Celebrating 25 (or, 27) Years with a Waltz Up the Danube
Remember the Lockdown in March 2020? Being instructed to do nothing and go nowhere and hunker down with just your immediate family, presumably your favorite people in the world? I was slightly giddy from this seemingly divine gift. Unfortunately, the unprecedented and unexpected gift of nonstop togetherness got old pretty quickly. In the couple of years prior to this, I’d gotten used to an emptier and tranquil house. I’d just reached 50 (that respectable age where you feel ripened yet not old), had sent my two oldest kids off to college, and finally was able to do what I wanted when I wanted. So having to start justifying to my husband the tiny details of my daily goings-on, such as why the Amazon truck was now stopping in front of our house almost every day, was particularly irksome.
Approaching 25 years of marriage, we kept it strong by not being together all of the time nor telling each other everything. Until we were forced to be together all the time and there were no longer any little secrets because, well, we were forced to be together all the time. And along with everyone else, we were robbed of the glue that bound us, like enjoying fun nights out together, meeting with friends, trying new restaurants, and planning epic vacations – the one we most recently planned being delayed an excruciating two years. It was to be our first Viking River Cruise, and I was hooked by its name, the Danube Waltz. We booked it back in 2019 to commemorate our big 25th anniversary approaching in 2020. Romantic, right? Well by 2021, I was just praying we stayed married long enough to be able to take the darn cruise.
Let me start by saying I am a passionate traveler. My heart beats a little faster, my senses are heightened, and I have a skip in my step. I wake up earlier and go to bed later than I normally do, just to eke out every moment of the day. Simply put, I live more fully. I’m not entirely sure the same was true of my husband before he met me, but by now he is certainly an equal lover of travel. We bond in a way that’s just not possible when we’re home. Maybe it’s the sense of freedom that replaces the usual stress. Maybe it’s the excitement of adventure from meeting new people, trying different foods, and learning about unfamiliar cultures. Maybe it’s just as simple as being in a different place with a different schedule, breaking up the monotony of our daily grind. I believe it’s the perfect combination of all the above. We both become better versions of ourselves when traveling. We engage differently with each other; we’re kinder, more tolerant, relaxed and fun. After two years of feeling trapped in the house together, we needed to step outside, broaden our world, and find a way to reconnect.
The Danube Waltz proved the perfect way to do that. From the minute we approached the Viking Pier in Budapest, Hungary to the time we disembarked in Passau, Germany seven days later, we were made to feel like we had not a care in the world. The entire staff, from our Cruise Director Paul to our favorite servers Dani and “Super” Mario, made us feel welcome, comfortable and happy. They delighted in getting to know what we wanted and how we wanted it, and then providing us with the perfect table, meal and drink before we even had a chance to ask for it. They were also gifted in fostering onboard camaraderie, whether it was gently encouraging us to sit with other couples at dinner or hosting fun and lively activities in the evenings, silently refilling our wine glasses as we guessed at trivia or tried to name that tune. My husband and I shared some laughs together while making meaningful friendships with other passengers.
The longboat itself is built to soothe, enchant and serve its guests. From the outside, it is admittedly unremarkable; but once inside, the space is elegant and refined, designed in Viking’s signature Scandinavian blond wood, scenic artwork and floor-to-ceiling windows, giving the common areas an open and airy feel. We were more than comfortable in our Veranda Stateroom, also designed in soft hues with a cozy Royal King bed. Our favorite place to enjoy lunch was the indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace, where the glorious cities along the Danube would serve as the backdrop to our culinary delights. And the culinary delights were aplenty! In addition to the Classic menu, we were offered a daily Regional menu, showcasing local fare. We sampled such dishes as traditional Chicken Paprikash in Hungary; Wiener Schnitzel in Germany; and the entertaining Taste of Austria, where the staff, dressed in traditional lederhosen, presented tasting platters of, among other things, Käsekrainer, Backhendl, and Kartoffelsalat. I couldn’t pronounce any of it but enjoyed eating all of them!
Normally when we travel, we plan our own itinerary and roam cities by foot at our own pace. I’m always thrilled to experience first-hand that which I’d only seen before in pictures! However, on this trip we didn’t have to research or plan a thing prior to travel. Everything from the flights to the tours at every port were prearranged for us. Our daily tours were engaging and comprehensive, informing us of the great sites, history and politics, and even fun social and cultural nuggets about each city. We learned so much about the entire Austro-Hungarian region that I was pretty sure my husband’s head was going to explode! Highlights included a tour of both Buda and Pest, with the most dazzling view of the Parliament Building as we sailed from the city at sunset; the hilltop Bratislava Castle offering breathtaking views of both the old town and modern Slovakian capitol; the sparkle and magnificence of the First District in Vienna; quaint and charming Krems, which was frankly Disneyland-esque in its perfection; Göttweig Abbey where we sampled their delicious local wines and Apricot brandy; the relaxing afternoon cruise though the lush Wachau Valley, while we indulged in an afternoon Austrian Tea; the old town square and wide shopping boulevard of Linz; and lastly the lovely peninsula town of Passau, which I would never have pinpointed on a map and thought “we must visit there on our next trip to Europe,” but which I am so thankful we got to experience. (Fun fact: Passau boasts the only dachshund museum in the world!) Every destination was singular and memorable, making it very hard to choose a favorite.
After the cruise, we extended our vacation another five days to meet up with dear friends from Berlin, who drove down and met us in Passau when we disembarked. The four of us enjoyed touring Salzburg, Munich, and some charming local towns nestled in the Alps. We are blessed to have another couple with whom we travel so compatibly. It didn’t hurt that our friends knew the language, recommended local delicacies and jaunts, and enjoyed the act of exploration as much as we do. I met my German girlfriend 32 years ago on an Israeli kibbutz and our shared love of travel has cemented a lifelong kinship. Our husbands, who met much later, fit nicely in the mix, and we parted with a list of worldwide destinations to conquer as a foursome in the near future!
I was a little sad to end our remarkable adventure that was two years in the making. During that time isolated in our home, I had built up in my imagination nearly impossible expectations, and yet the trip exceeded all of them. I was jacked-up on endorphins for a full 14 days – exhausting I admit. And now that we’re home, I am fairly certain my husband and I will fall back into our old ways, annoying and misunderstanding each other much of the time. But for two whole weeks in Europe, we had magic. We expanded our minds and hearts through travel, food, friendships, and yes, even some romance. Admittedly, it’s expensive to travel as we did. It takes a lot of forethought and preparing just to be away from home for that long. But the rewards far outweigh any inconveniences. Being able to step outside and see the world beyond our own, meet new people and learn about their lives, the triumphs and heartbreak of their nations, is unparalleled. And to be able to do it with someone you love is beyond measure. I will cherish the memories from this spectacular anniversary celebration for the rest of my life. And I eagerly await the time when we head out again!