Durnstein
Today we left the big cities behind and cruised down the Danube River through the UNESCO protected region of the Wachau Valley in Austria. Our first stop was at Durnstein, a delightful little town made famous by the ruins of the castle where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned during the time of the Crusades in 1193. It is also famous for everything made from apricots and we purchased some apricot soap and apricot liquor as mementos. I even got up early and went for a run through the town before all the tourists arrived. As usual, the monastery cathedral was a spectacular feature of the town.
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Melk
After leaving Durnstein we passed through the Wachau Valley which is famous for its vineyards on the hill slopes. Late in the afternoon we arrived at the town of Melk which is dominated by a massive Benedictine monastery and abbey which dates back to 1089. For over 900 years monks have lived in the abbey following the rules laid down by Saint Benedict. Over centuries the monastery has been destroyed and rebuilt several times and today it stands as a heritage protected site.
