Suitcases stuffed and tips paid (along with a few hugs for some of the staff) we boarded the bus on a drizzly morning to make our way to Prague for the last three nights of our tour. It is fitting, I suppose, to leave the ship on a dreary winter morning. Though I complained about following lollypops and not having enough free time to wander we really did enjoy our journey. There is something for everyone on a river cruise. Amazing (almost overwhelming) history and the stunning beauty of cities and villages along the river. Learning about the technology that attempts to harness the river using dams and locks. Even the ship has secrets that are revealed along the way.... such as the captains bridge that 'sinks' down to duck under a low bridge as well as the folding walls and canopies that can be lowered for the same reason. There were bicycles, a walking track, a pool and a gym not to mention an overpriced masseuse / hairdresser. One of my most treasured memories will be the people from all walks of life we met along the way. The staff & tour guides but most of all fellow travellers..... some of which I could have done without but who, never the less, were part of the experience.
Well enough of the "now it's over" nostalgia.... lets get on with the travel info part of the blog.
Leaving Vilshofen was a bit of a gong show. Everyone was given their little coloured card to ensure you got on the same bus as your luggage (and your lollypop) did. Dutifully wandering through the drizzle with our yellow cards to the bus with the yellow sign we found a great seat at the front. It soon became apparent that some of our fellow passengers were standing out in the wet far too long. You have to claim your luggage as you leave the boat then it goes on the the same bus as you do. Seems that one of the buses couldn't hold all the luggage that their colour coded people had brought with them. That meant they had to reclaim their bags and ensure they were put in the other bus going to Prague..... not the one going to Munich! We were mighty glad to be on the right bus and boarded early. This is the kind of thing I won't miss!
I can't imagine what it would be like to work for a cruise line. This might be the last day we were on the ship but a whole new group will be arriving this afternoon. Not only do they have to make sure the guests are organized but the ship has to be cleaned top to bottom and, after all that, the staff have to be ready to greet the new guests all while being at the top of their game. It all made sense to me when I realized it took them ten minutes to find just one man who left his shoes in his room.... though the smiling staff member called out his name and his room number on each bus, it wasn't until her second visit that the man realized that yes, that was his name and his shoes were missing. Whew!
Though we've left the ship our journey is not over. After about an hours drive we arrived at Regensburg, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old city is enchanting. The entranceway is across a Medieval stone bridge over the Danube that was completed in 1146 and was used by the Knights of old as they made their way to the Holy Land in the 2nd and 3rd Crusade. It is easy to get a sense of what life was like here as you enter the city through the narrow archway and make your way along the ancient cobblestone streets (thankfully not on a bike this time!). The Romans built a fort here in AD 90 which was continuously added to and strengthened. From about 530 to the first half of the 13th Century it was the capital of Bavaria. Safe to say there were a lot of rich merchants and clergy in the area. There was a competition by wealthy patrician families to build the tallest house. One of these the Golden Tower, is a very narrow building that towers above the rest and has almost no room inside... all the room being taken up by the staircase. The price people pay for their snobbery! There are so many unique buildings in Regensburg attesting to their long and affluent past.   
Turns out that while we were boarding our bus after touring the village of Regensburg, we passed the new group who had left Prague that morning and were en route to the ship. A few of our group almost followed them by mistake. Man, the tourism industry is chaotic!
For months friends have told us how beautiful Prague is. Indeed the city has been referred to as "the crown of the world". Though I did find Prague a very beautiful city I must say the first impression wasn't good. The rain didn't help as we drove to the 'Hilton Old Town' hotel taking back roads past bars and graffiti. That first night we dined in our room with Ruth and Larry enjoying the delicious food we picked up at the street market in Regensburg while sipping on the wine we bought in Croatia.  
Our first morning in Prague was spent following the red lollypop on a guided tour of the city, the last in this journey. The day didn't start well when the bus driver got a ticket for parking where he shouldn't which, given the narrow streets in the area, is impossible to avoid (our group chipped in enough tip money to pay his fine). The drive to our first stop, Prague Castle, took us along more seedy roads before crossing the bridge for the long drive to the top of the hill. The twisty road took us past some very expensive houses that were right next to boarded up and abandoned homes that looked like they could never be repaired. Turns out that after the Velvet Revolution (when the Russians left) property confiscated by the Russians was supposed to be returned to the rightful owners. Some of the people were in jail, left the country or had died. It must be a nightmare trying to right the wrongs done in the name of Communism. We also passed Strahov stadium. Completed in 1975, with a capacity of 220,000, it is the largest stadium in the world and is now a horrible huge hunk of crumbling concrete. The Russians wanted to showcase synchronized gymnastics on a massive scale calling the performance Spartakiada which referred to the power and strength of the slave uprising led by Spartacus of old. No egos involved here! Little of this huge arena is still useable today.
OK... I'm sounding pretty negative here.... 
Once we got to the castle at the top of the hill (and the rain stopped) things started to look up. Yes there were way too many people but it was a pretty spot and the view was lovely. We wandered through St. Vitus Cathedral with it's many beautiful stained glass windows and through the courtyards stopping to admire buildings clearly inspired by Maria Theresa's now familiar style. As we exited through the castle gates I had quite the chuckle. Two prim and proper (and supposedly completely still) guards stand rigid on either side of the gate. A group of very pretty young girls were trying to distract them. One poor, very flustered, guard just couldn't keep his eyes from darting back and forth like a Kewpie doll from one girl to the next all the while managing to keep the rest of his body statue still. Pretty funny!
From the castle we wandered down Nerudova, a cobblestone street used by royalty as they made their way to the castle to be crowned. Palaces line the street, the work of 17th and 18th century masters. Many of the buildings have a name which can be figured out if you look at the design carved above the door.
We are following the royal route to the old city wandering through Lesser Town as we make our way over Charles Bridge. From there we wander through the streets of Old town eventually ending up in the large square where we leave the Lollypop and head out on our own.  
"Prague was founded on the crossroads of ancient trade routes at a site where the most varied spiritual and cultural currents merged", a quote from one of our handouts. This becomes clear in the unique architectural styles ranging from pre-Romenesque to modern day buildings such as the one nick named Fred & Ginger. There is also a Gypsy influence in Prague. Lots of music on the street as well as people silently kneeling with heads down hoping you will fill their hat with money not to mention all the witches being sold by street vendors. I have to admit I bought a cackling witch to add to my Halloween decorations.
In the main square there is an Astronomical clock first installed in 1410. I think, even with all our computers, it would be hard to duplicate this today. At any given time you will know the day of the year, the exact phase of the sun and the moon, the location of that day on the zodiac and of course, the time.  
This is an interesting city to get lost in. After leaving the tour Shane and I headed in to the back streets and wandered through the shops. When we stopped for lunch there was a pile of paparazzi following some young supposedly famous man that I didn't recognize. It made for interesting people watching though as they wandered through the market. Then there are the markets selling everything from take out ethnic foods (read: sausages and potatoe something or others with, of course, beer) to clothing and handicrafts. Then you turn a corner and you are in the high end shopping area. Then you are back to narrow streets with twisty turns. It's a good thing we had a landmark. If you managed to find the Powder Tower (once used to store gunpowder) then you could make your way to the hotel. 
Next day same same but different. With nothing organized the four of us wandered to Charles Bridge before the crowds got there taking our time to visit the Lennon Wall, wander past the water wheel, through a couple of parks back across other bridges and generally enjoying the vibe of the city. Some of the statues we came across in the smaller parks or next to the river were pretty unusual. There is a young restless vibe to the city which we fully realized that night when we went to the light show. We didn't realize the show was set in different locations in the city thinking the main square was the place to be. We found out later that there was a spectacular show off the Charles Bridge. The show we saw consisted of entering a square tent (with a hundred other people) where loud music and strobe lights blasted your senses for about ten minutes before your over stimulated brain accompanied your squished body out to the cool night air. Hmmmmm.... think we made the wrong choice. Still it's all an experience!
So we come to the end of this blog. Tomorrow our commute to Kelowna will take us 30 hours. The joy of flying with Aeroplan.  
So where will our next journey take us???? I'm thinking Bhutan!