Czech conclusion

Through Dürnstein, Vienna and Budapest, the journey through Europe ends in pretty and palatial Prague

Nussdorf, we were shuttled to Schewedenplatz Centre to look around and buy souvenirs.

perhaps, after Rome.

sailed toward Dürnstein through valley, while the captain kept us informed of various salient features of the villages along the way. Until Hungary, the Danube became wider as we sailed along, through a landscape of high visibility for miles. Just 40km/ sq is one of the most prominent tourist destinations of Lower Austria, where connoisseurs and epicureans gather to enjoy life. This is the main town of Dürnstein, where King Richard Lionheart of England was kept captive by Duke Leopold V. We enjoyed a walking tour of the city. The architectural elegance of its ancient monasteries, castles and ruins, combined with later centuries buildings, plus tasting local wines, cheeses and the cuisine was a pleasure. In December 2000, the Wachau region was included into UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in recognition of its architectural and agricultural history. We bought pretty little bottles of Marillenschnaps as souvenirs.

Back at the Brilliant for lunch and a siesta, in the evening we ordered cocktails of our choice at the Panorama Bar. The afterdinner show was by the crew, who amazed us with concealed talent they individually and collectively portrayed. As the Brilliant sailed toward Vienna, we enjoyed the tidy landscape passing by from the deck.

After breakfast, four coaches drove us to Vienna: to Belvedere Palace, Hofburg Palace, Burgtheatre, Karlkirsche Church, Stattpark, Michaelerplatz, and the City Hall. The most enchanting though, was the statue of Pallas Athena, Greek Goddess of Knowledge, in white marble, pedestalled outside Parliament House in all her Olympian glory. We were given a tour of Schonbrum Palace, the summer residence of Queen Sissi and King Franz Joseph. Wall and ceiling paintings here drifted us back to the epoch that was centuries ago. In 2001, the blindingly tidy Viennese City Centre was granted World Heritage Status by UNESCO. After a buffet lunch at the Brilliant moored at Leuftner Pontoon in

After dinner, we were driven to the optional Vienna Concert at elegant Volkstheatre, the People’s Theatre. Its architecture dated from an era when elevators had not even been construed possible, hence climbing to the top deck for a complimentary glass of preprogram champagne, down to the main theatre for the show, further down to buy drinks for the show, further down in the basement to the toilets and a return to the show again was a bother. The most surprising feature of the show was that the leader of the twelve male and single female set of musicians was Chinese, his prologue, both in German and English, impeccable. The most surprising to Rose and myself however, was that out of the nine countries we visited on this tour, we found the locals friendly and willing to portray their positivity to visitors whatever their background. Austria was the only land where we faced bias based on skin-colour, even when I addressed them in their language. The ensemble undoubtedly did their best to entertain us; however some of the enlightened amongst us opined that they took short cuts. They also presented works of only Wolfgang Mozart and Yohann Strauss, and only thirteen in number. The program was presented by a male and female opera singers, which was welcome. Later, these artists mingled and conversed with us in English.

The next morning we were already moored at Budapest. After breakfast we were driven past the City Hall, the Parliament House, War Building, St Anthony Cathedral, and many more sights in Buda. After lunch, we toured Pest across the massive Queen Elizabeth Bridge. Back at the Brilliant, because this was our final dinner, we were invited to dine in a fancy inner-city Tavern that served typical Hungarian food (no Hungarian goulash, thank God, for the Hungarians have no idea how to prepare fine goulash).

Fancifully attired youngergeneration beauties welcomed us. There was live music of strings, flutes and drums, and as much local wine as one wished to drink.

After dinner, the Brilliant took us on a two-hour ‘goodbye cruise’ along the Danube. Massive, beautiful buildings adequately illuminated at night were a sight to kill for. Incidentally, Hungary boasts the best-looking and preserved buildings in Europe,

The next morning, luxury coaches drove us to Prague in the Czech Republic, for a three night stay in a hotel at the Old Town. Most of the old-world charm one may see is in this massive area that surrounds the inner city. Because we were to return here to see and photograph the twelve apostles who appear – one by one as the cuckoo sings at 12 noon, we rushed past the King’s palace and various other locations, and landed at the five hundred year old Karel Most: Charles Bridge, one of fifty bridges over the river Vltava. The well-maintained statues of kings and saints decorating the bridge was a sight to cherish. Our guides hurried us, but we still had our cameras running. From over the bridge, I could spot the Belgian Embassy building in which is located the Indian Embassy. The clock was surrounded by a million tourists, but we pushed through and saw all the twelve saints appearing. After lunch here, we visited the massive new Palladium Departmental Store and roamed around until late.

In the morning we were driven to the Hradchany Castle on the hill, where at every corner were quartets playing Czech music, hats on the ground for gratification. Dining rooms, kitchens, living rooms of past kings and their associated paraphernalia was a delight to view. Our lunch of local delicacies had been arranged in a tavern.

Rose and I dined in a restaurant at the Palladium; the weather was freezing and our Englishspeaking schoolgirl waitress recommended an after-dinner ginger tea. Lo and behold, this was ginger tea and a clove per serve which I had introduced to freezing Czechoslovakia thirty years ago, a tradition they still maintain!

The third day was to ourselves, so we strolled to Vaclávski Namêsti, the City Square, which was dirty and crowded with mostly middle-eastern tourists.

Ŝtêpanska Ulicé, which boasted the cherished Mayur Indian Restaurant, was now without mayur. On the site where Mayur used to be now stands a Czech restaurant. The beautiful Rajasthani furniture, those white metal cutlery sets from Allahabad and many expensive curios from India were all purloined by the Biggies when Communism ended in Eastern Europe in 1989. However, we lunched there for old times’ sake. Disappointed, we hired a car to Konopiŝtê Castle in Beneshov, some twenty miles outside Prague. In this multistorey castle are displayed a million or so creatures, from the tiny Hummingbird to the massive African elephant and every other living being in between, which the overinflated ego of King Ferdinand of combined Europe had exterminated. The following morning we flew back home. A great holiday, which I wholeheartedly recommend!