Christmas Markets Along the Danube

 

Christmas on the Danube

December 2024

 

            We do love a Viking River Cruise: 6 in Europe, plus 1 on the Mississippi. Marjorie disrupted the pattern of togetherness when she and her sister Mary took a Christmas Markets cruise along the Rhine in 2012. She showed no feelings of guilt about leaving me behind [tho full disclosure: I traveled with my brother Doug to South America in 2013 and on a “Midnight Sun” Viking Ocean Cruise in 2018] but is quite happy to do a similar cruise with me, this time along the Danube. We’ve cruised on both the Rhine & Danube in summer, the latter covering much of the territory on this cruise, but expect different looks at Christmastime.

The 2nd-longest river (1700 miles) in Europe, after the Volga, the Danube originates in Germany, passes thru or borders Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine. European Christmas markets have a long history, dating to a “December market” in Vienna in 1296. In the 14^th C craftsmen set up stalls under the name "Saint Nicholas market" to sell little Christmas gifts for children. This evolved into Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) or Christkindlmarkt (Christ child market). Many towns usher in Advent with market openings.

It's been a very busy pre-Christmas time. Santa’s Elf Marjorie has been wrapping presents at Colonie Center as fundraising for Relay for Life, and shopping for an “adopted family” for Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless. We help grandson William move a lot of stuff from his dorm to our house to start getting ready to move to a new place with roomie Sean. Grandma drives William and his essentials, like computer equipment, to a halfway rendezvous with son Matt. We’ll see the Queens family after Christmas.

Also busy musically. After rehearsing holiday music since early September, my Mendelssohn Club finally sings for audiences! First our annual gig at the Colonie Seniors tree lighting, then Holiday Concert at The Egg, main performing arts center downtown. Marjorie & I kept busy selling concert tickets, I for Club members, she for the public as Concert Coordinator. It’s my 1^st time navigating a concert as President of the Club, working to make sure everything goes as it should: coordinating with Egg staff and our sound & recording people, sending e-mails with rehearsal & other details to my Brothers in Song, doing a phone interview with WMHT, making intros & acknowledgements at the concert.

At the dress rehearsal I encounter backstage some guys from tribute bands here for a “Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown” concert in the theater below ours. They don’t look much like our group. Our concert goes well, good and enthusiastic audience, excellent singing of course (thankyou conductor Jason for prepping us so well!). We combine familiar holiday offerings with non-traditional songs like “A Doo-Wop Christmas” and “Variations on Fa-La-Las.” An “Afterglow” party at Ancient Order of Hibernians Hall. Good food & drink, caroling, Presidential thankyous. Next week the Club will sing the anthem at a Siena basketball game, but I’ll be on our Danube cruise.

We’ve been thru a very long, and to us very dismaying, election, followed by a similarly dismaying post-election. Recent weather hasn’t been very Christmasy, some pretty snow here for a while but warmer temps and some heavy rain have left us with only scattered piles of dirty snow. Hopefully good conditions along the Danube. An internet check indicates heavy Summer & early Fall flooding has subsided, so that’s good.

We’re plenty ready to get away on a cruise!

 

Sunday, 12/15: “A Premier Departure”

            Marjorie has done her usual efficient pacing job. A clear AM, pretty sunrise,

good driving conditions. Trying something different to begin the trip: timing for Premier Limo from Albany Airport to JFK (and return) work out well. Extra cost balanced by no parking fee, and don’t have to drive home at the end on little or no sleep. A ride to the Albany airport from good neighbor Paul on the dot at 8:30; he’s a former marine, after all. Very quiet at Albany airport, between the rush of Thanksgiving & Christmas. Our limo on time at 9:30, joined by 2 young women going home to Bangladesh. A couple of stops on the way: Kingston to pick up a young woman going home to Sri Lanka, a potty stop at Ramapo. Hazy sun, we make good time. Felice Navidad playing as we cross Tappan Zee Bridge, then over the Triboro. Is it safe to go to the city? Last night was SantaCon, one of the “Christmas-themed booze fests” in about 50 cities around the world. Oh well, Christmas spirits. More troubling, mysterious drones have been seen in the NYC metro area, even closing Stewart Airport for a short time. But no problems reaching JFK at 1:00. Kudos to Marjorie for arranging this ride; and she’s even brought lunch to eat at the airport!

            Much busier here. An hour to get thru check-in for Lufthansa flight. But TSA Pre gets us past a large throng at security. Some concerning news: William in the hospital with abdominal pain similar to a very serious previous issue. On-time departure 5:30pm.

 

Monday, 12/16: “Daily Viking”

            We settle into Premium Economy seats, very comfy, some wine to start; kudos to me for this. Majorie has movies on a phone ap, I catch Le Miserable on the plane’s screen. A 7-hour flight, plus 6 hours time difference. On time to Munich at 7am, still dark. An hour for a walk & shuttle & a wait for checked bags. Viking folks in red jackets waiting for us and a few others.

A 1½-hour ride to Regensburg. Mostly cloudy in the 40s, past pretty towns & farms. Big red soccer stadium at the outskirts of Regensburg. To the Danube and our ship. Staterooms not ready, still finishing up from the previous cruise. Time to relax with cappuccino in the Lounge. An early buffet lunch at 11:00. Happy news: a call from daughter-in-law Anthea: William is just fine, a false alarm. And Marjorie seems to be recovering from a rare Wordle loss.

We’re sailing on “longship” Viking Modi, named for the son of Thor, most powerful of the Norse gods, and also known for his fearlessness. Built in 2015, the ship holds 53 crew and 190 guests in 196 all-outside staterooms. A Sun Deck atop the 3 decks provides 360° panoramas, plus a putting green. Aquavit Terrace & Lounge has indoor/outdoor viewing. The cruise offers a variety of included & optional excursions to select from. And plenty of food – a floating gourmet restaurant!

 

           I take a short walk. The Modi is indeed a very long ship. We’re docked by a large “fortress,” built for a rich family that instead moved elsewhere. Lovely views along the river, lots of boats and pretty houses along the banks. 

Stateroom available at 1:00. We’re escorted by Program Manager Elena, a very friendly & tall Transylvanian; many of the staff are Eastern European, tho Hotel Manager Mark a Brit. As usual, we’re on the lowest & cheapest deck with crew (the ‘bilge” we call it, tho we’re proud to find out it’s called the Main Deck), offering sometimes interesting water-level views from our windows. Queen bed, flat-screen TV, rather tight bathroom & shower. Marjorie likes the heated bathroom floor. I take some time exploring the pretty interior of the ship, lots of holiday decorations.

           Naptime for Marjorie. I join others with guide Heidl for a “leisurely” Welcome Walk. She shows us very high marks recording previous floods, and some of the barriers created to protect against floods. The river is relatively shallow now. Beautiful views around & from the 800-year-old Old Stone Bridge. A small museum. 

Nearby is the oldest sausage kitchen (Wurst Kirche) in the world. Heidl notes there is a large population of single women here, including her. Colorful houses along the river. Heidl lives in one of the houses that are comprised of many single flats. The group heads toward the Cathedral, but I decide to pace myself and see the Cathedral tomorrow.

            Back to the ship. 1^st “Viking Daily” newsletter waiting in our stateroom. This provides info about each day’s excursions & events, weather reports, facts about destinations, origins of holiday traditions like caroling in the 13^th C & candy canes in the 17^th C, “Today in History” (e.g., today in 1773 was the Boston Tea Party), a “Nautical Term of the day” (e.g., a square meal, son of a gun, rummage sale), and more. The TV offers lots of movies, some TV (e.g., Downton Abbey), nice music selections (including a couple by The Kennedys, who’d been guest artists at a Mendelssohn Club concert), a few news channels (but who wants news?).

            A “mandatory” info & safety meeting, into safety jackets to go to our “muster stations.” We’re instructed to “tap out/tap in” with room key cards when going off the ship, and to remember our “Quietvox devices” to hear guides on excursions. Then 1^st dinner introduced by Executive Chef Ericson & Maitre d’ Zeliko. Each meal offers “Chef Suggestions” including regional specialties, plus “Classics” like cheeseburgers. We sit with 2 other couples from Australia & Cincinnati. Evening entertainment at 9:00: local operatic duo presenting lovely “melodies of Mozart and Lehár.”

 

Tuesday, 12/17: “Friends Without Husbands”

            As usual I’m up very early, mostly staff around. I chat with other early risers Warren from Texas & Joe from Pittsburgh. Cloudy, up to 45 today. I get Netzero email working on a ship computer. Layered breakfast opportunities: 6am pastries at coffee stations & “breakfast items at Aquavit Terrace, 7am restaurant offerings including French toast & pancakes. I join a group of 5 women who are friends traveling without their husbands; one is a fellow journal writer. A small world experience: one of them has arranged thru Facebook to rendezvous with a nanny from 20 years ago who lives in Regensburg. A good start for Marjorie: she loves the (albeit small) shower, a key consideration when traveling.

Our 1^st tour (included) is a morning walking tour of the town with guide Francisco. A 1^st test of my back, cane in hand. Regensburg is at the confluence of Danube, Naab, & Regen rivers, at the Danube's northernmost point. A nice path along the river, back to the Old Stone Bridge, built in the 12^th C with 16 arches. 

Into the Wurst Kirche. Beautiful buildings, decorations, store windows full of toys, jewelry, etc. A “crazy tree” that blooms several times in the microclimate of a courtyard. 

An organ concert by a Cuban musician in Neiderműnster Abbey near St. Peter’s Cathedral, widely considered Bavaria’s best Gothic architectural work, Christmas market in front. Past a small cannabis Christmas tree in a window. 

On the way back to the ship into the lobby of a local history museum with a large colorful balloon and lion holding a beer! At lunch we watch Viking sister ship Gymir depart. We encounter a number of Viking & similar ships during our travels, sometimes docked beside so we have to walk thru them.

The afternoon brings our 1^st optional tour: St. Emmeram Palace. A short drive to the palace of the House of Thurn and Taxis. The guide takes us around the outside, narration on royals in the area, then makes a quick turn into the palace without keeping track of everyone; I and 2 others are left stranded! Marjorie comes back to find us, but it takes quite a while with help from local staff to reconnect with our group. We miss part of the interior tour, but still enjoy what we see, including marble staircase in the grand entry hall and the mirror-lined ballroom with shimmering chandeliers. 

Outside in the courtyard is what’s considered one of the world’s most romantic Christmas markets. Lots of vendors with colorful handiwork, plentiful food offerings (but remember, we have dinner waiting at the ship!), a small train ride, ferris wheel (common at these markets), decorative lighting. 

Storyteller on a balcony overlooking the courtyard, followed by a youth choir.

Back to the ship for dinner, staff introductions. Joined by an Aussie/UK couple and a travel writer who’s made 46 trips this year! I guess that beats my travel/photo blog. Thru our 1^st locks, below an almost full moon. 

A Tree Trimming Party in the Lounge.

Wednesday, 12/18: “Mulled Wine and Bavarian Beer”

            

A foggy AM. “Today in History”: Mayflower docks at Plymouth 1620, 13^th Amendment abolishing slavery ratified 1865. Have to wait for our turn to go thru a lock. Then we dock outside Passau, “the city of the three rivers” (Danube, Inn, & Ilz). One of the oldest cities in Bavaria, founded by Celts more than 2,000 years ago. Fog obscures the fortress atop a hill. A short bus shuttle into the city for an included excursion with guide Gabi. More recorded high-water marks on a building. 

Thru Old Town with beautiful buildings, pastel colors, gothic fresco, sculptures. Lot of steps up & down! Narrow atmospheric streets, colored pavement stones leading the way. 

Into an interior courtyard with space for a comedy theater. Gabi tells us Passau was an important center for salt trade, the origin of “worth your weight in salt.” 

At the entrance to beautiful baroque St. Stephen’s Cathedral another guide sings Ave Maria. The organ here is being renovated, to be more than 22K pipes. 

Some free time to browse stalls of the Christkindlmarkt around the Cathedral which earn a “Wow!” An array of handmade goods, from tasty treats to woolens, delicate glass ornaments, and wooden toys. 

To a demo on Advent wreaths & gingerbread, with samples and mulled wine. Back down to the river, more beautiful buildings along the bank, shuttle to the ship.

 

           Lunch with “the women without husbands,” one wearing a striking llama sweater. Then off to another excursion. First crossing thru another ship docked next to us, undergoing renovation. Breaks of blue sky that lead to a lovely afternoon. Guide Pascal take us thru Bavarian forests to Gut Aichet, a 200-acre riverside farm at the heart of the region’s agriculture for a “Festive Bavarian Beerfest.” 

A tour of the farm. Friendly horses & dog. A “hunting lodge” to host weddings & other events. Stables and the largest riding lodge in Bavaria. 

After dissing Budweiser, info about the Bavarian tradition of brewing beer. Music from a teen on accordion, later by a 9-year-old, who also “slap dances” with his father.

We each get a plate with huge Brezen (pretzels), along with assorted spreads and locally cured ham. More mulled wine, we get to keep the festive cups. Some in our group learn a Bavarian dance and games. A Bavarian joke: a 60-year-old man wishes for a wife who is 30 years younger, he’s turned into 90! We conclude a wonderful festive outing with “Silent Night” in English & German. [FYI: Another optional tour today was “Fairy-Tale Neuschwanstein Castle By Plane.” But we visited the castle surrounded by snow during a Bavarian trip in May 2006, so we let that suffice.]

            A fine day concludes with cocktails for Viking Explorer Society members who, like us, have sailed previously with Viking, followed by a “Taste of Germany” dinner.

 Thursday, 12/19: “Imagine a Great Forest”

            A very foggy AM. Will today’s “scenic cruising” be just “cruising”? Pretty lights along the banks, and then . . . Wow! A gorgeous sunrise! I have an early morning chat with a couple from Kentucky. She taught writing/composition, something I addressed in some “writing intensive” classes. Then I rejoin friends from last night, Marjorie has awakened and joins us, pointing out balls of mistletoe in trees. More fog, then sun, becoming a pretty morning. 

Lovely views thru a lock. We’re cruising thru Austria’s Wachau Valley, considered perhaps the most scenic stretch of the Danube, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our ship squeezes into a lock next to another ship. A view of Melk Abbey, beyond that the gorge of the Valley. The canopy on the Sun Deck has to be lowered a couple of times to get under bridges. An early lunch with a couple from Pennsylvania; ice cream with cornflakes for dessert! 

We pass beautiful scenery: terraced vineyards, forested hills, churches, monasteries, rock formations. Grapevines and wine-producing villages stretch back to Celtic & Roman times.

The ship docks at Krems Austria, a small university town at the eastern end of the Valley, surrounded by terraced vineyards. Krems has long played a part in the Wachau’s wine culture,  some of the best Riesling & Veltliner wines in the world come from here. We’re here for another included excursion, Benedictine Gottweig Abbey. Fogged in again, but we again get sun when really wanted. A bus past lots more vineyards, vistas of the Danube & Valley, to the Abbey atop a hill.

Greeted with apricot juice & wine. Very entertaining guide Peter, a historian, provides lots of details. This Benediktinerstift, another World Heritage Site, was founded in 1083, has 33 monks; about half live here, the rest in local parishes. Peter gestures toward a vantage point. “Imagine a great forest,” he says with a grin – the view is totally obscured by fog. More details while walking thru the grounds. “Any questions?” . . . silence . . . “Thank God!” he says with a smile. 

Into the church with 350-year-old altar and crypt below, organ with 3200 pipes. 

Another building with 3-story Great Imperial Staircase, largest baroque staircase in Austria, topped by a fabulous ceiling fresco from 1739 celebrating the Habsburgs, including Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI depicted as Apollo. Tastings at the end of the tour.

            Our ship is waiting for us at Tulln. Eye-catching Nibelungendenkmal sculptures overlook the river, depicting the marriage proposal of King Attila the Hun to Princess Gudrun. A brightly lit Viking ship passes as we continue to Vienna. 

A beautiful mid-afternoon “Waltz Show” by 2 ballet dancers; some passengers join them for waltz instructions.

 After docking, a parade of buses takes us to a pretty hall for an optional concert by 7 instrumentalists from Vienna Residence Orchestra, with 2 costumed singers & 2 dancers. Various selections from Strauss & Mozart, including (of course!) Blue Danube, and even a sing-along. Beautiful music with some humorous touches; dancers do a waltz, the woman seemingly a robot at the start. We come out to light rain. A pretty drive thru Vienna after dark, past the large Riesenrad ferris wheel in Prater Park. Back at the ship, a snack of goulash.  

 Friday, 12/20: “Mendelssohn intrudes”

            It’s not raining, but windy & chilly to begin the day, some sun breaks out by mid-morning. Real life intrudes, as I have emails indicating Mendelssohn Club Presidential responsibilities that need some attention: my signature on forms related to our nonprofit status, a need to find alternative storage for our risers. These will have to wait until I’m back home. Another breakfast with “the ladies.”

The day gets going with an included bus & walking tour with guide Karl. A drive along the Ringstrasse along the site of old city walls built during the mid-19^th C. Past Prater Park and Riesenrad again. Beautiful views left, and right, and left again . . . One incredible building after another, from the Hofburg Palace to the Vienna State Opera and more! 

Fancy store windows, lots of horse-and-buggy rides. Karl narrates. Steel produced here used in skyscrapers around the world, including Empire State Bldg. Lots more historical details, too many to process! 

A stop into a candy store for treats to take home to family & friends, and a nearby ATM to pay for them. 

The tour ends at (what else?) the Christkindlmarkt at St. Stephen’s Cathedral. So much chocolate & bakery everywhere – but we resist. We do buy a Santa ornament at one stall, our big splurge! 

A walk back to the bus, passing a big skating rink. Back to the ship, views of colorful graffiti along the riverbank.

Afternoon brings an included “Festive Schönbrunn Palace” excursion with guide Max. Again past the Riesenrad. Max notes its place in movies The Third Man and The Living Daylights (James Bond), commenting that Vienna is “a hot spot for spies.” 

A tour thru the elaborate rooms of the Palace, home of the Hapsburg Dynasty. In 1569 Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II erected a hunting lodge here and called it Schönbrunn, “beautiful spring.” In 1775 Empress Maria Theresa, the only female ruler of the Hapsburgs, added a neoclassical Gloriette colonnade so she could have sweeping city views.

Then time to explore the market as lights are just coming on. A merry-go-round, ferris wheel, huge Christmas tree. Dozens of stalls filled with colorful and elaborate traditional crafts and food. Crowded with whole families. A train for kids to ride. Skating rink and a sort of curling area. This gets our vote for best market!

Back to the ship for dinner with mother/daughter Judy & Jaime, who are becoming our ship “besties.” Judy keeps teasing me about being surrounded by women. Do I mind? Christmas Trivia in the Lounge, our team comes in 3^rd.   

 

Saturday, 12/21: “Life Along the River”

            A beautiful sunny AM, sun glinting off buildings across from us, ducks & swans, barges, balls of mistletoe in trees, houseboats along the opposite shore. 

Sad news of an incident at another Christmas market in Magdeburg, near Berlin: a car careened into the crowd, 2 dead & some 70 injured.

 Marjorie & I walk along a pretty bike path, pretty birds along the way, into town looking for a grocery to fulfill her wish to explore such places on trips. 

First Ensan Supermarkt, full of Turkish & Asian food. Then into a larger Billa grocery, pretty colored balconies on buildings nearby. Wish fulfilled! Marjorie checks off items on a list for home, and we find Jumpys, kangaroo-shaped crackers we enjoyed on a previous trip in Bavaria. Walking back to the ship we pass a man feeding famous “wild rabbits.” Lunch with a couple we hadn’t met earlier. We’ve enjoyed time with everyone we’ve met.

            Off to optional excursion “Behind the Scenes at the Lipizzaner Stallions” with guide Martin. The city is mobbed; Mark says they even had to stop people coming into the city one day last week! Thru the city, more look left, look right, etc. Can’t keep track of all the sights! 

We head “backstage” at the Spanish Riding School, home to the world-famous Lipizzaner stallions, Europe’s oldest horse breed. There are 117, about half stabled here. We learn fascinating details of rigorous training of both horses & riders. It takes 5-8 years for stallions to be fully trained, then perform once a week. After fully “educated” they can go to stud (a “love vacation”), but only 3 times to avoid inbreeding. It takes 8-12 years to become a “rider;” nothing about them going to “stud.” Into the stables. The stallions change color from black to white as they mature, but one here is still all black; he’s considered a lucky charm. We see videos of the stallions performing.

 

           Back outside, lots of horse-and-buggy rides (aka fiakers) and also cute cars for tours. A surprise: our excursion includes our own fiaker ride! A truly festive experience. Beautiful store windows, lights now on over streets & squares. 

One disturbance: a pro-Palestinian protest passes nearby, followed by police cars, helicopter hovering overhead. Things on edge after the earlier market incident.

            Back at the ship, Marjorie participates in decorating gingerbread men. Then, sadly, a meeting to go over disembarkation details. After we leave our ship will be decommissioned for the winter. We embark for Budapest, passing Bratislava Castle and other lighted buildings. Dinner surrounded again by women. After dinner a presentation of Holiday Traditions by staff, who originate from Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, and other parts of the world. A lovely session, followed by a Christmas Sing Along with the entire crew.

 

Sunday, 12/22: “Let it Snow”

            Another beautiful sunrise as we arrive at Budapest. Spectacular views! Our Captain expertly parks us next to another Viking ship, near Chain Bridge. I’m able to get our boarding passes printed by staff. It’s only 8° in Albany! We decide not to have Jumpys for breakfast.

We have an included tour with guide Valerie. Budapest, Hungary’s capital, straddles the banks of the Danube, traditional hillside Buda on one side and modern Pest on the other; the 2 sides merged in 1873. We head first to Pest. Past a large square with ferris wheel, which seem quite common in this region. The Jewish District and Grand Synagogue, largest in Europe. Valerie notes heavy losses in the Jewish population here during the holocaust. More narration on Budapest history. What’s the most popular Hungarian invention? Answer: Rubik’s Cube. Past the State Opera, House of Terror Museum, Museum of Ethnography with an unusual “skateboard” roof. Andrássy Avenue with beautiful villas & embassies. 

Heroes’ Square, a large plaza with impressive monuments and statues commemorating the Magyar state. “NY Palace” with long line for the Café. Along a grand boulevard, Erzsébet Körút.

Across Elizabeth Bridge to Buda and the Castle District, with gardens, funicular. This is keeping my shutter finger very busy! 

Thru another Christmas market to turreted Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church (Mass in progress so can’t go in). 

Panoramic views across the river from the ramparts: Chain Bridge, Parliament, and much more.  Cafes here very busy, but we happen on a small grocery with an uncrowded café on the 2^nd floor. Quiet & warm, sweet cherry strudel & cappuccino. Nice sunshine when we come out. A walk past pretty store windows, embroidery & ceramics. 

Back on the bus, Valerie discusses cuisine as we travel thru a tunnel under the Castle. Back over the river on Margaret Bridge. All sorts of boat traffic, even a small paddle-wheeler. Past the impressive Parliament. Crew gives us tasty salami as we board the ship.

After lunch I take a short walk looking for a sculpture mentioned by Valerie. “Shoes on the Danube Bank”: 60 pairs of iron shoes spread along the bank. A memorial to a group of Jews killed  by Hungarian fascists, thrown into the river after taking off their shoes to be resold; this is also a memorial to the many thousands of Jews killed here during the Holocaust. A very sobering spot.

Another included tour late afternoon with guide Victor. A “7-minute walk,” past lighted buildings to a Christmas market in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica, one of Hungary’s biggest churches. Into a shop for tastes of strudel. This market has been awarded best Christmas market in Europe by a travel magazine. A 60-foot tree, skaters at its base, pretty lights and a relatively small number of stalls. Very pretty, but quite crowded and I’m running out of gas. Back to the ship, beautiful views of lighted Chain Bridge and buildings beyond. A bus entirely covered in colored lights. And it’s snowing!

After dinner farewell toasts by the crew. Then lovely songs by Wind Singers, an a cappella Advent Choir of 3 women & 2 men. An excellent conclusion to the tour.

 

Monday, 12/23: “Upstairs, Downstairs”

            No sleep for us. We have to be packed and ready to go by 3:30am for a shuttle to the airport. About 30 minutes to the airport, an inch of snow cover. Heading to check in we walk by “Oozy Toasties and Conscious Coffee;” thanks, but we had some breakfast on the ship. A short wait for the plane to be de-iced. Who’s the first we see on the plane?: Judy & Jaime. “You can’t avoid us,” says Judy. 

On-time departure and into Frankfurt as the sun is rising. Out the rear door, into the brightly colored airport. Marjorie has brought snacks, as if we need any more food. [Back home we find we’ve both gained 5 lbs!]

We depart for JFK a little late at 11:45am, 8:40 flight time. Surprises on the plane. The bathroom is downstairs! Music selections include conductor Paavo Jarvi, Matt’s 1^st conductor with the Empire State Youth Orchestra. Wine and a fancy final snack onboard: roasted pumpkin with couscous & yogurt. It’s not Business Class, but Premium Economy has its nice touches. Wilkommen in NYC only 10 minutes late a little after 2pm. Light snow cover, 3° C. A short wait for our friendly limo driver, Then pick up another rider. A long time to get out of the airport, construction everywhere, and out of the city. I’m sure glad he’s driving. But then a smooth ride to Albany. Good neighbor Darlene gives us a ride home.

A wonderful trip! Beautiful & festive. Enjoyable excursions, didn’t mind some repetition from previous trips. It’s all so beautiful, plus the added holiday beauty. Enjoyed hanging out with fellow travelers. Excellent staff: Elena, Mark, our friendly steward Zoran. Wonderful guides; well, except one who left me behind. Good weather, lots of “atmospheric” fog but almost no rain. Regrets? Some pretty snow came too late. We packed more layers than needed. I never used the putting green. But these are minor. A fine lead-in to Christmas!