Our own Bohemian Rhapsody on the road to Passau

Sometimes I feel like somebody's watching me

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After finding a safe parking spot in an underground garage we immediately found our way to an open air bar at the Passau Rathaus. Looming high over us seemed to be an immense castle. The Fortress Veste Oberhaus was built in 1219 by Passau's Prince-Bishops in order to control commerce coming down the three rivers of Passau.

We would be seeing a lot of the fortress during our Passau visit

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Small wonder a castle was built on this site. Wherever you walked in the town you could look up and see the walls of the Veste Oberhaus. Woe betide he that fareth down yon river without paying the tide due the Prince-bishop.

A new and improved Löwenbräu

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In Passau's Rathaus they weren't serving that Americanized version of Löwenbräu we get here in the States. This was a local brew unaffiliated with the big brewery in Munich. This draft beer was wunderbar.

Germany's answer to Spam

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I don't want to know what goes into this Leberkäse. It just tasted great with cold beer on a warm semi-sunny day listening to Oompah music.

Gail's cheese platter

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Gail was satisfied with her cheese plate. Me too because she gave me the pretzel that came with it.

Eine kleine Tagmusik

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Because it was Mayday the Rathaus had a Bavarian band there to entertain us and the nice sized crowd sipping beers in the courtyard. They didn't play a single song I knew so I didn't get up and dance.

The big cheese at the Rathaus

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This guy seemed to be running the show at the Rathaus. He not only waited on tables, but he changed the beer kegs, helped the waitresses with their orders, brought Schnapps for the band and at the end of the night folded-up all the chairs and tables. On the Rathaus website he figures predominately in their ads.

Our waitress fetching my Kellerbier

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hen I switched to drinking the Kellerbier it was served in a stoneware mug rather than a glass one. It was pumped from this fountain rather than the taps at the bar. Our waitress took good care of us by checking on us far more frequently than the average German waiter. Our cups runneth over.

The good looking Steffi Graf

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Every time I saw this blonde waitress running about she reminded me of the great German tennis player, Steffi Graf. She had many of the same mannerisms and looked just like her from the back. They both had tremendous serves.

I almost wished for rain

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When the inevitable bathroom break came up I went inside the Rathaus to use the facilities. It looked like an extremely cozy place to imbibe on a cold or rainy day. Now that Germany has embraced the no-smoking policy everywhere sitting in a bar or restaurant all night is one of the best things about touring.

Return your deposit here

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Since my first pottie break came halfway through my second beer which was the Kellerbier and I had already drunk a Helles I was unsure where to put my return. I certainly didn't want to violate the German Beer Purity Laws.

And now for the second act of our show

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Timing it perfectly the Bavarian Lederhosen Boys took a break just seconds before the town hall clock began its ten minute carillon performance. It played "Deutschland Uber Alles".

You need to look around when travelling

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These historical paintings on the exterior of the Rathaus can easily be missed if you don't take the time to study your surroundings. They tell the story of Medieval Passau under the rule of the Prince-Bishops.

Believe me, we were studying these two.

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A very interesting couple. They both dressed like they were movie stars. They had a certain air about them. Almost "too perfect" Aryans. He had the macho dog and she had the foofy little lap dog. Each communicated constantly with their pet but never spoke to each other. One beer and they were gone.

Time for a little walk

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I was almost feeling guilty that we were spending so much of our time sitting at outside beer establishments half the day and not sightseeing. But we were doing what we liked to do and I guess that's what vacations are about. It bets wallowing about on a towel at the beach.

A look back at Veste Oberhaus

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With a full day to explore Passau on our schedule for tomorrow this castle would be at the top of the list of things to do. After seeing so many tour boats passing by our location at the Rathaus we decided our first order of business would be a familiarization cruise tomorrow morning.

Veste Niederhaus

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Connected to the big Veste Oberhaus high up on the St. Georgsberg mountain this lower section of the fortress complex is connected by a stone bastion snaking down from above. The Veste Niederhaus served as a prison, a guesthouse for visitors of the Prince-Bishops and more recently as the site for cannon guarding the river approaches. Today it is in private hands and not part of the fortress tour.

Down by the river I shot this photo

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This was one of the many tour boats available in Passau. We learned that there were river cruises ranging from an hour to a week leaving from these docks. You could board a boat here and cruise down to Melk or Linz in Austria for the whole day. Viking Cruises stopped regularly in Passau on their 7 day Danube River trips.

Walfahrtskirche Mariahilf

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Across the Inn River stands the impressive monastery and pilgrimage church of our Lady of Mercy. It dates from 1622. Catholics had long called upon Mary to deliver them from the diseases and wars plaguing Europe , but the veneration of Mariahilf ("Mary - help!") began during the years of Turkish invasions in the region. The people of Bavaria desperately feared the countless Muslim incursions into this part of Europe. Today a museum displays artifacts captured from the Turks when the town was attacked. Today the Faithful climb up the covered staircase stopping to kneel and pray on each step.

Inside St. Michael's Jesuit Church

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Yes, we were inside yet another church. We can't seem to go a day on vacation without at least visiting one Catholic church.