Wiessenkirchen to Grein Austria

 When we woke up this morning we were entering the Wachau Valley, one of the prettiest parts of the cruise. We watched castles, small villages and vineyards slip by as we ate breakfast. Around 8am we arrived in Wiessenkirchen a very picturesque small village. All 3 tours today were leaving the ship here and joining the ship this afternoon in another village up river. There were 15 of us who had opted to take the bike ride to Melk. Although it's another hot day, predicted to reach 34C again, the morning ride is lovely! The bike path is mainly level, winding through small villages, sometimes by the side of the road or the railway and other times by itself. We have frequent stops for sightseeing or hydration. The pace is nice and easy so we can look around and enjoy the scenery. Being a Sunday there are quite a few bike riders out. We ride for 3 hours, about 30km in all. Then we drop off the bikes and a bus takes us up to Melk Abby. We had about 30 minutes, enough time to take some pictures outside and walk around the gardens. Then back to the ship for a late lunch and a very welcome cold beer!

The Ama Reina got underway even before lunch, and we now cruised through the Strudengau Valley. Instead of the vineyards, these slopes are forested and there are many small villages. Around 4pm we arrive in Grein, which is dominated by Greinburg Castle. It's privately owned by the ducal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The family seem to be related to most of the royal families in Europe. We have a walking tour of the castle, so we walk through the village and up the 120 steps. (it's not steep, so not as bad as it sounds!) The castle has some beautiful furnishings, and some interesting rooms like the artificial grotto made out of pebbles from the Danube. Then back to the ship. I'm ready for a little relaxation!

A little rest, then a fun dinner with a signature menu from Robert Kellerhals. And now to bed!



























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