2013-7-20 - Cruised all day - no stops

7/20  Ah...a day of rest - no tours just cruising the beautiful river. It was another perfect day - slightly cloudy about 82 degrees. However, the upper deck was still closed & strictly off limits. I snuck up the back stairs & up the top step so I could get a picture - the one posted on my previous blog. Passengers were restless & upset because they couldn't sit up top & enjoy the sights along the river. For those who didn't have a cabin with a veranda, there were only two small areas off the main foyer where they could go outside.
After lunch the staff made an announcement that a game of Trivial Pursuit was being set up on deck three. Tables & chairs were quickly set up. About 15-20 people showed up. Teams were organized & rules reviewed. I like this game but I stink at it! But it was something to do & we were thankful for whoever thought of organizing the game. We played for several hours & decided that Viking should fork up some free drinks - but that didn't happen. I wanted to participate in a quiz about the Aegir at 4 pm so I gave up my much-desired seat & went to the lounge. I sat with Josh - Josh is a sweet, amazingly smart teenager traveling with his parents & grandmother. He participated in the 'Liars Club' game a few nights ago & made up a most believable story. Josh told me he studied everything about the boat - I told him I knew many facts about her too. We became a two-person team & were given a blank sheet of paper in which to write down our 20 answers.  We easily answered the first 5 or so questions but then the questions changed from facts about the Aegir (which was the point of the quiz) to questions about countries we visited including a bizarre question about a perfume! Josh spoke up & challenged Vivvy-our Concierge & host. She didn't know what to say to the kid & obviously didn't have any other questions about the boat. She gathered the answer sheets & graded them - WE WON!! I got a bottle of champagne, Josh could get any non-alcoholic drinks from the bar.
After happy hour - which, as you know, is an hour & a half, and another wonderful dinner we were told that an Opera troupe would be our entertainment that night...it wasn't listed on our daily paper - I'm guessing the staff decided they should do something special since the passengers were restless & not very happy. (Since we were cruising, I wondered how the heck did they get these 3 people on the boat? I figured they hopped on when we went through a lock). Did I really want to hear opera ?? not really but there was nothing else to do so I went to the lounge & was glad I did. These were not your typical opera singers - they were very entertaining, funny & also sang (real), songs we all knew.

 

 

 

 



All in all it was an enjoyable day...

 

Bavaria..."Of Germany's 16 states, Bavaria is its largest. By all accounts, it is rich in natural beauty, intriguing history & cultural heritage. Its area comprises almost 20% of the country. The Bavarian Alps rise in the south & stretch into Austria. Woodlands of the Bavarian Forest form its eastern border with the Czech Republic. And two major rivers flow through the state: the Danube & the Main. Munich & Nuremberg are Bavaria's two best known cultural centers - the former is its capital - but smaller cities & villages equally define the robust German character of this very singular region of Germany...King Ludwig II is one of Bavaria's more colorful figures. from 1864 to 1886 'Mad King Ludwig' ruled the state. Known as an eccentric within his court, he avoided many of his royal duties...Ludwig much preferred traveling through Bavaria & talking with farmers & merchants. 'Our darling king', as he was known also personally funded the construction of several extravagant castles that could have been pulled from fairy tales including the whimsical Neuschwanstein Castle, inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle..."

 

Next stop - Nuremberg