Melk Abbey in Wachau Valley

We disembarked from the ship with our luggage with the understanding we will stay in Vienna for 2 nights and after that there has been no further arrangements made. There is a chance that the ship will be able to continue along the Danube if the water levels increase.

We were given 3 choices. 1. stay on the ship in the hope that it will be able to continue when the water levels increase. 2. Arrangements will be made to fly you home and a partial refund will be organised. or 3. bus to Vienna for 2 nights hotel accomodation, visiting Melk Abbey on way, then spending time in Vienna to discover its treasures. (of course meals, transport and accomodation supplied by Evergreen)

DH and I along with most of our fellow passengers have elected to take up the No 3 choice. Apparently a few have stayed on the ship, I don't know if anyone decided to cut their holiday short.

Suitcases collected from outside our cabin door at 6.45am, breakfast before disembarking the ship by 8.30am and a three and half hour drive to the Machau Valley. We had a Bavarian lunch at a restaurant near the Abbey before arriving at the Abbey at 3pm. OK that worked out well.

A tour of this Baroque Abbey was well worth the stairs. Here, the Benedictine vision that 'God is glorified in everything' is given stunning visual expression in every part of the abbey. The exquisite library, the treasury, church and gardens are majestic and imposing. Though I walked out wandering if this would be allowed to happen nowadays. But then there is the church in Barcelona presently being constructed.

By the time we arrived at our hotel in Vienna we were ready to settle into our rooms. Evergreen has placed all of us into the Marriott Imperial Riding School Renaissance Hotel. The hotel is very impressive, the fact that is had been the military officers horse riding school and hall.  Buffet tea and a glass of wine, beer or soft drink