A Lucky Trip

Elbe River from the Bastei

On Friday the 13^thof November, we flew out of Philly just after learning about the terrorist attacks in Paris.  The almost-empty flight was a stroke of luck.  We were able to stretch out on rows of seats and catch some sleep on our overnight flight to London and then on to Prague.  Before we left on our trip, we learned that the Viking river cruise on the Elbe River might not sail because the river was so low.  We decided to take the trip anyway and enjoy the ship as our hotel while we were bussed to the excursion sights.  Our compensation would be a one thousand dollar credit per person on any Viking trip booked in the next year.

Although it was rainy in Prague, we enjoyed our city tour and ate a delicious traditional Czech dinner and drank pilsner on the first night.  We traveled to the Viking Beyla on the Elbe in Germany the next day following an excursion to a brewery for a beer tasting.  After our life jacket safety muster on the sun deck, we got the great news that our ship would be cruising all the way to Magdeberg on the Elbe.  The entire crew whooped with joy and applauded because we would be the first cruise that had sailed since June.  Lucky again.

Although the boat could carry about 100 passengers, a number of people had cancelled on hearing that the boat might not sail.  So we were a jolly group of 60 passengers with a super happy crew that could not have been more accommodating and gracious.  The whole week was like a big party.  The beer and wine flowed freely, the food—including German dishes like weiner schnitzel-- was delicious, and for November the weather was pretty comfortable with a warm jacket.  Most passengers received a cabin upgrade as they wanted everyone on the upper deck.  Those who had made the most trips with Viking got luxury suites. We enjoyed trips to the Bastei (rock formations), Konigstein (a fortress), Dresden, Torgau, Meissen, and Wittenberg along the Elbe.  Every time it rained, fortunately we were either in a museum or on the boat. 


Bob and Neil on German dinner night

On a tour of the wheelhouse, the captain explained that the Viking Beyla and her sister ship were specifically designed for travel on the narrow Elbe in eastern Germany.  The ship draws only a meter, and at times, there was only a meter and a half between the bottom of the boat and the bottom of the river.  The wheel house had controls that rivaled the Starship Enterprise with radar that helped the captain steer a safe course.  In effect, if the ship sank, we would be perfectly fine by just staying on the ship, or we could jump overboard and walk to shore.

Elbe River from the wheel house of the Viking Beyla

Our final stop on the Elbe was Magdeberg where we left the ship to travel by bus to Potsdam and on to Berlin.  We visited the castle where the world leaders met post WWII to divide up Germany and Berlin.  We traveled across the river on the Gleinicke Bridge that figured importantly in the movie Bridge of Spies about a Cold War exchange of spies between the US and Russia and East Germany (GDR).  The last day of our trip was a chilly one, and no sooner did we get safely into our hotel in Berlin when a snow squall occurred.

All in all, it was a wonderful, enjoyable trip.  We traveled with our good friends, the Gesings, and we met many nice people on the boat.  Everyone seemed intent on having a great time.  I loved learning some essential German words—“eine glasse rotwein, bitte,”and seeing the prosperity in the former Communist block countries.  In 1970, I had visited Prague and Berlin when they were under Communist rule when both the people and the economy were very depressed. On this trip, the only signs of trouble that we spotted were a demonstration outside of Wittenberg (presumably about the Syrian refugee situation) and heightened security at the Berlin airport.

So, we felt very lucky to have safe travel and smooth sailing. And we were grateful to get the  vouchers too.  Now where to go next?