Page 150 - WDT INTERACTIVE

We spent that afternoon aboard ship – lounging on
deck, threading our way along an Austrian tapestry of
medieval villages, terraced vineyards, ancient mon-
asteries and castle ruins. Some passengers tuned
in to Viking listening devices to learn about various
sites we passed; others were content with intermittent
commentary from the cruise director. All marveled as
our captain masterfully squeezed the Vilhjalm through
the lock at Melk, with only inches of leeway.
The next morning, we docked at Linz, the provincial
capital of Upper Austria. But most cruisers chose to
get out of town. We opted to join an included daylong
excursion to Cesky Krumlov, a fairytale castle town
in the highlands of the Czech Republic. We toured
the 13th century castle and the baroque theater
where scenes from the 1984 movie “Amadeus” were
filmed – then roamed the crooked, cobbled streets
of the medieval village, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Three of us settled for lunch at Svejk restaurant,
two flights up in a weathered building across from
the Vltava River. The place was filled with locals. I
sampled my dining companions’ roasted rabbit and
potato dumplings – and savored my hearty bowl of
kulajda, a traditional Bohemian soup thick with forest
mushrooms, potatoes, quail eggs and cream. My tab
was less than 3 euros.
Passau, the last stop on our weeklong cruise, is
known as the “city of three rivers.” It lies at the conflu-
ence of the Inn, Danube and Ilz. We berthed within
walking distance of the Old Town – along with five
other Viking river ships.
All of us – nearly 950 cruisers – convened at St.
Stephen’s Cathedral, the centerpiece of Passau.
The 17th century baroque treasure houses Europe’s
largest pipe organ, with nearly 18,000 pipes. Viking
arranged for a concert for its passengers. It was a
resounding success.
Later that afternoon, we wandered Passau’s cob-
blestoned Artists Alley, a colorful path that led us to
galleries and studios where we met artists at work.
Along the way, I discovered Buch & Kunstantiquariat,
an antiquarian bookstore bulging with treasures; I’ll
own a shop just like it in my next life.
Our week aboard the Vilhjalm left little to be desired.
Mornings started with coffee and pastries in the

150 WDT MAGAZINE WINTER 2018