Danube article

The November afternoon was wintry when we got on board Amadeus Waterways' MS Amalegro in Nuremberg, Germany. But the chill in the weather was offset by the warm and caring staff that assisted us to our cabin for our weeklong cruise to Budapest via the Main Danube Canal and Danube River.

We were surprised to find that 118 other passengers also hadn't been put off by cold weather. We made lots of new friends from the internationally diverse group onboard. It's nice to see younger adults mixed in with the usual crop of retirees on a cruise.

Nuremberg was home to Hitler's Nazi rallies. The anti-Semitic Nuremberg Laws, which revoked German citizenship for all Jews, were enacted here in 1935. A guide gave us an excellent presentation as we visited ruins of massive structures constructed for the assemblies. Allied bombing from 1943 to 1945 caused severe damage to the city. In early 1945, almost all the medieval city center was destroyed in one hour by the British and U.S. air forces. After the war, the city was rebuilt with methodical reconstruction. Rebuilt buildings now look like the medieval originals.

Our guide walked us through the Imperial Castle grounds, and we had time to stroll and shop for delicious holiday lebkuchen (gingerbread) before returning to our ship.

Regensburg is a well-preserved medieval city with lots of small squares and alley-like streets. From our ship, we could see the famous Stone Bridge spanning the Danube. Built in the mid-12th century, it is considered a marvel of medieval technology. It still carries traffic today.

After a guided tour of the city, passengers were free to wander on their own. We took advantage of the city's Altstadtbus, an inexpensive bus making frequent round trips around the old town and to a newer mall near the railroad station.

A year after it loudly celebrated the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth, Salzburg was eerily quiet. Few tourists were visible on the streets.

After a guided tour, I climbed three flights of stairs to visit the original Mozart apartment: a one-floor flat consisting of a kitchen, small living room, bedroom (where Mozart was born) and study. Mozart was frequently sent downstairs to fetch water for the family. Seven children were born in this apartment, but only two survived: Mozart and his sister.

American artist Robert Wilson was invited to redesign the apartment to help visitors enjoy the atmosphere of Mozart's early life through innovative uses of light, sound and design objects. The "upside down room" reflects features of Mozart's personality -- his urge to turn everything upside down, to use mirror-writing and see things differently.

I also strolled around Salzburg to have a look at the Festival Theater, the present-day venue for the annual International Festival of Music and Drama in July and August. In 1936, the Trapp Family Singers performed at the Festival. Their performance was later dramatized in the musical "The Sound of Music."

For more information about the site's concerts and superb opera productions, go online to www.salzburgfestival.at.

Our bus continued from Salzburg to Linz, through the scenic Osterhorn mountain range, where we stopped to take pictures of the stunning Wolfgangsee (Wolfgang Lake) bordered by snowcapped mountains.

At the next lake town, Mondsee, travelers were able to visit the parish church that was used for the wedding scene in "The Sound of Music." I hopped into a local bakery to buy some superb Linzertorte cookies. Named for the nearby city of Linz, this popular cake/cookie is a rich butter, flour and nut crumbly pastry filled with jam.

In the scenic Wachau Valley, our ship docked at Melk for a tour of the magnificent Benedictine Melk Abbey. Destroyed and rebuilt many times, today's abbey buildings, high above the Danube, are impressive examples of Baroque architecture dating from the early 18th century.

For the American Thanksgiving Day in Vienna, Amadeus Waterways had a special treat for all passengers -- a complimentary private concert of the Vienna Boys' Choir at their boarding school, the Palais Augarten, former Imperial Palace of the Hapsburg family.

A varied program, including early classics and show tunes, showed off the boys' versatility and talent. The 100 young boys selected for the choir are divided into four singing groups to allow for frequent concert performances. Once they lose their soprano voice, they retire from the choir and focus on instrumental or other music training until receiving their high school diplomas at the all-expenses-paid school.

The choir is the modern-day descendant of the Viennese Court's boys' choirs of the late Middle Ages. Choir members have included composers Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert.

Tourists in Vienna who want to hear the Vienna Boys' Choir sing can attend Sunday morning Mass at Hofberg Chapel or attend Friday afternoon concerts at Brahms Hall. Tickets for either venue can be purchased online at www.viennaticket.com.

Our itinerary included two days in Vienna. A bus tour of the city provided an overall view for first time visitors. Later, local guides led passengers on a walking tour from St. Stephen's Cathedral through the pedestrian-only streets -- Graben and Kohlmarkt -- to an inside visit of the National Library, part of the Hofburg Palace complex.

My husband and I made a stop at Julius Meinl, Vienna's shop for foodies, to replenish our chocolate supply. This culinary wonderland features shelves of international goodies along with awesome cheese, fresh baked bread and pastry departments. For a look at their goodies, go online to www.meinl.com.

Milder weather greeted us in Budapest, our final cruise port. We docked on the Buda side, and Amadeus provided ferry service from our ship to the Pest side.

A short guided walk led to the large Central Market, where I stocked up on smoked, hot and sweet varieties of paprika. Hungarian cuisine is associated with this condiment and goulash, but it also boasts fabulous desserts -- r�tes (strudel with a crust thin enough to see through) and the multilayered, buttercream-filled Dobos Torte.

A traditional Hungarian operetta was our choice for an afternoon's entertainment. We don't understand the language, but excellent acting and singing -- plus our program's synopsis of the plot (in English) -- had us laughing and tapping feet to the lilting music of "Magnas Miska" ("Mike the Magnate") by Albert Szirmai.

The best seats in the house, which cost less than $50, included complimentary open sandwiches and champagne at intermission.

The varied operetta schedule includes American musicals such as Menken's "Beauty and the Beast" performed in Hungarian with English supertitles. Full schedules and prices are online at www.operettszinhaz.hu.

Tim Zdrawitsch, our 26-year-old chef, is passionate about his cooking. Fresh produce is delivered to the ship several times a week, and he created delicious veggies and salads. Superb rolls and breads were baked onboard. Regional lunch and dinner specialties -- including sinful desserts -- allowed passengers to savor new tastes.

And, just in case you overindulge in the dining room, the ship carries 25 bicycles for exploring small towns. If the weather is bad, equipment in the fitness center is always available.