Christmas Markets Along the Danube on the MS River Aria (2 December-9 December 2008)

   Sights to be Seen Along The Danube (Donau)            

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More of the trip: Highlights /  Nürnberg /  Regensburg /  Passau /  Linz /  Melk /  Vienna /  Along the Donau / People  / ChristmasMarkets

MS River AriaThe MS River Aria Our home for seven days was the MS River Aria, shown here docked at Linz and at Regensburg. Below are scenes photographed from the ship at locations along the Danube River and the Main-Danube canal.
Danube, mist, rocks
town along the Danube		 Cormorants in Trees Train on bridge crossing the Danube
The barge Donau
 

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The Navigation Program Near the entrance to the ship lounge was this curious display where passengers could see where and how the ship traveled. This program is a kind of ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) that has replaced those paper navigation charts that you see in old naval movies. Electronic navigation charts use GPS of course, and it's sooooo cool that I could watch our progress and see our ship's location at any given time. I love technology!
In the photos below, I illustrate how close our vessel could get to the edges of the locks, how a cormorant spends his relaxing time, how the onion dome seems to be prevalent in Bavaria, how lovely is the Christmas tree of the incomparable Blue Team, how to celebrate Krampusnacht, and more.
A gap of just inches between MS River Aria and edge of lock  a Cormorant stretches his wings Our group's Christmas Tree on MS River Aria Dome along the DanubeCabin 327 on MS River Aria
We put shoes out on Dec 5 

The Danube at Passau, at nightAschach This group of photos shows the view of the Danube from our cabin, a welcome from the Town of Aschach, Ottensheim Castle, and across the Danube this Rococo-style church at Wilhering,  the lovely old church in Puchenau, then Schloss Schoenbuehel, and Schoenbuhel Monastery (Schönbühel).

Ottensheim Castle Wilhering Abbey church
church in Puchenau  Schoenbuhel Castle, or Schloss Schönbühel  Schönbühel Monastery 
Danube Sunset  Statue of Richard the LionheartDürnstein We saw a fabulous sunset on the river on December 8, as we cruised from Melk to Vienna. Also in the lovely Wachau Valley, there is Dürnstein, and the statue of Richard the Lionheart.

photos © 2008 Kat Mulkey