Bicycling the Wachau
We decided to leave Vienna early to bicycle the Wachau (the very picturesque section of the Danube River Valley that starts 60 km west of Vienna from Krems to Spitz to Melk). So, we selected a B&B recommended by Rick Steves in Krems, punched in the GPS coordinates and drove there. Surprise! When we arrived, the B&B was only a hundred meters from the town square at Stein where we had stopped for lunch and seen the 10-10-10 wedding assembly line! [Mediaeval Stein and Krems are now one city.]
That afternoon, we rented bicycles (at 5 euros for 24 hours each) from the municipality (with a lot of help with German translation from a former Denver resident who had returned to Austria).
Our first stop of the afternoon was to take a picture in the now deserted Stein square with our three speed rental bikes. Each bike had a functioning headlight and tail light as well as a dual braking system. Safety was the watchword.Notice my bare legs! The temperature dropped markedly during the almost 4 hours of bicycling and it took me hours to warm them up in bed that night - even though my chest and abdomen were warm. I guess that I should have known from SCUBA diving that one's legs can suffer from hypothermia if not properly protected.
The Danube River bicycle path (route 6) runs from Germany to Slovakia. It is all off road (unless you count farm lanes as roads) and has signs marking major turns.
The Wachau district is prosperous with many wineries. For the most part, the colorful buildings date from the 15th century to the 19th century.
This is a picture of the grape fields at Duernstein which is noted for three things: its old castle (in ruins on top of the hill) where Richard the Lionhearted was held prisoner on his way back from the Crusades, its Napoleonic era war monument to the fallen French, Austrian and Russian soldiers (the needle beyond the grapes with inscriptions in each of the three languages) commemorating a particularly bloody battle in 1805 and for its mediaeval walled city.
This is a view of the old 12th century ruined castle from the tower of the mediaeval city walls.
Along the route were many surprises. This curved entrance to a wine tasting cave as we rounded a corner was one.
This narrow long path back into Duernstein was the only part of the route that I walked. The sign said to dismount because of pedestrians - but Sandra thought I was too weak to make it up the hill into the fortified city after three hours bicycling - and hence worth a picture. [That's my story - I don't think she could hear me wheezing as I struggled up the hill!]
Sandra didn't think her hair was arranged properly and made me take another picture of her in front of this Wachau winery.
Here is a hazy view in the mid afternoon across the grape fields and the Danube to a distant abbey on the south side of the river.
Here is a telephoto picture of the abbey seen on the return trip through much clearer (and colder) late afternoon air.
Along the return path, we found this entrance to an old church that Sandra inspected in detail.
The elaborate grave sites along the river side of the old church were carefully maintained.
Here is the interior of the old church through a grilled window.
The Danube River bicycle path (route 6) runs from Germany to Slovakia. It is all off road (unless you count farm lanes as roads) and has signs marking major turns.
The Wachau district is prosperous with many wineries. For the most part, the colorful buildings date from the 15th century to the 19th century.
This is a picture of the grape fields at Duernstein which is noted for three things: its old castle (in ruins on top of the hill) where Richard the Lionhearted was held prisoner on his way back from the Crusades, its Napoleonic era war monument to the fallen French, Austrian and Russian soldiers (the needle beyond the grapes with inscriptions in each of the three languages) commemorating a particularly bloody battle in 1805 and for its mediaeval walled city.
This is a view of the old 12th century ruined castle from the tower of the mediaeval city walls.
Along the route were many surprises. This curved entrance to a wine tasting cave as we rounded a corner was one.
This narrow long path back into Duernstein was the only part of the route that I walked. The sign said to dismount because of pedestrians - but Sandra thought I was too weak to make it up the hill into the fortified city after three hours bicycling - and hence worth a picture. [That's my story - I don't think she could hear me wheezing as I struggled up the hill!]
Sandra didn't think her hair was arranged properly and made me take another picture of her in front of this Wachau winery.
Here is a hazy view in the mid afternoon across the grape fields and the Danube to a distant abbey on the south side of the river.
Here is a telephoto picture of the abbey seen on the return trip through much clearer (and colder) late afternoon air.
Along the return path, we found this entrance to an old church that Sandra inspected in detail.
The elaborate grave sites along the river side of the old church were carefully maintained.
Here is the interior of the old church through a grilled window.
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