Wachau Valley

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Geo: 48.2271, 15.3296

We are staying in the small town of Emmersdorf, which is directly opposite the town of Melk, which has the world famous Melk Abbey as it's key attraction. From our balcony, we have a clear view of the Abbey. Melk Abbey financed it's complete renovation in 1997 through sale of it's original Gutenburg Bible to Harvard University.

Last night we drove to a small Austrian town in the hills and had authentic Austrian cuisine. We were literally the only people in the restaurant who could speak any English.

Today we caught the Schiff (Ship) from Emmersdorf to Krems down the Danube River, a distance of some forty kilometres down the Wachau Valley. The Wachau is the section of the river where all of the River Cruise scenes of lofty disused castles are taken.

We passed Durnstein Castle where King Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned for insulting the Babenberg Duke, Leopold V by showing disrespect to the Austrian Flag (he had thrown it into a drain). Even though he was travelling in Austria returning from the Holy Lands in disguise (he had grown a beard to escape detection), he was identified in an inn in Erdberg, now a suburb of Vienna. He was finally released after paying a kingly ransom of 35,000 kg of silver, which nearly bankrupted the English at the time.

The Wachau has two significant Abbeys, Melk Abbey and Gottweig Abbey.

We caught the Wiesel Train back from Krems to Emmersdorf. It is an old style train with individual compartments with windows that push down so you can take photos along the Danube river that it winds alongside.

A great day in the beautiful Wachau Valley.

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Photos

Melk Abbey
The view from our balcony.

The Schiff (Ship)
that took us from Emmersdorf to Krems.

Comments

[Liz]

It all looks beautiful! Sounds like you are having fun!!