Salzburg Wednesday 10 September

Rained during the evening, and this morning in Passau, we are berthed next to a Viking boat and sandwiched between a third one so getting ashore means crossing through other vessels. We actually arrived in Passau early quite deliberately to make sure the water level wasn't too low under a railway bridge, otherwise we would scrape the bottom, but crisis averted and we got through nicely. Forgot to mention from yesterday that as the boat was celebrating all things Bavarian, we were all issued with a little card offering 3 free drinks during the day. We already have drinks included for lunch and dinner so Julie and I hadn't used our vouchers until the pre dinner briefing where we both had a glass of wine. Julie went back to the cabin instead of going to dinner but we both were in the lounge for the entertainment after dinner. We both had another wine but didn't want any more so went and got our 2 free remaining glasses with the intent of taking them back to the cabin to drink the next day. Lo and behold, as people were leaving the lounge, some people gave us their unused vouchers so we went and got more drinks. End result we had 4 glasses of white wine to take back to the cabin. as one of the glasses was large I poured another glass into it and the remaining 3 glasses ended up in our cabin fridge without a drop being spilt.

Cloudy morning in Passau.

After breakfast we board our coach which is headed to Salzburg for the day. The other optional tour is to Czesky Crumlov. I went there last time and loved it so time to try the Sound of Music for and see if I like it too. Our guide tells us we have about and hour and a half drive, but even on the autobahns there is a lot of road works so it takes over 2 hours. So we are now in Austria and from the moment we get out of the coach, there is a light drizzle, the first rain we have experienced whilst touring. Very pretty countryside so the hills really are alive.

Our first stop is through the Gardens which are beautiful. I know that I have seen the Sound of Music movie when I was in promary school and may have seen it as an adult, but I'm clearly not a devotee like some, as the guide is now telling us about all the parts of the garden where specific scenes were shot. This continues throughout the tour but you will have to work out for yourself if any of the photos look familiar from the movie.

Wandering through the city there are some lovely buidings but the rain has now set in so I'm not seeing the city at its best. Mozart has prominence in buildings, and we even see where Doppler lived. The castle on the hill looks great but we aren't going to have enough time to go up on the funicular to explore it. Crossing the bridge to the old city provides more lovely views.

The cathedral charges 5 Eoros to enter. Apparently it was the inside of the church used for the actual wedding scene. There is a festival coming up so tents and structures didn't allow for good photos.

Our guided tour is now over so we have some free time and head off in search of somewhere for lunch. Most of the cafes are full but I spy a sign for an Irish pub and so we head downstairs to a delighting little pub where we share a pizza. Julie enjoys her Guiness and I'm very happy with my Jamesons.

We then do some window shopping and sight seeing of our own until it is time to meet our group to get back to the coaches where we will then head to Mondsee to see the church that was the front was used in the movie. Apparently it didn't have enough gold inside so the cathedral in Salzburg was used for the wedding ceremony.

It's a wet drive to Mondsee so no chance of photos asking the way. The church is quite lovely and as we go in, a person has started singing Ave Maria. It was absolutely jaw dropping.

A pretty little village but time to get back on the coaches for our 90 minute trip to the coach which took us to Linz where our boat was now berthed.

Dinner was extra good. nicoise salad with Tuna spring roll to start, clear onion soup next, followed by roast lamb and then crepes Suzette. Waddled back to the cabin for bed.