The Trek Continues

The heat creates the need to keep gear clean

I was able to keep tabs on Drew as he settled into his distant hotel, feeling horrible about the turn of events. By 9:30 pm he was showered rested and reflective.

His has not been the only room issue on this trip. My beefs although trivial, make me reminisce about boyhood squabbles, and as usual are directed at the Pope. His presentation at the front desk at times can be imperious, however successful. The Faulty Towers moment in Burnham led him into a larger, better lit and better ventilated room than mine. Yes you guessed it, the same price. In Antwerp, at check out there was 200. Euro difference, his room equivalent, somehow less expensive. When we checked in at Schlogen he correctly inquired about the view, and we all switched to a river view, our room the only of 3 in the complex without a balcony!

Last night I figured out his strategy… get to the check in desk first! Our room is spectacular, roomy, with a balcony and adequate ventilation. I noted the McGuire’s were in a corner room, no balcony with neighbours able to peer in. This did not last, he complained. The poor front desk lady was so flustered as she was doing the paperwork for the upgrade she struck her forehead on a desktop decoration. Her post concussion syndrome led to his moving next door into a slightly larger room.

Drew fortunately is the same hotel for the rest of the trip; inequities if present should be minor.

At dinner last night we met an English couple with 2 scraggly dogs that were bred for rat hunting. Well behaved and they looked the part. On questioning about travel, we fou

The monestary at Melk

nd the dogs have passports to avoid quarantine. The cost: 200 pounds per dog! I guess cheaper than boarding them for 6 months!

Yesterday was very hot, but we got good distances in early. We traveled on the south side of the river and made Melk in time for the tour of the monastery. It has the largest collection of Catholic volumes in Europe. The cleanliness of the floors makes me question how floors that are hundreds of years old can be kept so clean. St Pauls hospital needs to recruit these cleaners!

It will be another hot day, travel to Krems, and our last stop before Vienna.