2025 Viking Danube River Cruise

Day 1 (Extension Day)

15 July (Tuesday)

Arrive Bucharest, Romania

Day 2 (Extension Day)

16 July (Wednesday)

Brașov (Transylvania), Romania

09:00AM to 11:00AM: Peleș Castle

Day 3 (Extension Day)

17 July (Thursday)

Brașov, Romania

Day 4 (Extension Day)

18 July (Friday)

Brașov -> Bran Castle, Romania

09:00AM to 11:00AM: Bran Castle

See Also: Dracula's Castle Video

Day 5

19 July (Saturday)

Bucharest, Romania

09:00AM to 12:30PM: Panoramic Bucharest

Day 6

20 July (Sunday)

Constanța, Romania

02:30PM to 04:00PM: Constanța On Foot

Day 7

21 July (Monday)

Turnu Măgurele, Romania - Board Viking Rinda

Day 8

22 July (Tuesday)

Pleven, Bulgaria

09:00AM to 13:30PM: Panoramic Pleven

Day 9

23 July (Wednesday)

Vidin, Bulgaria

10:00AM to 12:30PM: Vidin on Foot

Day 10

24 July (Thursday)

Donji Milanovac, Serbia

08:30PM to 10:00AM: Charming Donji Milanovac

Day 11

25 July (Friday)

Belgrade, Serbia

08:30AM to 12:30PM: Panoramic Belgrade

02:30PM to 5:00PM: Bicycling Belgrade

06:00PM to 08:30PM: Dine in Belgrade’s Bohemian Quarter

Day 12

26 July (Saturday)

Novi Sad, Serbia

09:30AM to 12:30PM: The Town of Novi Sad

Day 13

27 July (Sunday)

02:00PM to 06:00PM: Osijek Citadel & Vukovar’s Eltz Manor Museum

Day 14

28 July (Monday)

Mohács, Hungary

08:00AM to 12:30PM: Historic Pécs

Day 15

29 July (Tuesday)

Budapest, Hungary

09:00AM to 12:30PM: Panoramic Budapest

07:00PM to 10:30PM: Hungarian Folklore Dinner

Day 16

30 July (Wednesday)

Budapest, Hungary

Day 17

31 July (Thursday)

Bratislava, Slovakia

02:00PM to 04:00PM: Bratislava Walking Tour

Day 18

1 August (Friday)

Vienna, Austria

09:00AM to 12:30PM: Panoramic Vienna

07:30PM to 10:30PM: Mozart & Strauss Concert

Day 19

2 August (Saturday)

Vienna, Austria

1:30PM to 5:00PM: Behind the Scenes at the Lipizzaner Stallions

Day 20

3 August (Sunday)

Prague, Czech Republic

Day 21

4 August (Monday)

Prague, Czech Republic

08:30AM to 12:30PM: Panoramic Prague

06:45PM to 10:45PM: Prague Folklore Dinner

Day 22

5 August (Tuesday)

Prague, Czech Republic

Day 23

6 August (Wednesday)

Prague, Czech Republic

Item	Updated
Viking Rinda Current Location	Now
Photo Album	2 Aug 2025
Google Map	2 Aug 2025
Google Earth KMZ File	2 Aug 2025
Download Files	24 Jun 2024

Daily Log:

- 14-15 July (Monday - Tuesday): Travel Day - Tucson AZ -> Houston TX -> Frankfurt Germany -> Bucharest Romania (UTC-7, UTC-5, UTC+2, UTC+3): 
So...We started the trip with an 08:15 AZ time Uber ride to Tucson Airport. Short delay there, but flight was fine to Houston IAH, where we sat on the plane waiting for a gate for almost exactly 1 hour (rains have continued to plague the area after that terrible flood recently). Flight to Frankfurt was long (9.5 hours), but fine. Some chaos at the airport, where we exited at a gate just 2 away from our connecting flight, but had to walk the other way, then downstairs, through passport control, then back down to where we came from to reach our gate. Made it there in plenty of time though, and flight to Bucharest was about 2 hours. Happy to see that all of our luggage had arrived, we exited to find Viking River Cruise personnel ready to transfer us to our hotel. We got to the JW Marriott Grand Hotel after a bit of a drive through traffic, and were given our key cards as they'd already checked us in. After receiving our bags in our room, we wandered out for a quick "Hello" photo and to get some Romanian RON (about 4.3 RON to 1 USD). Well done by Viking at this point (first time we're cruising with them.) Tired as we were, we were informed that we needed to separate our luggage contents to take some with us for the side trip to Transylvania and leave the rest at the hotel in storage. That proved more difficult than we'd expected, but we got it done. By this time we'd been up and traveling for 28 hours straight, so we hit the sack for some shut-eye. 
- 16 July (Wednesday): Day 2 (Extension) - Bucharest to Brasov, Romania (UTC+3): 
We woke at 05:30am local Romanian time, showered and dressed, then headed to a fantastic buffet breakfast with quite an assortment of all things breakfast. Our bags were hauled down to the lobby and to storage, as tagged, and we boarded our bus with 22 others who'd be joining us. Our guide, 21-year-old Lorin, shared all kinds of interesting details with us and kept us laughing. One item up front was about traffic in Bucharest, which apparently is one of the worst in the world. In their celebration of freedom from communism, everyone wants a car to go where they'd like, so there are almost as many cars as people. It was about 1.5 hours to our first location, with a quick bio break along the way. We were let out of the bus on a very crowded and busy stone street, with a heavy downpour of rain graciously waiting for our arrival to ensure we got the worst of it. We had a walk in that downpour, with cars pushing us out of the way as we went, down to Peles Castle. The castle is in the Carpathian Mountains, on an existing medieval route linking Transylvania and Wallachia, built between 1873 and 1914. It was constructed for King Carol I of Romania. It was quite a nice castle, and had the distinction of being the first castle with central heating and ductwork. Quite ornate inside, with a lot of intricately carved wood througout and a variety of rooms for the king to entertain in and enjoy. The rain had stopped as soon as we reached the cover of the entrance, and patiently waited until it was time for us to exit, then dropped in buckets even more than before. We were all drenched. Had a moment of mild panick when I realized that I'd set my Insta360 camera down to don my rain gear, so had some additional fun in the rain back-tracking to look for it. Fortunately, it was right where I left it. Now we hoofed it back through the rain to catch up with our group and reboard our bus. All had a good laugh about how drenched we all were. In spite of the rain, we really were enjoying Romania so far! We stopped for lunch at a restaurant not far from the castle. Not much to say about this, other than some fun conversation with two other couples at our table. Back on the bus to go to the Hotel Raddison Blu Aurum Brasov. Again, the rain waited until time for us to leave the bus, then came down in buckets again. Fortunately, it was a short walk from the bus to the hotel entrance. Once again, no check-in...just handed us our key cards. Our luggage found us in our rooms shortly after we'd stripped of our wet clothes and donned some provided robes. I put the hair dryer to good use, as clothes, shoes, bags, etc. were all drenched. We had a 6:30pm walk and dinner tour, which gave us just under 2 hours to dry out and dress again. In the lobby, our new guide was waiting... a woman dressed and in character as a 327 year old Saxon Patrician (like nobility, but earned not inherited). We walked the back roads and alleyways to the Council Square in historic center of Brasov. With no rain this time, the walk was quite pleasant and our guide was a lot of fun. There were only 6 people in our group, so much more intimate. We reached our restaurant, the Casa Chitic, and descended to the private restaurant below. Starters included three different traditional spreads. One was hummus with caramelized onions on top, another was like a ratatouille, and the third was a mashed bean. Renee really liked the hummus one. Next we had a tarragon cream soup with pork which was pretty good. Main course included cheese polenta, cabbage, and pork neck. One interesting theme that kept coming up is how Romania battled with the Ottomans and used pork to poison drinking wells to keep them away. Desert was the obvious highlight...a Romanian treat called "Papanasi", which is like a fried doughnut in a doughnut with sour cream and cherry jam. We made the short walk back to our hotel and called it a night. 
- 17 July (Thursday): Day 3 (Extension) - Brasov, Romania (UTC+3): 
This was a casual day for us, with nothing scheduled. We woke and had breakfast at the hotel, then as we were about to head out exploring the Conceirge offered us a tour of the museum in the hotel. The young guy was very friendly as he took us below to the wine tasting room where a piece of the original old wall was on display. He talked us through some historical displays and showed us the bomb shelter, then took us to the roof. Along the way, he mentioned that he and his wife and two kids escaped the Ukraine after the war with Russia started in 2022. He expressed gratitude to the U.S. for supporting the Ukraine. The hotel is situated at one of the gates around the previously walled city, and the views around Old Town Brasov were fantastic. We took some photos and returned to the lobby. We headed to the town center, where we'd gone the previous evening, and scoped out the Black Church which had survived near total destruction of Brasov by the Austrians years ago and was charred as a result. We wandered out of the North West gate and along the remaining outer wall on the North side of town, then back to the hotel. After refreshing back at the hotel, we ventured out again for lunch at the Prato restaurant in Old Town. On return, we learned that Viking had modified our itinerary to account for low water at this end of the Danube. We would now drive to Constantin at the Black Sea and back from Bucharest, then on Westward to Turnu Magurele in Romania to board the ship on Monday. For some reason we were both quite exhausted, so we retired early and slept through to the next morning. 
- 18 July (Friday): Day 4 (Extension) - Brasov -> Bran Castle -> Bucharest, Romania (UTC+3): 
After another nice breakfast at the hotel, we headed out with our guide to Bran Castle about 45 minutes drive away. Lorin shared stories relating real life history of Vlad the Impaler, Bran Castle, and the fictional story of Dracula by Irishman Bram Stoker. Once at the castle, we hoofed it through a market place at the base, up along a stone path to the castle entrance, then up stairs into the structure. Passage through various rooms and up tight stairs was challenging, as it was quite crowded, but still very interesting. The castle and surround structures clearly showed influences of Austrian, Germany, and Swiss architectures. Bran Castle is situated along the route from old world Wallachia to Transylvania, which is where Bran Stoker described Dracula's castle to be, though he'd never been to Romania. Vlad III, commonly known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracula, was ruler of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death in 1476/77. He is often considered one of the most important rulers in Wallachian history and a national hero of Romania. He was the second son of Vlad Dracul, who became the ruler of Wallachia in 1436. Vlad and his younger brother, Radu, were held as hostages in the Ottoman Empire in 1442 to secure their father's loyalty. Vlad later escaped and spent the rest of his life fighting the Ottomans ruthlessly. After touring the castle, we wandered back down to the open-air shops and purchased a vampire bat encased in plastic as a souvenier. We also shared an "impaled" ear of roasted corn on the cob. From here our bus slowly wound through the Carpathian villages Southward until we reached Bucharest again. During a rest stop along the way we saw a large stork walking around, which drew the attention of all. After a long drive through traffic, we returned to the JW Marriott Grand Hotel in Bucharest, refreshed, and headed to dinner a the hotel's steakhouse. Food was good, and we were once again tired, so we headed back to the room and hit the sack. 
- 19 July (Saturday): Day 5 (Extension) - Bucharest, Romania (UTC+3): 
Started the day with yet another brilliant buffet breakfast at the JW Steakhouse in our hotel. Sat with two other couples whom we've become friends with over these first few days. Then boarded a motor coach for a "Panoramic" tour of Bucharest. For non-cruisers, this lingo typically means sitting on a bus and driving by things, so not our favorite type of tour, but this one was included, and it was not so bad. We drove passed the huge national church that has been in construction since 2017, then stopped and got out for some photos of the Parliament Building and nearby, huge, appartment buildings built in Communism days for the workers in Parliament. The Parliament is second in size only to the Pentagon, though it weighs more than any other building in the world...and is slowly sinking. Our guide mentioned that tax payers are still paying for the building and that they wish they could stop. Onward to Old Town, where we did a combined drive-by of the embassy area, and other buildings of importance, to include the old Communism headquarters building which now serves as the Internal Affairs building. We ended with a walking tour, to include an interesting old church built by a Greek monk. Renee performed her ritual devotional candle lighting as we toured the church. On the bus ride back to the hotel our guide obliged a few of us by letting us off near the Parliament building. We did not want to take the full tour that included this with Viking, which in hind-sight was a mistake, as it was sold out for the next two days. It was a short 1 Km walk back to the hotel from here, which allowed us time to chat with our new friends a bit more. We made a plan to meet and walk to a nearby restaurant for dinner, which we did, then back to the hotel. 
- 20 July (Sunday): Day 6 (Extension) - Bucharest -> Constanta -> Bucharest, Romania (UTC+3): 
Long day here! Since the river was too low for us to board the Rinda and float to Constanta as planned, we were taken by coach to Constanta and back. The ride to Constanta was about 3 hours including a bio break. Once there, we exited the bus and walked as a group through the multi-cultural, multi-religious pedestrian streets there. Our guide shared many facts with us along the way that were very interesting for the 30 seconds that they remained in my brain. The city is very old, with some Roman artifacts on display, architecture reflecting Ottoman and former Communist designs. We walked down to a famous casino at the edge of the Black Sea, then along a promenade providing views out over the water. Our walk ended at a marina with several restaurants and our bus waiting for us there. From here we we went to the Murfatlur Winery, where we toured the huge operation there, then made our way to a wine tasting venue. We sampled 5 wines, two white, a rose, and two reds, then had some traditional soup, bread, cheeses and a chicken dish. Food was okay, but not as good as we've come to expect at wineries. We were entertained, as we ate, by a gypsie band. After a stroudel like desert, we hit the restrooms and made our way back to our coach. We were all prepared for a 3-hour return ride, but it turned into a 5-hour plus drive with Sunday traffic leaving Constanta for Bucharest as we were. On return at about 8:30pm, we were treated to a buffet meal in the hotel, then quickly headed to the room to shower and hit the sack. 
- 21 July (Monday): Day 7 - Bucharest -> Turnu Magurele, Romania -> Board Viking Rinda (UTC+3): 
Woke, showered & dressed, put baggage in hallway, ate breakfast, checked out of the JW Marriott, then boarded Coach #4 for our 3-hour drive to Turnu Magarele to board our boat...Finally!!! As we drove West and South through the countryside we saw farm land being plowed, lots and lots of sunflower fields, some small villages with gypsie "mansions". Now less nomadic, they apparently get rich performing at weddings and build very similar, 3-storied, balconied homes to house multiple generations of family. We really enjoyed the pre-cruise extension in Romania, but the driving and traffic were starting to get to us! Boarding and check-in on the Viking Rinda was quick and easy. The staff were very polite, friendly, and helpful. They collected our passports and had a porter escort each guest to their room. Since this is our first experience with Viking River Cruises, we find ourselves comparing everything to what we've become accustomed to on Oceania ships. Our bags were already waiting in our cabin, so we did a quick refresh, then headed out for a very brief tour about the boat. Topside is one level above us on deck 4. There's a covered seating area, a putting green, a line of garden boxes with fresh herbs growing, and a walking track. On level 3, our level, there is a forward lounge and outdoor Aquavita food deck. Level 2 is where the front desk and destination services are, along with the restaurant and more rooms. Did not go to level 1. We had a bit of fun when we ventured out on our very diminutive balcony and discovered that the sliding door auto-locks. Fortunately I had my phone with me, so I called Viking's main number to have them call our boat and have someone come let us back into our room! All-in-all, only about 10 minutes of our time, but a bit surprising! We joined two other couples for dinner as our boat made the short transit from the North side of the Danube straight across to the South side, docking in Nikopol, Bulgaria. Back to the room after dinner and in bed by around 11:00pm local time. 
- 22 July (Tuesday): Day 8 - Nikopol & Pleven, Bulgaria (UTC+3): 
Restful sleep for us both, then up around 6:00 AM to shower, dress, and head to breakfast. Again, we sat with our friends Sid & Bev and Gerry & Debbie. They all must have had a good sleep too, as all were lively and we had lots of laughs. We went topside to exit the boat, having to walk across another river boat docked along side of us to reach the shore. We boarded a bus with mostly folks we'd not yet met, so it was an interesting ride. Our 45-minute drive to Pleven was again scenic countryside, with lots more sunflower fields and other crops. Our guide shared some interesting notes about Bulgaria. We learned that the Cyrillic alphabet was originally developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 9th – 10th century AD. We also learned that there is a Bulgarian custom to bury two bottles of red wine when a boy is born into the family, then dig them up and drink them when he turns 18. We were also told that Bulgaria spared the lives of 50,000 of their resident Jews during WWII, at the cost of the king's life. We noted more mixed architecture from Soviet days along with more recent influences. Our first stop was at the Pleven Panorama, which is a round building to recognize and remember a major battle fought in Pleven during the Russo-Turkish war. The inside was a reconstruction of the battlefield during the seige of Pleven, which was a successful attempt to cut off Turkish supply routes. This battle was key to bringing down the Ottoman Empire. Quite nicely done. Our second stop was at the pedestrian center with a large, multi-level, fountain and water feature. We walked to an Eastern Orthodox Church where Renee lit a candle as she often does. We then walked to the Mausoleum of St George the Victorious for a brief look, and then walked back to our bus. The drive back was uneventful. Back at the Rinda, we ate some lunch and headed back to our room to relax a bit. At 6:45pm we attended the Port Talk with Program Director Paul, who talked about activities for the next day. After that, more food! We had dinner with our friends again in the restaurant on Deck 2. Lots of fun conversation and some pretty good food. After dinner we went topside to watch the sunset and scenes as we made our way along the Danube. We saw some white pelicans and white swans and the evening had cooled off a lot to make it very pleasant outside.  
- 23 July (Wednesday): Day 9 - Vidin, Bulgaria (UTC+3): 
We ate breakfast in the restaurant with a nice Australian couple. Merv is a former university professor who taught many subjects and was fascinating to talk with. His wife was pretty quiet, but a pleasant person. We then went topside to watch the Rinda dock in Vidin. There was a control station between the wheel house and the shore-side of the boat where a pilot guided the boat slowly and carefully to the dock. Once docked, we headed off the boat to meet our tour guide and group. Our group made their way along a walking street lined with shops and restaurants and stopped at the main square. More talk about past Communist days (disdain for which is a recurring theme it appears) and the history of Vidin and Bulgaria. Vidin predates the formation of Bulgaria itself, emerging at the place of an old Celtic settlement known as Dunonia. Multiple interests fought for control of the area over time. In the Middle Ages Vidin used to be an important Bulgarian city, a bishop seat and capital of a large province of the First Bulgarian Empire (681–1018). A prominent feature of Vidin is the Baba Vida Fortress, built between the 10th and 14th centuries, which we toured. Another repeating theme is the multi-religion interest in the area, as we passed a mosque, a synagogue and an orthodox church on our walk. We split with the group to walk through a nice park along the Danube. We saw children doing art work in the park, and younger kids playing. The path ended back at the port, and we popped into a shop to check out handmade Bulgarian items. Renee picked up a handmade silver art deco bangel bracelet and we picked up a small container of Bulgarian rose oil, also known as Rose Otto, which is a highly prized essential oil extracted from the petals of the Rosa damascena flower, primarily grown in the Rose Valley of Bulgaria. It is renowned for its rich fragrance and is widely used in perfumery, skincare, and aromatherapy due to its calming and uplifting properties. Back on board Rinda, we freshened up and headed for lunch at the AquaVit Terrace. We sat with a couple from LA, Paul and Debbie. We've already come to know our server there, a young gal from the Phillipines named Genevie. After that we headed back to the room to catch up on processing our photos, videos, and GPS tracks.  
- 24 July (Thursday): Day 10 - Donji Milanovac, Serbia (UTC+2): 
Leisurely morning, as no excursions until afternoon. At around midnight we passed through the Iron Gate first lock, but we did not get up to check it out. We grabbed some breakfast, then went topside to watch our approach into the Iron Gate second lock, which raises the ships 45 meters. We had to wait for a bit, but eventually made it through. Not as spectacular as going through the Panama Canal, but still interesting. I did a time-lapse using my Insta360, which I afixed to the forward railing. We sat under the covered area with Mark & Cheryl. Sid & Bev and Gerry & Debbie joined us later. Serbian customs boarded and collected all passports from the front desk. We'll need them for our shore excursions over the next couple of days. Because we were running late, Customs allowed us all to go ashore without passports. Donji Milanovac is truly a small town, and our 6 minute walk up to the town church was the furthest we went, but still nice. At the church, we were treated to a choir singing hymns, which was very good. After that, we rambled down to the local elementary school and sat in one of the rooms as our guide, then some students, chatted with us. It was about 96 degrees out and very humid, so we did not stay out much longer than this. Back at the ship, we were prepared for a special Balken meal in the restaurant. It was good to sample things, but most of us at our table did not like the food very much. The crew was dressed in local garb, which was a bit fun. Did not hang around long, as we have a full day tomorrow in Belgrade. 
- 25 July (Friday): Day 11 - Belgrade, Serbia (UTC+2): 
We docked off of the Danube River on the Sava River in Belgrade. Today was a busy day for us...3 different excursions. Started with the included panoramic tour of Belgrade, which bused us to the foot of the Belgrade Fortress, which we then walked around for a bit. Some nice views down over the Danube from here. We then headed to the town square and walked some more to the Church of Saint Sava, which is the not only the largest Serbian Orthodox church, but also the largest Orthodox place of worship in the Balkans and one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world. It is built on the presumed location of St. Sava's grave. In a small park area outside of the church we posed with a statue of Nikola Tesla, who is revered in Serbia almost as much as the saints. Renee lit a couple of candles. One for each of her parents. It's a thing she tends to do at many of the churches we visit. After returning to the Rinda, freshening up and having lunch, we headed out for excursion #2...eBike ride. Our bikes were not the best, but we made do. The route took us through a bit of the city, which was not too fun, but most of the ride was through a park and around a lake/reservoir. We stopped for refreshments at the lake, then rode completely around it and back to the port. The 12-mile ride was not hard, but my bike seat was not too comfortable and my butt hurt for a couple of days afterward!!! In the evening about 12 of us headed out to the Bohemian section of Belgrade for a nice traditional dinner with live music. We were served much too much food, so we asked the restaurant staff to box up the leftovers for our guide to take home with her. There was an old guy on bass who was hillarious! They played traditional Serbian music, but ended with "My Way" by Frank Sinatra. The old guy yelled out the finale..."I did it MY VAY!!!" Our day was not yet over, as at 9:00pm on the Rinda we had a performance by a Sebian Music and Dance group called Talija. They were fantastic, and they changed costumes for almost every dance which was quite a treat. Slept well that night! 
- 26 July (Saturday): Day 12 - Novi Sad, Serbia (UTC+2): 
We had a walking tour right from the dock. First stop was the market place. A typical Saturday, it was filled shoppers buying produce and other items. We stopped and tried some Serbian fried doughut holes called uštipci with various jams and savory dips. Onward to the town square, where we passed a number of nice buildings and churches. Our route made use of various slide streets and alleyways, taking us to the main pedestrian area. We stopped again at the Novi Sad Synagogue, where we were treated to a wonderful performance by two sisters on violins and a female vocalist. After this, we simply strolled along back through Danube Park to the dock and reboarded Rinda. 
- 27 July (Sunday): Day 13 - Ilok, Vukovar and Osijek, Croatia (UTC+2): 
Today was a bit interesting, itinerary-wise. We stopped at Ilok first, but were only there for about 3 hours. It was enough time for us to hoof it up to the town, which was not far but involved ascending over 300 steps to get there. Finding the base of the stairs was tricking, and we almost missed them. Few others ever found them. At the top, we checked out the Church of Saint John of Capistrano, a Catholic church (as most Croatians are Catholics). We were there just prior to the start of a Sunday service, so locals were streaming in from all points as we meandered around the outside. We found a viewpoint on one side of the church that our Program Director, Paul, mentioned he likes to visit. It has a bench swing that looks down over the Danube, and we could see our boat from there. After exploring a bit more of the area, we bumped into Sid and Bev, so showed them what we'd seen and walked with them back down the stairs and to the boat. Back on board, the Rinda moved on to Vukovar, our second stop in Croatia that day. We did not see much of Vukovar however, as we boarded a bus and headed about 20 miles Northwest to the town of Osijek. We passed countryside similar to many areas we've seen since staring in Romania. Many fields of sunflowers and other crops. In Osijek, we visited the Church of the Glorious Name of Mary. Not much to share on this, but after that we went behind the church to sample Walnut, Cherry and Plum brandies. Adequately sauced, the group reboarded the bus and headed to Tvrđa, the old town center. We walked around the nearly vacant streets of baroque buildings, some showing damage from the 1991-1995 Croatian War of Independence with Serbia. It almost felt like a ghost town, as people were home enjoying their Sunday. We did stop for an ice cream cone at a small shop. Back in Vukovar, we stopped at the Eltz Manor, a museum that had various cultural artifacts plus a room with a video documenting the war and devastation to the area. It was quite sobering. Over 20,000 people were tortured and killed in the war, and refugees were displaced on both sides. The town has kept the ruins of the train station and some other buildings in remembrance, but has rebuilt most of the town otherwise. 
- 28 July (Monday): Day 14 - Mohács & Pecs, Hungary (UTC+2): 
 
- 29 July (Tuesday): Day 15 - Budapest, Hungary (UTC+2): 
We were not prepared for the beauty and majesty of Budapest. It was simply an amazing place! The Danube divides the city, with Buda on the West side and Pest on the East. Beautiful architecture in all directions, and you could see a lot right from the top of the ship. Our walking tour was fine, but always better once you can break away and explore on your own. We opted to add a midday tour to see the Hungarian Horsemen at a location quite a ways out of town. We first watched the riders running a herd of horses in a field, whips cracking all along. Then we piled into the backs of carts for a ride around the property. On return, we sat to watch a variety of riding performances, from riders laying their horses down to standing on two horses while driving several others. We also saw some Hungarian Grey cattle and a variety of other animals they had around the property. We ended by walking through the stables and stopping at the gift shop where, of course, I had to buy a souvenier whip. A quick turn once back to the boat, as we had a Hungarian dinner to attend. This time it was in a forrest to the West of Buda. The were received in the courtyard and offered some fruit brandy in small, figurine shaped, souvenier cups. We then entered the venue, which was nicely decorated with traditional artifacts. Once seated, we were treated to some Hungarian Goulash, then a plate of meats and vegetables, and finally a nice Hungarian desert. During the dinner we were entertained by a very lively group of musicians on dulcimer, bass, violin and oboe. We also had two male and two female folk dancers, all in traditional garb, perform. The ride back gave us some stunning views of a fully-lit Budapest. It was a nice evening to cap off a full day. 
- 30 July (Wednesday): Day 16 - Budapest, Hungary (UTC+2): 
On our own today, so we walked North along the Danube less than a mile to an art display of bronze shoes on the edge of the Danube. These commemorate the shoes that Jews were made to remove prior to their execution and falling into the Danube. Very sad and sobering. After a short stop back at the boat, we headed the other direction along the Danube down to the Central Market place, which was hopping. We pushed our way through the crowds of people, up and down ailes of shops selling produce, meats, and other items. Renee had been wanting to pick up some paprika, which is a major export of Hungary, so she closed that deal in one of the shops. We then wandered up to the second level of the large, warehouse-style structure, which was packed with handmade goods from Hungary. Renee found a very nice round, embroidered lace tablecloth that she wanted for our dining room table back home. We'd already looked at them a couple of other places, but this place seemed to have the best value for a piece that took 4 months to complete. After leaving the market, we slowly wandered back through a pedestrian street with cafes and shops, taking us right back to where our ship was docked. There was a big sail-away topside, as all gathered to see the fully-lit city and buildings as we departed Budapest.  
- 31 July (Thursday): Day 17 - Bratislava, Slovakia (UTC+2): 
Nice and quiet town, after the tours died down. We enjoyed walking around and taking in the sights.  
- 1 August (Friday): Day 18 - Vienna, Austria (UTC+2): 
Did our normal morning thing, then saddled up on our bus for the panoramic tour of the city. Large city, boasting of all of the celebrities and important historical figures who visited or called Vienna home over the ages. First stop was at Hofburg, the Hapsburg Palace Complex. We walked through the complex, taking in the splendor of the architecture while simultaneously thinking of all the places we'd just visited in the lower Danube that were pillaged and burned to the ground by the Hapsburgs. Now everyone marvels at the display of wealth rendered at the expense of so many lives. We saw the balcony where Hitler made his 1938 address to thousands of gathered people. This thought tarnished my enjoyment of Vienna. During free time in the tour, we sat at a sidewalk cafe near St Stephen's Cathedral and enjoyed a delicious apple strudel and some refreshments. We walked around a bit more before rejoining the group for the trip back to the boat. Later, we attended a concert performance by the Vienna Resident Orchestra at the Weiner Koncerthaus. The 10-piece orchestra sounded amazing, as they worked through a number of masterpieces by Mozart and Strauss. We were also treated to some arias and a bit of ballet during the perfomance. I almost felt cultured by the time we left! 
- 2 August (Saturday): Day 19 - Vienna, Austria (UTC+2):