The Wachau Valley

The little town of Durnstein, on the north bank of the Danube in the Wachau Valley was our next stop.

The Danube is really moving. No downpours, but continual off and on showering.

As we approached the town of Durnstein, you could see the ruins of an old castle, high on the hill, overlooking the river.   It turns out that Richard the Lion Hearted of England was held captive there for 6 years.    He was returning from Crusading in Palestine and while there,  had replaced the Austrian flag with the British flag.   News of this rudeness reached the Austrian monarch, who captured Richard and held him prisoner until his family raised the required ransom.  

The grapes are grown on terraces and each field receives a slightly different combination of sunlight, moisture, and nutrients from the ground.   So the wine from each plot is bottled separately, even if it is the same variety. This allows the Co-0p of growers to all maintain their own brand and build its value.   The wines are all sold out and our guide let us know that none of them were available in a Super Market.   Good Marketing!

This Church was different from all the other European churches I’ve been in.   It had a different “feel.”    I couldn’t figure it out, thinking that it might be something spiritual.    Not denying the spiritual component, I noted that this church had a lot more wood and warmer colors than most which are stone and cold.   Also the saints depicted on the roof were specifically bestowing blessing to the fishermen and boaters of the Danube which runs a few feet from the church.   So the warmth of wood and the patron saint being concerned for boaters plus this church being much smaller … made it a unique stop for me in Durnstein.   Come to think of it, I’d say it felt more like a church and less like a cathedral … to me.