Read our second e-postcard:
Postcard#2

The Residence Heinz Winkler adjacent to the baroque church of Aschau im Chiemgau, Germany

MONDAY | October 1, 2007
Cruising the Danube en route to Vienna and Budapest aboard the m/v Mozart

Hi!

A few days ago we flew into Munich's handsome airport to begin our Signature Journey into the heart of Europe. We invite you to join our journey with these occasional 'postcards'.

To begin our journey, we selected an elegant hotel, located deep in the foothills of the German-Austrian Alps, the Residenz Heinz Winkler. We loved our stay in this little jewel, located about 75 minutes outside of Bavaria's great capital, Munich. Though our accommodations and the public areas were superb, the hotel's primary attraction is its incredible restaurant. The famed Michelin Guide has rewarded the chef's efforts with 3 stars (the maximum ever awarded), one of only 7-8 such restaurants in all of Germany.

View towards the Alps from the hotel bar

Near the conclusion of our stay, we enjoyed a leisurely 6-course dinner that represented the chef's best. Out of the six courses, the favorite for most of us was the delicate "French salmon" ravioli. The essence of rich salmon flavor formed the core of squares of pasta so delicate it seemed as if they could float in the air. We'll not soon forget this sublime dining experience.

Shirley Carl with her pretzel	Inside the Ochsenbraterei tent at the 2007 Oktoberfest

During our stay in southern Germany, we visited Munich and the legendary Oktoberfest. Despite unseasonable pouring rain, everyone remained in good spirits as we entered the 6,000 person Ochenbraterei "tent". With a brass band playing German favorites, dirndl-wearing women soon appeared, each carrying 8-10 1-liter steins of Oktoberfest bier. Giant pretzels and halves of rotisserie-roasted chicken came soon after. Even though few of use knew the words, most of us were soon wearing silly hats and singing along with the band.

As we drove on Saturday to Salzburg, Austria, the storm clouds blew away and wonderful autumnal sunshine brightened our day and illuminated Bavarian forests that are beginning to exchange their summer greens for fall's gold, reds and oranges.

Salzburg, Austria	Salzburg street sign

On Sunday we abandoned Germany's high-speed autobahns to drive through the beautiful countryside to board our handsome riverboat in Passau, where three rivers, the Inn, the Ilz and the Danube converge. Late in the afternoon, with a hot air balloon soaring overhead, we began our 7-day voyage down the Danube.

Sunrise in Aschau im Chiemgau	Autumn colors

During the next seven days, we'll visit a number of little Danube villages as well as the magnificent cities of Vienna and Budapest. We're doing well, eating too much and enjoying every moment. We'll tell you all about it in a few days.

Wish you were here!

Paul and Christine Niskanen