I Can’t Resist

May 13, 2015  Hours spent building to date:  1,027

Still feeling pretty woozy after a 2:30 am wakeup call in Budapest Monday morning.  But I did manage to reduce the beautiful rollover frame and the building frame to piles of scrap for the recycling center over the last couple days.

Even though this is supposed to be a boatbuilding site, I can’t resist posting some pictures of our wonderful trip down the Danube from Germany to Budapest.  All the commercials about Viking River Cruises seem to be true based on our trip:  beautiful ships, exceptional service, great food, great wine (all local — when you ask where a wine is from, they point out the window and say “right over there.”)  The crew and guides are all Eastern European and are proud to tell the fascinating story of these beautiful and complicated lands.

I have a whole new Lotto fantasy because of this trip:  “When I win the lottery, I will fly to Vienna for a cup of coffee.”  And maybe a little sour cherry strudel.

Our “longship” the Viking Njord.

Passau, a wonderfully preserved city on the German/Austrian border

Mozart’s birthplace in Salzburg. His memory and music are everywhere. It’s strange to say, but it’s like he’s the George Washington of Austria.

The Wachau Valley — castles, wine and the world’s best apricots.

Austria really looks like this!! Shot with my own little camera.

Bustling Vienna.

Charming guide in charming Bratislava, capital of Slovakia.

Night arrival in Budapest. I’m sure Viking arranged for the lights to be turned on.

Monument to Raoul Wallenberg, savior with his fellow diplomats of 60,000 Hungarian Jews.

Our view from the Hilton Hotel in Buda.