The cruise from Budapest to our next stop – Bratislava – was 223 kilometers or about 138 miles.

We slept well while our two Captains maneuvered the ship up the river. At about 9:15 am, we arrived at the first of twelve locks that we will be passing through – the Gabčikovo Lock.

It is the largest lock & hydroelectric power plant on our journey. We rose about 62 feet or 19 meters!

After the lock, it was smooth sailing on to Bratislava. We took advantage of the beautiful weather and went up to the sun deck to relax for a bit after lunch. Our server topped off our wine glasses for us to prevent dehydration, so we felt safe on such a sunny day!

Upon arrival in Bratislava, we had an afternoon “Coronation City” walking tour. We had a pleasant time walking through the beautiful city, with our guide doing her best to find us shady spots to stop and talk about the city and history of the region. She shared memories of growing up in the socialist shadow of communist Russia, along with independence after the fall of the Iron Curtain. It was an extremely interesting tour.

After our walk, we headed back to the boat to cool down and relax for a while before dinner.

Tonight’s meal would be our special “Chef’s Table” dinner. It’s a seven course dinner with wine pairings in a separate dining room. We coordinated our reservation with our friends so we could dine together.

In total, there were about thirty of us and it was magnificent. The portions were perfect, so we could enjoy our meal without being stuffed. I thought it would be rather gauche to take pictures of the meal, so this time you’ll have to trust me when I say it was wonderful.

The menu:

• Goat cheese tomato sphere
• Tiger Prawn and Apple Crudo
• Coconut Lemongrass Soup with chicken
• Black Cod with Citrus and Saffron Essence
• Lemon-Basil Granita
• Black Angus Beef & Forest Essence
• Wild Berry & Vanilla Bean Entremet

With dinner complete, we went down to the lounge to enjoy the Skylark Jazz Band. They were very good and played tunes from the ‘Great American Songbook’. We’ve heard some of the other guests who are frequent ocean cruisers say that they wish there was more entertainment, but we are very content with what’s been provided.

Back to the room after chatting for a while and then right to sleep – we were pooped. This evening’s wines may have played a small role too!