Day 5 - 01 April 2019 Vienna

Last day in Vienna and the good weather continues.

Easy day today and I decided to do the extended Danube canal and Danube river cruise.  The Danube runs along the northern edge of Vienna, however it used to run through the old northern suburbs, it used to also flood a lot.  When the flooding only affected the poor folk living on the river flats nobody used to worry about it too much.  However the river flats became prime real estate and the rich folk moved in, couldnt have flooding then could we.  Huge works were undertaken to control or prevent the flooding.  This comprised of turning the original river into a canal and diverting the river a bit further to the north and building a huge barrage across the river.

I boarded the boat in the Danube canal we then proceeded east and into the Danube river, heading west we came to the barrage and a lock.  The barrage and locks are amazing engineering structures.  Our boat was raised about 10 metres to the level of the river behind the barrage and when we entered the canal at the other end another lock lowered us about 10 metres to the level of the water in the canal.

The boat trip was fun, upon boarding the waiter came around taking orders for drinks etc, including beers, being only 10.30 in the morning I said 'a bit early for me old chap'.  The Germans & Austrians showed no such restraint and were into it, man and woman.  I thought, well, when in Rome or Vienna or whereever and ordered a frosty one.

Fun Fact:  Did you know that Kapitan Von Trapp of the Trapp family singers of Sound of Music fame was a U-Boat (submarine) captain in the Austrian navy in TGW.

Step Count: 8,270 (not bad seeing how I spent 3 hours sitting on a boat)

Observations: Lots of Chinese tourists.  Cigarettes E5.20 a packet from street vending machines, about $8 - $9 AUD.

Local cruise boats early morning Vienna

Lock gates closing prior to raising boat to higher water level.