Japan 2026 – Kon’nichiwa! Time for a planning update…

Posted on August 1, 2026 by herktrav

Although it has just been a month, it already feels like our river cruise was ages ago. The hands on the clock seem to move so fast that we may use them as a fan. With that said, it won’t be long before we are heading off to Japan.

I spoke with our travel consultant Deborah, from Inside Japan Tours, this week to ensure that the plans are intact and that there isn’t anything that we need to do before the trip arrives. I received a “yes” and a “no”, which is just what I was hoping to hear.

Yes, the plans are intact. All the arrangements have been taken care of. Nothing for us to worry about.

And No, nothing to do until we get closer to the date.

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So while I’m ‘sort of’ patiently waiting, I thought I would share some of the trip details with you. It will serve as a reminder to us and give you a glimpse of what’s to come.

We will be spending a total of nineteen days on this adventure. We’ll be flying out of Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). Since our flight will depart around noon, we decided to stay overnight in Toronto. We booked a room at the Best Western Premier Toronto Airport Carlingview Hotel. It looks nice and they have a shuttle to the airport. No rushing and worrying about morning traffic.

The next morning we’ll head over to the airport for our flight to Tokyo. We’ll be flying on Air Canada and we have a non-stop flight. The flight is fourteen hours and ten minutes and we will be landing at Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND). We’ll arrive in the late afternoon. After collecting our luggage and clearing passport control and customs, there will be a driver waiting to take us to our hotel.

Our hotel, the Gate Hotel Ryogoku, is located in the Asakusa area of Tokyo. From what I understand, this is the more traditional section of Tokyo. We’ll have two days to explore on our own before the tour officially begins. We already have a reservation for one afternoon outing that we’re looking forward to seeing.

The following day, we will meet up with the tour director and the rest of our tour group. This is a small group tour, so there will only be 16 of us traveling together. We’re curious to meet our cohorts on this adventure.

The itinerary is a mix of sight-seeing, cultural activities, shrine and temple visits and other fun activities. The following is a quick look at the planned tour itinerary:

Day 1 Tokyo – Get to know the group leader, the group and the area before enjoying a welcoming dinner together.


Day 2 Tokyo – We’ll start the day with an exhilarating taiko drumming lesson, where we’ll be introduced to the energetic, choreographed movements of Japan’s traditional drumming. Afterwards, we’ll set off on a walking tour of Omotesando, Aoyama, and Harajuku, admiring the district’s striking architecture and vibrant atmosphere. Our stroll will lead us to Meiji Shrine, one of Tokyo’s most important spiritual sites, where we’ll learn about Shinto traditions and the fascinating contrasts between old and new Japan. That afternoon, we’ll take a private coach across town to Asakusa, the most traditional area in the city. Here, we’ll wander the historic streets, explore lively market stalls, and visit Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest and most iconic temple.

Day 3 Hiroshima – In the morning, we’ll hop on the Shinkansen, Japan’s world-famous bullet train, for a speedy journey westward to Hiroshima. For lunch, we’ll sample the typical fare of the Japanese traveller – an ekiben “station lunchbox” – complete with included origami set to keep us entertained.
On arrival in Hiroshima, we’ll travel by private coach from the station to our hotel and have
a chance to freshen up before we head to the Peace Memorial Park and Museum to learn a little
more about the events of 6th August 1945. That evening, we’ll lighten the mood with a bit
of cookery: learning how to make okonomiyaki, the cabbage or noodle-based pancake typical of this
part of Japan.

Day 4 Hiroshima – On day four, we’ll jump on a boat at the Peace Park for the 45-minute journey across Hiroshima Bay to the island of Miyajima, a beautiful island on the Seto Inland Sea. Though Miyajima is most famous for its World Heritage Shrine and “floating” torii gate, we’ll enjoy the traditional town centre and its friendly local deer.

Day 5 Kyoto – That morning, we’ll leave Hiroshima behind and head east toward Kyoto, Japan’s former capital and cultural heart. Traveling once again by Shinkansen, we’ll stop off along the way in Himeji for a visit to one of Japan’s finest castles. Himeji is one of just a handful of original feudal castles left in
Japan, and it’s the biggest of all. After a five-year facelift, it’s never looked so impressive!

Finally, arriving in Kyoto, we’ll check in to our hotel and have time to relax and freshen up before
an evening that is sure to be one of the trip highlights. We’ll be joined at dinner this evening by a Maiko (trainee geisha) who will give a dance performance followed by time for photos and questions, giving us a rare insight into this secretive world.

Day 6 Kyoto – On day six we’ll have a full day of sightseeing in Kyoto, giving us an in-depth introduction to this historic city. Traveling by private coach, we’ll stop at the Golden Pavilion at Kinkaku-ji, the Zen rock garden at Ryoan-ji Temple, and some other of the city’s hidden sites.

Day 7 Kyoto – On day seven, we’ll have another day to explore Kyoto and its impressive cultural heritage. The day’s sightseeing will include visits to Gion, the old geisha quarter and Kennin-ji Temple, one of the five most important Zen temples in Kyoto. Finally, to round off our first busy day in Kyoto, we’ll head out that evening to GEAR – an exciting, non-verbal theatre show that will provide an interesting modern counterpoint to Kyoto’s more traditional arts.

Day 8 Awara Onsen – We’ll travel by private coach to Awara Onsen, stopping along the way to explore the partially reconstructed ruins of Ichijodani Castle Town. We’ll also visit the beautiful Daianzen-ji Temple, where we will enjoy a lesson in zazen meditation under the tutelage of a temple priest – all the better to appreciate the quiet beauty of our surroundings.

That evening we’ll spend the night at a traditional Japanese inn, or ryokan, with an included dinner of
fine kaiseki cuisine. We also might try out the hot-spring baths – an integral part of any
ryokan stay!

Day 9 Kanazawa – We will be taking our private coach on to our next destination: Kanazawa. Kanazawa retains some of Japan’s best-preserved old-town districts, has one of the top 3 Japanese gardens in the country and is known for its rich artistic traditions.

On arrival in Kanazawa, we’ll begin with a visit to Kenroku-en, one of Japan’s top three gardens,
renowned for its seasonal beauty and meticulously designed landscapes. We’ll then explore the 21st Century Museum, known for its striking contemporary art and interactive exhibits.

Day 10 Kanazawa – We will begin the day sightseeing in the old-town districts of Higashi chaya and Nagamachi, to see these beautifully preserved areas and pay a visit to the Nomura Samurai House as well. That afternoon, we will get the chance to make delicate Japanese confectionery with a local expert, before heading back to the hotel.

Day 11 Tokyo – On day 11 it’s time to jump back on the bullet train for the return journey to Tokyo, where we’ll spend our final two nights of the group tour in Japan. Arriving around lunchtime, we’ll have plenty of time for an afternoon of sightseeing by public transport and on foot – including the lovely East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Tower, and Zozo-ji Temple.

Day 12 Tokyo – With a final full day of the group tour in Tokyo, we’ll have the ability to see the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation on Odaiba Island, a man-made island in Tokyo Bay. In the afternoon, we will be taking in the upmarket Ginza district before our final farewell group dinner.

Day 13 Tokyo – Alas, after breakfast, our tour will come to an end. Though the tour will be over, Sue and I will have two more days to explore Tokyo before we fly home. We have a few places that we want to see in case we don’t visit them on the official tour.

We’ll be staying at the same hotel, Hyatt House Shibuya, that we stayed with the tour.

When it is time to leave the “Land of the Rising Sun”, transportation will be provided for us back to Haneda Airport. We will once again be flying home direct to Toronto on Air Canada. It will be a long flight, but hopefully one filled with marvelous memories of our time in Japan.

Upon arrival, we’ll have travel arrangements in place to get us from Toronto Pearson Airport back home to Buffalo.

So that’s it. Sound interesting?

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So for now, we’ll continue to watch YouTube videos to learn more about what awaits us in Japan, and to try and learn just a little bit of Japanese. We’ll exchange some dollars for Yen and make sure our walking shoes are broken in.

There is a Japanese restaurant close to our house, so we’ll also be trying out some different dishes to learn a bit more about the cuisine and how to properly use chopsticks. Currently, my attempts at using them have left me glad that we use forks!

That’s the update. We’re excited and a little anxious, but we’re all in for the adventure. And with that: Hitomazu, sayōnara!

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Europe 2026 – From Munich to home

Posted on June 19, 2026 by herktrav

They say that the early bird gets the worms. Well, I hate having to get up early so they can have my worms!

We woke up at some ungodly time so we could shower and throw the last few items in the suitcases before having to checkout. The hotel arranged for a taxi, which showed up almost instantly, and we were on our way to the airport before 7:15 am.

The taxi to the airport wasn’t cheap, but it was fast.  We were able to get out of the city before rush hour and onto the Autobahn.  This is where our driver shone, as we hit speeds of 145 kilometers/hour (90 mph). I swear, he didn’t look like a Formula 1 driver when we left the hotel.  

When we arrived at the airline terminal, we were actually too early to check-in. We were told that 3 hours before flight time was when they opened. No problem…we just found a couple of open seats and chilled for a while…me thinking I could have slept for at least a half-hour longer.

Hello… Anyone here?

Once we did check-in, things moved along quickly. Security was easy to get through, although Sue got pulled over – probably for her racy-looking sneakers.  They let her pass – no incarceration was necessary.

Passport Control was next and that went quickly too.  Fingerprints and photo again, but the line moved quickly. 

Next, it was a speedy shuttle ride to our gate. And then a wait for a little over an hour before boarding.

With all this room, it could be called a ‘space shuttle’.

No chasing down passengers…we actually had everyone on-board and left 10 minutes early. How’s that for miraculous?

It was a good flight, with just a handful of turbulence bumps along the way.  We both ended up watching two movies and even snuck in a little nap. Dinner was delicious. We both ordered the beef cheeks and they were fork-tender and tasty.

Upon arrival, we were off the plane and down in baggage claim in less than twenty minutes. We stopped at the restrooms, grabbed our bags and stepped outside for the car service. Our driver took the scenic route, but delivered us to our doorstep without a hitch.

Despite having a wonderful time, it always feels good to return home. Especially so in knowing we left Munich before a current ten day stretch of 90 degree plus days. Timing is everything…

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So here’s our quick assessment:

AmaWaterways Danube River Cruise

We both loved the river cruise and would definitely take another one. It was our first time, so we don’t have any comparison, but AmaWaterways was outstanding.

Our cabin was a good size, very comfortable and very clean. Even the bathroom was surprisingly roomy.

The meals were all excellent. There were always numerous choices at every meal. You could eat a multi-course meal or just choose something simple. There were also little snacks available throughout the day – things like cookies, nuts and trail mix.

The staff were all excellent. They were friendly, helpful and always trying to make sure you were enjoying your trip.

It wasn’t a booze cruise. Wine and beer were included during meals, and there was a daily ‘Sip and Sail’ happy hour. Drinks were always available outside of those times, but nobody seemed to go crazy. A round of five drinks cost less than 30€ (2 wines, 2 whiskey & water and one bourbon drink).

The included excursions were all well thought out. There was something for everyone and walking tours accommodated regular and slower walkers.

We personally thought that what we paid was well worth what we received in return.

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Bavarian getaway to Munich

We both really enjoyed our time in Munich. It is a city rich in history and traditions. There are plenty of things to see and experience there and nearby.

We limited ourselves to the old town area, aside from our day trip. That area is very walkable and is bigger than it looks on a map.

Public transportation is abundant – trams around the city and trains to the outside.

Bavaria / Munich is proudly defined by its beer culture. The beer halls, beer gardens and restaurants are proof of that. Mugs of beer bring people together to laugh and have a good time.

Though things look old, many of the buildings are restorations from after WWII as Munich was heavily bombed. The churches, parks and museums often include photos from before and after restorations.

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Europe 2026 – Final day in Munich

Posted on June 19, 2026 by herktrav

Yesterday’s tour (or mountain climbing) left us both tired and a little achy. In fact, my calves refused to carry me around for a while in the morning.

When they did finally cooperate, we got cleaned up and headed over to the breakfast room. Sue opted for a chef-made omelet, while I stayed with my fresh bread and butter, cheese and ham. I even splurged and had a small slice of cake with my cappuccino this morning.

Afterwards, we took a little walk to get some fresh air and check out some of the surrounding architecture. I love the character of European buildings.

Our last official meal in Munich had to be at the famous Hofbräuhaus. This beer hall was located about 50 meters from our hotel and each evening there was a raucous crowd packing the hall. We cheated…we went mid-afternoon, when it wouldn’t be quite so crowded.

Aside from a raucous crowd, we didn’t miss out on anything. The band was still there, the food was still there, there were plenty of people and, of course, there was beer flowing!

The band was on break, Aloisius (the Beer Angel) was watching over everyone and the painted ceilings were full of charm – the beerhall experience! We picked a table and our waiter was over in a flash to get our order.

Hofbräuhaus meal

We both had the pork schnitzel, which came with a side of German potato salad and cranberry sauce, along with a side order of white asparagus with potatoes and Hollandaise sauce. Sue chose a glass of Muller-Thurgau wine, while I had the Hofbräuhaus Weiss Biere.

We really enjoyed our meal, our beverages and the surroundings. The food was delicious and it was a great way to finish up our time in Munich.

We strolled back to the hotel, as Sue wanted to get everything packed so we wouldn’t have to worry about it early in the morning. As a reward for getting the packing out of the way, we went down to the lounge and relaxed with a bottle of wine.

There was a lot of activity in the hotel lobby, so there was some great people-watching to be had. Business suits, flowery dresses, short shorts, heavy metal t-shirts, jeans and khakis. We just soaked it all in, laughed a few times, raised an eyebrow or two and enjoyed our wine.

We finished and went up to the room, since we need to get up extra early in the morning. It was a relaxing day and a nice segue into tomorrow, when we’ll have to ‘rush and then wait’ all day long.

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Europe 2026 – Day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle

Posted on June 18, 2026 by herktrav

We were up bright and early to start a day of adventure. We are going on a tour of the Neuschwanstein Castle, the town of Oberammergau and then Schloss Linderhof. It’s an all day tour, starting with a luxury coach ride from Munich to the castle.

Following our trail from yesterday, we headed to the pickup point. The weekend celebration was over except for the cleanup, so without all the people, we got there in just over fifteen minutes. When we arrived, the bus was already half full – I guess everyone else left a little earlier too!

It turns out there were two buses for this popular day trip. Once our bus was full, we started off to the castle.

Our guide for the day was Johnny and our driver was Mr. Jordan – both were excellent. Johnny guiding us through the facts and history, while Mr Jordan guided us through the traffic and tight, winding roads.

Along the way, we had wonderful views of the countryside, small towns and the Bavarian Alps.

On the road…
More on the road

It took a few minutes short of two hours to get to the town of Hohenschwangau, above which the castle resides. The town is also home to the lesser known Hohenschwangau castle.

Hohenschwangau castle

When we arrived in town, Johnny gathered everyone together to talk about the plans for the visit. We’ll start out with a shuttle ride up, then a short walk to the photo bridge before heading to the castle. Our tickets are for an 11:20 am entry time. Afterwards, we’ll have some time to grab lunch before re-boarding the bus to head to Oberammergau.

Our guide Johnny instructing the gang

And away we go –

It took a few minutes before the shuttle arrived. Only part of our group was able to get on, so we had to wait for the next shuttle. The extra time caused a little blip as we needed to head to the castle for our entry time. That meant we’d have to miss taking pictures from the iconic Marienbrücke bridge vantage point.

The walk over to the castle was a tad strenuous, as it was mostly uphill. Luckily, the beautiful views helped alleviate the struggle.

Then you round a bend and the castle appears.

First view of the castle

The Neuschwanstein Castle is not ancient. It was commissioned in 1862 by King Ludwig II. Unfortunately, it was not completed until after his untimely and suspicious death in 1886. He was just 40 years old.

His story is interesting, but we’re here to see the castle.

If you think you’ve seen the castle before, then you have probably watched Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” or visited Disney World’s Cinderella’s Castle. Both were inspired by the Neuschwanstein Castle.

Ludwig did live there for a while in a section that was complete. He had a beautiful sitting room that looked out over the valley. King Ludwig was friends with the composer Richard Wagner and incorporated scenes from his operas into the castle design.

Unfortunately, no photos were allowed inside of the castle.

Upon finishing our visit, the walk down was not exactly a breeze. It was a bit steep and the horse drawn carriages made sure you were paying attention (if you know what I mean).

It took about twenty-five minutes to get back down to town. We opted to stop in a small bistro for a sandwich before heading back to the bus.

Everyone returned in a timely manner and we were able to head to our next destination – Oberammergau Zentrum. It’s a charming little town known for its Passion Play, held every ten years. We used it as a potty break while others checked out the souvenir shops.

Our final stop was at Schloss Linderhof. Once a small hunting lodge, King Ludwig II built a small palace, with stunning architecture and magnificent gardens. Inside decorations are over the top, perhaps even a little bit overdone. That said, Ludwig seemed to take inspiration from other palaces, but combined those inspirations to excess. Again, no photos were allowed inside.

Although the interiors made Liberace seem a ‘Plain Jane’, the exterior gardens were magnificent.

Schloss Linderhof was very impressive to visit. I can see why it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage sites.

When our time was up, we headed back to the bus for the drive home. This time, besides the lovely scenery, we saw much more traffic and a nasty looking accident on the highway.

The ride did seem to go by quickly and before long we were back at the edge of Munich. The bus returned to the starting point and after saying thanks, we started our walk back to the hotel.

We were both tired, but more than tired…we were hungry. Neither of us wanted a big noisy place, so instead, we tried a nice looking Italian restaurant just a short walk from the hotel.

Osteria der Katzlmacher

The restaurant was called Osteria der Katzlmacher and we hit a home run with this one. We knew we chose wisely when we were greeted with “Buona Sera” instead of “Guten Abend”. Our waiter was surprised when we responded in Italian and then ordered in Italian. We went with the four course Chef’s choice menu and a bottle of 2020 Pellisero Barbaresco.

We started with an appetizer of fried zucchini flowers along with a bruschetta topped with fish, fennel, onion and garlic.

The pasta course was tagliatelle with an arrabbiata sauce, chopped octopus, parsley, tomatoes and garlic. It looked so good, we ate it before we remembered to take a picture. Oops….

The fish course was seared sablefish. It was served with some gnocchi and a white kohlrabi.

And finally, the meat course was beef tenderloin in a peppercorn caper reduction with white asparagus and potato purée.

Oh, but wait, is it really possible to enjoy a nice Italian meal without Dolci? I think not, so we added in a little tiramisu to share.

Now the meal was complete!

We paid, thanked our waiter and on the way out, we were thanked by the owner. What a perfect evening!

We took the short walk back to the hotel and finally put our legs up to rest. We both ended up falling asleep quickly. Lots of walking and maybe a little help from the wine was a one-way ticket to dreamland.

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Europe 2026 – Exploring a bit of Munich

Posted on June 17, 2026 by herktrav

We had nothing planned for the day except to explore Munich. We started out with breakfast at the hotel. It’s a nice buffet with many choices. I like to start out with the freshly baked breads and make myself little sandwiches, while Sue enjoys the chef-made omelets.

My morning carb overload

We decided to make a dry run to find the pick-up point for tomorrow’s bus trip. That would take us across town and allow us to explore some of the Old Town. The most direct route would once again take us through Marienplatz – the town square.

Marienplatz was much calmer and easier to maneuver through than yesterday evening, though there were still plenty of people celebrating.

Everyone was out enjoying the day

We learned that the celebration was for Saint Benno, the Patron Saint of the city and Old Bavaria. It was also the town’s 868th Founding celebration. Music, dancing, food and fellowship was a perfect combination to celebrate.

We continued to make our way through town until we reached the city gate at Karlsplatz – whew, we made it.

The city gate
The fountains at Karlsplatz

The area outside of the gate is a bit chaotic with the busy main street and merge of tram lines.

Luckily, there was an escalator to the underground passage beneath the road and then a series of walkways between train and tram stations. The one we chose was directly across the hall which just brought us back up across the road safely. From there, the pickup point was right around the corner. Total time, with party goers: 31 minutes. Mission accomplished – we should have no problem in the morning.

On the way back, we stopped in a couple of little shops to browse for a suitable trip souvenir. It can be so hard finding genuine souvenirs rather than cheaply made knockoffs.

There were lots of little kiosks selling fresh fruits and vegetables along the way. The fruits were cherries, strawberries, avocados and apricots. The vegetables were tomatoes and white asparagus. They all looked ripe and delicious.

Wishing white asparagus was easier to find at home

When we returned to the hotel area, we thought it would be a perfect time for a glass of wine. There are plenty of places to get a beer, but we opted for a small corner bar, only to discover that it is in the front corner of our own hotel.

Josefa Bar

We decided on a glass of the recommended Riesling, and then had a second to make sure we liked it! (We did!)

One of us had a sore back, so we went up to the room to rest for a bit. We had an early dinner reservation, so the little nap left us with time to clean up and then go to the restaurant.

Dinner tonight was at the Haxengrill. It’s known for its slow roasted pork knuckles.

Haxengrill

The food was good, but the pork didn’t quite meet our expectations. We thought ours was a little dry and a little tough. We were expecting slow roasted, fall off the bone succulence. Maybe our little piggy shouldn’t have gone to the market.

I will say that we were full by the time we finished. The sides they served were red cabbage, sauerkraut and dumplings. No carb shortage would befall us.

We took a slow walk after dinner and then headed back to the hotel. We have an early morning adventure, so relaxing before going to bed early was the plan.

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Europe 2026 – Destination Munich

Posted on June 14, 2026 by herktrav

After saying our goodbyes to our shipmates, we were off to the Vilshofen train station for the next part of the trip. We will be spending a few days in Munich, Germany.

The train ride took about two hours and was pleasant. We passed through some nice countryside scenery and farmlands before arriving in Munich.

The Munich main train station is huge and busy. After a couple of missteps, we found the proper exit and then hailed a taxi to take us to our hotel.

Our driver was pretty quiet until we asked a few questions. He warmed up to us and pointed out a few places to see. When we passed by the main shopping district, he instructed Sue to visit and buy herself lots of new things. For me, he suggested the Hofbrau House to have a few beers while she shopped.

Platzl Hotel

We arrived at the Platzl Hotel, where we’ll be staying for the next few days. As it was after 3:00 pm, we were able to check right in. We are in the older or historic section of the hotel, but still have all the up-to-date amenities. We asked the receptionist about eating at the hotel’s affiliated restaurant and she called and made a reservation for us to have an early dinner.

Our room is rustic, but very pleasant. It’s authentic Bavarian in style with old hardwood floors and cabinets, windows that open, along with a wonderful shower and lots of outlets.

Our room

We settled into the room, then freshened up before heading over for dinner.

Our dinner was at Ayinger am Platzl. It’s a beer-orientated restaurant that’s around the corner from our hotel. We sat outside under the umbrellas and had a really great time. Our waitress was pleasantly surprised when we ordered and asked for the bill in German. It was a small thing, but it goes a long way.

Simple and delicious meal

We took a slow walk back to the hotel. It was a beautiful evening and there were many people out and about.

We had an activity planned for the evening. It was a walking tour with a lantern-bearing Night Watchman. What we didn’t know about was the outdoor concerts taking place in some of the areas we were supposed to visit. Kudos to our Watchman, Hans, for re-routing the walk and still being able to include the historical references and anecdotes.

Thank goodness they all weren’t part of the tour
Hans – our Night Watchman

In the medieval times, the Night Watchman would roam the town watching for problems, especially fires. With only his lantern to light the way, he would keep the townsfolk safe.

Scenes from our night walk

We walked back to the hotel after the excellent tour. Saturday evening around the various beer halls was rollicking with everyone having fun. For Herr and Frau Herkey, it was time to get some sleep.

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Europe 2026 – Passau and Vilshofen

Posted on June 14, 2026 by herktrav

Our overnight sailing brought us into the town of Passau, Germany.

Approaching Passau

Passau is located in the German state of Bavaria and is at the junction of three rivers – the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz. It is another charming and picturesque town.

We started off the day with a light tour to get acquainted with the town and a little history. It was a bit drizzly while we walked, but it was very tolerable with a rain jacket or umbrella.

High water mark from flood in 2013 – 3 meters or 9 feet of flood waters !

Saint Stephen’s Cathedral was a Baroque masterpiece with intricate carvings and paintings. Our guide explained that the windows were deliberately clear glass to let in the ‘light of God’. It also contains Europe’s largest cathedral organ, which was being renovated when we visited.

Our guide shared many interesting stories of life over the centuries on the banks of the three rivers.

City garden

We had some free time before we had to return to the boat. Some folks stayed to do a little shopping. We opted to just head back and get out of the drizzle.

Just before lunch, we once again set sail to our final destination – Vilshofen an der Donau. It’s amazing to think our voyage is ending; it seems like we just started.

Lunch was incredible today. Soup and sandwiches? Not a chance.

How about roast suckling pig and pork belly with potatoes and sauerkraut, lentil soup and Käsespätzle (Bavarian Mac and cheese) ?Here comes that word again…it was scrumptious!

In the afternoon, Sue attended a presentation by Dr. Christian Poelle. He talked a bit about the history of Bavaria. It was an in-depth review of the past 2,500 years. Sue was happy there wasn’t a quiz afterwards.

When we arrived in Vilshofen, we docked across from a small airstrip. We enjoyed watching from our balcony as the small private planes were taking off.

We had a bit of time to relax before the evening’s activity and did so.

As this was our last evening on the ship, we started off the evening with an Octoberfest celebration. There were performers, a beer contest, pretzels, a band and beer. Lots and lots of beer! We also had the ‘Beer Queen’ there to lead the celebration.

The big contest was to hold a filled beer stein out at arms length. One of the competitors was our own Parm. We cheered and rooted him on in a contest that lasted over 1 min and 45 seconds. Alas, he was second best in the competition, but number one in our hearts!

The contestants and the Beer Queen

We ended the evening with dinner, goodbyes, hugs and then retired for the evening as everyone has to be up early to disembark in the morning.

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Europe 2026 – Linz

Posted on June 13, 2026 by herktrav

While we slept off our dance fever, the boat made its way to our next port – Linz, Austria. From here, there are two day trips leaving by bus along with two stay-behind excursions.

As we’ve never been to Linz, and the weather was again chilly with rain predicted, we changed our plans and stayed for the walk around town.

Our group gathered together at 9:30 am and we walked along the waterfront to the Nibelungen Bridge to see the views. We then backtracked and headed into the main square of town. Our guide, Anita, did a great job of explaining what we were seeing and what we could discover on our own.

From our ship to the bridge
A bit of the town square.
Inner courtyard of residence

One building we entered had a city map on the floor on the floor. Not a little one, it was a detailed aerial map of the entire city of Linz. Too big to photograph, but really cool to see.

From there we cut through a side street and headed into the old town. We walked by lots of small businesses and residences. We eventually reached the old market area where the old Jewish Quarter was located.

Just strolling through town
The old market hall
Memorial in the square

In the old Jewish area, there was a very somber memorial. It was called the “Doorbell to Heaven”. There were nine names engraved on a stone tablet. Each name was related to a person who was killed during the war. Beside each name was a doorbell button. When you pushed the button, the doorbell would chime, ringing up to the person in Heaven.

Jewish Memorial – Doorbell to Heaven

In the old town hall, there was a fountain dedicated to Johannes Kepler, a scientist who discovered that the planets have an elliptical orbit around the sun. The Kepler space telescope was also named for him.

At this point, our guided walk ended, but Anita had given us directions to places we could visit on our own

Sue and I walked over to the New Cathedral, as it was fairly close to where we were located.

New Cathedral
New Cathedral
New Cathedral

From the cathedral, we made our way to the main shopping street and then moseyed our way back to the waterfront.

Returning to the ship, we were happy to have beaten the rain. The dark clouds were getting closer, so we decided to just stay cozy on-board for the afternoon.

Storm clouds moving in

We had another scrumptious lunch. We started with some quinoa salad and a couple of BBQ’d chicken wings. For the main course, we had baked trout over asian rice with some roasted vegetables. Of course, there was linzer torte for dessert that was calling out my name.

With full bellies, we made our way back to our cabin. We listened to a little music, did a little bit of reading and then took a little nap.

When we woke up, the rain was pouring down. We later heard that the last excursion group had gotten caught in the storm driving back to the ship. They even encountered some hail.

Tonight would be the Captain’s Gala – beginning with a toast at the ‘Sip & Sail’ followed by an awesome dinner. The captain addressed the gathering and acknowledged the hard working crew. Everyone on board acknowledged them too with a round of applause.

Our dapper-looking Captain

The captain made his way around the room and toasted and thanked all the guests for sailing along on the AmaMora.

We were then invited to enjoy dinner together. It was another delicious meal. We had plenty of laughs and good conversation with our group. We’ll leave for home with many good memories.

For entertainment this evening, there was a performance by the ‘Sounds of Austria’. They were two women singers and a pianist who sang various arias and then finished with several selections from the ‘Sound of Music’. They were entertaining and included a few passengers in their show, including our own Parm!

After the show, we were tuckered out from the day and headed up to the cabin to relax and get a good night’s rest.

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Europe 2026 – Weissenkirchen and Grein

Posted on June 11, 2026 by herktrav

Today we made the decision to stay behind and rest up a bit. The combination of a sore back and chilly, rainy weather made it an easy decision. With no regrets, we watched as our compadres headed off for the day.

We, on the other hand, stayed aboard the boat and sailed with a dozen others to the eventual meeting point in the town of Ybbs. Along the way, we enjoyed some beautiful scenery….

… and then we traveled through another lock…

…and stayed dry and comfortable.

It also gave us an opportunity to meet some of the others who also stayed aboard.

We welcomed the others back aboard ship in Ybbs around 1:00 pm – just in time for lunch – I’m betting the kitchen went through more hot soup today than any other day. Our luncheon friends filled us in on their adventures while we ate.

The ship sailed on as we ate and then continued for a while into the afternoon. We arrived at the town of Grein at about 4:00 pm and then there was a visit to the nearby castle. It was still drizzly and chilly, so we stayed cozy on board.

Beautiful scenery surrounded us

The daily Sip and Sail happy hour provided some time to hear from more folks about the excursions. It sounded like an enjoyable day, but we were very content with our day too! We also got instructions for our day tomorrow from Kristina, so we’ll be ready in the morning.

Dinner was once again a treat. I selected the Chef’s recommendation which started with seared tuna, then a carrot and ginger soup, followed by beef tenderloin and dauphinois potatoes and finished off with a chocolate mousse.

Sue went with the green salad, then the carrot and ginger soup and finished with lobster in a polenta cream sauce.

We both really enjoyed our meals. Very delicious and perfect portion size.

Following dinner, we joined the group in the lounge. Tonight was a karaoke party and it was fun listening to the various people belting out the tunes. Sixties and seventies tunes were perennial crowd favorites with everyone singing along on the crowd favorites.

The Minstrels
The Dancers
Karaoke Night

I’m sure the question you want to ask is: Did you participate or did you just sit and listen?

Yes, we participated.

What songs?

Bon Jovi’s – Living on a prayer and Neil Diamond’s – Sweet Caroline.

And no, we weren’t intoxicated, we were just having a good time. It was a fun night and we have a fun group.

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Europe 2026 – Waltzing into Vienna

Posted on June 11, 2026 by herktrav

It’s Tuesday, so we must be in Vienna!

Our morning excursion was a walk in Vienna with our guide Gabi. We were bused to Swedenplatz, which is a small transit hub. From there we took a walk to Stephensplatz, home to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, cutting between some small streets and shops along the way.

Original “Ferris” Wheel still going strong.
Danube Canal in Vienna

Gabi was a very good guide. She talked about the history of the areas we walked through, plus she always had a little anecdote to add here and there.

Gabi explaining how to fill our water bottles at the public faucet.
The Red Tower street sign.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral

When we reached St Stephen’s, we were given some free time to explore on our own. We walked around for a bit, then stopped at a Heindl candy store for a little treat before rejoining the group for the walk back to the bus.

St Stephen’s Cathedral
A quick rinse before their shift.
St. Peter’s Church

While many people stayed in the city for the afternoon, we went back to the ship. We ate lunch on board and then decided to stay on the ship for the afternoon. We ended up taking a nap to catch up on a little sleep. It was much needed.

We ate an early dinner as tonight we are attending a concert. The dinner choices this evening included Wiener schnitzel and then apple strudel for dessert. Dinner was delicious as usual.

We had a few minutes to freshen up after dinner before we had to re-group. Tonight we are going to a performance by the Vienna Residence Orchestra at the Palais alte Börse.

The location was originally the Vienna Stock Exchange, but has been transformed into a concert venue.

Upon entering, we were led to our seats. We thought we were cutting through, but we ended up in the front row, center stage.

Invisible artists – no photos allowed

It was a wonderful classical concert. The orchestra for our performance included a flautist, two violinists, a bassist, a cellist and a pianist all led by a solo violinist. The performance also included two opera singers and two ballet dancers.

The concert consisted of works by Strauss, Mozart, Haydn and Vivaldi. It was a fun night out on the town. Everyone in our group seemed extremely pleased with the performances.

The bus ride back to the ship went quickly and we wasted no time getting ourselves settled in for the night.

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