23 Sep 2021, Thursday
Prioritized Daily Tasks
Day 5 Passau
When Debbie and I woke there was a heavy fog in Passau. We had breakfast on the Viking Ingvi River Boat and then went on our tour.
Walking tour 9 AM-12:30
The town has been built at the intersection of 3 rivers, the Danube, the Inn, and the Ilz River. The town has flooded many times since 1501 when the water reached 30 meters, about 99 feet. Then in April 2013 it was almost that high again.
We toured St. Stephen's Cathedral, a baroque church from 1688 in Passau. It is the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Passau and the main church of his diocese. Since 730, there have been many churches built on the site of the current cathedral. The current church, a baroque building around 100 meters or 328 ft. long, was built from 1668 to 1693 after a fire in 1662 destroyed its predecessor. Passau Cathedral's used to be the largest organ in the world. It still is the largest church organ outside USA. The organ currently has 17,774 pipes and 233 registers, all of which can be played with the five-manual general console in the gallery. Portions of the organ have their own mechanical-action or electric-action consoles, for a total of six consoles. The cathedral has eight large bells in the bell rooms in the north and south towers. The heaviest,"Pummerin" at 7550 kg, 16644 pounds cast in 1952, and "Sturmerin" weighing 5300 kg or 11,684.5 pounds cast in 1733 hang in the south tower. The other six bells hang in the north tower. They include "Misericordia" weighing 6000 kg or 13227.74 pounds the Angelus bell, "Predigerin", "Elfuhrglocken", the Choir bell, and "Dignitar". A ninth bell, the "Zeichenglocke" hangs near the sacristy door.
Our tour guide holding a picture of flood
Dates and water levels of different floods since 1501
Town of Passau
Viking Ingvi River Boat docked on the Danuage River
Ilz River valley in Passau
Map showing the 3 rivers
St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau
Main west Organ in St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau
Chancel
Everyone on board pereticipated inT an emergency drill this afternoon
Releaxing and where we walk in the mornings on the top deck
View from our dinner table on the boat
Debbie wrotr to family and friends: Day 4--We traveled by bus from Prague to Passau in three+ hours. We stopped once for a snack break and then went on the narrow roads into the bottom of Germany-Passau, Bavaria, Germany. We saw beautiful green rolling hills with sheep grazing and small villages with beautiful Catholic cathedrals and Protestant churches. We crossed the beautiful forested Bavarian Mountains and down into the Valley where the three rivers meet-Danube, Ilz, and Inn.
We boarded the ship, Viking Ingvi, and got oriented and unpacked for our river cruise. Our cabin is very compact, but comfortable. There is a restaurant, reception desk and rooms on the middle deck, the lounge, library and more rooms on the upper deck, and the sundeck, shuffleboard, walking track, and lounge chairs on the top level.
We had dinner and then went to bed. They have not had many tourists because of covid and so they are giving you food all day long. They are being so kind.
We woke up this morning to a thick fog! We had breakfast and then met our group for a tour. There is an island that separates the Danube and Inns rivers. The old town is situated on this island. Janet was our guide and she led us through small walkways, she calls them "cheek to cheek walkways". She says there is lots of love in Passau. We walked to the St. Stephens Cathedral as we walked past a rainbow of pastel colored facades on buildings. St. Stephens Cathedral has been rebuilt 5 times because of fires. The first time in 1662. It is so beautiful inside. It houses the world's largest cathedral organ with 17,974 organ pipes and 233 stops.. All five of the independent organs can be played from the main console, individually or simultaneously. We got to listen to a 30 minute organ concert that was magnificent. The acoustics were wonderful.
We saw the Town Hall with it's tower of bells that chime every hour and make beautiful music. It has painted frescos of different people on the sides of the building. There is also a measurement of all the floods that the rivers have done through the years. The Most recent was 2013 when the flood covered about the same as 500 years ago-99 feet or 30 meters.
On the hill above the old town of Passau is the fortification Veste Oberhouse, one of Europe's largest preserved castle complexes. You have a spectacular 360 degree view from the observation tower or you can get a view from the Battery Linde of old town and the meeting of the three Rivers.
We had to be back to our ship by 1:30 because of our departure for Linz. We had an emergency drill and everyone downed their life jackets and went to the top deck for instructions.
We had a class on how to make Apple Strudel. And we even had a taste! So Yummy! I will have to make you some!
We enjoyed our cruise this afternoon down the German and Austrian countryside. There is a small road or bike bath on both sides and people are always riding bikes along the river. We saw many quaint villages with a church at its center! Every once in a while you will see swans along the side of the bank. We went through several locks. It was interesting to see how they lower the water and open the gate to let you go further down the Danube.
As we ate dinner tonight we docked at Linz, Austria. We will be here until 10:00 pm tomorrow.
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