Three days into a Danube River and more than 4,500 miles from Easton. I have traveled already in three countries and learned that the past dominates the present, repeatedly.
The specter of Hitler’s land grab and personal destruction of millions of Jews continues to crop up in visits to Jewish ghettos in Budapest and Vienna, as well as in the narrative of local guides.
The continuous changes in conquering regimes, particularly in Hungary, is now a distant memory, but not too distant. Hungary was a Soviet puppet until 1990.
The Habsburg monarchy ruled Austria for 300 years, appeasing the Pope while increasing their power, wealth and empire. Hapsburg influence ended in 1918.
One travels to learn and appreciate history and culture, in this case in East Europe. In some cases, one probes personal history and misfortune. One travels to visit buildings and sites that in some cases are thousands of years old.
When one lives in a country as young as the United States, one gains a perspective into nations and regions that have fed our country millions of immigrants and human talent. And ,of course, one appreciates our home in North America, thankful for unfettered freedom and relatively brief domination early on by the British.
In the pursuit of fun for its own sake, I am amply and unapologetically satisfied–and equally well fed on a Viking River cruise on a 450-foot long boat on one of Europe’s majestic rivers that winds through 10 countries and diverse cultures. Its serenity belies its location in a region often roiled by conflict and persecution. As I stood in the top deck of a long boat, I marveled at a beautiful sunset, a gorgeous Parliament building in Budapest looking lovely in nighttime lights and small towns along the low lying, rain-starved river. This waterway, the second longest in Europe, measures 1,775 miles.
I have enjoyed my fellow passengers, most of whom are reveling in the joy of retirement, filled with stories of past careers and grandchildren. The conversation is easy and comfortable–and often revealing. Overseas travel is common to our fellow travelers, with stories galore about foreign travel.
The third day in East Europe included a visit to the much-loved Vienna, the Austrian city renowned for its music and culture. We were not disappointed. In fact, we attended a wonderful performance of Mozart’s “Marriage of Figuro,” shortened to an operetta for those of us with short attention spans. I loved the convoluted but comedic plot line. The young performers seemed to be having as much fun as we did; we met one of the actors, who was raised in Montana and seemed happy to pursue his operatic dreams in Vienna.
Off to smaller towns in Austria and then ending the trip on Thursday in Nuremberg, Germany, I find the river cruise relaxing and refreshing–and as fascinating as many friends said it would be. While home beckons on Friday, thankfully so, I look forward to traveling the Danube River as it winds its way through European history and current times; peace and unrest co-exist, sometimes uneasily, in East Europe.
Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. In retirement, Howard serves on the boards of several non-profits on the Eastern Shore, Annapolis and Philadelphia.
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