The Danube by Boat and Bike or How Fifteen Strangers Cycle Four Countries in One Week

Fifteen strangers, linked solely by virtue of knowing the two people who organized the trip, meet in a small town in southwestern Germany for a one week boat/bike tour in mid August.  The plan is to cycle the path that follows the Danube River from Passau Germany, through Austria to Budapest, Hungary and back, stopping to explore some historical towns along the way.  The so-called "blue" Danube (actually it is always a muddy brown colour) is the second largest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia, and has been at the heart of European creative and political history for thousands of years. Now it passes through or by 10 different countries and has 16 locks through which boats must pass.

Our home for the week

The procedure for arrival on the boat goes smoothly. Cabins are assigned, bikes are allocated and the crew gives participants a briefing and a welcome beverage. The day ends with a fabulous gourmet four-course dinner.  Later, as the cyclists dream of sunny days and stunning scenery to come, the boat glides slowly down the river through the night towards the first stop.

Cyclists on a riverside break

The first full cycle day dawns cloudy. There is a potential for rain, but the cyclists, fuelled by the extensive breakfast offerings, are eager to go. The route has been studied, options have been discussed and lunches are packed. As everyone lines up with their bikes on the path, one participant gravitates to the front and assumes a leadership role. With a signal to the group, the leader sets off and everyone follows. The cycling for the day has begun. This will be repeated for the next six days.

Each day's cycle takes the group through small villages and farm land, with the Danube River always flowing along one side. The mostly-paved paths are well maintained and the scenery is beautiful.  Following the supplied route map and convenient signage along the trail, the cyclists reach the end of each day's route to find the boat waiting. The group, feeling the sense of accomplishment after a successful ride, meet once more in the lounge for a post-ride toast. Anticipating the hot showers and gourmet dinner to come, they soon disperse to their cabins to prepare for the evening meal.

Easy riding

During the night, while cyclists sleep, the boat travels along the river to the next stop. It would be a silent journey if not for the locks through which the boat must pass. The process of transferring through the locks, made necessary by the frequent damming of the river, is onerous. It requires stopping and starting engines and anchoring and roping the vessel to the lock surfaces. It is not easy to sleep with a cacauphonoy of mechanical noises. But after the active day, sleep overcomes all. The cyclists (for the most part) are ready each morning with enthusiasm and smiles for a new day's ride.

During the week, there are special stops that merit extra time. One of the first stops is Bratislava, Slovakia. This is an unknown country to most, and everyone mulls over the variety of sightseeing options, including a tourist train and hike. Two independent travellers choose a Rick Steves self-guided walking tour and a few others join on. Wandering a former communist country is a unique experience and there is much historical information to absorb. Old churches, stark Soviet architecture amid medieval ramparts, baroque churches and modern poet statues make for an intruiguing atmosphere. 

Just pretending....

Back on the boat, the cyclists (especially the Canadian group who seem to laugh a lot when they gather) enjoy the excellent dinner and lively conversation at the table. As the week progresses, the group continues to find much in common with one another.  It is an easy social environment.

The morning arrival in Budapest bring gasps of amazement from the travelers as they stand on the deck waiting to dock and begin the day's cycle. The glow from the sun on the facade of the impressive Parliament Buildings, palaces and churches that line the Danube creates a surreal postcard image of this former communist city. Because the group have plans to spend more days in this historic city after the boat-bike tour, they aren't disappointed that the day's cycle route follows the Danube to a small but historical village outside the city. 

The stunning Parliament Buildings in Budapest

Returning that afternoon to the boat, which had remained moored across from the architecturally stunning Parliament Buildings, the group has an early dinner, then are free to explore the immediate area. Two independent travellers decide to walk to the so-called "Green" or "Freedom Bridge" as they have heard the bridge will be closed for a special musical event. When they arrive,  many people are gathered on the now car-free bridge, some sitting on the structural beams above the roadway enjoying the view and drinking beer or wine (!).

Swinging on the Freedom Bridge in Budapest

The band is playing "swing"  music and people of all ages dance "swing-style" as if they have been doing it all their lives.  Enthralled, the travellers marvel at the carefree atmosphere and "joie de vive" of the local people and contemplate joining in. 

Budapest and the Danube glitter at night

Soon the rest of the Canadian group turns up and they begin to wander the streets in search of a "ruin pub" called Szimpla. After many turns and backstreet shortcuts, the group joins a lineup to enter a nondescript doorway with little signage. The so-called "ruin pubs" have been developed from abandoned or "ruined" buildings that were never claimed after the war years.  Somewhat delapidated, often roofless and made up of a series of dark small loosely-defined areas, these pubs are an ingenious and creative use of otherwise unusable spaces. Szimpla is one of the first and the most well-known. Crowded with young people, with music pulsating in the background, the group gather round a small table for a celebratory drink, then exit quickly.

Vienna is the designated day of rest and the group look forward to exploring this historical treasure in different ways. Many opt to utilize the hop-on hop-off bus. Some can't get enough of cycling and choose to explore the city on two wheels. The two independent travellers (and a few others who join in) once more get out the Rick Steves self-guided walking tour book to maximize the one day available. 

Avid classical music fans in Vienna

All groups members however, reconvene that evening to attend a musical performance of a string quartet in a beautiful, historical venue called the Sala Terrana. Mozart himself had once lived nerby and performed in the very same room. The small room, with its domed ceiling (creating surprisingly good acoustics) is covered with painted baroque images and has seating for about 35 people---the Canadian group takes up almost half the chairs. The four musicians are of extremely high caliber and within this intimate atmosphere, every nuance of breath, body and facial expression used by the players to communicate with each other are clearly evident.

It is a memorable experience, especially for one traveller who is rediscovering a love of classical music and feels inspired by the depth of feeling and pure love of performing these musicians displayed.

Excellent performance--Mozart would have been proud!

Cycling on the last day of the tour is bittersweet. It is a sunny day and the path takes the cyclists through some particularly pretty towns and riverside parks. Occasionally a castle or fort, in various stages of decay, caps a nearby hilltop. The river is the constant, always close by. 

As the cyclists pull up to the boat for the last time, they feel a sense of appreciation for this amazing river. The day's ride had it all: fishers of all ages set up along the banks with high-tech gear, a farmers markets bustling with local families, waterside parks perfect for a shady rest or lunch break , stunning ancient churches open for an peek inside, and cobblestone streets lined with local culinary and art merchants. Showcasing the best of Austria makes for a perfect ending to a fabuous experience. The cyclists sadly leave their bike with the amazing staff and head inside to prepare for the final "captains" dinner. There is much comraderie around the dinner table but a tinge of sadness. All of the group agrees that exploring by bike is a unique and worthy expereince; most would do it again (in fact, a number of the group will go on to repeat the boat/bike tour scenario from Bruges to Amsterdam later in the month). 

When the boat pulls into the town of Passau, Germany to unload, the group reluctantly disperses towards the train station. Some flag the waiting taxi cabs, others walk through town enjoying one last look at this quaint German resort town. Soon, whatever sadness lingers in the travellers is replaced by excitement in anticipation of the next part of the "Great European Adventure". There is a train to catch--and it's back to Budapest!