MELK/VIENNA
We went for a guided tour of MELK Abbey founded in 1089 and is dedicated to saints Peter and Paul. The tour  is included as arequired most of the tours.  It is a Benedictine Abbey located in the Wachu Valley.  They may have been sworn to poverty but the abbey is lavishly Baroque.  They have a portable altar made of pure ivory.  The library is huge and old.  The bindings all match to fit the Baroque style. They have  85,000 books and 2000 illuminated manuscripts.  We took a bus there and then walked down through the pleasant town.  It was nice to have a walk.
In  the afternoon we sailed through the Wachu Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  There were castles galore.  It was beautiful.

  I went for a tour of the kitchen later in the afternoon.  Wow that kitchen is pretty little yet they manage to feed 168 people 3 meals a day. There are 9 people  cooking and they come  from 7 different countries and there are 10 wait staff.  At times the all have to be in the kitchen (when the meals are ready to go out to the tables).  They have 15 minutes to get the main course plated and ready to be served.  All tables are served at the same time.  That evening we went for the Bistro dinner in the salon.  Only 24 can go to it each evening

.   Barbara and Ron, Jeff and Kay and Roy and I went.  We didn't get to sit together but it was an enjoyable time. They served 8 or 9 different things in small sampler size portions.  It was all good. We were a bit concerned as Barbara and Ron are vegetarian but as usual the crew took care of them.
The crew performed for us this evening.  What a talented crew.  None of them seemed to want a career in music but they were good enough. Everyone was in awe.