July 29
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| Wilder Mann Hotel |
Unless you stay in a higher end hotel it is unlikely that
you will have air conditioning which during a normal European Summer is not big deal.
This summer is an absolute scorcher in Europe.
I am sleeping on top of the blankets and just praying for a
breeze to run through the open window.
Thankfully at some point in the night it cooled off a bit.
The breakfast room at the
Wilder Mann is on the top floor
and a total maze to get to.
They
even have signs pointing out the path to food.
The room itself is an old Victorian style set up with ceiling
to floor windows covering two full walls which makes for spectacular views of the
city.
The food was decent but not as good as the amazing setups I
have gotten use to at the last two places. That being said it was worth the 7 Euros I paid. After a long breakfast and coffee I
took advantage of the wrap around balcony on the breakfast floor and soaked up
the views.
I wandered the city’s narrow, cobblestone streets which are
shadowed by the pastel washed building.
Passau is on the top of my
‘beautiful cities’ list to be sure.
It is difficult to take a bad picture here.
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| Walking Passau, Germany |
I took my first walk break at
St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which
is said to have the world’s largest organ.
St. Stephen's Cathedral is a baroque church built in 1688. The church is said to have the largest organ outside the United States. got there 30 minutes before the afternoon concert. There
are two organ concerts a day and it was packed out by the time it began.
Many river cruises stop here and St.
Steven’s Cathedral is high on the tourist list.
I had plenty of time to take in the beautiful architecture
and baroque paintings.
There
is no need to worry about where you sit here; the acoustics are incredible throughout.
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| St. Stephen's Cathedral |
I only had a half hour before my 2-hour cruise of the
Danube
so I wiggle my way to the waterfront along whatever cobblestone path is heading
down to the river.
Yesterday, when I arrived, it was insanely quiet in
Passau.
Apparently it was due to
the time I arrived and because it was Sunday.
Today, there are tourist groups everywhere with a flag
holding tour guide at the head.
It
appears that Passau gets a lot of its tourist from the river cruising that is
so popular here.
Decided to do the Kristallschiff River Cruise which last two
hours. Got my ticket (13.80 Euro)
and boarded. What the hell, this
thing looks straight out of a movie.
It is the most opulent boat I have ever seen. There are chandeliers everywhere and the floors are inlayed
with crystals. I decide to sit inside,
as I really need a break from the heat. The cruise will go from Passau to Kasten, Austria to
Obernezell and back again.
I had a beer and watch the view out the gigantic
windows. This mini cruise on the
Danube was well worth it.
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| Along the Danube on a river cruise |
I spent the rest of the day wandering around and ended up
coming back to the hotel a bit early, as the rains are a coming.
I plan to get an early start tomorrow
to see more sights and grab a ticket to Vienna.
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