Judging by the comments I think it's safe to say the ladies were very happy with their trip. Following are comments I received.

Ladies,
I wanted to let you all know how wonderful it was to meet you. When friends ask me about my trip I find myself telling how much fun I had with this group of people I had never met before. Eventually I tell them about the scenery, meals and bottomless bottles of wines at the dinner table. I would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Christmas/holiday season and upcoming year.
Best wishes,
Christine, Sarnia Ontario

Hi Christine, and everyone else
I think we are definitely part of the 'mutual admiration society' that was mentioned in a song a long time ago. What a fabulous combination!!
I find it hard to say what I liked best about the trip but certainly the delight of meeting all of you was a highlight.
Merry Christmas to each of you.
Carole, Toronto Ontario

The best thing about our trip was the wonderful group of funloving fellow travellers. My second best choice was the great Mozart/Strauss concert in Vienna and we were even treated to Betty,s concert debut on the triangle - too bad we couldn't take a picture. I don't know how you arranged for the ship's crew who seemed to love their work and the terrific local guides. I can't think of a single thing that I would change.

All the best,

Gerry, Newmarket Ontario

It seems to have taken me so much longer to 'adjust' back to Cdn time, but I wouldn't trade a minute of the journey and the opportunity to meet everyone. I agree wholeheartedly that we had a great group.
I truly can't think of any negatives about the trip as far as my personal satisfaction goes. Had I purposely gone to shop the Christmas Markets I think I would have been disappointed since so many of them were the same as the one before and I'm sure that a lot of goods were not hand crafted! But I went to see the cities and how Christmas is celebrated elsewhere and I certainly was not disappointed. Each city was a delight in its own special way.

Although I liked Prague the best it probably was because Karen was able to join me and the fact that we had more time there. I would honestly consider going back to any of them!

The have a picture of the 'reusable coffin' from the Melk Cathedral (I think). While not one of the 'beautiful' pics, I thought the whole idea of a reusable coffin was hysterical. See ... recycling is definitely NOT new!

All the best to you and yours for a delightful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Carole, Toronto Ontario

The beautiful ladies!!!!!!!!

Tues. Dec. 8th - Prague

The girls were trying on the famous hair piece. We won't mention who it belongs to.

It's Tuesday evening and the ladies have gathered in the lobby to have a drink of warm gluhwein. They have decided it's time to post some memorable moments, so here they are.

1. The night some of the ladies visited the hot tub.!!!!!!

Mon. Dec. 7th - PRAGUE

Can you say Shop!!! That's what was on the agenda this afternoon. The ladies broke off into small groups to explore the markets sights, sounds and smells. Some were even brave enough to take the elevator up the old bell tower to take in the incredible view. You can see the Prague Castle up on the hill, the marketplace below and miles of red tiled buildings . There are so many church spires and statues. What a magnificent site. Prague is the only city which was not bombed during the war so it truly is a site to see these ancient buildings.

Mon. Dec. 07 - Prague

Today it's time to leave our beautiful floating hotel. We are all a little sad but also very excited about visiting Prague. Our guide and bus driver are waiting to take us on a 4 hour ride from Germany to the Czech Republic. The ride was quiet as the party gals all needed to catch up on their beauty sleep. The traffic in Prague is very congested so it takes quite a bit of maneuvering to get the bus through the narrow streets to the 5 star Palace Hotel. What a beautiful hotel, the rooms are bright and airy, spacious and roomy with deluxe bathrooms and 10 foot high ceilings. It's a glorious winter (spring like) day, 15 degrees and sunny. As soon as everyone was checked in we headed to the old town square for lunch. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed Czech beer and wine and traditional food such as goulash and schnitzel. From our seats we had a birds eye view of the astronomical clock, town hall, Christmas market and the church with the fairy tale spires. I'm sure Walt Disney had this vision in mind when creating the Magic Kingdom.

Sunday evening, our last night on the ship and Captains Dinner

Once again the kitchen staff have impressed us with their fabulous food. I am sure we have all gained 10 pounds, and I'm not talking about our luggage. The Captains dinner is superb and lucky Debbie and her roommate Jocelyn have been invited for cockatils then dinner at the Captain's table. What an honour. We are seated with the tour director Adrianne, two lovely couples, one from Australia and the other from Illinois and 3 ladies from Texas. Of course we were the envy of the dining room. Many photos were taken and the girls all came by to say hello to the captain. Tonight was a party night for most of us. It was our last night on the glorious five star Amalyra and no one seemed to want to miss a moment of the evening. We were entertained by a fabulous singer and then later by Peter the piano player. The women laughed, sang and danced into the wee hours. It was definitely going to be a difficult early morning for all of us on our departure day. Monday morning our bus arrives at 8am for our transfer to Prague.

A warm glass of gluhwein is always waiting for us as we arrive back to the ship.

Nuremburg

Sunday afternoon we arrive into Nuremburg. This is a very large city. We must board a bus to get into the old city. What a site. There is an ancient castle / fortress surrounded by a medieval wall which seems to go on for miles. This fortress was quite an architectural marvel. Many vantage points for protecting the castle and it's inhabitants from intruders. We followed the narrow cobbled streets along to the old square to visit the Nuremburg Christmas Markets. This is the largest one we have seen with rows and rows of red and white stiped awnings filling the square. Sipping Gluhwein and eating tasty gingerbread seems to be a tradition here. Both are wonderful. A live band plays Christmas carols in front of the magnificent ancient cathedral. Shop keepers are happy with the turn out. It's Sunday, family day and many of the locals are here taking in the sights and sounds. The crowded aisles are packed with on lookers and shoppers.

Sun. Dec.06 - Nuremburg

Another relaxing morning on the ship. The ladies are thrilled they have been able to sleep in two mornings in a row. This has been an interesting cruise day. We have left the Danube River and now entered the Danube Canal, a man made waterway. While going through this transition we were in a commmunication dead zone, hence no blogs or emails for a couple of days. There are beautiful towns along the way, rolling hills and shimmering church spires can been seen throughout the countryside. Such a beautiful site. This morning the ladies gathered in a quaint lounge at the back of the ship for a private party. The ship was passing through a lock at this time, it's quite amazing to watch as we go through the process and to see how tightly our boat fits in these large concrete structures. Today it's show and tell. As we sip fine German wines and blueberry schnapps the ladies display their shopping finds. Sorry, I can't tell you what they bought as it just might be for you.

Sat. Dec. 05 - Regensburg

The markets, town squares and stores are decorated so beautifully for Christmas. One store we came upon had Santa, a beautiful helper and even a piano player. Children ride on carousels, eat strudel and seem to be lost in the magic of this holiday tradition.

Regensburg has a very famous sausage house. They have been making their famous sausage and mustard here for hundreds of years. So, while in Germany, do as the Germans. Eat sausage and sauerkraut and drink beer. Susan, Marion, Debbie and Christine enjoyed this tradition very much. MMMMM MMMM Good.

Today we had a relaxing morning cruising along the Danube.. Most of the ladies took advantage of the leisurely pace and slept in. How nice! =The Captain invited guests up to the bridge for a tour and the others relaxed in the lounge. The scenery along the river is very picturesque. We are now cruising through Bavaria. We landed in Regensburg around 1pm and Adrianne walked us through the old city up to the Thurn and Taxis Castle to visit the ancient Christmas market. This is a traditional market with many craftsmen hard at work making their beautiful works of art. The smell of bratwurst and baked goods is in the air and wooden fires are found throughout. Many locals come here to shop, socialize and sip warm spiced wine.

The river gently flows through the centre of the city, bridges twinkle with lights and church spires can be seen in every direction. The shops are brightly decorated for Christmas and shoppers stroll by with smiles on their faces. This is another wonderful city to be visited again.

Our lovely tour guide walked us through the magnificent city pointing out famous landmarks, beautiful gardens still in bloom and stories about the actors life while filming the Sound of Music. She certainly had our attention as she told us about Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews as we sat in the antique pews in the Salzburg Cathedral.

In spite of the cold, damp weather the spirit of the Canadian women shone through. Gerry was proud to show off her Canadian Olypmic mits and was happy to let on lookers know that Canada was home to the upcoming winter Olympics. Go Canada!

Salzburg

The scenery was very picturesque. Quaint villages that are very neat and brightly painted.

Salzburg is the birth place of Mozart and the Austrians are very proud of their son. His father's home is well marked and someone created a fabulous candy and had the smarts to name it after him. Of course the gals had to purchase some of the delicacies to share with their loved ones back home.

What a glorious day in Salzburg. During our drive we encountered rain and snow. Somehow the snow seemed to fit the situation. Christmas Markets and snow seem to go together. The only downfall was the weather moved in over the glorious hills so the visibility was poor. I am sure the lake district offers spectacular secenery on a bright sunny day. Once again, a little rain couldn't dampen our spirits.

Have I mentioned the food. MMMMMM MMMMMM Good. Every meal is a fine dining experience. Lunch and dinner are always amazing. The menu is never repetitive and the display, quality and taste utterly superb. The staff of the Amalyra are exceptional. They go out of their way to make your stay comfortable and each experience memorable. Our cabins are lovely and comfortable, with a large floor to ceiling window and french balcony door. The bedding consists of fluffy pillows and comfy down duvets. Each cabin is equipped with satellite tv, movie channels and internet. All the comforts of home. I swear there are little ferries that slip quietly into your room to tidy up, provide fresh towels and leave chocolates on you pillow. Such lovely people always welcoming you with a smile and a kind word. Truly a five star ship and first class staff. Did I mention the food? MMMMMMM

Melk to Linz

Thurs.

Dec. 03
Melk, Austria

This morning we toured the charming town of Melk. A quaint village situated along the banks of the Danube River. Cobbled streets are lined with lovely buildings painted in soft pastel colours of yellow, blue, green and gold. Very charming. The highlight of the tour was a visit of the Benedictine Monastery. This large structure is home to a school run by monks and houses one of the most magnificent churches . I've never seen such opulence, rich dark wood, gilded alters and magnificent frescoes.

Today was a little less strenuous. We cruised for a while this afternoon until we pulled into Linz. After dinner we strolled along the river bank into town. The main street was lined with glittering lights and a quaint Christmas Market. Unfortunately we were a little too late as the shops and stalls were already closed for the evening. We went back to the boat just in time for a lovely sing song of Christmas carols performed by the staff of the Amalyra. What a treat. Santa showed up and had a lovely gift for everyone. Such fun.

Vienna has so many magnificent buildings and an array of architectural syles. From Roman, to Gothics. A feast for the eyes.

Sisters, Jocelyn and Louise admire the glowing lights illuminating the pedestrian walk.

The Christmas lights are like nothing I have ever seen. Such splendid creativity with flowing lights of all colours and shapes, including large trees filled with decorative lights. My favourite was a tree filled with red heart shaped lights.

Vienna

Wed. Dec. 03.

Sorry , there was no internet yesterday so I wasn't able to update the blog. Our signal strength is quite low so I'm not sure how much I can get on here today.

Yesterday was a a beautiful sunny day in Vienna. Our walking tour was brisk and very informative. We covered quite a few miles as we toured around the majestic city of Vienna. Christmas markets were found in various corners of the city and the lights, sounds and decorations were fabulous. This is a city I must come back to. Very beautiful, clean, safe and friendly. We returned to the city in the evening so we could view the splendid lights sprinkled around the city. Magnificent. Our tour of the historical Library building was wonderful, brimming with walls and walls of ancient leather bound books and fantastic frescoes on the ceiling. The rooms were magnificent pieces of art in themselves. We found a wonderful street lined with fantastic shops. It must be a good shopping area as it was filled with locals busy doing their Christmas shopping. Some of the ladies took in a concert and were treated to fabulous pieces composed by Mozart and Strauss. Our dear Betty was invited up on stage to play the triangle. She helped to create a moment in time that she and the other gals on our tour will remember always. Others visited the Christmas markets and toured the decorated pedestrian streets. So much to take in and such little time. We all agreed on one thing, this is a city we must visit again.

The ladies gathered together for a group photo with the St. Stephens Cathedral in the background. At one time this was the largest cathedral in the world.

The Parliament Buildings in Budapest are beautiful, built in the late 1800's. The architecture is magnificent.

Danube River Cruise - Day 01 - Budapest

The mulled wine, or Gluhwein is very tasty. It warms the insides and puts a pleasant smile on your face. Susan enjoyed a mug while touring the Christmas Markets.

Here we are, cruising along the Danube River. Life doesn't get much better than this. We are on the 5 star Amalyra, a beautiful, luxurious river boat. Today was Day 1 of our tours. We visited the city of Budapest, the Buda Castle, then crossed the river to Pest and browsed around in the Christmas Market. It was a balmy 12 degrees with light rain. A little bit of rain won't dampen our spirits.