October 16, 2015

October 16, 2015

                    

This morning was spent in Bratislava, Slovakia. At 12 C, with a light drizzle, we took our umbrellas on the walking tour. 

On our way to breakfast, we picked up our excursion number and guest pass. We sat with our dinner companions from Toronto and a couple from Florida for breakfast. 

The groups were off on their Bratislava bus and walking tour by 8:30, everyone wishing that they could have slept in this morning.  There was an optional tour where the passengers visited a typical Slovakian home, to see the traditional and modern daily life in Slovakia. Our guide, Eva, gave a commentary as the bus passed buildings. She mentioned that in and around the city there are automobile assembly factories for Volkswagon, Citroen and Kia. She pointed out some of the embassies. Near where the ship is docked is a 1972 cable bridge with a circular restaurant on top. Bratislava was the temporary Hungarian Empire capital for 250 years.  We passed St. Martin’s Cathedral which was completed in 1452 and was the site of the coronation of 19 Hapsburg rules, including Maria Theresa in 1741.  On our climb to Castle Hill, we passed the Slovakian Parliament building. There was first a wooden fortress on the hill, but it burned in 907 when the Mongul Tartars invaded.  In the 13^th century the fortress was rebuilt, only one tower remains from it, and again in the 15^th century. When Maria Theresa’s favourite daughter, Maria Christina, married she ordered a renovation. Maria Christina was the only one of Maria Theresa’s children to marry for love and the couple lived in Bratislava Castle. A quick look around and it was back to the bus for the walking tour of the old town. The Slovakian Parliament building was across the street from Bratislava Castle. The walled city, in the past, had been surrounded by a wet moat. You could see the pulleys used for the drawbridge mechanism.  We entered through St. Michael’s gate, which is part of a double gate protection system. The streets are a pedestrian area now and narrow, lined with shops and cafés.  We passed the Town Hall with its Watch Tower and came to the main square of the old city where there stood a statue of Emperor Maximilion whose coronation was in 1563.  The people lit fireworks to celebrate and sparks started a fire. Emperor Maximilion later financed the building of a fountain in the square, so that firefighting would be easier than going down to the river for water.  There is a mixture of architectural styles, including a yellow house of Art Nouveau style.  We arrived at the site where the gate closest to the river used to be and our tour ended with instructions of how to walk the 5 or 6 minute stroll back to the ship.  There was 75 minutes of free time to explore, but the drizzle had turned into a light rain.  With our umbrellas open we walked along a parkway between two streets for several blocks just to get a longer walk before returning to the ship.      Steps 4,217

The ship left Bratislava at noon, in a gentle rain, on the way to Budapest, Hungary.  The afternoon was spent on the Danube.  After lunch, and with no rain, there was an opportunity to go to the navigation wheelhouse and step inside it.   The timing was great since during the hour we passed through a lock, that lowered the ship 45 meters, and the Viking Legend shared the lock space beside us, to the level of the Danube on the other side of a hydroelectric dam.  This is the last lock/dam of the trip.  We took the opportunity to walk some laps on the walking track.

Later in the afternoon there was Austrian Tea and a live demonstration of making Apple Strudel.

Before dinner, at least one person from each cabin was asked to attend the 5 o’clock meeting for the instructions for disembarking and settling bills on Sunday. 

Then there was Captain Mikola Uzlyuk’s Farewell Cocktail Party toast. The bar staff served champagne and champagne mixtures.  One of the passengers gave a toast to the crew. Next, Claus gave the details for tomorrow’s itinerary which starts at 8:15 a.m., our earliest start of the trip.

Tonight’s Farewell dinner had a special menu, partly set items. As usual, wine and beer were served, and we had a two bite sampler of vegetable sushi, the appetizer was either Salmon tartar or tandoori chicken & parmesan foam, followed by white asparagus soup with a prosciutto wrapped breadstick.   Then a pumpkin mousse ravioli with lamb leading to the entrée of either beef wellington and sautéed vegetables or pan fried prawns and potato soufflé. Then for dessert, it was dark valrhona chocolate tart and coffee or tea and some dark chocolate candies.  We all got to keep the specially printed menus.

When we returned to the cabin, the trip questionnaire was waiting – 4 pages for the main voyage and 2 pages for the shore excursions.  Plus there were the baggage tags and departure times for the different flights.

Having fought a cold all day I called it a night, Larry waited for the nighttime entry into Budapest with all the lights showing off some important buildings.

Final steps total = 8,062 just over 7 km.