Schärding - Passau

Today all the the ducks aligned and we were able to meet up with our Hobart friends and neighbours, Jan and Kevin, in Passau.  

An early morning departure from Gmunden, after saying farewell to Will, Theresa and Marje. We meet some lovely people on the road and they are very much in that category. 

Our journey took us through  Vöcklabruck where we had some domestics to attend to, before driving on the Austrian-German border at Schärding for lunch. 

Schärding is the most delightful of towns, with its history and wealth ensured by its location on the River Inn. The river has been the life blood of the town which was first mentioned in the year 804. Shipping and commerce - first trading in salt, then grain, wine, ores, glass, cattle, wood and textiles - made Schärding of the Middle Ages into a prosperous town. 

Schärding, in the years following the 17th century, fell into decline because of wars - Spanish War of  Succession, Napoleonic Wars and WWII - which left the town in economic decline. The recent efforts to revitalise Schärding has worked in its favour,  and the town has been rewarded with the admiration and appreciation by the town’s many visitors. 

We spent time admiring the presentation of the town before enjoying a lunch surrounded by highly decorated and brightly painted gabled facade merchant houses. The colourful facades with their pastel shades go right back to the medieval guild colours that were attributed to the various trades (e.g. blue for bakers, red for butchers and yellow and green for inkeepers).

After lunch we proceeded across the border into Germany and headed for Passau where we met Jan and Kevin, who were in town from  their cruise boat. With the luck of the Irish, we got a park  right alongside their boat’s mooring. 

It was lovely to catch up with friendly faces, and to catch up with all the news from home, as well as time to explore Passau with them. 

Passau’s unique location at the confluence of the three rivers, Danube, Inn and Ilz, has made the town an important centre throughout its history. The Romans settled here - with the Danube being one of its northern borders - and later was rule by the Bishop of Passau. After the great fire of 1662 saw the baroque city we see today take its form. The Cathedral of St Stephen is one such masterpiece, and,  being the home of the  largest church organ in the world, it is a must-see for all visitors to the city. 

We had a wonderful wander around the esplanade, viewed the confluence of the three rivers, explored the small alleyways and tripped up on some of the cobblestone streets! Later we enjoyed a coffee on board the cruise boat as guests of Jan and Kevin - all very enjoyable and civilised!

Having exhausted ourselves, and the incompetent tour guide ( yours truly), we returned to the boat, farewelled Jan and Kevin before driving a little way along the Danube for our evening stop.