ON THE RIVER OF TIME IN AUSTRIA

“For a moment it felt like we weren’t in the Danube at all but in the river of time…”  Elif Batuman

Carol writes:  When a neighbor friend of ours came back from a river cruise on the Danube, she talked about a marvelous day trip she had taken to an historic abbey in Melk, 48 miles up the Danube from Vienna.  Our Rick Steves travel guide devoted an entire chapter to the Danube Valley, with an extensive write-up on the very beautiful Wachau Valley, the 24-mile stretch of the Danube between Melk and Krems.  We had the time in our 11-day schedule in Vienna, so we started researching train tickets to Melk.

Every day there were many trains leaving Vienna for Melk.  We purchased the Wachau ticket that is sold by the Austrian railway.  The all-inclusive ticket included train fare to Melk, entry into Melk Abbey, a boat cruise down the Danube from Melk to Krems, and return train trip from Krems to Vienna.  What a great plan:  Half of the return trip included  a cruise on the Danube!

In downtown Melk the historic 1000-year-old Baroque abbey sits atop a rocky outcrop high above the Danube and requires a 10-15 minute walk uphill.

Once inside the abbey grounds, the beauty of the relatively recent restoration was immediately apparent.

Those pesky monks prohibited taking photos anywhere inside the abbey or church.  However, when I have a point I want to make, internet photos are a way around such rules.  One website claimed the abbey church was “one of the most important works of Baroque art in Europe.”

Indeed, the church was dazzling to the eyes.  I must admit lack of photo taking and the strict rule of silence inside the church kept its solemn character intact, and I was fine with that.  

Internet Photo

After the tour of the abbey, we had plenty of time to have lunch in Melk, a small town that wasn’t all that busy during our visit.  

More excellent schnitzel was on the lunch menu.

On the walk down to the riverboat pier on the Danube, we had a spectacular view looking back on the abbey.

The riverboat portion of the day’s event was a 1-1/2-hour boat cruise from Melk to the city of Krems along the Wachau Valley section of the Danube, an exquisitely beautiful stretch which is noted for its scenic vineyards and eye-pleasing villages.

The riverboat was nicely appointed with dining tables set alongside generous windows for watching the scenery.  For us, this was a revealing taste of what river cruising is all about.

Food and drink service was available. If we wanted, we could order a glass of that delicious Austrian wine that is grown and fermented in the hillside vineyards outside our window.  

This stretch of the Danube was very popular with bicyclists.

It was an easy 20-minute walk to the train station in Krems, and the train ride back to Vienna went without hitch.  We were quite satisfied with our first day trip out of Vienna.

The Kunsthistorisches Museum—simply known as the “Kunst”—is the showcase for the collection of art and other personal objets d’art of the House of Habsburg over two centuries (1450-1650).  The building itself was truly palatial.

A brand new special exhibition with paintings by Rembrandt and his apprentice Hoogstraten had just opened and required purchasing a timed ticket for viewing—yes, timed entries are more and more common in the world we live in now.  Fortunately, we only waited about 10 minutes and we were in!  

We have seen a handful of Rembrandts in museums all over western Europe, but this very large collection composed of Rembrandts and Hoogstratens, some of which had been loaned from museums all over the world, was truly special.  I didn’t realize at first that it was forbidden to photograph certain paintings—you had to examine each label carefully for the “no photography” symbol.  I quickly snapped off a few shots of the very first Rembrandt self-portrait that I greatly admired.  Fortunately, I did not get scolded before I got the message...

The Rembrandt and Hoogstraten portraiture in the collection showed why their talent has stood the test of nearly four centuries. Whimsical experiments of hands coming outside the painting into the frame were genius.

Rembrandt is said to have painted upwards of 100 self-portraits, and I have found each one just as captivating as the last.

I will never stop admiring how masters of portraiture were able to create such realistic renderings of clothing on a canvas, especially women’s dresses made out of lace, brocades, velvets, silks, and the accompanying jewelry.  The realism was uncanny.  

The Rubens gallery was likewise enchanting.

The lavish architectural element of the rooms of the Kunst itself added to the supreme pleasure of spending a day in its galleries.

Marble walls and stairs were a grandiose way of displaying dramatic sculpture.

As we wound down to our final few days in Vienna, we took more time to relax and just walk around the final few sights left on our lengthy to-do list.  We never tired of viewing splendid Viennese architecture that was pervasive throughout the city.

Karlskirsche (St Charles Church) had a unique exterior with massive twin columns framing a classic pediment and an elliptical dome.  

In preparation for our visit, Al and I had done an exhaustive search on what we wanted to see in Vienna. At first only one item was on my bucket list, and I admit it was a bit of a frivolous one.  In Prater Park I have always wanted to ride the iconic giant ferris wheel that has been known for over a century as a symbol of Vienna.  The cars were enclosed, so there was a much added feeling of safety. 

At the top we were able to see miles into the distance on this partly cloudy day.

As for the rest of Prater Park, it was a typical old time amusement park with rides that were thrilling technological marvels…with prices to reflect that. 

   

After an intense 11 days, we felt ready to move on to our new temporary home in Salzburg.  Vienna was a very memorable city and had exceeded our expectations in many ways.  There is only one thing I would have done differently:  I should have packed a little lighter. 

   

Consider yourself lightly; consider the world deeply.”  Shinmen Musashi

Carol Galus

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