From Austria to Germany

The river is very high and the bridges are very low but so far the ships are managing to creep along, although the whole of their upper decks are folded flat.

The riverside is scenic – steep sides in some places, small groups of houses and the occasional castle. Melk Abbey is stunning   - lots of elaborate gold. There is a huge library and attractive gardens. There is also some modern art in some rooms – an interesting contrast

Passau – the first port in Germany – was very crowded with many river boats. The organ recital in the cathedral was most impressive.

The hotel Director spoke to the passengers about the fire alarm – they know what alarm triggered but they still do not know why. There were issues with communications on the night – some passengers knew immediately that there was no problem, whilst others, such as TSH and Diva, did not. Some guests did not understand that fire doors close automatically but can still be opened – they thought that they were trapped. The hotel Director said that procedures and safety instructions would be reviewed. Perhaps this should have been done after the Viking incident in Norway earlier in 2019.