day 5 Persenbeug to Traismauer (flat , up and down)

The Days forecast was for sun, cloud and rain it was 8.30am and we were leaving Persenbeug for our longest day ride about 70 ks, we still like each other, but beginning to dislike the bikes, tomorrow we ride to Wien, we study our maps and tip books at night for the next day (Annette did as she reads them better than me) on what to see. and which route to take as we were riding in the the mountains again and the wine region of the Donau (Don-you).
We had ridden 15 ks along flats around the bend the mountains start and every hill had a castle or to me it seems like it.

This is the first of a sprinkle big fat rain drops, we were so lucky with the weather went sun-screen, rain (morning tea) back to sun screen and then a storm we were safe in a church, and the heaven open up, i was lucky i had a coat and hat,

another old fortress,

We had lunch here at Splitz under this fortress.

the church of Splitz, vines behind

We were in the wine region, fruit trees, the main street of St Michael, we rode on 6.5ks thru the vines to Weissenkichen to catch the ferry to the other side, and the have a 2 hour lunch break, (quite normally) so in to a cafe for cake and coffee, and it poured down, 2.00 ferry starts we are heading to Durnstain (see a Church)

The Abby at Durnstein,

The Abby and a old fortress above you can still see part of the wall that went around the fortress and down the hill.

the outside of the Abby. the river is behind us and we are on the balcony,

the sanctuary of the church, Abby in this case. We were watching this storm come thru the valley towards us for a while, it was thundering its coming.

the one thing you need is a very good camera, we saw people with a 50$ thing trying to take pictures of vast colours in not very good light, i have a Fijifilm S2000HD and i have read the big book with it, it had remote control shooting its a must if you want pictures of both of you,

The sky went black with rain clouds, wind lighting and thunder right above us. and did it rain for 20 mins and then the sun came back, with the small floods must have had 25mm of rain or more

inside the Abby chapel it is very big not as fancy as some we have seen, As i am now becoming quite educated on the papal thingy having seen many, many in my travels.

on the top of the hill is a huge Abby

these were not ripe eating grape bit sour,

day 3 Linz to Perg.

Linz to Perg 65 ks the main square in Linz, a very large city, endless old building.

still in the city square, we were heading for the Abbey of St. Florian 15 ks away.

the ceilings of Saint Florian is great art work,

sorry in linz

i seem to have a lot of ceiling painting pics my neck is getting sore

the paints are vast and big,

it was nice to get out of the Abbey, this is the museum of the Abbey's farm equipment, such a large Abbey they had to feed them all.

looking down the monks hallway there is 3 of these halls, with there cells to the right side.

we left all the Abbey to ride to Mauthaunsen for late lunch, 6 ks back up the river was the German concentration camp, we didn't go there,

the decorated buildings adorn the village of Mauthausen ,

Looking out the abbeys farm museum at our trusty steeds,

you will get the impression that you are looking at a church, but no its a private house, if you look along the river there is small shrines and crosses to drowned victims, some 2 years hold, the bike path follows a lot of horse paths where they pulled the barges up stream no locks in them days, the Donau flows at a rapid rate,

more decorations painting on the walls they are great. so it was of to Perg 20 ks. away.

a small street of Linz. Stellotos are not very usefull in most sreets,

The polka-dot Jersey Day 4 Donau River.

we stayed night 3 in Perg in the farming Area ( smell the pigs) 12 ks off the Donau and we followed the Aist river to the small village of Perg, lovely 4 room hotel, Shoe shops were having a sale, before we rode out of Perg we had to fit in 2 pairs of new shoes, we left Perg thru the Pigs to Castle Klam. it was a 5 ks in the up hills. also a different way back to the river (short cut) . still had 50 ks to the end of day. on the way to Castle Klam. (Below)
the View from Castle Klam its been in the same family for 500 years, the latest count sold us our guided tour tickets, it was a original siege castle, little holes to shoot muskets thou most of them are in the museum here,

the big court yard inside. still all painted, it had its own chemist shop inside,

the count and his family still live there, its a bed and breakfast type of thing as well.

It has ( believe it or not ) a small private Chapel. the art work was splendid they had been restored 15 years ago, most of the paintings were 400 years plus,

Castle Klam from the outside, the road looked like it went down, it was a hasty trick, down for a 1k then up for 2k

Every nice hill has a big church or castle or a big abbey, bit hard to see but the white bit on the hill (below pic) was huge.

in castle Klam the antlers date back 600 years, all dated and who shot them deer and wild bore.

the dinning room the blue ceramic in the corner is the heater, the put hot coals in the back( servants) nearly every room has these, heaps of chimney's when you are in the court yard.

Nealy to the Top, what goes up must go down, and we did at break neck speed, twas mulga bill. down in to Grein on the Donau again for lunch, that's castle Klam above Annette

Grein a small decorated village just a picture to see the buildings with flower pots all in bloom, most house have them and every house has just 1 colour.

we are crossing the river here at Grein by Ferry, our Radweg Guide (bike book) is very detailed on all the things you might need, the best and safest paths, best churches, beer houses, food and beds if you do not do a package deal. we left our bags at reception every morning and they were at the next hotel that day, Grein from the ferry thats a church on the left.

there is so many things to see we were on the shady side of the river so every bit of sunny, sorta flat ground has a village. this is the village of Sarmingstein

Bed is just around the corner, 1 off the many locks on the Donau looking down stream to the ocean some 2500 ks away, on the left is Persenbeuq (bed) on the right is Ybbs.

bit of a river view, lots of barges.

Day 2 on the Donau. Schlogen to Linz.

Woke to the cool morning fist up the valley and along the Donau River. its been quite warm 27 or so. All of our hotels are booked with the tour, with breakfast all you can eat and dinner. we had a 55 ks to ride to Linz today so we tryed to leave by 9.00am.
you ride around the bend on the river and there is a castle on the other side or above you.

Coffee and cake in Aschach. Most of the Building are decorated in art works of some sort. there is to many to take pictures of.

We left the river to go to Eferding a small town with the church called St. Hippolyt. built in 1451-1505. quite plain outside. i was waiting outside with trusty steeds while Annette went to see if it was open, while it was waiting the vicar came out a side door and talked to me, in German big long sentence about the church. I told him i don't speak german, he said it was open and walked off.

your mouth hits the floor when you walk in, The art work in this church was some of the best we have seen in our travels over germany.it was to much to photo for blog and to look good.

up to the pulpit.

Back on the river, bugger me a castle. Schloss Ottensheim (school) the town of Ottenshiem. we had lunch here but fist we went to Wilhering to the monastery one of the oldest in Osterreichische.

Stiftskirche Maria Himmelfahrt, Built 1733 to 1751 this place was huge the gold was vast the painting huge, the figurines eminence. There was a weeding about to happen and some one was playing the main pipe organ. (See Video) it had 3 smaller pipe organs.

i think this was the main alter.

These painting and gold framing were 3 mts X 5 mts

one of the smaller pipe organs.

After so much churchgoing around, i am feeling quite saintly at this stage so on to the ferry from Wilhering to lunch in Ottensheim. to the pub, Beer and salad with Apple Strudel.

a few shot from the Monastery (stift)

the fahradpath (bike path) goes thru peoples farm on the way the layout of farms is quite different to aussie no fences. this is a typical farm house the animals live down stairs people upstairs, After lunch is a bit hard seen 2 churches a castle or too, and had 20 ks to peddle so the photos drop off its getting late so the picture of linz were very slack on the way in to town more church spires and castle or 3.