‘tax’ to pass along the river.  Once a castle had been erected, a heavy rope or chain would be strung across the river preventing boats from getting past.  In order to continue on their journey, the boat would have to pay for the privilege of continuing along the way.  There could be tributes paid every few miles depending on who was occupying the surrounding land.  

One very significant castle is Marchwardus de Schoenbuchele.  Standing at the edge of a cliff just to the north east of Melk is a gorgeous 12th century castle (known locally as “Keeper of the Wachau”) sitting just a stone’s throw from the waters of the Danube. It’s origins stem from Marchwardus de Schoenbuchele, who wanted to create a defensive fortress overlooking the river and keep an eye on those who used its waters. As the castle has been renovated and renewed over the years, it stands proudly in full view for you to see as you cruise past on the river.

While the Marchwardus de Schoenbuchele is being maintained, others like Aggstein Castle. The ruins of Aggstein castle stand as a monument to the various conflicts both big and small which took places within the stretch of the Danube.  Aggestein Castle changed hands numerous times since it was first constructed at the start of the 12th century, but only certain parts of the castle now remain standing to be seen. In its hay-day, the castle acted as an almost unassailable stronghold with a key strategic position over the region. Legend has it that he used an iron chain stretched across the Danube to commandeer ships who used the river as part of the trade route and repurpose them for his own use.  

The ruins viewed from the River really make you wonder how it was built given its location at the top of a mountain with a cliff on one side.  

As we approached Durnstein, the ruins of Dürnstein Castle can be seen atop the hills overlooking the river. The castle was originally built in the 12th century its most famous for its relevance to the legend of Richard the Lionheart. It is said that when Richard the Lionheart returned from the Third Crusade, he refused to share the spoils of war with Duke Leopold V of Austria, and so was imprisoned by Leopold within the walls of Dürnstein Castle between 1192 and 1193. 

In addition to the castles, there a vineyards planted along the hillside.  The wines along this section of the Danube aren’t the world class wines from other areas but still quite pleasant to drink – a sampling of several wines was held for later in the evening, after our tour of Dürnstein.

Dürnstein is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area. The town gained its name from the medieval Dürnstein castle, which overlooked it. The castle’s name derived from the German duerr/dürr, meaning “dry”, and Stein, “stone”. The castle was dry because it was on a rocky hill, high above the damp conditions of the Danube at the base of the hill, and it was built of stone. The modern town stands between the castle and the river.

After docking, and having another wonderful lunch, we joined our group and headed out for a walking tour of the town.  It is very clear this is a tourist stop.  Virtually all the shops along the one (yes, one and it doesn’t have a name as it’s the only street in town) street sell trinkets, fridge magnets, local wine and apricot preserves.  Seems there are something like 100,000 apricot trees locally resulting in a huge production of various things using the fruit.  It is interesting that the harvest of the fruit only happens once the fruit has dropped from the tree – no actual picking is done, just picking up the fruit from the soft bed of leaves that are left on the ground.  We walked through the town and went into a large building for a tasting.  Interesting juice but the jam was wonderful (resulting in bring 2 jars back with us!).

Back on board the boat, there as a tasting of local wines and treats in the lounge and after dinner a 70’s party!  Lots of funny costumes for sure.

It was a nice day with lots more to come over the next few days.

#ExploreUniWorld 

Day 5 of our Mystery Cruise found us in the small city of Grein.  

Grein, which is derived from the word “grine” meaning “whining”, “moaning” or “orying”, was first mentioned in records of 1147. The “whining” refers to sailors who had to pass the whirls (rapids) in the river of Grein and were in fear of their lives. For centuries the guides of Grein have led ships and rafts through the dangerous crossings. This defined the identity of the place and ensured its prosperity. In 1215 it was described as a market place and in 1491 Grein was raised to the status of a town by Emperor Friedrich II. By the middle of the 18th century Grein experienced a time of economic prosperity. In the time of summer resorts around 1900 the town experienced a new upturn and became a magnet for guests who longed for relaxation in the charming Danube Region of Grein.

We did a short walking tour through the City, not much really to see, but enjoyable.  

We popped into the local Church for a quick visit and then off to the oldest theatre in all of Austria.

Further there is the oldest theatre in all of Austria located in the city and built by the unknown statue above.

The theatre in Grein is the oldest town theatre of Austria and was installed in the vacant granary of the old town hall in 1791. Since the stage was established, it had a lively theatre tradition. The oldest preserved playbill is from 1793 with “baker master Kasper!” in the leading role. From the beginning professional groups appeared on stage next to the theatre loving inhabitants of Grein (amateurs).

And during the 19th century next to the usual travelling theater also large ensembles from Vienna and Germany performed. In the 1920s the town theatre was threatened by the idea of a cinema.  Since 1992 there exists once and today the renovated theatre is open all year to professional ensembles and amateur groups.

Martin, our tour guide, is a schoolteacher, and recommended the book, Danubia, as a history of the area.

When we got back to the boat, we had the chance to learn how to yodel! It was an fun experience for those who participated – we didn’t.

After dinner, we climbed aboard the busses for a quick trip back in history.  It was our evening with the Count.  As we approached the Castle, it was clear this place had been around for a while.  It seems the earliest written records mentioning the castle date back to 1149. In those days it was a massive fortress with two towers each measuring over 40 meters high. These impressive structures are in fact still part of the castle’s present-day form. 

With powers shifting rampantly and constant political intrigues, it was common practice in the Middle Ages for the ownership of castles to change frequently.  These transitions naturally inspired new phases of construction. However, when the forefathers of the Counts of Clam finally arrived and took over in 1454, they brought more stability to the castle and the surrounding lands.

During the 30 year-war the Clam family had their own private army to defend the castle. In these times of turmoil and revolts Clam village also suffered a lot and was burned down several times. Clam Castle was besieged many times but no hostile troops ever managed to capture the castle. However, in the mid 17th century when the war was over, the castle was in a very bad condition.

Under the regency of Johann Gottfried of Clam it was possible to renovate the entire castle. He started to transform the functional fortress into a comfortable castle as we see it today. He also built a church, a hospital and water pipes for the citizens of the village.

In the 18th century the wings housing the administration, the coaches and the horse stables were built. Today these wings form the outer yard.  Fortunately Clam castle also survived both world wars unharmed. Only the nuclear shelter, built in one of the castle’s cellars, is a reminder of the 20th century.

Besides the Castle the estate includes several farmhouses, a riding school, a hydropower plant, farmland and forests.

Follow in the footsteps of the ancestors and gain better insight into life in a medieval castle as you learn about the history of the Counts of Clam who have been living here for over 550 years.   The highlight of the tour had to be meeting the current Count of Clam – the 17^th generation of the family to hold passion of the place.

Educated in Vienna, he spent time working for a hydro-electric firm based in the US before returning to take his place at the helm of the Castle.  

Since taking over, the Castle has continued to be improved, opened for tours and provides a venue for music concerts on the grounds.  

It was a memorable time for sure and one that would not have happened without the help of Barbara who put all the special events together for this Mystery Cruise.

#ExploreUniWorld

Sunday morning, we said goodbye to the lovely resort in the mountains and headed to Passau along the Danube River.  Of course, this required a couch ride of several hours but at least this time the coach was not as crowded so we had room to spread out.  

We arrived and got settled into our rooms on the S.S. Maria Theresa – a beautiful ship with lots of mirrors.  Our Cabin, #319, was beautifully appointed and had enough room for our luggage, a largish bathroom and a couple of chairs.

The afternoon was spent getting organized and understanding the Ship.  Prior to dinner, there was a safety briefing and information for the coming day.  One of the guests on board is the CEO of UniWorld ,Ellen Bettridge.  She, along with our Cruise director Rik, did the big ‘reveal’ for the following days adventure.  

A trip to the St. Florian Monastery.  Saint Florian is the patron saint of firefighters.  Legend says that during his life Saint Florian put out a massive fire with only one bucket of water, saving a village from ruin.

The monastery, named after Saint Florian, was founded in the Carolingian period. Since 1071 it has housed a community of Augustinian Canons, and is thus is one of the oldest operational monasteries in the world following the Rule of St. Augustine.

Between 1686 and 1708 the monastery complex was reconstructed in Baroque style. 

During our visit to the Monastery of St. Florian, we had the opportunityto hear the “Bruckner organ” – one of the most famous church organs in the world. The organ was crafted between 1770 and 1774 by the priest and organ builder Franz Xaver Krismann from Slovenia. After several renovations and enlargements, the organ features 103 organ stops (timbres) and 7.386 pipes today.

It commemorates the great Austrian composer Anton Buckner (1824-1896), whose name it has been bearing since 1930. Buckner started out as a choirboy in the monastery of St. Florian and worked there as a teacher and organist from 1845 until 1855. In his later years, he spent his summers in St. Florian and played the organ on festive occasions. He is buried in the crypt right underneath the organ, as he desired.

Attached to the Church are two very important areas – a Library and the Marble Room.  It houses a very large library holding about 130,000 items including many manuscripts. The gallery contains numerous works of the 16th and 17th centuries, but also some late medieval works of the Danube School.   

The other major area was the Marble Room. This very large ball room was beautiful with LOTS of marble and a lovely painted ceiling.

After our tour of the church, we went to taste several different apple wines (or liquors).    It was interesting to smell and taste the three or four different samples they provided.  Not something I will be adding to my cellar anytime soon however. 

Back on the ship, and prior to dinner, we had our big ‘reveal’ for the following day.  A visit to a Castle and a chance to meet the count.

In May of 2021, we received an email about a Mystery River Cruise being offered by UniWorld.  The only information we had to make a decision were the actual dates of the cruise – September 22 through October 2^nd.  Nothing else was offered – no ports, no actual river, no specific boat.  Regardless we signed up.  Over the intervening months we didn’t learn anything else.  About a month before it actually started, we started receiving “clues” about what to expect and we learned the name of the ship, Maria Theresa, and the starting and ending ports – Passau and Budapest.  

It’s Mystery Cruise

Clue #1
Starting in a hotel, just for you

Clue #2
Then board a cruise fit for a count
For festivities in great amount

Clue #3
Such pretty figures decked in gold
And equine stories to be told 

These didn’t provide much to say the least – beyond we would be traveling on the Danube River.

We arrived at the Munich Airport, as instructed, to meet up with the UniWorld representative and be taken to our hotel.  Our arrival was set for 9:30 AM and we had flown in the night before from Paris and stayed at a local hotel.  According to our taxi driver, it was Octoberfest Weekend and the center of Munich was a mess so we were not really looking forward to being there.  

Fortunately, we didn’t head to Munich center but on a motor couch for almost 4 hours.

Along the way, I finally figured out where we were going – a resort in Austria called Hotel Übergossene Alm – Clue #1 “Starting in a hotel, just for you”

The resort, truly a lovely location at the foot of the Hochkönig mountain range and a four-star superior Hotel Übergossene Alm. Tradition and modernity, sustainability and vision, all of this is not a contradiction in the Übergossene Alm but an incentive. For two generations, the Burgschwaiger family has personally welcomed their guests here in Dienten at 1,250 meters above sea level in the Salzburg region.  There were pools, a massive spa, various playgrounds for young and old and so many amenities we really didn’t have time or energy to check them out.

After arriving at the Hotel, we settled into our room and relaxed.  

By late afternoon, all three bus-loads of guests had arrived and an introduction session was held.  Still everything was a mystery so any information would appreciated.  At the afternoon session, we got the introductions and welcome and more information but only very limited for sure.  

When it finally came time for the ‘big reveal’, all we learned was the name Mozart.  Seems we were going to the town of his birth – Salzburg.  Unfortunately, that meant another couch ride of about 90 minutes but at least there was a know destination provided.

The following morning, after a nice breakfast, we again boarded our buses and headed to Salzburg. Fortunately, as everyone had now arrived there was a LOT more room on the bus so much more comfortable.

The fourth largest city in Austria, Salzburg is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations alongside Vienna. With spectacular Alpine landscapes, enchanting culture and a location just next to the German border, Salzburg makes for the perfect day trip from Munich.  Salzburg got its name because of the salt mines around the city. In past, Salzburg lived at the expense of salt extraction. In German “Salz” means “salt” and “Burg” castle.

It’s been 200 years or so since he lived here, but Mozart is still very much Salzburg’s favorite son. During our walking tour, we passed by the composer’s residence and birthplace and continued to explore the Old City, taking in the baroque architecture. Of course, the most popular music, at least to our guide, was more the Sound of Music.  Yes, the Von Trapps lived in the area and the musical was partly filmed in Salzburg but after a while, all the Sound of Music references do get a bit old.

If your musical tastes run more “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” than “Requiem in D Minor,” catch one of the many Sound of Music tours and follow in the footsteps of the Von Trapps.  Our visit coincided with Saint Rupert’s Day.

Saint Rupert’s Day is a regional public holiday in the city of Salzburg and takes place in honor of the patron saint and founder of Salzburg, Saint Rupert. As we were heading to the Museum of Modern Art patio (which has a beautiful overview of the city) we experienced the Church Procession and ringing of the bells.  Fun times, interesting to see the transitions and history of the city being played out before us.

After lunch we had some free time and then headed back to the boat.

After arriving at the Hotel, we had time to relax before heading out for dinner at Tiergarten ALM.  

The Tiergarten ALM is located in an alpine pasture about a 10-minute ride from our hotel. Owned by the same family for a couple of generations, it started off as a farm where locals would stop in for a meal while hiking or skiing in the area.  It has turned into a lovely restaurant with wonderful views and a warm atmosphere for sure.  As we arrived we were met by a tray loads of beer, wine and fresh squeezed lemonade.  

After the drive back to the Hotel, we packed everything up and got ready for our next adventure – Joining up with the Ship SS Maria Theresa