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Published: June 13th 2018
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Blue tower
Dürstein, Austria When we wake up, we are in Dürstein, a small town (population 900) on the west bank of the Danube.
I opt to make a solo trek into Dürstein. It's only about a 10-minute walk along the river. Dürstein is almost ridiculously picturesque. The first thing you notice is the Blue Tower, part of a modest but beautiful little church. But Dürstein is a bit like a game of Myst. How do you get from the path along the river into the town? All you see are walls. Oh, there's a ramp that leads to a small archway that grants you access. Now which way? Wandering around I find a lovely abbey, then backtrack to discover a small palace that is now a 5-star hotel. As in any game, there has to be a goal, and in my case the goal is to reach the ruins of the 12th century castle that is perched on a cliff high above the town. I have read that this is where England's King Richard the Lion-Hearted was imprisoned on his way back from the crusades. You remember how Robin Hood was waiting for his king to return? This is where he was.
Street maze
Dürstein, Austria I finally find the path that leads up the mountain. It's very uneven; the stairs are either hewn directly in the rock or fashioned of mortared stones. It's another hot day now that the sun has fully risen, and I am soon drenched in sweat. The path winds through dense trees and underbrush. Periodically, a break in the trees gives one a bird-eye's view of the shrinking town and river far below.
After a good 20 minutes of strenuous climbing, I finally make it to the top. Absolutely love the ruins. There's no roof, of course, but several walls and arches are still intact after all this time. A few intrepid others from the ship have made it to the top, but I mostly have the place to myself. I love imagining the stories that these aged walls could tell.
Back to ship in time for for lunch. In the meantime, a group of some 30 passengers has set off by bike to our next destination, Melk. At 2 pm the ship departs for the same destination. Our route now takes us through the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO Heritage Site renowned for its rugged cliffs and precariously perched
villages. One striking feature is the terraced vegetable gardens, which remind us a bit of the terraced rice paddies of China.
We arrive at Melk and reunite with our bicyclists, who have beat us there by about 20 minutes. On the afternoon agenda is an excursion to the Abbey of Melk. Sitting on a promontory 40m above the Danube, this complex was originally a palace that was gifted to the Benedictine monks, who expanded and fortified it. It was extensively rebuilt in its present baroque style in 1746. Today it still belongs to the Benedictine order and also houses a school with 1000 students.
We are bused to the bottom of the hill. A bit of a climb brings us to the abbey's gateway, providing access to the main courtyard. The building is stunningly beautiful from the outside, with yellow and orange walls, ochre red roofs, and towering steeples capped with green metallic spires. Inside, it is sumptuous, with beautifully preserved wall and ceiling frescoes and statuary tucked into every nook and cranny. The library is particularly stunning; rows upon rows of ancient and modern books stretching from floor to ceiling in a rich and elegant setting. With
Castle ruins
Dürstein, Austria over 100,000 volumes, it is no wonder that the abbey is regarded as an important research centre. The other highlight is the chapel, which features a 65m high cupola. Magnificent.
Back on the buses, but we are not returning to the ship just yet. All the tour groups unite at the ruins of the 13-century Aggstein Castle, perched atop a rocky mountain cliff high above the Danube. It's a "sundowner," complete with beer and wine and oom-pah music from an accordion/guitar duo. This is quite a large castle, and I very much enjoy exploring the ruins. At one point in history, the castle was the base of operations for a gang of robber barons, who demanded compensation for safe passage and who were liable to kidnap nobles for ransom. Today the ruins are being reconstructed and turned into a tourist attraction.
We return to the ship for supper. It has been another very full day.
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