Herb Riddle's photos with the keyword: Danube

A fine view looking from near the top of this funicular line down to the Danube and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge. Behind us is Buda Castle. See last photo for alternative view. Enjoy full screen.

Here we see the Chain Bridge otherwise known as the Széchenyi Chain Bridge. Crossing the Danube from Buda where we are now to Pest, on the other side. "Designed by English engineer William Tierney Clark and built by Scottish engineer Adam Clark, it was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary. It was opened in 1849. It is anchored on the Pest side of the river to Széchenyi Square, adjacent to the Gresham Palace and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and on the Buda side to Adam Clark Square, near the Zero Kilometre Stone and the lower end of the Castle Hill Funicular, leading to Buda Castle." WiKi Have a great day.

We can expect anything here on the banks of the Danube in this great city of Budapest and so a flypast under the moon is quite in order, even if it is only by three pigeons! -OK, I know a fourth one is in view too…but…..that is not under the moon :) A busy place and photo for sure but not compared to our Asian counterparts. Have a good weekend.

As we begin our second leg of this Danube river cruise from Bratislava to Melk in Austria we say goodnight and goodbye to this wonderful hilltop castle lit up beautifully for us as we pass it. We will pass it again, but without a stop, in four days time. Best full screen. Enjoy the day.

Life on board, atop our river cruise: the Tui Isla. This is quite a long ship and we are about half way along the top. No swimming pools on these floating pleasure hotels but a lot of seats with some game area’s too. Sitting here, it would not be long before a waiter would ask if you required refreshments. When sailing under some of the lower bridges, these canopies would be collapsed, as well as the bridge/wheelhouse section. HBM, enjoy the week.

As we glide into the capital city of Slovakia we hear, before seeing these train waggons being loaded with oar. I cannot find out exactly what kind of ore this was but it seems likely that it was ash or slag. These two cranes moved almost like dancers moving along the rails with their arms forever waving up and down. Best full screen

A snap to excite or horrify any tourist travelling to this city. We are on the Danube here looking north over to Buda. The long lens foreshortening the distance, which is a real mixture to assault our eyes. . In front of us, beyond the cruise boats is the Liberty Bridge in green and the Elizabeth Bridge in white. At first glance we take the cranes as building a modern city but no, they are all there to renovate the grandeur of the old castle. In fact, for a capital city, we see none of the trappings of modern cities here –no skyscrapers or other ultra-modern buildings. Is it any wonder that Budapest is so popular, as in some ways, it is like stepping back in time. Enjoy full screen

This is the view across the river Danube here in Budapest. A fine free walk was to be had just beyond the top castle walls. Much of the castle is still undergoing renovation after almost complete destruction in WWII, hence the cranes. Buda Castle, formerly also called the Royal Palace and the Royal Castle, is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest. Built 14 – 20th century. Nice full screen Have a good weekend.

We are approaching the Austrian city of Linz here as we cruise the beautiful Wachau Valley. Blue skies, orange roofs and an autumnal tree all go together to make rather a nice picture for me. Enjoy the day.

As we sail east towards Bratislava and Budapest from Vienna, the sun rises over the misty waters of the Danube. I have no idea of the name of this railway bridge but you may see a second bridge in the distance too just right of the rising sun. Enjoy full screen

It is only some minutes after sunrise as we soak in the misty atmosphere here on the Danube. We are heading east from Vienna to Budapest via Bratislava. The sky and sun would soon become more pronounced but I did like the feel of this dreamy scene. Notice the flying duck over the water. Enjoy full screen

As we glide along the Danube towards Dürnstein we begin to see vineyards and the traditional buidlings of Austria. The Wachau Valley is an Austrian region near the Danube River, west of Vienna. It’s known for its rolling hills, vineyards and fortresses.

A view of this beautiful Austrian town with the most beautiful Dürnstein Abbey in the foreground and the old ruined castle on the hill. This taken from aboard our river cruise ship as we left.

The Danube. Captured at the end of our day’s stay here in Bratislava, some weeks ago. This shows the very famous Bratislava Castle (Bratislavský hrad) just as the sun was setting. This is the main castle of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. The massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on an isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians, directly above the Danube river, in the middle of Bratislava. Because of its size and location, it has been a dominant feature of the city for centuries. Enjoy the day.

As we continue with the start of our Danube cruise from Budapest in Hungary, we are coming to the Slovakian capital of Bratislava, but before that we have to go through this lock. The main photo shows us just before exiting as the front guard drops. The PiP shows us in the deep lock just as the lock-doors (paddles) were starting to close. (This view shows the crews private outside recreation and storage area at the stern, as you might realise, canal cruise boats do not have much spare open space.) “Gabcikovo Lock is the only lock on the Danube River between Vienna and Budapest. The difference in elevation is 59 feet (18 m). It is part of a hydroelectric project that produces 10% of Slovakia's electricity. The Danube River is the longest river within the European Union. It flows through 10 countries, more than any other river in the world, and through many major national capitals: Vienna (Austria), Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest (Hungary), and Belgrade (Serbia). Originating in the Black Forest of Germany, the Danube flows southeast for 1,780 miles (2,860 km) before emptying into the Black Sea. Historically important as a means of transport and trade, it is also called “the river of kings” because it was the preferred route of travel by rulers since ancient times.” comegoabroadwithme.blogspot.com/2016/12/gabcikovo-lock-on-danube-river.html Best full screen

A trip to Budapest is a delight for lovers of architecture and history. Perhaps the most attractive building in the city is the Parliament building. Here we see it at night as our boat slowly sails past it on the River Danube. Opened in 1902. It has been the largest building in Hungary since its completion. The architectural style of the Hungarian parliament building was influenced by the gothic Vienna City Hall but also bearing a strong resemblance to London’s Palace of Westminster (our houses of Parliament). Best full screen

After the village of Dürnstein our next port of call on the Danube is the Abbey town of Melk. We see here a view of just part of this great Abbey and a small tributary of the Danube. Essential full screen Enjoy the day.

After quite a steep hike up here from the riverside, I get a grand view from the highest point of the castle. This was the prison of our old King Richard (1st) the Lionheart in 1192. This taken with my phone in panoramic mode which I must say I find admirable. The large village sits at the foot of this hill, just above the river. The PiPs shows more views of the castle. Essential full screen Enjoy the day.