Day 160, 11 December 2012, Regensburg (Germany). The most beautiful little town this side of the Black Forest. We woke up dragging our respective chains this morning and the delay docking in Regensburg was a welcome opportunity for a rest after breakfast (I know... normally it's lunch time before we need a wee rest). Breakfast was an occasion.... we were cruising the Danube with barely a ripple past snow laden hills and river banks. It felt like cruising in a snow globe - utterly peaceful. Prior to arriving we actually thought we'd taken a wrong turn during the night - as the first building we saw was the spitting image of the Parthenon. Apparently called Walhalla (pron: Valhalla) -the memorial was built in 1842 by King Ludwig (the first, non mad one). We enjoyed Regensburg immensely - it is the epitome of a small fairytale Bavarian town - very Bavarian in fact - the language sounds quite different to German. It was once the centre of the Holy Roman Empire - established in 179 AD when it was known as Castra Regina - in fact, it wasn't until 1806 that the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" was officially dissolved under Napoleon's supervision. The beauty of Regensburg is that it was never modernised due to a lack of money and not bombed during WWII due to major air defences around the city. It's also known as the City of Churches because Christianity spread from here across central Europe during the 7th and 8th centuries. One of the quaintest stories we heard was about the building of the stone bridge in the 12th century. Superstition was rife and the townspeople had never seen such a thing - stone was outrageously expensive and until then wooden bridges were built and periodically washed away with ice and floods. Long story short - bets with the devil were involved and in return for the completion of the bridge prior to the completion of the cathedral, the devil was going to take the first three souls that crossed the completed bridge. Now that was supposed to be the Bishop (never mind), the mayor (ho-hum) and the bridge master builder himself (whoops....) - so he got clever and realised the devil hadn't actually specified human souls.... and so sent across a rooster, a hen and a dog! It was actually in Regensburg's Heidplatz that we found one of the the prettiest Christmas markets yet - it was all craftsmen and handmade items - not a hint of China amongst the lot. Bliss.
During dinner and prior to the superb crew show we experienced the river ship equivalent of rough seas as we progressed into a lock... that is wine was sloshing in glasses. Bit like having our snow globe shaken!
The crew show was an absolute credit to them... for our fellow cruisers who may read this... remember the lady on the stroll in Amsterdam who sold her umbrella? Remember the Bells of the Sound of Music (not going to rush for a fried egg tomorrow are you!). Of course we're all itching to learn synchronised swimming now... and Cinderella (OK!). And of course we now know how Hungarians, Japanese (and Americans) act when they find money in the street. But of course, where would we be without "If we were not upon the stage, we would be a Policeman/Gym Instructor/Painter/Carpenter/Gardener/Conductor. Yes. Apparently people have been smacked in the face during rehearsals - several times. Loved the disco, loved the dancing. Even loved the world's slowest Conga line. Seriously has anyone done the Bird Dance in the last decade (or 3)? Well now we have. Actually going to miss our new friends and the adorable crew. Just wish we could fit everyone in a suitcase.