After a nice Austrian food experience – aka lunch on board the Viking Legend, we set off for a cruise down the , reputed, best part of the Danube, the Wachau Valley to Durnstein. Up until this cruise we did our sailing at night mainly for safety reasons, but from here we would cruise during the day. Wachau Vally is reminiscent of the “Romantic Rhein“, it has the same ingredients, castle, vineyards and a little history. The weather was perfect, warm and sunny with a little breeze to keep us cool. Sipping the local wine (bit too dry for me) we passed through villages on a placid river.
However, the Danube is not tamed – the p
picture of the 3 houses on the right show the highest level that the river has flooded, the wall is a new barrier being constructed, I think it needs to be a lot higher. As we meandered down stream the decks got hotter and the scene more idyllic.
Dürnstein
What has an Austrian village on the Danube to do with English history. Here are clues, a wandering minstrel, a missing king a song that only they knew. No? If I say Blondel does that help? How about a certain Lionheart? Yep Dürnstein castle is the place that Richard the Lionheart was held captive for ransom by Leopold V Duke of Austria at Dürnstein Castle, before handing over to Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor at Speyer. Germany. There is in English folklore the tale of Richard and Blondel, but it is just a folk take. However, as the good Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott said “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story”. The village or town of Dürnstein have hotels named Richard and Blondel.
One main street, a survivor of the past, cobbled with no sidewalks houses and shops have limited frontage it has a character of its own. Nowadays the town appears to be dependant on the tourist trade and River Cruises.
