Thursday, 17 August, 2017 – weather: Sunny and warm, near perfect

We wake up just as the boat is arriving at Melk. After a breakfast, with smoked salmon of course, there is a tour of the Melk Abbey which requires a bus ride. I decide to pass on it while Julie takes of on her own into Melk.

There is now a bicycle tour for up to 50 people, they borrowed bikes from other boats. So the troops are lining to go out.

The boat was just pulling away from the shore when one of the bikies showed up with a flat tyre. Wernie chased down the trailer carrying the unused bikes and replaced the busted one. All this added another 20 minutes to our trip down the Danube. Some photos from the boat as we travelled.

We are travelling to Duernstein where we will meet the bikers. Julie prances out as soon as we arrive.

From 5:00 we are scheduled for a Sundowner with local snacks and drinks at “Alter Klosterkeller” in Durnstein Old Town. It is a bit of a walk there but I make it with a couple of others. I meet Julie inside. She has a fair bit of sun on her face.

What else can I say about this experience? The accordion player is a champion yodeler. They did some comic versions of Australian, US, Canadian etc. songs e.g. Waltzing Matilda. And, amazingly, perhaps the worst red wine I have ever experienced.

Then it is back to the boat and dinner time.

A pretty full day and only a small amount of dancing tonight.