21 SEPTEMBER, 2016

I rented a funky little apartment in the centre of Amsterdam. We discovered that our bedroom was a tiny platform built into the loft. Getting up the steep, winding stairs without railings was an ordeal. I felt very much like Anne Frank!

We spent a few hours at the Rejksmuseum. Although blown away by Rembrandt and Van Gough, my favourite was Vermeer. His use of colour is extraordinary.

Feeling a little jet lagged we opted for an early dinner at a traditional Dutch restaurant, d’Vijff Vlieghen (the five flies). http://www.vijffvliegen.nl

I opted for the delicious raw (not pickled) herrings, smoked eel and baby shrimp while Barry had pea soup then sausage with special Dutch vegetables. Yum!

22 SEPTEMBER, 2016

We spent the day exploring the city, admiring the glorious architecture, the canals, and, in perfect Autumn weather, strolling through the lovely Vondel Park.

Then we moved on to of all places, a handbag museum! I would never have guessed (if we hadn’t been tipped off by friends) that the history of handbags could be so interesting.

23rd SEPTEMBER, 2016

We spent our first anniversary continuing to enjoy the delights of Amsterdam before boarding the MS AmaReina for our APT cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest.

24th SEPTEMBER, 2016

25th SEPTEMBER, 2016 – COLOGNE, GERMANY

The ship organised a sightseeing tour of Amsterdam and a Canal Cruise which left us feeling that we had really become familiar with Amsterdam. Then there was the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Party followed by the Gala Welcome Dinner, neither of which were our kind of event. Then the ship cast off. Yay!

We went on a historic, architectural walking tour of Cologne in the morning before going by bus to Bonn where the ship was waiting for us.

While we were enjoying lunch the ship set sail for Andernach. If the Captain’s Cocktail Party and Gala Dinner weren’t pretentious and pompous enough, the ‘By Royal Invitation’ dinner at Burg Namedy as the guests of ‘Princess Heidi’, was positively sick making. Our fellow guests were impressed and enchanted when the princess chatted with them and even helped the wait staff serve meals! Whoever heard of Princess Heidi? Yet these types of functions no doubt enable minor or distant royalty/gentry be able to maintain their expensive properties.

26th SEPTEMBER, 2016 – RHINE GORGE & RUDESHEIM

This is the most famous stretch of the Rhine River with its many castles, known all over the world. Steep slopes, many covered by Vineyards and dotted by castles, are accompanied by picturesque villages like Boppard and St. Goarshausen.

Rudesheim is a lovely little town. Drosselgasse is a 144 meter long cobblestone street in the heart of the old town that was built in the 15th century. It is filled with beautifully decorated restaurants and gift shops. We took gondola ride up to the Germanic monument. The panoramic views over Rudesheim’s old town and the shimmering waters of the Rhine dotted with green isles made the smooth glide over the vineyards below especially enchanting.

27th SEPTEMBER, 2016 – MILTENBERG

MILTENBERG proper was founded in the 13th century. There were two Roman castles at Miltenberg, as well as a Gallo-Roman temple built in the center of the older Celtic town on the mountaintop.

Miltenberg suffered greatly after the 30years war and could not afford to replace its old medieval heart with its half timbered houses, and so is stuck in time and is straight out of a fairy tale.

We are no longer sailing down the Rhine, but the Main. It’s name means the snake and it is smaller and cosier then the Rhine. Along its banks are many quaint villages and picturesque places. It is 524 km long and one of the more significant tributaries of the Rhine river. The river has been canalised by 34 large locks (300m x 12m) to allow vessels of so-called CEMT class VII, necessary for our ship (with 11.45m) to navigate the total length of the river. There isn’t much room to spare!

28th SEPTEMBER 2016 – WURZBURG AND ROTHENBURG

We woke up to be surrounded by the vine clad slopes of the hills around Wurzburg. We were now in north-western Bavaria. The highlight of Wurzberg is the so-called “Residenz”, built for the prince-bishops of the Schonborn family. This beautiful baroque palace is one of the largest is Germany.

Rothenburg is one the most famous and said to be the most picturesque villages in all of Germany. The village is completely surrounded by its old city wall and is full of charm

29th SEPTEMBER, 2016 – BAMBERG

Another pretty German town!

30th SEPTEMBER, 2016 NUREMBERG

Most of the city was completely destroyed during WWII (in about ninety minutes!) and the historical buildings were mostly rebuilt, using the very same stones. WWII plays a major role in the city’s history, considering that Adolf Hitler chose the site for his annual Nazi party rallies. Later the city became the famous location for the Nuremberg Trials.

1st OCTOBER, 2016 – REGENSBURG

Regensburg, unlike most German cities , was spared destruction by the bombs of WWII. It was really lovely!

2nd OCTOBER, 2016 – PASSAU and SALZBURG, AUSTRIA

This was our first ‘underwhelming’ stopover. We were supposed to be impressed by our train journey on the ‘Majestic Imperator’, which was billed as a majestic and royal experience. The train is a facsimile of the late 1800s. The original train being what Emperor Franz Josef and his wife Elizabeth used to travel to the Asiatic coast. I found the restorations ‘twee’ and the supposed period dress costumes of the train staff amateurish and unconvincing. Nonetheless, the three hour journey from PASSAU, Germany to Salzburg, Austria, past the countryside of farms and villages was lovely.

Arriving at Salzburg was a great disappointment. It was raining and being a Sunday, nothing was open. So we huddled under awnings until the bus collected us some hours later to take us back to the ship.3

3rd OCTOBER, 2016 – MELK / DURNSTEIN, AUSTRIA

Melk Abbey is said to be one of the most famous and visited cultural sites in Austria. It is absolutely huge and palatial, more in keeping with a residence of royalty than a monastic establishment.

In the afternoon we went to Durnstein, a quaint little village that is dominated by the ruins of a castle where Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned during the time of the crusades.

4th OCTOBER, 2016 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA

We were taken on a bus tour around Vienna which included a stop at the famous Spanish Riding school with its famous Lipizzaner horses followed by free time wandering around the city.

5th OCTOBER, 2016 – VIENNA

It was lovely to have another full day to explore Vienna.

6th OCTOBER, 2016 – BUDAPEST

Nothing on this cruise was as dramatic as seeing Budapest at night.

The buildings were not quite as impressive in the daylight, but nonetheless demonstrated a previous time of glory. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the Danube with the amalgamation in 1873 of the right-bank Buda with Pest on the left bank. We took a visit to the Castle district on the Buda side. The castle district is about 1.5km long and 600 meters wide, and consists of the so-called Royal Palace, Mathis’s Church and Fisherman’s Bastion.

7th OCTOBER, 2016 – BUDAPEST DISEMBARKATION

After an early morning disembarkation, we checked into our lovely hotel, Corinthia Hotel Budapest. First opened in 1896, as the Grand Hotel Royal, Carinthia hotel Budapest is said to be still one of the grandest hotels in the city. Meticulously renovated the hotels rich history blend seamlessly with the state of the art features, such as the original 19th century spa. We very much enjoyed The full spa treatment including the vigourous salt scrub and massage that preceded a dip in the sulphur enriched water.

Away from the carefully orchestrated tours of the APT company, we discovered a seedier side to Budapest.

7th OCTOBER, 2015 – BUDAPEST

Budapest is certainly a beautiful city with its architecture ironically preserved by decades of neglect under communist rule. After 25 years of ‘freedom’ capitalism is taking hold. Some of the most opulent buildings are now hotels or high end restaurants, but they stand alongside other buildings, once their equal, that have fallen into decrepit decay. But poverty and homelessness is evident on almost every street corner.

The city has an uncomfortable ‘edge’ to it that, unlike the other cities we visited, leaves you feeling less than safe, particularly in back streets or at night. But it was from an unexpected quarter that we suffered our one-and-only rip-off scam. We hailed a taxi back to our hotel not knowing what the cost might be (assuming a metered fare). No meter was evident but the driver asked for 6300 Florints. Now we know that was TWICE what it should’ve been! However, that was only the HALF of the scam. After such a short ride, I was about to hand over a 5000 Ft note (about $25 AUD) thinking it would well and truly cover the fare. But the driver said “not enough”. So Mary-Ann handed him a 10000 Ft note and expected change. But once again the driver said, “not enough”, and passed back the 1000 Ft note he pretended he’d been handed. In that instant, not realising the note-switching scam, we gave him back the 1000 Ft together with the 5000 Ft to pay the fare. The fact was we’d never had a 1000 Ft note!!! We only had a 5000 and 10000 Ft note … and he’d got away with both of those for a total scam of $75 AUD!!!! 

As soon as we were out of the cab we realised what he’d done but he was long gone! The next day we took a cab from our hotel to a destination well out of the city centre, probably three times the distance of the previous scam ride, but for only 4000 Ft. But we still managed a wry knowing smile when we saw the “Trap Cafe”.

8th OCTOBER, 2016 – BUDAPEST

We spent a wonderful afternoon at the New York Cafe. The fabulously restored cafe is often described as the most beautiful coffee house in the world. The cafe is decorated with brass, marble, silk and velvet. Magnificent spiralled pillars, chandeliers, murals and a balcony await the guests (who line up all down the street to get in) just as they awaited the poets and writers in the olden days.

Live gypsy music accompanies the good coffee and delicious food, just as I did 120 years ago. The very talented musicians have an outstanding repertoire from various musical genres. As Wellers hung Garian folk and gypsy music they also plays France Bartok and interest.

It was a truly memorable experience and one not to be missed if you ever find yourself in Budapest!

newyorkcafe.hu

Erzsebet krt 9-11, Budapest