Christmas Market 2024

  Bags are packed and I did not need all the bubble wrap I brought, hopefully everything will survive the flight home. It has bee a wonderful experience and we meet some nice people but still not sure if we like the scheduled nature of river cruises.  We seem this time to be in ports where you can’t get off and wander, so that was disappointing but we did see lots of markets which was the goal. Now we start the fun process of flights home and waiting at airports. Although trusted readers (Bridgerton reference) i have heard there is a Christmas market in the airport in Frankfurt.  And we do have time to kill there, so as I say the numbers might change. Budapest AC 9039 leaves at 12:45 PM  to Frankfurt Frankfurt AC843 to Toronto leaves at 5:10 PM arrives home at 7:55 PM

 Today Budapest was covered in fog, cold and damp, but we soldiered on and got onto our bus to the Buda castle.  I have to say it was lovely but most of it is reconstructions of what got bombed out during the war, glad they are rebuilding but still lost most of its beauty.   Our guide was very good and got us into the church and told us all the history.  I must say it has all become a bit of a blur although I do think if you were a Hapsburg back in the day you lived a lifestyle we can’t image.   A lovely little market up by the church and then the bus dropped us back on the Pest side of the city so we could wander the other markets.   This began being a lovely day and then it started to sprinkle and then rain.  Luckily while we were eating lunch, cabbage roll and sausage, they had big umbrellas out so we did not drown.  We continued thinking this can not get worse and it will only last a few minutes, both wrong assumptions, so I made the call to c...

Today was a long day but the skies were blue and we got to 4 markets and one church.  Rode one carrousel and one Farris wheel so a good day. Tonight is Christmas dinner on board so fingers crossed it is good, it starts with champagne with the gang in the lounge so heading off there now as I have to get dressed.  Sat with a lovely couple of doctors, they were celebrating his 40th bday, we felt old. 4 things today and Bob got 2 mugs, we passed on the one at the Schonbrunn market as is was kind of boring, the mug not the market. The packing has begun and the count is done to date, not to say more will be bought tomorrow in Budapest, we are at 26.  Which I think is lower than I thought but I am controlling myself and saying, is this something I have not seen before? if I say yes, and is it unique? then I have to do a lap of the market before I can make a purchase. "Imperial Vienna" Tour & Christmas Markets Overview Savor the imperial elegance of romantic Vienna during tod...

 Today we are in Melk for the morning and then cruise down past castles etc on our way to Vienna. No rain today in the forecast but cloudy and 5c, strange how people are surprised it is cold on this cruise.  I have to say I am surprised how cold it is on the ship, we keep trying to put up the heat in the room but no joy, others are commenting on this too. Hopefully I will have time this afternoon between drinking and looking at castles to do a count of the haul so far, we are in the 21 range for those of you still in the race.  But please note I have at least 4 markets in the next few days which are highly rated so this is just a status update and in no way reflects the final tally. Benedictine Abbey Tour  Overview Located above the town of Melk on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube, Melk Abbey (Stift Melk) is one of Europe’s largest and most revered Baroque monasteries. Originally founded in the 11th century, this magnificent Benedictine abbey now houses a museu...

  Changed again heading Salzburg for an all day event. And those who know me and my no love of Sound of Music are saying why do this….   The answer as always is there are 2 markets on this tour and that sold it. It was an early morning and a long day, and it was raining so not all happy campers on this bus ride. 2 hours to Salzburg, most napped so that was good. Started off with a walking tour for  about 2 hours, luckily light on Sound of Music and more Mozart so I was happy with that but rain and cold. We then got our bearings of the city and where the markets were and we were set loss.  Its markets were lovely but boy were they expensive and few places to buy sausages.   Bob was able to find one finally and a mug of mulled wine.  I got 2 things, but as I say things were so expensive that we passed on some due to the ridiculous cost, €17 for something I have seen for £7 We then meet our group and headed back onto the bus for a 1 1/2 hour bus ride to Linz t...

 We are changing it up again today, can’t say I am not flexible.  We are going to do the walking tour of the castle and then the market,  I know you are confused by this but David, our Cruise director, says this will give me more time actually at the market, we will see this one mostly in the dark as it is dark by 4 most days and we don’t leave the market until 5pm. I wonder what my count will be after today.  Bob keeps saying buy small, we met a couple yesterday who already have to buy another suitcase to get home. It is much colder and cloudy today so the layers are coming on, yes long johns and all.  I found yesterday that my idiot gloves were great so I do not lose anything.  (Aside, if you are brave you can ask Bob about losing things, his record is not good so far but I still love him,  I just now carry my own stuff). Our morning was spent cruising down the river, lots of locks and boy the shoreline is so close to the boat.  The locks are fu...