Category: Amsterdam to Budapest 2009

Yes, the trip was good, though we are obviously out of our social class on the Tauck cruises (we aren’t retired, don’t have two homes, one of which is in Palm something or another, and get a steerage class cabin–they do unshackle us in the morning, though).

It was therapeutic for Carolyn to have to walk, though Brattberg told her yesterday he’s done as much for her as he can; her arthritis means she may have to have a knee replacement to get the range of motion back, and she’s had too many friends endure horror stories to think that’s a good idea.

She thinks that I think that since I’m there, I ought to use every minute doing–she’s right, and I did.  She went on the tours, then returned to the ship.  I stayed sometimes until just before sailing.

The bike helped get around–my first city outside of Amsterdam took me to a 1545 courtyard at one end of town, and a 12th century ruin at the other.  A far cry from the Constitution Trail.

Not unusual was Budapest–I’d been there 3 times before, but had never spent time at the Castle (destroyed, as much of Europe was, in WWII–if not before).  When the 2 hour tour went back to the boat (with Carolyn) I stayed, and in 4 1/2 hours visited five museums (it helped that the exhibits were mostly in Hungarian, which is almost impossible to guess, unlike most Romance languages!)–a Haydn in Hungary exhibit, a 15th century Synagogue, the National Military Museum, and two in the Castle itself–History and Art.  What was especially neat was an ongoing folk festival, that had the feel of Ft. de Chartres, with costumes, food (my arteries still sense the presence of deep fried food), and crafts–woodworking, blacksmiths, clothing…etc.

As I said, Europe is cute, but partly because it’s not nice–walled cities are quaint, but they indicate you have neighbors who covet more than your wife.  Our airforce did a heck of a job on many of the cities in WWII, but the rebuilding of the old parts is quite realistic, and Germany in particular is quite clean and picturesque!

We’ve finally got connectivity–and I’m in the middle of the Danube River docked at Bratislava.  Great trip about to end, marked by the “c’s–churches, cathedrals, canals (and rivers) and castles.  More to come when I get home–we’re off to Budapest, where we leave the ship for home.

Reminiscences of 2024

Once on the boundary between civilized Rome and the Germanic Barbarians, what is now Bratislava was once a ping pong ball between Austria and Hungary.  When the Turks took Budapest, after the battle of Mohacs, then Pozsony/Pressburg became the capital of Royal

Hungary. Even after the capital returned to Budapest, the kings and queens of Hungary were coronated in Pozsony, and the Hungarian Diet met there into the 19th century.  When Czechoslovakia split, Bratislava became the capital of Slovakia.

Budapest is the name for what used to be cities on both sides of the Danube, a city outsized for the country it now dominates. A third of the Hungarian population lives in the city.  Settled originally by Celts, and later Romans, Magyars under Arpad arrived on the Hungarian plains in 896, bringing a non-Roman language to Europe (Magyar).  Heroes Square commemorated the centennial with statues.

By 1000 King Stephan had converted to Christianity and created the Kingdom of Hungary, which lasted more or less until the end of World War II.  Tradition says St. Stephan built the Matthias church, which has been rebuilt several times (it was a mosque under the Turks).  The independence was lost to the Turks, who ruled Budapest for 150 years, after which Hungary became part of the Austria Empire.    Restive for many years, eventually Hungary became part of the Dual Monarchy in 1867, with its own parliament and army; the duality led to over a month of dickering in 1914 about whether to declare war on Serbia (Austria) or Romania (Hungary).

The boat docked here and we had excursions from a hotel in the city.  Hungary changed sides in World War II, which led to a brutal German defense that pretty much destroyed Buda castle.  Reconstruction, however, revealed a number of other sites underneath, leading to 6 museums on the hill.  I visited all 6, which was easy since most of the explanations were in Magyar.

The Parliament building, once the largest in the world, still has bullet holes from the abortive 1956 efforts of Hungary to break free of the Communist yoke.

Final dinner left us hungry for more trips to Hungary and other countries. I’ll drink to that!

Reminiscences from 2024

 

Melk begged for a visit to the Benedictine Abbey atop a hill.  The first abbey founded in the 11th century, but this Baroque version dates mostly from the early 18th century.  The library houses an extensive collection of manuscripts.  Thirty monks “pray, work, and read” in the abbey, following the lead of St. Benedict.

We had the opportunity at Melk to bicycle to Krems, about 25 miles on the Danube (downstream=downhill, I should note), and that was an option I could not refuse. While the boat continued downriver, I pedalled through vineyards and small towns. The trail was mostly paved, flat, with some stops geared to serving bikers (wine? beer?).  While we went through in about 3 hours, Richard I–the Lionhearted–spent four months there, being held for ransom on his return from the third crusade.

Vienna.  Once capital of an empire, now capital of a much smaller country.  Still, it had some of the grandeur buildings of empire: Schoenbrunn was one example. The site of (naturally) Roman ruins, it became a hunting lodge gifted to Maria Theresa in the 18th century, who initiated its growth as the palace of the dynasty.  It remained so until World War I, and has been a museum (mostly) since then.  Another landmark of the city is St. Stephan’s Cathedral, also located on Roman ruins, that dominates the central business district.  Romanesque and Gothic reflect its origins during the 11th century and subsequent additions.  Bear in mind Vienna has an important place in European history for turning back Ottoman armies in 1529 and 1683 (thanks in part to a Polish-Lithuanian Army that arrived in time to lift the siege).  And it’s vibrant musical traditions continue with concerts in many of the palaces and the State Opera House.  (Carolyn and I saw Tannhauser there on an earlier trip for less than the cost of parking in Chicago).

The boat tour took us somewhere I’d never been–the Belvedere Palace of Eugene of Savoy.  Born in Paris, Savoy was denied a position in the French army, joined the Austro-Hungarian and became a general by 25.  Commanding armies at the 1683 siege of Vienna, he fought through the mid 18th century, one of the few successful Austrian generals (Austrian diplomacy was furthered mostly by marriage of eligible daughters to the royals of Europe).

 

Reminiscences 2024

The trip was fourteen days or so.  Consequently, I broke the cruise in Bavaria before we reached Bamberg, and I promise you I’ll get you through German, Austria, and Hungary–eventually.

Bamberg dates from the 9th century, and its tourist appeal stems from the almost 2400 half timber homes.  The highlights included an interesting stone bridge, a Rathaus (town hall) that’s on an island, and the residence of the prince-bishop. One interesting artistic technique evident is “fool the eye” or trompe l’oeil, which you can see pretty clearly on the side of the building here.  Buried in the Cathedral are the Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich II and his wife Kunigunde, who had the cathedral built in the 11th century.  It took only 10 years.  In addition to the  sepulcher, there is a famous sculpture of the Bamberg Horseman.

Nuremberg posed a challenge.  It was another historically interesting city–both in the old days, having been founded in 1050, and of course as the center of the Nazi rallies and the Nuremberg Laws depriving Jews of citizenship.  By the end of the Second World War,  there were no Jews in Nuremberg, but the trials at the Palace of Justice led to the hanging of many Nazi leaders.

There were tours to each of these emphases.  Carolyn chose the Nazi sites; having seen enough of the wartime butchery, I opted for the old city, and the home of one of its most famous citizens, Albrecht Durer.  I even have a Durer coffee mug sitting on my shelf as a memento of that tour.

Nuremberg was an important city during the Holy Roman Empire, and the Diet frequently met in the Nuremberg Castle.  Another sites, Frauenkirche, was a church built in the 14th century on the site of a synagogue destroyed after a pogrom.  From 1525 until 1810 the church was Lutheran, but a parish restored it to Catholicism.  There’s also a major cathedral in Nuremberg, and an unusual architectural feature, chorlein, which is a projection on the first floor of a house. It seems to be a medieval add-on.

Some of the shipmates who went with Carolyn were really struck Hitler’s oratorical skills.  Having seen “Triumph of the Will”, Riefenstahl’s movie of the 1934 Party rally in Nuremberg, I can believe it.

Twenty-two nautical miles from Nuremberg sits the “capital” of the Holy Roman Empire of the German people–Regensburg.  The furthest northern point of the Danube River, it had its origins as a Roman fort, part of which still exists. From the 5th through the 13th centuries, it was the capital of Bavaria, and later the Perpetual Seat of the Empire’s Diet.  In 845, 14 Bohemian princes were baptized in Regensburg; thus, the Czech lands were drawn into Roman Catholicism rather than Slavic Orthodox.  Started in 1280, the Cathedral was dedicated in 1520, but has been renovated several times, including in the 19th century by King Ludwig 1.

The last stop for us in Germany was Passau, where the Inn and Ilz Rivers join the Danube.  It originated in Roman times, but a fire in 1662 devastated the city, which was rebuilt in the Baroque style.  A 13th century fortress, Veste Oberhaus, overlooks the town; it was once the residence of the prince bishop, as was Veste Niederhaus, also a fortress protecting the city.  St. Stephan’s Cathedral, built in 1688, had what was once the largest organ in the world, with 17,774 pipes and 233 registers.  

We are about to cross the Danube into Austria,since Passau is on the border.

Reminiscences 2024

The next stop was in Germany–Cologne, another town founded by the Romans.  It became free city in the Holy Roman Empire, its bishop an Elector,  until Napoleon annexed it to France.  After the Congress of Vienna, it became part of Prussia, its Catholic majority uncomfortably married to Protestant Prussia. The city was heavily bombed in World War II–about 60% destroyed.  Fortunately for posterity, the Gothic cathedral was spared, and the numerous Romanesque churches rebuilt with attention to detail.  What else would you expect?

If you have taken a course in Western Civilization, you have undoubtedly been introduced to the Cologne Cathedral (Cathedral Church of St. Peter, technically), Germany’s most visited landmark.  Begun in 1248, and finally completed in 1880, it was the tallest building in the world until the completion of the Washington monument in 1890.  The shrine of the three kings is reputed to hold relics from the 3 Wise Men who found Jesus.

The city also boasts 12 Romanesque churches, dating from the fourth through the thirteenth centuries. St. Martin dates from 1000.

It is also famous for Eau de Cologne (I visited the museum, and learned the Eau was invented in 1709 by a transplanted Italian, and substituted  especially by royalty for a bath).  I had a Kolsch, too, a beer protected in the European Union, meaning it’s made within 30 miles of Cologne, following definite procedures.

Rudesheim brought us to Hesse, and vineyards.  One claim to fame is a huge statue overlooking the Rhine that celebrates the unification of Germany in 1871.  It pictures Germania, symbol of the new country.  There are abandoned castles around the city, and across the river Eibingen Abbey, founded by polymath Hildegard of Bingen; I’ve heard her music.

Miltenberg was  our introduction to Bavaria (Wurzburg became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria thanks to the Congress of Vienna) and Franconia, a cultural and linguistic area.  Another town with Roman paternity, it is probably best known for its half-timbered houses.  One Zum Reisen is the oldest hotel in Europe, dating from 1400 or so, with the current building dating from 1590. And, of course, it will have a fortress.

Wurzburg was one of the most devastated cities, but rose, like phoenix, from the ashes.  91% of the city was destroyed in a  17 minute bombardment.  You’d never know it. The 18th century rebuilt Residence (of the Prince-Bishop) is a Baroque showpiece.  The third and present Cathedral was consecrated in 1187 and rebuilt several times, including after World War II. I did the “walking tour” on a bicycle and managed to see many of the other sites in town, including a wonderful Baroque facade, and the fortress.

We took a bus (I think) to Rothenburg au Tauber, the “Red Castle on the Tauber” which the Nazis thought was the ideal German city.  Unusual for the cities we visited, it was not founded by the Romans, and it’s not on the Rhine.  Recognizing its historical importance on the Romantic Road in southern Germany, the Assistant Secretary of War told the US Army not to use artillery in recapturing the city.  Aerial bombardment had destroyed “only” a third. It is one of four cities with its medieval wall intact, but one of many with the obligatory fortress and churches.

Reflections 2024

We got to Amsterdam early to explore some of the local sights–the Anne Frank house, the Rembrandt museum, and the canals, among other things. I was really hoping to see something about the Dutch East India company and the Dutch place in European imperialism; struck out on that.  Of course, Amsterdam in those days was renown for its red light district (Carolyn’s comment: “The women are all so beautiful”) and weed.  It was also bicycle friendly, like so much of Europe.

Having travelled Tauck before, I knew the ship would have bicycles, and brought gear to ride in some of the cities, which was a great way to cover a lot of ground.   When we left Amsterdam, the rest of the trip remains a blur of castles guarding the Rhine (or shaking down vessels traversing it; we visited one, and I remember it as cold and drafty, but better than the peasant houses below); cities such as Regensburg, the seat (sometimes) of the Holy Roman Empire’s parliament; and Nuremberg, the scene of Nazi rallies, and the home of Albrecht Durer.   It’s hard to tell one from the other from the pictures, but I’ve reconstructed a sampling of a wonderful trip that took us through the canals and rivers that linked European trade and history together.   While the desire for a Rhine-Main-Danube canal dates from the 8th century, the current canal was completed only in 1992, enabling shipping traffic from the Atlantic to the Black Sea.

The first city after Amsterdam, Nijmegen, should have given me a clue about what we’d see.  Claiming to be the oldest city in the Netherlands, Nijmegen had a park with a ruin that claimed to be from Roman times (a lot of the towns we visited had Roman roots), and near as I can figure was part of a palace inhabited by Charlemagne and Frederick Barbarossa.  Nearby was a church from 1000 A.D., which, for all the world, looks Byzantine.  The town square, however, is Western European.  Like many of the other cities, Nijmegen was bombed heavily in World War II, and some of the buildings are reconstructions.  None more so than Wurzburg,  as I’ll discuss below.