We awoke to a sunny and crisp morning and opted to walk into Melk. We were advised that it would take half an hour and should leave at 9am before the buses. We figured it was likely to take 20 minutes and left at 9.10am with a warning that we’d have to hurry. We didn’t. It was about 1.5km in total along the river and then down a road and we still got to the town 10 minutes early. We caught up with another couple of walkers who’d got lost but it was pretty obvious where we were going once we got to the village – although there was another castle thing on a hill another kilometre or so away.

We were headed for Melk Abbey which is on the hill overlooking a pretty village. The Abbey is huge and has large terraced gardens all surrounded by a large wall.

As it turned out, the various walkers then stood around for over 10 minutes waiting for the buses and then for the local guides who were late.

Evidently the Abbey, which has 70 rooms, is now home to a handful of monks. Half of it is also used as a high school which was some comfort as we were getting a bit jaded by the number and size of castles, abbeys and monasteries that are largely empty except for a handful of devotees.

The Abbey has a large central courtyard which is an odd mix of Mediaeval, renaissance and modern. The monks got fed up with trying to touch up the Renaissance plasterwork along the upper level (and it was getting past restoration) so they opted for some modern art instead. Colourful but a bit odd.

The whole place and tour was a bit odd in my view. This was all about the relics that are supposedly stored in the Abbey. They have these bejewelled crosses that have a bit of some saint’s bone and, most importantly, a splinter from the original cross of Christ. Hmmm. It looked like a fragment of wood surrounded by diamonds and rubies that could rival Lynden’s rings but I’m suspicious that practically everywhere in Germany and Austria seems to have bits and pieces from the cross or the shroud or some other item worthy of pilgrimage. Today we call it religious tourism but it brings in the crowds and their money and has done so for over 2000 years.

We weren’t allowed to take photos inside but apart from the treasures it was not about the building and we couldn’t see more than one wing and the chapel. The views out from the upper corridor were excellent and we could photograph that. The chapel itself was obscenely opulent and that seemed to be the conclusion of most of our party. I photographed the postcards that were on sale in the gift shop (through which you had to pass in order to exit).

Our tickets gave us entry to the gardens as well but there wasn’t enough time to see them properly as we wanted to walk back and the boat left just after 11. I think I’d have preferred to just explore the gardens.

We had an afternoon sailing and There were tours of the bridge and galley for those interested. Far more were interested in the galley! The bridge is as you’d expect; full of computers and screens that display the various radar and other information. Mike and I would have liked to see the engine room also but that may not have enough space for tourists. The galley was surprisingly small given the number of meals turned out each day.

It is organised very precisely so that each type of food preparation has its own space and there are large chillers and and fridges. That evening we arrived in Vienna. We had opted to take the additional tour into the city for an after dinner concert, so there was an early dinner and then everyone got as glammed up as possible for the event. There were 2 bus loads into the concert and Bram gave a short commentary about what we were seeing on our way. The boats can’t dock right in the centre of the old city and it is about a 10 minute bus ride or 4 metro stops.

Vienna was very beautiful all lit up. The concert was on the second floor of a large inner city old building with high, plastered ceilings. Not the opera house, or as glamorous as many of the rooms we had visited but still a very elegant concert hall.

We were entertained by an excellent 8 piece orchestra which played mainly Strauss and Mozart (as you’d expect) but also with some opera from a soprano and tenor and some ballet.

Finishing, as always in Vienna, with Strauss senior’s Radetzky March. It was a lovely mix of music and dance to provide a taste of what Vienna has to offer and lasted about 90 minutes. We thoroughly enjoyed it all, including the opera, although Mike preferred the orchestral pieces. We got CDs of the concert as part of our ticket so will be able to enjoy it again at home (we got a CD each so have a spare for anyone with a special interest and I’m guessing that might be Niels!)