This was a short stop, just long enough for all of us to tour the Abby. So they divided us into 2 groups. We were in the second group so our excursion didn’t leave until 9:15. That meant that we were in no real hurry to get to breakfast, letting the 8:45 crowd have the time to eat and leave.

At the appointed hour we boarded the bus for the short drive up the hill.
It was a short walk to the courtyard where we had time to take a few pictures before we met our guide.

In the center of each wall , at the roofline, former frescoes (too damaged to be restored) have been replaced by modern interpretations of the four cardinal virtues.

Our guide greeted us and welcomed us to the Abby.
He then told us that photos would not be allowed once we entered.
Sigh.

Suffice it to say that the Abby is as over-the-top beautiful as the pictures you can see online.
It was an amazing experience to be there, to walk those halls, to stand in awe at the detailed work in wood, stucco, and gold.

Once we were back outside we captured a few more images.

then stopped by the drink stand to sample their home-grown peach lemonade

before shooting a video of a really cool fountain,

avoiding the bees,

and returning to the bus.

Back on board we had lunch, then settled in to an afternoon of narrated cruising thru the Wachau Valley.

About 4:00 we docked in Krems

There were a couple of excursions (another abby, a winery) but we opted to stay on board.
We’re still recovering from the past several days and/or trying to catch up on the blog.
And besides, we’re supposed to be on vacation.

So we settled in for drinks and dinner on the terrace and retired.

Tomorrow’s another lazy morning as we arrive in Vienna,
but in the afternoon we get to meet some stallions!

Till then…
R