Category Archives: Walking

Dürnstein, Austria

On Tuesday March 3rd we had a one hour walking tour of the little town of Durnstein before we continued by bus to Melk Abbey. I’m breaking up the posts on this day because of photo overload.

You could tell our tour guide has been doing this tour for a long time. Her younger sister was also another tour guide.

Dürnstein (German pronunciation: [ˈdʏʁnˌʃtaɪ̯n]) is a small town on the Danube river in the Krems-Land district, in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area

The town gained its name from the medieval Dürnstein castle, which overlooked it. The castle’s name derived from the German duerr/dürr, meaning “dry”, and Stein, “stone”. The stone castle was dry because it was located on a rocky hill, high above the damp conditions of the Danube at the base of the hill. The modern town stands between the castle and the river.

Dürnstein was first mentioned in 1192 when, in the castle above the town, King Richard I of England was held captive by Leopold V, Duke of Austria, after their dispute during the Third Crusade. Richard the Lionheart had offended Leopold the Virtuous by casting down his standard from the walls at the Battle of Acre, and the duke suspected that King Richard ordered the murder of his cousin Conrad of Montferrat in Jerusalem. In consequence Pope Celestine III excommunicated Leopold for capturing a fellow crusader. The duke finally gave custody of the king to Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, who imprisoned Richard at Trifels Castle.

 

I don’t know if this is the kind of Copy Right I would want to market with. The chocolate covered treats and the apricot bits were good, though.

I enjoyed the signs for the shops and restaurants.

Interesting architecture and the cobbled streets were distinct.

In the vibrant heart of Dürnstein, our estate stands proudly, nestled beside the historic town hall and set against the tranquil backdrop of the lightly traveled village street. A charming courtyard leads you up a stone staircase into the embrace of an ancient gem, built in 1453. On the first floor, you will find cozy guest rooms with private bathrooms and modern TVs, as well as direct access to a dreamy garden paradise. Here, after an eventful day, you can unwind in an oasis of tranquility or lose track of time while savoring a fine glass of wine.

This little town boasts a 5 star hotel, Hotel Schloss Durnstein. Entrance to the courtyard above.

I posted several photos in another post of this blue tower when we passed it earlier on this day. While we were in Durnstein we didn’t walk to this former monastery but after the fact we realized it was a big part of historic Durnstein.

History of Stift Dürnstein

Stift Dürnstein was founded in 1410 as an Augustinian Canons monastery. It was part of a larger spiritual and religious network that played a significant role in the medieval region. However, Dürnstein was already famous by the 11th century, particularly due to the imprisonment of Richard the Lionheart, who was held captive in the nearby castle of Dürnstein.

The monastery experienced its golden age in the 18th century when it was rebuilt in the Baroque style. Under the direction of renowned Baroque architects Jakob Prandtauer and Joseph Munggenast, the monastery was transformed into the magnificent structure seen today. The distinctive blue-and-white church tower, visible from afar, has become one of the iconic landmarks of the Wachau Valley.

In 1788, the monastery was secularized, and the Augustinian Canons left. Today, the monastery serves as a venue for cultural events and is a popular destination for visitors eager to explore its rich history and Baroque splendor.

We headed back to the bus for our trip to Melk Abbey Visit. After our visit to Melk we would be bused to the AmaMagna that was now docked in Melk. We would reach the boat in time for dinner and on this night we were scheduled to enjoy the Chef’s Table.

Bratislava, Slovakia

On Monday March 2nd, we were up early and the views along the river were moody until the sun broke through. We had sailed all night and into the morning. It was 140 miles from Budapest to Bratislava. We passed through the largest lock on our journey, Gabcikovo Lock & Hydroelectric Powerplant. We wouldn’t arrive to Bratislava until after lunch.

We are in the lock in this photo.

We were recuperating from our rude wake up call because of the fraud on our credit card.

We decided on having lunch in Jimmy’s Restaurant on this day.

We had signed up for Tastes of Slovakia excursion but decided against it since we docked early and we didn’t want to have to come back to the boat to join the excursion.

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia. It was a short distance from the vessel. We enjoyed the old town and then were on a quest to find the Bratislava Flagship Restaurant, which proved to be a little difficult to navigate.

We headed to Michael’s Tower and Gate.

Of the original four gates to the original city walls, only the northern Michalská gate has been preserved. It was completed in the 14th century. It was named after the Gothic church of St. Michal, which was located before the fortification and was demolished in the 16th century during incursions of Turkish troops. Since its creation, it has been extended several times until it got its final appearance in the 18th century, shortly before almost all of the city’s fortifications were demolished.

The Statue of St. Michael the archangel with the dragon sits on top.

In the head of the statue, there is a time box from 1758.

Other statues caught my eye.

Along our haphazard journey we saw the Church of the Annunciation.

The Franciscan Church is the oldest existing religious building in the Old Town of Bratislava. The church was consecrated in the year 1297 in the presence of King Andrew III of Hungary. In the past, the church building served for larger gatherings of townspeople or Hungarian nobles.

Stained glass window depicting the Annunciation, The Angel Gabriel foretelling the birth of Jesus to Mary.

We continued on our way…

We thought this might be our destination, but it wasn’t. There was an amazing looking bakery here and we were too focused on our quest to buy something.

Finally we found the correct entrance to this 18th century monastery and theater that houses the Bratislava Flagship Restaurant.

We followed the signs.

Up the stairs? Yes, up the stairs.

We sat in this space next to the bar below at a community table. This part of the building was a theater. It also has history as being a hospital at some point in time. On what was possibly the stage of the theater is a huge clay model of Bethlehem.

We were exhausted at this point from the zigzag course we took to get to the restaurant and were happy to have these two mugs set in front of us. These were their signature brews.

The cold brew in these dimpled glass beer steins were appreciated. There were two other folk sitting at the other side of the table, a father and daughter from Ireland. We had a nice conversation with them.

Reading a little about Bratislava before we arrived had me curious about what people called the Blue Church. That was our next quest on the way back to our boat.

The Church of St. Elizabeth, commonly known as Blue Church, is a Hungarian-Secessionist Catholic church located in the eastern part of the Old Town in Bratislava, present-day Slovakia. It is consecrated to Elisabeth of Hungary, daughter of Andrew II, who grew up in the Pressburg Castle.

Constructed in the early 20th century, it was built during a time when Art Nouveau was at its peak in Europe. The church is named after St. Elizabeth of Hungary, reflecting the town’s historical ties with Hungarian culture.

The church, consecrated in 1913, is known for its fairytale appearance and is often regarded as one of the most unique examples of early 20th-century religious architecture in Central Europe.

Mosaic of St. Elizabeth: Located above the gate, this 2.6-meter diameter mosaic depicts St. Elizabeth of Hungary and the “Miracle of the Rose.”

We were able to just get inside a little vestibule area with locked iron gates so we couldn’t walk in amongst the pews. I think Blue church is a very appropriate name for this gem. As you can see even the pews are blue. The walls are blue, too, except for the Altar area.

The painting depicts St. Elizabeth distributing food to the poor.

We made it back to the boat anxious for a restroom (TMI). It was not easy to find public restrooms in the European towns we visited and local currency was necessary for those public restrooms in most cases. We countered this problem for the most part with good timing for restaurants and museums, etc., where restrooms were available without cost.

Back on the boat I changed out my shoes for my slippers as my feet were yelling, especially my baby toe with a huge blister! It was nice to relax on the upper deck and watch the sun setting before our onboard Sip and Sail followed by dinner.

We would be cruising overnight to Krems in Austria-gateway to the beautiful Wachau Valley, known for vineyards and apricots!

Thank you for following along on our journeys from the beginning of March!

Panorama Look-Out, St. Stephens Basilica

To get to the panorama views of St. Stephen’s Basilica and Budapest, there was an elevator option and stairs. We took the elevator up but when it was time to go down again we chose the stairs. Thankfully there were good railings and it was an open airy space so we didn’t get claustrophobic.

Saturday February 28th was a beautiful sunny day. We were so thankful.

This view is of the square in front of the Basilica with the pedestrian street beyond that takes you to the Danube. Looking beyond small slice of the Danube you can see the Buda side of Budapest.

On our way down to exit the Basilica we stopped at the Treasury. This painting of Peter and the Rooster caught my eye,  “the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times“. This experience of Peter makes me emotionally as I consider times that I’ve denied or not stood up for my Lord and Savior.

The “Holy Family” was painted by Murillo (1682).

An artistic depiction of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the well.

Not quite busts but these circular heads of all the apostles were on an arched ceiling as we left the Treasury.

 

It was a narrower exit and walkway and I wasn’t able to get photos of all the apostles because of other people pressing in.

We exited the Basilica and found our way to the Jewish District for our lunch meal at Mazel-Tov. I wrote about our eating experience in Budapest and this restaurant in an earlier post.

This was a day that we were up on our feet and walking for the majority of the day. I was thankful that my Plantar Fasciitis was not an issue for me during this trip. I thanked the LORD several times. I did manage to get a nasty blister on my baby toe, though, that I had to doctor and pamper the next few days!

Eating in Budapest

On Saturday February 28th we walked from St. Stephen’s Basilica to the Jewish District looking for Mazel Tov. We had reservations for a meal at 4:30 but we wanted to see if they would slip us in at 1:30 instead since our dinner reservations at Retek Restaurant were for 7:30 on Saturday instead of Friday. (Did you follow that?)

The area had a lot of interesting murals.

We arrived tired and thirsty from our 1.6 k walk in the sunshine. They graciously changed our reservation and we joined the crowd of diners for our meal. We met someone from Costa Mesa, California who is studying abroad. That was fun.

 

Our meals were both delicious. Greg ordered the DIY Falafel Sandwich and I ordered the spicy lamb shank ragout, couscous with root vegetables, raisins and red onion chutney.

We had another long walk (1.6k) ahead of us to get back to our hotel. We were entertained by interesting buildings on the way.

Our dinner reservations at Retek would be a 1 k walk so we opted for a taxi ride to the restaurant and then we’d walk back to the hotel after dinner.

We went traditional at this very popular restaurant.

Hungarian Beef Goulash with the fresh bread.

Chicken Paprikash

Cottage Cheese Dumpling and Grandmother’s apple pie for dessert.

A delightful all around experience. This was all my kind of comfort food.

This statue was the beginning of history we would learn all through our cruise about the Habsburg empire.

The year 1795 saw Archduke Josef, son of Emperor Leopold II and brother of Emperor Franz, being appointed Palatine of Hungary, a post he held for more than half a century. As such he was the deputy of the King of Hungary – who was of course none other than the Emperor in his capacity as the head of the house of Habsburg. 

The streets we walked at night in Budapest seemed safe.

I’m saving St. Stephen’s Basilica which we visited on this two restaurant day for another post.

The Eagle and DNA

Frances Crick’s brag in the Eagle. The pub where we habitually ate lunch, that we had indeed discovered that ‘Secret of life, struck me as somewhat immodest, especially in England, where understatement is the way of life. ~James Watson

The Eagle, Cambridge ~ Discovery of DNA~

On this spot on February 23, 1953, Francis Crick and James Watson made the first public announcement of the discovery of DNA with the words “We have discovered the secret of life.” Throughout their early partnership Watson and Crick dined in this room on six days every week. 

Greg and I dined in this room on Monday March 9th, 2026.

The other history that is special here is the ceiling covered in graffiti of British and American WWII pilots who burned their names and squadron numbers here using cigarette lighters, candles and lipstick.

Cottage pie and duck hash were our choices for our meal.

From The Eagle we decided to trek over to the Wren Library in Trinity College. It has limited visiting hours and this was a good day to fit it in. That will be another post!

We are walking our feet off here in Cambridge. Thanks for following along on our travels and discoveries.

Postcards from the Danube

On Monday March 2nd,  we docked and visited Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia situated on the Danube by the border of Austria and Hungary. It has a pedestrian only old town center.

On Tuesday March 3rd,  we passed the little village we were going to visit and docked further on. We had a short bus ride back to the village of Durnstein.

We also visited the Melk Abbey on this same day.

On Wednesday March 4th, we chose to travel by bus from the boat to the Czech Republic to visit the picturesque town of Český Krumlov.

Here is a sneak peek of the town surrounded by water.

Thursday March 5th and Friday March 6th we were in Vienna.

Carriage rides and Apple Strudel and a whole lot more.

Saturday we cruised back to Budapest.

Throughout our River cruise we were blessed with very decent weather. That was not a guarantee for this time of the year. Looking forward to putting my thoughts together for each stop of our cruise and to post all my photos. That will have to wait for when we get home. Thanks for traveling along with us!

On Sunday March 8th we disembarked from the AmaMagna and were bused to the airport.  We flew to London boarded a bus to Cambridge and checked into our apart/hotel for 6 nights in the college town.

Once checked into our hotel we found a pub close to the apart/hotel for some comfort food before we turned in for the night.

Boxing Day 2025

On Boxing Day (just a week ago)

After our traditional Swedish Pancake breakfast, the kids gathered at the Rotary trail for a walk. Greg, who is half Swedish, does the honors of cooking the pancakes at every special family gathering.

We all look forward to his Swedish Pancakes with Little smokies. They are enjoyed with sour cream and real or not so real Maple syrup plus fruit syrups, especially boysenberry which has been impossible to find in recent years!

Lots of stray golf balls were found in the brush.

Later that evening it was taco night at our country bungalow.

The dish washer was going full speed ahead for several days!

W is for…

For April I’m challenging myself to an A-Z photo a day excluding Sundays and in addition to any regular posts that come to be. Disclaimer: this has been a lot more than a photo a day. It has been more like a theme for the day.

Today is Saturday the 26th of April and we are on the letter W. Today is the 2nd day that I’m participating in a flea market in downtown Colville. Hopefully I’ll recoup the charge for my space.

W is for Waves.

Waves at Emma Wood and other Ventura, California beaches.

The Stockyards

The plan for our Monday in Texas was to visit the Fort Worth Stockyards. Steve dropped us off close to Exchange Avenue where the cattle drive would take place at 11:30 A.M. While he looked for a parking spot we moseyed over to find our spot in the crowds waiting to see the cattle drive. This happens twice a day.

 

The crowds dispersed and we poked into a few shops to see the western ware.

Everything a tourist might need to take home for a souvenir.

We started looking for a likely spot for our lunch rendezvous with our brother Leonard. He was driving out after a couple of meetings to enjoy lunch with us.

We made reservations at Hotel Drover’s 97 West Kitchen and Bar.

We had time to walk and do a little more shopping before Leonard met up with us at the restaurant.

We enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant and had great service.

Full and satisfied with plans to eat again at dinnertime we made our way to our cars and headed back into Dallas and Flower Mound.

If you have never been we recommend the Historic Stockyards at Forth Worth for a visit. I’m glad we were able to visit on a cool day that started misty and improved for our visit.

Scotland Travel Journal ~Finale

After our wonderful tour with Jimmy on Monday September 23rd we were ready for lunch. We took the steps down Advocate’s Close and found the Devil’s Advocate.

Fish and Chips one more time before we left Scotland.

After our lunch we could face the stairs to go back up Advocate’s Close to the Royal Mile.

Our destination would be Holyrood Palace which is at the opposite end of the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle.

Located on the Royal Mile, the Mercat Cross holds a prominent position within the Old Town. Its proximity to other historic sites, including St Giles’ Cathedral and the Museum of Edinburgh, places it at the heart of Edinburgh’s cultural and civic life.

The Mercat Cross holds significant cultural importance in Edinburgh’s history. It was not merely a market hub, but also the focal point of civic gatherings and proclamations. Its distinctive octagonal structure, adorned with a unicorn and the royal coat of arms, reflects the intersection of commerce and monarchy in medieval Edinburgh.

The John Knox House is on the Royal Mile.

John Knox’s House dates from the 15th century and has been largely unaltered since the 1550’s when the Mosman family, Goldsmiths to Mary Queen of Scots, remodeled the house. John Knox, leader of the Scottish Reformation and founder of the Presbyterian Church, only lived here for a short period before his death in 1572.

The ground and first floors of the house are presented as a museum about John Knox, the evolution of the Protestant faith in Scotland, and the conflict between John Knox and Mary Queen of Scots. There are a few audio commentaries and lots of written information to read.

On the second floor of the house, you see a wood-paneled apartment that is preserved in the state that John Knox would have known. This is the most interesting part of the house.

We found the Secret Garden through an archway along the Royal Mile and had to take a photo of the Thistle

After the garden we finally were at the end of the Royal Mile at Holyrood Palace.

Holyrood Abbey was founded by David I, King of Scots in 1128, and Holyrood Palace has served as the principal residence of the Kings and Queens of Scots since the 15th century. Queen Elizabeth II spent one week in residence at Holyrood Palace at the beginning of each summer, where she carried out a range of official engagements and ceremonies

This beautiful doorway was a perfect photo op and it became Josh and Laura’s Christmas card.

We bought some souvenirs in the shop at Holyrood.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse Fountain

The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. The palace stands at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle. Holyrood Palace is the setting for state ceremonies and official entertaining.

We walked back along different roads to Grassmarket and then up Victoria Street.

Looking down Victoria Street.

Since this is the last of my posts from Scotland I wanted to add Greyfriars Bobby in the Kirk. We saw this spot earlier in this day. Do you know the story behind Greyfriars Bobby or have you seen the old movie?

Our last full day in Scotland was another record breaking steps day. Goodnight to Monday September 23rd.

On Tuesday September 24th we had coffee and breakfast snacks at the Black Sheep before we checked out and called an uber to take us to the airport for our flights home.

We loved our time and what we experienced in Bonnie Scotland. Cheerio.