Waltzing Down the Danube

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EUROPE

Waltzing down the Danube Getting into the swing of a European river cruise, Roderick Eime finds it hard to hold back.

S

omething came over me. I grabbed Angie by the arm, pulling her bodily from her seat and next thing I remember I was hurling her around the room while she looked back at me, astonished at my impulsive, brazen act. But she didn’t seem to mind.

No, I wasn’t overcome by some devilish influence, in fact, quite the reverse. Here we were in the lavish Liechtenstein Museum, part of the imposing Liechtenstein City Palace 28 Get Up & Go

in Bankgasse, Vienna and immersed in a recital by the accomplished chamber orchestra. We sat transfixed as the ensemble brought to life classic renditions of Mozart and Brahms but when they struck up Johann Strauss’s immortal ‘Blue Danube’, it was all too much.

Whirling around the auditorium, flanked by baroque masterpieces, we quickly fell under the spell of historic Vienna and it was easy to conjure up images of the grand old

days of emperors and heads of state, champagne flutes clinking, engrossed in pomp and ceremony.

While Vienna might have been the cultural climax for some, this 15 day river cruise promises much more than just castles and palaces. The itinerary operates in both directions between Amsterdam and Budapest and cruises at a leisurely pace along this classic waterway affording more than enough time to kick back and enjoy the panorama as it rolls past.

apparently still an emerging industry in this former communist territory and the Szekszárd wine region isn’t about to displace Burgundy or the Barossa any time soon.

Speaking of Stalinist hangovers, it’s still great fun to wander around these former Soviet bloc cities. Some of the little alleyways, basements and side streets turn up curiosity shops brimming with bizarre paraphernalia.

Stroll down Váci pedestrian mall in the centre of Budapest and past the racks of postcards and trinkets, you’ll be offered all manner of Russian and Hungarian militaria right down to a MiG-21 pilot’s equipment.

Budapest, let’s not forget, was the scene of some ferocious ‘last ditch’ battles between the advancing Russians and defending Germans.

The city suffered terribly in the first months of 1945 and some buildings still retain the scars, especially up on the citadel where the Germans made their last desperate stand.

Cruising evolution

Hungarian rodeo Then there was the Hungarian ‘rodeo’ at Bakodpuszta, an SBSflavoured display of equine prowess and blatant machismo that stood in stark contrast to the toffy aloofness of das Palais. Hungarian horsemanship, so I’ve learned, is deeply ingrained in Magyar folklore and at the quaint Bakod Horse Farm we were treated to fearless bareback riding and curious demonstrations of the riders’

mysterious relationship with their steads. All the while I could imagine Silvio Rivier’s dulcet commentary describing such incongruous scenes as the costumed horsemen walking atop the prostrate horse as a demonstration of their domination of the hapless beast.

After the show and back at the adjacent Aunt Juca’s Inn, great lashings of goulash are served with buckets of unfamiliar red and white wines. The art of the grape is

European river cruising has firmly established itself as the in-demand tour option for travellers wanting to explore the great cities and cultures of both western and eastern Europe. The days of bum-numbing coach tours must be numbered if you compare the obvious advantages. Imagine arriving at a high-end hotel, unpacking and settling in just once, then towing it with you as you explore all the famous locations.

A small fleet of brand new coaches met us every day for excursions, shuttling us to and from our daily activities. These road journeys were a few hours at the most as we headed out to cities including Salzburg and eský Krumlov (in the Czech Republic) not situated directly on the banks of the Danube. Otherwise we just tie up to the wharf and stroll ashore like we did in Bratislava, Linz, Passau and Melk.

The evolution of the river cruiser is another lesson. My ship, the brand spanking new, Scenic Pearl, is what is known as the ‘third generation’ of river ship most notable for their extra length (135m), the large number of Get Up & Go 29

TRAVEL FACTS: r Getting there

Emirates fly to Vienna and Amsterdam (plus 23 other European cities) from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth via Dubai 63 times per week. Voted Airline of the Year for 2011 by Air Transport World, Emirates also operates the largest fleet of A380s (15). [@] www.emirates.com/au

- Being there balconies (over 80 per cent of cabins), larger public spaces and enhanced facilities such as gym, spa treatments and true fine dining in the partitioned Portobello Restaurant.

Anyone who has travelled aboard one of these vessels will know exactly what I’m blathering on about. Sure, it has a premium price tag, but some things are worth the extra money even if it’s just to avoid the tedium and discomfort of long driving trips

Smaller Groups More Personalised Service

and hotel scrums at check-in and check-out.

Next stop Salzburg - and I can hear the chorus warming up now! ‘Ho-delay-ho-de-lay ho-de-lay-hi-hoo!”’

Writer’s tip: Try and travel outside the peak summer season when the weather is hot and the crowds thick.

Scenic Tours operates the all-inclusive 15-day ‘Jewels of Europe’ cruise between March and October annually.

Prices from $5950 pp/twin share. Includes all meals, drinks with dinner, 24hr tea/coffee, entertainment, transfers, use of onboard equipment and tipping.

Extras (depending on category) laundry, phone and internet and spa/massage treatments. [@] www.scenictours.com.au

ABOVE: The pre-dinner serenade

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