River Cruise - Munich (Munchen), Germany (June 2026)

After we disembarked in Vilshofen, we rode a bus to Munich. We were scheduled to stay in this city for two nights. We had been to Munich before, but it had been several years since we visited. 

Soon after we arrived in Munich, we did a bus tour of the city, passing by King's Square, Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Opera House, Residenz Museum, and Olympic Park. Later we made a stop at Nymphenburg Palace, which once was the summer residence of the Bavarian rulers. The scale was humongous. 

After the city tour, including the visit to Nymphenburg Palace, we got off the bus at Marienplatz, the city center. The city center was crowded with people. The new city hall building, the Presidential Palace, churches, and other landmarks were numerous, and the architecture was beautiful.

For dinner, we found a beer garden, popular in the city. The surroundings were tranquil and inviting. We enjoyed the food and ambiance. 

BMW is a well-known German car. BMW stands for Bavarian Motor Works. It is headquartered in Munich. Its head office was prominent, and the BMW World was located right next to it. I did not have time to visit the place, but I wish I had.

Later, we walked around and passed by the Opera House, another beautiful building.

When we did the bus tour, we passed by the Olympic Park that was built to host the 1972 Summer Olympics. It appeared to still be used well.

I noticed that male and female waiting staff at the restaurants wore pretty similar outfits. Males wore leather shorts with a hat, and females wore Bavarian skirts. They were cute.

The next day was free. We did a morning walk in the vicinity. After breakfast, we walked even more to explore the city on foot. 

Before we left the hotel for the airport, I had to review our road trip lying ahead. It was exciting to look forward to the long-awaited trip to the Dolomites. - Jeffrey
 

River Cruise - Regensburg, Germany (June 2026)

We were supposed to sail to Regensburg, Germany; however, the river water level was too low to navigate to that city. Instead, they decided to dock at Vilshofen, Germany. From there, we will drive to Regensburg and return to the ship after the city tour. It is common to change the docking spot in river cruise because of the changing water level. 

We had a farewell dinner one night in advance to avoid the hassle right before disembarkation. We all had a pleasant time sharing our experiences. 

The sunset was beautiful.

Regensburg has a stone bridge crossing over the Danube, one of the oldest stone bridges in Europe.

The city was an important gathering town for merchants and tourists. It is considered to have preserved medieval and Roman architecture. Thus, UNESCO designated this city a World Heritage Site in 2006. We strolled the street and enjoyed window-shopping at several stores. 

On the way back to the cruise ship, we spotted a beer garden, namely Spitalgarten. It was quite big and crowded. We sat down and enjoyed a jug of beer before returning to the ship.

Our cruise was coming to an end, slowly but surely. Nonetheless, we chose to enjoy every bit of the tour and every second of the time. Why not? - Jeffrey

River Cruise - Passau, Germany (June 2026)

From Melk, a group of people left for Salzburg, Austria, for an optional tour. We chose to continue our sail to Passau, Germany. 

We passed through several locks to go upstream on the Danube. 

Our dinner companions were pleasant and enjoyable. Thank you, Joe and Betty, and Brian and Renee!

A stone house on the cliff by the river was impressive.

The most impressive in Passau was the cobblestone street painted with various colors. 

Passau is well known for its pastel patrician houses, cafes, cobblestone lanes, and riverfront promenade. The architecture of the buildings in the city is considered a mix of Roman and Italian Baroque and Gothic architecture. It is an interesting combination. We enjoyed our short visit to this city.

As our river cruise progressed, we felt well educated and entertained as well through our visits to cute towns. - Jeffrey