Emmersdorf an der Donau

 Emmersdorf an der Donau is a small village, the marina had no WiFi which we both need to work, no laundromat or supermarket. This will be a one night only.

The building you see in the background is the Melk Abby, founded in 1089 in a large town called Melk, probably has everything we need, WiFi, Laundromat and a supermarket. The only thing it doesn't have is a marina.

Ruine Weitenegg is privately owned since 1983, so we couldn’t go through it.

Castle ruins was first documented in 1108, Weitenegg castle was one of the most important fortifications on the Danube. Elongated, multi-storey complex with a palace, two keep, four courtyards and two kitchens, high chimneys and ring walls. Large parts of the castle were demolished in 1870 in order to use the material for the ultramarine factory at the foot of the castle rock. 

Run off from the dam near the lock

Donaustation 16

Along the Danube River there a cable ferries that cross the river. The ferry has no motor or sail, it's powered by a rudder against the river current. The ferry is anchored to a cable above the river. The captain uses the rudder to guide the ferry against the current .The ferry carries passengers, bicycles, cars, and motorcycles. There were some great views crossing the river.

I will try to get some better photos later.

Spitz

 Arrived around midday, only staying for 1 night so we walked to town, saw a ruin on the hill on thought let's have a look at that. Thank goodness this village had a Nextbike rental station. The following are photos of the town and ruins.

War memorial – If you are interested the plaque on the front translates says 

“The homeland honors it’s heroes”

You can see the ruins on the background in this photo, thank goodness for the bikes.

Had to leave the bike and walk the last bit.

Made it, and there is a seat in the shade at the front of the ruins, time to rest.

In this photo you can see Spitz, the Danube with a cruise ship turning to park, this one a Bike Cruises, it stops a lot to drop off or pick up passengers, not sure how long they stay, it is arriving at 2:26pm. Further back in the background you will see a bend in the river, we are parked in the marina around that bend.

Now to enter the Hinterhaus ruins through the main entrance into the Bury, first mentions in 1243. The castle complex is divided into 3 separate parts: the lower outer bailey, the main castle, which takes up most of the rocky ridge, and the outer bailey. The shape is rectangle 75m long and 20m wide

The cruise ship is leaving at 2:33pm, less then 10 minutes, they done stay long, too bad if you wanted to get back on at this stop and you couldn't make it.

Ruine Hinterhaus

I Outer Bailey

II North-East Bailey

III Gate Tower Palace

IV Palace

V Main Castle

VI Berchfrit (there is no translation for this word, in general term means “a non-residential main tower”

VII Southwest Bailey

 

1. Main entrance into the Bury

2 + 3 round corner towers

4. stable, attic with bedrooms for the servants

5. Stairs to the inner courtyard

6. Basement rooms

7. Inner courtyard

8. Low gear or lower floors

9. Flat arches - access to the

10. cistern

11. Exit or escape gates in the kennel

12. Southwest Gate to the main castle

13. Living space

14. Sally gate with pitchwife (a Sally gate is a minor gate or passage, used to avoid opening major gates and a Pitchwife or Pitchfork can be a bay window in a defensive wall, through the bottom opening of which hot oil was poured on attackers)

15. South Corner Tower

16. North corner Tower

I love this stuff, but why do they always have them on top of a hill.

Now we have to climb down

On our way to Spitz

Dürnstein was one of many little villages we see on the Danube River, it's a shame Dürnstein doesn't have a marina we could stay at.

Growing vines on the hill. Wouldn't want to be the one to work the block.

Currant is so fast in this section of the River, Martin has cranked up the engine to make any headway.

Krems - third day

 After a day of cleaning, laundry, working and shopping, we are taking a day off and exploring the town a bit more. When to the information center, received a copy of the "City walk" map. The lovely lady explained the walk takes at most two hours.

Let me take you around Krems

This house was the home of the highest official, who was responsible for the collection of taxes and rent on behalf of the sovereign. 

"House of the four seasons"
you will notice on the house facade, 3 Putti and 1 lantern they symbolize the course of the year

The oldest church in town was founded as St Stephen's Church in 1014.

Not sure when the building is I liked the front.

just a picture of a street

Since the 16th cent, Simandl-fraternities are historically proven in Lower Austria and Vienna. Their members were supposed to act with moderation and according to high moral standards.In several legends, though, the "Simandi" is described as a henpecked husband. This is the image the figures on the well represent.

OK time to confess, we have been taking wrong turns and having to circle back or take the long way to a place. Not all our fault the map wasn't the best.
This is a photo of the building across the road from beer garden we stopped for a drink 2 hours after we started the city walk and we are only halfway through the walk.

City park and the Music Pavilion build in 1898 to mark the 50th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Francis Joseph I

Court house with the towns coat of arms over the door

Home again, time for a drink.

If you are wondering what is behind Martin, the in a dredging barge, they stay there the night, them move on to the next section the following day.

Krems an der Donau

A quick walk around town after travelling today

Looks like an old telephone booth converted into a library,
The first window says "Bring, Browse, Take and Read"
middle window says "The book cell is an exchange for bookworms"

Time to relax, the view from our back deck.