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Angela Rippon S River Cruises S01E01
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00:03I'm Angela Rippon. I've spent decades working as a broadcast journalist, but now I'm bringing you
00:10some very different global stories as I explore the world by river cruise. That's the thing with
00:17this river, there's always something to see. So join me on a breathtaking journey of discovery.
00:24We're underway. Hello. In Austria, we'll whirl around the magical ballrooms.
00:32Try to make it faster. So one, two, three, four, five, six. In Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, we'll be
00:37going for a spin.
00:39It's a majestic building. And in the trash old Kajapet forest, we'll slow things down a bit in stunning tranquility.
00:48This is so lovely. In Germany, I get ahead with some Hollywood stardust.
00:55Is that Johnny Depp's hat? Yes. And in Cambodia, we'll indulge in some scrumptious street food.
01:02Watch that. Prickets.
01:04Prickets.
01:14This time, in Budapest, a poignant monument moves me to tears.
01:20I don't think I've ever seen a more telling reminder of how cruel mankind can be.
01:27In Vienna, I'm enchanted by an equine ballet. You fear you want to laugh when he does that, but you
01:34can't.
01:36In Krems, we witness a magnificent abbey with a stunning interior and a culinary secret.
01:43Tasting. You've been waiting for this since the beginning.
01:46Yeah, that's the reason why I'm here.
01:47In Dernstein, we discover how a medieval castle has connections close to home.
01:54Richard the Lionheart, who was kept here as our prisoner.
02:25The Lionheart, who was kept here as a prisoner.
02:26I've just travelled up the steep 95 metres from the river to Buda Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
02:34I'm in Hungary's capital city, Budapest, where my waltz along the Danube begins.
02:40And up here, this is the best place to get a view of the river that's going to be my
02:45guide for the next few days.
02:47What a glorious view of the river Danube in this early morning sunshine as this mighty river slices through Budapest.
02:59I think it's been a good 10 years since I was last in this city and it's going to be
03:04so exciting discovering this river all over again.
03:08There are going to be wonderful things to see, new experiences to have, the music, the architecture, the culture in
03:17each different country.
03:19And my travelling companion is right there, the river Danube.
03:26I'll be joining my ship later and will then sail west to the Austrian city of Vienna and then into
03:34the Wachau Valley and the towns of Krems and Dernstein.
03:38My cruise then continues to Brandstadt, where I'll detour to Salzburg and then pass through the German city of Passau
03:46before heading on to Regensburg.
03:49For the last leg of the cruise, I'll come off the Danube and onto the main Danube canal, sailing through
03:55the Continental Divide as we head to Nuremberg and on to my final destination, Bamberg.
04:02It's going to be quite the journey.
04:08I flew to Budapest to meet my ship, but I've got some time before I can hop on board, so
04:14I'm taking this opportunity to meet a local guide, Andrea.
04:20Hello, are you Andrea?
04:21Yes, I am.
04:22Oh, hi, Andrea.
04:23So nice to meet you.
04:24What a magnificent backdrop.
04:26What a perfect place to meet you.
04:28Yes, exactly.
04:28What a place.
04:30Oh, this is fantastic.
04:34Budapest is only one of the four capital cities that are on the Danube, which is more than any other
04:40river.
04:41It's also a very popular city full of tourists who come for the historic buildings and the ancient thermal spas.
04:48The view from here is magnificent, Andrea, isn't it?
04:51Just talk me through what we can see.
04:54Yes, so basically we can see the entire Pest side of Budapest, which is much...
04:59Because we're in Buda.
05:00We are on the Buda side.
05:01Yes.
05:01That's the first thing to know, that this is Buda side, the other side is the Pest side.
05:06You can see it's so much larger than the Buda side.
05:08But until 1873, the capital of Hungary wasn't even Budapest, but only Buda, only this side.
05:15This side.
05:16Budapest was once three cities, Buda, Obuda and Pest, but they were combined to form the current capital city.
05:25Where we are right now in Buda Castle is the old historical area of Budapest, and the Pest side is
05:30a much more cosmopolitan, grandiose, European style, but primarily 19th century settlement.
05:36And tell me about where we are here.
05:38So we are standing right now on the top of the Fisherman's Bastion.
05:42When Natályas Church was beautifully restored, they finished it in the late 1800s, the architect, who was an outstanding Hungarian
05:48architect, built Fisherman's Bastion, which is a lookout terrace.
05:52But why Fisherman?
05:53The reason is that down below us, close to the river, there used to be the former fish market, and
05:58fishermen were the guards for this area of Buda Castle, and that's why it was given the name the Fisherman's
06:03Bastion.
06:05Walking tours, like the ones led by Andrea, are the ideal way to have a whistle-stop tour of what
06:11is a sprawling city.
06:13So the chain bridge was designed by William Tierney-Clark, British architect.
06:18And it's very familiar to British people, particularly people who live in London, because this is a copy, isn't it,
06:25of a bridge that is in Hammersmith in London?
06:29Yes, absolutely.
06:30Andrea, why are there holes in the middle of the flags?
06:33Yes, so the flags are the reminders of the 1956 uprising.
06:37When the uprising started out, the angry local people cut the communist coat of arms from the flags.
06:45Within two weeks, the uprising was squashed by the Soviets, with over two and a half thousand Hungarians killed.
06:51This is a reminder of that uprising in 1956, the communist invasion of Hungary, wasn't it?
06:56Absolutely.
06:59The Pest side of the river, whilst still historic, is a much more vibrant and trendy part of the city.
07:06So it's time for a coffee and a sit-down.
07:10This is an area which is very cosmopolitan.
07:12You have lots of local people.
07:14You have people that come here for the weekend from surrounding countries.
07:18It's a mixture of different people and of all ages as well.
07:21We're in the heart of the Jewish district, which is not just important historically to Budapest, but also in terms
07:30of the culture of the city.
07:32Yes, absolutely.
07:33So this used to be a very flourishing area of the city up until the Second World War.
07:38So it started out with Spanish Jews coming from Spain in 1492 and were not allowed to buy land within
07:45the city.
07:45So just outside of the city wall was the area where they bought their lands.
07:51And here there was a kosher butcher and different synagogues.
07:55It was a very vibrant, flourishing area for the Jewish population.
07:59But all that changed during the Second World War.
08:03What happened to this whole area?
08:04After the mass deportation started in the spring of 1944, in this area there were still thousands of Jewish people.
08:12And many of them died because of the terrible conditions during the siege of Budapest.
08:17The whole place was sieged, wasn't it? They weren't allowed in or out.
08:20And because of the hardships, because of the cold weather, starvation, many Jewish people died in this area.
08:26That's why they're buried in the middle of the city, as it were, behind the synagogue.
08:32That's right.
08:32So it's actually the courtyard of the synagogue, or the special permission was given by the rabbi to bury more
08:38than 2,000 victims over there.
08:45It's a sombre reminder of the past.
08:48The history of the Jewish community in Budapest is marked by tragedy.
08:55And having said goodbye to Andrea, I'm going to visit a stark reminder of that time, immortalised in a unique
09:03memorial by the river.
09:08Back in the winter of 1944, when we were getting right to the end of the Second World War, here
09:16in the city of Budapest, Jewish people were being given sanctuary in the homes of ordinary Hungarians.
09:24But at the same time, there was a pro-Nazi, fascist, Hungarian group who were called the Arrow Cross.
09:39Over the winter, they took those people out of the homes where they were being given sanctuary, and they brought
09:50them to the banks of the Danube.
09:54They lined them up, they shot them, and pushed their bodies into the river.
10:02But before they did, they made them take their shoes off, because they wanted their shoes.
10:18Just makes me feel sad.
10:23I don't think, I don't think, I don't think I've ever seen a more telling reminder of how cruel mankind
10:34can be.
10:36Created in 2005, this haunting memorial represents 60 pairs of the victim's shoes.
10:46It's so easy when you're travelling to do the fun things, but for me, learning about a country's history helps
10:53you better understand it, even if you do have to confront the horrors of the past.
10:59And I know this image will stay with me.
11:10For now, I must leave the capital, as I need to get on board Scenic Amber, my home for the
11:16next seven nights.
11:19Bye-bye, Budapest.
11:21We're underway.
11:23So this is where our voyage of adventure really begins.
11:41Coming up...
11:42Angela, if you would be so kind.
11:44We'll whirl around an iconic Viennese dance school and learn how to Viennese waltz.
11:49And be dazzled by the stunning horses of the acclaimed Spanish riding school.
11:55Just touch his nose first.
11:57Just touch his nose first.
11:58Now you can have your sugar.
12:07I'm on my great river cruise journey, heading west along the Danube.
12:12And as the guests settle in for a day on the river, I'm up on the deck, taking in the
12:17sights.
12:18We're travelling through four of the ten different countries that the Danube passes through.
12:23And although we just sail past Slovakia, there is still plenty to see from the deck.
12:29We're sailing through Bratislava, which is the capital of Slovakia.
12:35And we're just going through the old part of the city here, with the White Castle up on the hill
12:41there.
12:42That white building is Bratislava Castle, the former seat of the royals, and now a museum.
12:49And can you see behind me, that thing up there?
12:51They call it the UFO, it's a restaurant.
12:53When this country was under communist rule, apparently the communist leaders used to go and have their lunch up there
12:59so they could look down on the city and make sure that everything was as it should be.
13:09After a day gently sailing along the Danube, we've arrived in Vienna, Austria's capital.
13:16Morning.
13:17Good morning.
13:18Good morning.
13:19Nearly half a million cruisers visit this city every year to take in a place that's renowned for its quality
13:25of life and for its culture.
13:32City of music and of dreams and of some quite extraordinary and beautiful architecture.
13:41The Habsburgs, who ruled here from, what, 1282, were rich, so rich, that they wanted to make this a city
13:50of culture.
13:51Everywhere you look, they've left their stamp.
13:55And they had 600 years in which to do it.
13:58And, oh my goodness, what the Habsburgs have done with those six centuries is extraordinary.
14:04Because as well as attracting a lot of musicians, I think they must have obviously attracted some stunning architects.
14:11These artists and intellectuals flocked to the cafes of Vienna, which became places for creative people to meet and socialise.
14:21So what better way to start your day than at one such place, Cafe Central.
14:30Look at that ceiling.
14:32Oh, this is so beautiful.
14:37Oh, my goodness.
14:39Just look.
14:41The cakes here are just divine.
14:45This place, famous for them, has been here since, what, 1876?
14:52Throughout the 150 years that this place has been serving coffee, you might have bumped into a rich collection of
14:59historical figures, all sharing their creativity and spurring each other on.
15:04Along with enjoying some Viennese classics, like Saka Torta.
15:24Oh, my gosh.
15:41Marne, the composer sitting there, or Puccini.
15:44Imagine sitting in over a cream cake discussing with them
15:47the music that they'd written.
15:50But it wasn't always the nicest of people who were attracted to Vienna.
15:54I think it was 1913 when this city played host to Hitler, Trotsky, Tito and Stalin.
16:05I think that those four might have actually turned the cream
16:08in these delicious cakes quite sour and that would be a real shame.
16:14Especially as this peanut caramel slice is a delightful, gooey, sweet and salty treat
16:22with just a hint of rich chocolate.
16:24But I can't soak up the atmosphere here all day as I'm off to the Hofburg Palace.
16:30It was originally built for the Habsburg dynasty as a grand home and a base from which to run the
16:36country
16:36and it covered 60 acres.
16:39This is one of those places you absolutely have to visit in Vienna because it's full of history
16:45and is now a cultural hotspot, including museums and event spaces.
16:50And it's here at the Winter Riding School in the Palace that the famous Spanish Riding School trains.
16:58When I was in my 30s, I moved to live on the edge of Dartmoor, so I learned to ride.
17:04I got a horse and I used to ride her over the mall and that was when I learned and
17:09discovered
17:10the joy of being able to ride, being at one in harmony with another living creature.
17:18Famous for their ballet of the white stallions,
17:21the Spanish Riding School of Vienna opened in 1565.
17:25It preserves the tradition of dressage, where a horse and rider work as one
17:30to pull off delicate moves of strength, agility and elegance.
17:36They only ride Lipizzana stallions,
17:38descended from a Spanish breed that was imported to the school when it opened,
17:42hence the name, the Spanish Riding School.
17:52I've arranged to meet Marius, who joined the school 30 years ago,
17:56and now trains horses and new riders, as well as performing in the shows.
18:02I have to say, I am in horse heaven here, but this is not your average stable, is it?
18:09We have here space for 71 horses.
18:12Yeah?
18:12Yes, and one of my special horse you will see here.
18:16Who's this?
18:17This is Maestoso Alia.
18:19Hello.
18:20He's 19 years old.
18:21I perform him in the performance for the schools above the ground and I do levade.
18:28Yeah.
18:29Moves that are referred to as above the ground are highly skilled movements,
18:34where the horse literally leaves the floor.
18:36That's all that very sort of advanced dressage, isn't it?
18:40Yes, it is.
18:41When did you start riding?
18:42I started riding when I was 12, so around 12 years old, and I'm here since 1996.
18:52Oh, the joy you must have felt the first time you went into the arena on your horse,
18:57was that special?
18:58It was very, very special.
19:00Yeah?
19:00Yes, it's, it's, I think my whole life it will stay in my brain.
19:04It can take a whopping 12 years to be fully qualified as a rider and performer at this school.
19:10What is the sensation you get when you're on your favorite horse?
19:16I think when you know a horse like him for 15 years, we learn together and we train together.
19:23And how many years...
19:24Excuse me, you are photo, you are photobombing our shots.
19:27You do realize that, don't you?
19:29Sorry, you were saying.
19:32So after five years, you get to have, you can ride a full trained horse?
19:40Well, it seems a layer is more taken with my cameraman than with us.
19:44But Marius has just the thing to get his attention.
19:50Can you touch his nose?
19:54He's laughing.
19:59You want to try it?
20:00Can I?
20:00There we go.
20:01Just touch his nose?
20:02Just touch his nose first.
20:04There we go.
20:04Now you can have your sugar.
20:06There you go.
20:07Marius and Alea are off to train.
20:12Fortunately for me and my cruising friends, you can come along and watch these sessions most mornings,
20:18getting a chance to see for yourself just how talented the riders and their horses are.
20:29Watching the elegance and grace of these beautiful animals working in harmony with their skilled riders
20:35is almost like watching a ballet, especially in this stunning baroque setting.
20:48To witness this living, breathing historical institution is a never-to-be-forgotten experience.
20:59You fear you want when he does that, but you can't.
21:03You just have to get quiet.
21:09It's wonderful to watch the horses there showing what they do in training.
21:13It isn't a sport, this.
21:15It's an art form.
21:16And if you love horses, oh, coming and watching a performance or even the training like that
21:24is, it's an absolute joy.
21:37It's an art form.
21:37My next adventure requires a quick trip back to the ship so that I can get a change of outfit,
21:42because I'm going to be putting myself through some paces.
21:48Okay, I cannot come to Vienna and not learn how to do a Viennese waltz properly.
21:54So I've come to the top dance school in the city and a couple of friends from the ship
22:01are going to join me to give it a whirl.
22:09Here at the Elmire Dance School, they've been teaching students of all ages for over 100 years.
22:17Hi, Hilda, Joe, Mike, Leslie.
22:20Hello.
22:21Oh, this is going to be fun, isn't it?
22:22Yes, it really is.
22:24Emerging in the ballrooms of Vienna in the late 18th century,
22:27the fast-paced Viennese waltz is, in fact, the original waltz,
22:32with the slower waltz, or English waltz, developed later.
22:36Hello, Bernie.
22:37Hello.
22:38Nice to meet you.
22:39Today, the school director, Bernie, is going to teach us all how to spin the light fantastic.
22:45How long have you been dancing the waltz?
22:46I've been dancing for more than 25 years now, and it takes some time to practice.
22:51You have loads of balls here in Vienna, don't you?
22:53We have about 450 ball festivities each year in Austria.
22:59Well, we might not have 25 years to learn, but if anyone can teach us, it's Bernie.
23:05First up, a demonstration.
23:06Every time I take a turn, I try to make it, to turn more and try to make it faster.
23:13So, one, two, three, four, five, six. One, two, three, four, five, six.
23:17No pressure, then. So, let's start with the basics.
23:20For the wainies waltz, we need three different types of steps.
23:24So, one step to the side. Very good.
23:26And now we close the left foot to the right foot.
23:30One step forward, then to the side, and close.
23:34And while closing, don't forget to shift the weight.
23:37So, forward, side change of weight, backward, side change of weight, and forward.
23:44With the steps mastered, it's time to partner up.
23:47And just a tiny bit of pressure here.
23:49Angela, if you would be so kind.
23:51As the other four are in couples, I'm dancing with the teacher.
23:56So, she will start left foot backward, and then going right foot forward.
24:02Four, five, and forward, side, close, backward, whoops, side, and forward.
24:12Side, close, and backward. Here we go. Side.
24:16The viennese waltz is believed to be the very first ballroom dance in a close hold,
24:22which was seen as rather racy.
24:24Now, it's our turn to try those dizzying viennese spins.
24:27And, as we're on the Danube, there really is only one piece of music that should be our soundtrack.
24:33This unofficial Austrian anthem, it's called the Blue Danube Waltz, from Johann Strauss.
24:38Arguably the most beautiful waltz ever written, and let's try it, but slightly faster.
24:44Ready? Here we go.
24:48So, one, two, three, four, five, and one, two, three, four, five, six.
25:04Should we swap directions?
25:07Yes.
25:07Okay. So, one, two, three, four, six.
25:20With such an iconic piece of music playing, it's like being taken back to the glittering age of ballroom.
25:30Thank you very much.
25:31What a fabulously culture-filled day I've had in Vienna.
25:36But for now, it's time to head back to my ship.
25:39And I dare say I'll be waltzing the whole way there.
25:50Coming up, I'm astounded by the thousand-year-old Gutwig Abbey.
25:55How many adjectives can you use to describe this?
25:58It's breathtaking.
25:59And I'm fascinated by the many things that the monks produce from apricots.
26:04Please tell me you don't put apricot jam on the sausages.
26:07No, no, never, never.
26:16I'm on a cruise along the great river that runs through central Europe, the Danube.
26:24When you're enjoying a leisurely sail on the river, dinner is a great time to make new friends and find
26:31out what draws them to this iconic waterway.
26:34Hi.
26:35Hi.
26:36Luana.
26:37Danny, hello.
26:38Oh, thank you for joining me for dinner.
26:41Luana and Danny are experiencing the Danube for the very first time.
26:45You're both from Canada, aren't you?
26:47Correct, yes.
26:47Where in Canada?
26:49Uh, Ontario.
26:50Right at the bottom of Lake Huron.
26:51Oh, you're on the lake.
26:52Right at the bottom of Lake Huron, yes.
26:53So you're used to being near the river then, aren't you?
26:55Yeah, there's the river, the lake, and then the river, yes.
26:58Awesome.
26:59Cheers.
26:59Yeah, cheers.
27:00Cheers.
27:01Cheers, cheers.
27:02Wonderful dinner.
27:04To our river cruise.
27:06But why a trip down the Danube?
27:08We just were so fascinated that we would be going to so many countries along this river.
27:14And just the scenery.
27:15Oh, wow, the scenery is, yeah.
27:17And the castles, the churches, just magical.
27:21And all of it is so old.
27:23I mean, the number of places that we visited that were here in the 12th century.
27:28It is an interesting way to discover a continent, actually, isn't it, by sailing down a river.
27:33Oh, you get a flavour of every, you know, country and every city.
27:39Yes.
27:39I always think that Buddha, when you look at it from the Peche side, you look across,
27:43and there's one little bit of it that looks as if it should be part of a Disney set.
27:48You know, you expect Tinkerbell to come flying over the top of it again.
27:51Yeah, exactly, yeah, yeah.
27:52Just like a picture.
27:53And it's not just scenery.
27:55My fellow travellers are taking every opportunity to experience all that the Danube has to offer,
28:01including the food.
28:03I love the fact that we get to eat the foods of the region.
28:10Yeah.
28:10So as we travel down the Danube, you know, the menu shifts.
28:16So when you go back to Canada, what are the memories you'll take back of this river and this trip?
28:22You know what memory I'll have?
28:24Our time right now at this moment.
28:27Absolutely.
28:28To travel.
28:29Travel.
28:30Yes.
28:36The next day, we've travelled almost 50 nautical miles from Vienna to reach our next destination,
28:43the city of Krems.
28:44It's the oldest city in Lower Austria, and it's a popular stop for cruise ships as it's part of the
28:52Wachau Valley,
28:53a UNESCO World Heritage Site that's celebrated as one of Europe's most stunning river valleys.
29:01This whole area is renowned for its beauty, for its wildlife, for its history.
29:06When you look at the hills behind, we are surrounded by vineyards.
29:10So this whole area produces some pretty impressive wine, as well as apricot.
29:17You can't go far on the Danube without finding something really wonderful to eat and drink.
29:25Just a short trip from the dock is Gutwig Abbey.
29:29I'm told it's a must-see if you visit Krems for its architecture and history.
29:35Around 34 monks still practice here, and I've arranged to meet one of them to learn more about
29:42the monastery and its culinary secrets.
29:47Hello, welcome to Gutwig Abbey.
29:49Father Pius, how lovely to see you.
29:51Hi Angela, nice to meet you.
29:52My goodness, you live in a magnificent place, don't you?
29:56Isn't that a lovely place, yeah?
29:57How do you feel living here?
29:58I've lived here for nearly 30 years. I became a monk in 1996.
30:03And always, when I'm driving towards Gutwig, when I see our monastery on the top of the hill,
30:09my heart is always beating.
30:10I'm not surprised. It is a magnificent building and very much a tourist attraction.
30:14About 125,000 guests every year are coming to Gutwig Abbey.
30:20Most of them by ships.
30:22They are cruising on the river Danube because we're here in the Wachel Valley, next to the river.
30:27Founded in 1083, the original abbey was destroyed by fire in the 18th century,
30:32but it was rebuilt and is now baroque splendor at its finest.
30:38And behind that facade...
30:41Gosh.
30:45Oh, Father Pius, this is magnificent.
30:47You didn't expect that, right?
30:49You would never expect this from outside.
30:52No, no, because the church can't be seen from outside. And this is the beating heart of the
30:56monastery where the monks are gathering five times during the day for the prayers.
31:03Oh, what a glorious place to pray.
31:07Look at that organ, for instance.
31:09You could just have pipes. Look at it.
31:11The organ is from 1703, a mechanical stop organ, and it still works.
31:16In itself, it's a work of art. Frescoes, the gold, the panelling, and the colour of blue, absolutely everywhere.
31:27And the reason is, the Blessed Virgin Mary is patron saint of our monastery,
31:30and in the arts, blue is a sign of royalty.
31:55It's truly humbling standing in a building like this.
31:59The attention to detail and craftsmanship, it's simply stunning.
32:05It's not just the buildings that are impressive.
32:08It's also the 60-plus acres of vineyards, which get me one step closer to those culinary secrets.
32:16Wow.
32:17That's spectacular.
32:19This view is just spectacular, isn't it? I mean, how many adjectives can you use to describe this?
32:26It's breathtaking. It's awesome. It's gorgeous. It's unique.
32:30Because from here, you see the River Danube. This is the direction to Vienna.
32:34Yes.
32:34Then you see Krems, and behind Krems, the border of the Czech Republic, all the vineyards here.
32:40These are your vineyards, are they?
32:42Not all, but the majority of our vineyards are here in this direction.
32:48And it's in their orchards that you'll find that secret ingredient, apricots.
32:53They turn this delicious fruit into a number of products to help generate an income for the Abbey.
32:58And Father Pius has invited us into the kitchens
33:01to learn just some of what can be done with an apricot.
33:05So this is the place where we produce the apricot gem.
33:09Hello. Oh, the gem. Hello.
33:10Hello. I'm Angela. Do you want one?
33:13Oh, I better put a pinion. Yes, I suppose so. Yes, there we go.
33:17The gem starts life as one part fruit to one part sugar,
33:20with some vanilla thrown in for good measure.
33:23It has to simmer about five to ten minutes.
33:25Have they always been making jam here in the monastery?
33:28Yeah, it's typical, typical. We love it for breakfast.
33:31So it's apricot jam with your toast in the morning, not marmalade?
33:34No apricot jam. Every time?
33:36Not every time. Sometimes we have sausages as well.
33:42Please tell me you don't put apricot jam on the sausages.
33:45No, no, never, never. Mustard. But maybe mustard be the flavour of apricot.
33:49We have this in the shop. Yes, we have this in the shop.
33:53Apricot flavoured mustard? That's new to me.
33:55I don't think you just produce jam out of the apricot, do you?
33:59No, we produce other things as well. What?
34:00We produce juice, for example, just to depress the fresh fruit.
34:04And then we have the juice, brandy, schnapps, liqueur, sparkling wine.
34:11You get your value out of your apricot trees, don't you? You really do. So presumably the
34:16whole monastery is involved in this. Each monk has got his own job or work to do.
34:22This is a very old tradition. Saint Benedict writes in his rule,
34:27there must be always a balance between work and prayer. Now, I did say I was going to help out,
34:34but I have got a bit carried away just chatting to Father Pius. Now comes the best part of the
34:39cooking demonstration. The tasting. You've been waiting for this since the beginning, haven't you?
34:44That's the reason why I'm here. The second class for you. That's for you.
34:51Oh yeah, that on a breakfast muffin or toast. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
34:57Well, there are no breakfast muffins here, though Father Pius does have one last treat for me,
35:04outside, surrounded by the stunning valley view. We have a special thing for you,
35:08our famous apricot dumpling. Guests to the Abbey can take part in a dumpling-making lesson.
35:16And they sell around 18,000 dumplings a year in their restaurant.
35:20And of course, that's not all. This is the apricot sparkling wine.
35:26Look at that. Inside the dumpling, there is the apricot. They smell excellent.
35:32The sweet center of the dumpling, a whole apricot.
35:40This is absolutely superb. Father Pius, your good health and your apricots.
35:48Thank you very much for your visit. Come back soon and God bless you. Thank you.
35:54And just in case you were wondering what I thought of the dumplings.
35:57Anybody want to try this? Because it's lovely.
36:04Well, I came here to explore the beautiful architecture, overflowing with history.
36:09But I think I'll be staying just a little longer to indulge in all the apricots that I possibly can.
36:17Coming up?
36:19Ready? Yep.
36:19Ready.
36:21I'm blown away by the beauty and history of one of Europe's most popular cycle routes.
36:26Such fun! It's been lovely!
36:30And the dramatic Dernstein Castle's horrible history is revealed.
36:36Richard the Lionheart, who was kept here as our prisoner.
36:48I'm on a great river cruise journey on the Danube.
36:52I've seen the Wackau Valley whilst sailing along the Danube and from high up at Gutwig Abbey.
36:59But there's another great way of seeing this landscape.
37:03The next stop on my trip down the Danube is the medieval town of Dernstein.
37:10I've discovered that the Danube has a cycle path.
37:14So I've actually decided that it would be rather nice to cycle to Dernstein and get a whole new feel
37:23for this, not just the river, but this rather beautiful valley that it flows through.
37:28So, um, on your bike, Rippon. Here we go.
37:32It's just a five-mile cycle ride to Dernstein, but the Danube cycle path stretches almost the
37:39full length of the river, all 1,770 miles of it. But since that would take four to six weeks,
37:46I'll save that for next time. First, it's time to meet my guide, Thomas, who leads cycling tours here.
37:53Hello, Thomas. Hello, how are you doing? I'm Angela. Hello.
37:56Thank you for bringing the bicycle for me. Nice to meet you, yes.
37:59Ah, I'm so looking forward to doing this. While Thomas has provided the bikes today,
38:03many river cruise companies, like mine, have e-bikes on board so that you can
38:08borrow them to explore the places where they dock.
38:10OK. Ready? Yep. Ready.
38:15It's no surprise that this is one of Europe's most popular cycle routes,
38:20and this stretch is thought to be one of the most scenic sections. And exploring by e-bike gives you
38:26a unique view of what life along the banks of the Danube is like.
38:30It's clearly a very popular thing to do to cycle along here, isn't it?
38:34Yes. It's an international cycle route.
38:44Look all around. These would be the vineyards.
38:47We're surrounded by vineyards. What is it about this valley, you think,
38:50that makes it so beautiful and so special?
38:53Oh, it's the beautiful landscape.
38:55Mm-hmm. It's the many layers of history.
38:59These stony walls, which are also on our right, some of them are 600 to 700 years old.
39:07Really?
39:07These are very typical for Wachau because the hillsides are so steep
39:12that you need to terrace them in order to cultivate the grapes on them.
39:17After a jam-packed cruising schedule, cycling through this stunning scenery is pure bliss.
39:27So we're cruising through the romantic winemaking village.
39:31Mm-hmm.
39:32Several families making wine. In the valley, around 220 families make wine.
39:39One village can have around 20, 30 wineries.
39:43You just come here, knock on doors and taste them beautiful wines.
39:47While it might not be something to do on a cycling tour, visitors to the valley can pop into the
39:53wineries
39:54for drop-in wine tastings. But we're continuing on to Dernstein.
40:00It's Dernstein. We call it the medieval village of the valley. And you can find buildings there
40:06from the 14th and 13th century. Probably the most known building is the castle above the village.
40:13On the right. Is that the castle up there on the right?
40:15That's correct. The Dernstein castle towering just above the village of Dernstein.
40:20This castle made the valley famous because of Richard the Lionheart,
40:26who was captive here as our prisoner.
40:29Richard was captured near Vienna on the way home from the crusades in 1192,
40:34and he was held in Dernstein for several months. He was finally released after a massive ransom of 150,000
40:42silver marks was paid. And the ransom which we got for him kept us going for a while.
40:51We built fortifications from this money. We minted our first currency upon this silver.
40:58Yeah, so it was a wise investment. Thank you for that.
41:05You're welcome. And after a lovely leisurely cycle, my ship has beaten us to Dernstein.
41:10So I'm going to need to hop on board and head towards the next leg of my adventure.
41:16I've had such fun. It's been lovely.
41:21I'm glad to hear that. Oh, and you've been the perfect guide.
41:25Well, thank you very much. So thank you so much.
41:26You're a perfect guest. Thank you.
41:28Pleasure is on my side. Thank you very much.
41:44What a wonderful travel companion the Blue Danube has been so far. We've sailed through European history
41:52and culture, seen how it's grown and developed over the years. And there have been times when
41:58there have been quite a few treats for me personally. There are still hundreds of miles of this river
42:05still to be explored. And as our journey continues in the golden evening light, I can't wait.
42:15Next time we travel to Salzburg, birthplace of the musical genius Mozart. He was like the Beatles of his
42:22day. Yeah, exactly. Dine out at the world's oldest bratwurst kitchen in Regensburg. Can I have one sausage?
42:29Okay, with mustard? Oh, yes. And sauerkraut? Everything. And embrace a centuries-old Bavarian folk dance.
42:59So thank you very much.
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