Magnificent Europe Part II Regensburg (Monday 21 July 2008) to Melk (Wednesday 23 July 2008) Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 The Stone Bridge in Regensburg, built in 1135, and still taking traffic (see bus to the right). Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Another View of Regensburg’s 1000 year old Stone Bridge. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 Regensburg’s Stone Bridge has 16 spans (couldn’t fit all in the one photograph). Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

One of Regensburg’s Many Churches. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

The Cathedral at Regensburg. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 Regensburg Cathedral Regensburg Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Regensburg again (without the bus). Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 Tuesday 22 July 2008 We did the “Sound of Music” Bus Trip today, leaving the “Viking Danube” at Passau at 9 am and rejoining it at Linz at 7 pm, after touring Mondsee (which featured the church in which Julie Andrews married Christopher Plummer in the movie) and Salzburg (arguably the most beautiful city we have visited so far on this tour). Bev spent the evening in the Viking Lounge watching the movie “Sound of Music” to pick out all the places we visited today. The Palace fronting Mirabell Gardens (where they sang “Doh, Ray, Me” in the movie) was built by one of the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg for his mistress and their 16 children. The guides give us all the history of the places we visit, but I hope there is no test at the end of the trip – too much information! Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 The Church at Mondsee used for the wedding scene in the movie “Sound of Music”. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 An Hotel in Salzburg. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 Salzburg Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

The Fountain in Mirabell Gardens (Bev with the pink umbrella). Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Here she is again (less crowded this time). Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 Wednesday 23 July 2008 Left Linz and set sail for Melk. Guided tour of Melk Abbey. Sail on to Durnstein (the site of the castle where Richard the Lionheart of England was held captive by an Austrian Duke in 1193). Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

The “Viking Danube” farewells Linz on the Danube River in Austria. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 The “Viking Danube” farewells Linz on the Danube River in Austria.

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 A lock ahead, on the Danube River between Linz and Melk. Our sister ship “Viking Spirit” is already in the lock. Photograph taken from the Viking Lounge of our boat. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

The lock gates open once the water level in the lock has dropped. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

The “Viking Spirit” leaves the lock ahead of us. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Grien, on the Danube in Austria (from the window of our cabin). Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Grien, on the Danube in Austria (from the window of our cabin). Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 Sailing down the Danube from Linz to Melk in Austria. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Melk Abbey, rebuilt in MDCCXVIII. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 Melk Abbey Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

A Ceiling in an entrance way to Melk abbey, Austria. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Another ceiling in Melk Abbey. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 Another ceiling in Melk Abbey.

The entrance to the guests’ quarters of Melk Abbey. Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008

Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008 Still to come Later today – Durnstein, Austria Tomorrow (Thursday 24 July) – Vienna, Austria Friday 25 July – Bratislava, Slovakia Weekend – Budapest, Hungary Mal & Bev Cockburn's Tour of Europe July 2008