Down the Danube   9/9/2009

Tuesday was the first day of our real ride along the Danube. We rode back to Passau where we joined the Danube Path, passing along a river valley with steep forested sides and visiting an interesting a Pottery Museum along the way. 

Collection of Dutch Ovens, used for heating, at the Pottery Museum. 

Finally we crossed the river by a cute little ferry to Engelhartszen, Here we visited a beautiful baroque monastery church and bought some delicious liquors produced the trappist monks. The church was complete with skeletons in glass sided coffins.


From here we were picked up in a van and were taken up a very steep hill to the sweet village of St Aegidi where we stayed overnight. Our hotel room overlooked the church with a beautifully tended graveyard full of flowers in each grave and at night many candles sparkled amongst the graves too.
The next morning dawned bright and sunny again and we negotiated the steep and exhilarating 5k downhill ride back to the Danube, crossing once again by ferry to the northern bank to continue our ride to our destination, Schologen, situated on a hairpin bend in the river and requiring another ferry ride to the southern bank. Here we were delighted to meet up with Alexander who cycled two days in one to catch up with us. Before dinner we walked up a very steep hill to get panoramic views of the Danube almost doubling back on itself.

Debbie, Joy. Bill and Alexander.