Regensburg - The last day aboard Viking River Cruises
I almost didn’t get off the ship; I wanted to savour a day aboard the beautiful Viking Egil as I knew this was going to be the last day. How did this wonderful adventure, my first river cruise, zoom by so quickly?
Despite, my little inner tantrum, I decided to go ashore. Gosh, I’m so glad I headed into Regensburg! I thought I had seen it in all in Vienna, Budapest and Krems, but this medieval town was, by many accounts, the favourite port for the guests aboard.
I was thrust into the sounds, smells and incredible architecture of this German town, crossing Germany’s oldest bridge, sampling sausages and beer from the oldest sausage house and marvelling at (another) cathedral, this one dedicated to St Peter.
We explored the town, peering in shops with traditions dress ( I so wanted a Drindl but they were VERY expensive), ate gelato and even saw two weddings! They say that if you see a bride in Regensburg, it was going to be a good/lucky day. And, it certainly was.
Bavaria is utterly stunning, with lush countryside and centuries-old history. And to be able to discover Regensburg – and in fact Passau and Krems – has been the biggest selling point to touring Europe aboard a Viking river cruise. I would never have visited these unique locations on a regular European vacation.
All good things, they say, never last
That night, our wonderful Captain and his team bade us farewell. There weren’t many dry eyes in the lounge as we toasted and cheered and promised to stay lifelong friends. It’s quite remarkable how close you get to the other guests, sharing so many incredible moments and creating treasured memories.
As I exchanged details with new friends, who promised I had a home anytime I visited New Jersey, Florida, Montreal, New York, Ohio, Arizona, Budapest (and more) I squeezed my new ‘cruising family’ and shed a few tears. I’m going to miss these people.
Good bye Viking Egil, so-long super crew and adieu to the river.
If the stars align, I hope to cruise along the beautiful Danube once again, and I’ll gladly add a new chapter to my Viking story.
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