{"id":24671,"date":"2016-07-09T00:29:42","date_gmt":"2016-07-09T06:29:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/?p=24671"},"modified":"2022-05-23T14:14:54","modified_gmt":"2022-05-23T18:14:54","slug":"vikings-passage-eastern-europe-russe-bulgaria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/2016\/07\/vikings-passage-eastern-europe-russe-bulgaria\/","title":{"rendered":"Viking’s Passage to Eastern Europe – Russe, Bulgaria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A Day in Bulgaria, and a Big Win for Viking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
The spectacular Eastern Danube, as seen this evening from onboard Viking River Cruises’ Viking Embla.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Aaron Saunders, River Cruise Advisor<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friday, July 8, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a good night\u2019s sleep, I was up early at six this morning, where I stepped onto the heated floor of my stateroom\u2019s bathroom to begin my day. It\u2019s such a simple luxury \u2013 not having cold feet first thing in the morning. And every cabin on every Viking Longship includes this great amenity, the temperature of which is controllable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sunrise<\/a>
Sunrise over the Danube, as seen from my balcony on Viking Embla. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Today, Viking River Cruises<\/strong><\/a>\u2019 Viking Embla<\/em><\/strong> is docked in Russe, Bulgaria<\/strong>. It\u2019s our first port of call on this 10-day voyage that will bring us to Budapest, Hungary within the week, and my first -ever time on this stretch of the Danube. Or in Bulgaria, for that matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two included tours are on offer today. The first is an 8.5-hour exploration of the towns of Veliko Tarnovo<\/strong> and Arbanasi<\/strong>, including a local lunch. The second, shorter included option focuses on the town of Russe and features a walking tour of the city, followed by a late morning return to the Viking Embla<\/em> and an afternoon of cruising the Danube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Veliko<\/a>
Veliko Tarnovo was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire from 1186 to 1393. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

So, how do you pick what to do? A lot depends on your comfort level: how long you want to be gone, what you want to see, and how you\u2019d like to see it. Also, on any cruise, your chosen excursion is always a gamble. You roll the dice, and hope you like what\u2019s on offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, I picked wrong \u2013 and I\u2019m not ashamed to say that. I did the full day tour of Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanasi, which was good, but which also required a substantial amount of time (about four hours total) in the motorcoach getting from one place to the other. Tired and still slightly jet-lagged, I overdid it. It\u2019s an easy thing to do on these river cruises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's<\/a>
It’s also home to a small artisan shopping district…Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"...and<\/a>
…and the remains of the Tsarevets Fortress. Sadly, guests who wanted to ascend to the top were only given 35 minutes to do so. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The tour ended up not being one of my favorites because of that \u2013 it was just too much time on the coach for my liking. Bulgaria, too, is a bit of a slow burn for me \u2013 and that\u2019s also okay. That\u2019s why we travel \u2013 to see different places. Some you might love. Some you may feel indifference to. The important thing is to experience<\/em> all of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, I did learn some fascinating things about Bulgarian culture today. Bulgarians consider it a weakness to smile and look someone in the eye. They also shake their heads \u2018no\u2019 when they\u2019re agreeing with you, and nod knowingly when they disagree with you. The driver of a blocked car that had to wait for us to cross the street in Arbanasi, however, had no communication issues at all: he rolled down his passenger-side window and shouted obscenities at us in Bulgarian, waving his fists as he did so before peeling out in his ageing 1980\u2019s-era Audi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"In<\/a>
In the small village of Arbanasi…Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"...guests<\/a>
…guests visited a historic home to learn about the traditional Bulgarian way of life. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How do I know he shouted obscenities? I suppose I don\u2019t. Most people, however, don\u2019t roll down windows and gesture violently when they\u2019re happy. Although, maybe\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a refreshment stop, we travelled to the ancient hillside town of Arbanasi, where we sampled the local plum brandy known as Slivova Rakia<\/em>, which really hit the throttle on the morning. It\u2019s very strong, with an almost medicinal quality to it. Certainly if you were feeling ill, this stuff would fix you right up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"In<\/a>
In Bulgaria, mothers and their newborns don’t leave this room for 40 days following the birth. This is done for many different reasons, including to “ward off the evil eye”, according to my Bulgaria: Customs and Culture book. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We were also treated to a visit to the 16th<\/sup> century Nativity Church before having lunch at a local restaurant, where I had one of the best salads I\u2019ve ever eaten: nothing but diced tomatoes, cucumber, and shaved goat cheese. Exceptional. The rest of the meal was okay; a sort of goulash concoction with chicken, onions and mushrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After lunch, we had a short amount of time (35 minutes) to explore the shopping district in Veliko Tarnovo before heading back to the ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Flowers<\/a>
Flowers are a huge part of Bulgarian towns, cities and the countryside. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Local<\/a>
Local pottery. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Our<\/a>
Our local lunch was held in a traditional Bulgarian tavern…Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"...complete<\/a>
…complete with song and dance. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Was it a bad tour? Not at all \u2013 in fact, it packed as much in as possible. Perhaps too much, as not a lot of time was spent at any one site. But, as I learned today, it\u2019s important on these river cruises to think about what\u2019s best for you. It can be very easy to overdo it on a smorgasbord of excursions and events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Our<\/a>
Our docking location in Bulgaria. Docks here are far more utilitarian than on the western stretches of the Danube. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Tonight, during cocktail hour in the Viking Lounge, the crew began pouring complimentary champagne for everyone in the room. Hotel Manager Katja soon explained why: Viking Ocean Cruises<\/strong> was voted best ocean cruise line in the world <\/strong>by readers of Travel + Leisure <\/em>magazine. It\u2019s one of the cruise industry\u2019s most prestigious awards; one that, every year for the past 20 years, has gone to Crystal Cruises<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This week, that all came to a stop as Viking claimed the title for itself, coming on the heels of the absolutely incredible Viking Star <\/em><\/strong>and her sister, Viking Sea<\/em><\/strong>. Viking Star<\/em> only set sail last May; Viking Sea<\/em>, this past spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a>
A letter delivered to our staterooms announcing Viking has just claimed the title of “World’s Best Ocean Cruise Line” from Crystal Cruises, which has won the award every year since 1996. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In our staterooms, Viking had left a note to us written by its Chairman, Torstein Hagen<\/strong>. Hagen \u2013 one of my favorite figures in the cruise industry for his forthrightness and earnest opinions \u2013 closed his note with a token of heartfelt appreciation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am so grateful for the passion and commitment of our team who strive to make your journey exceptional \u2013 the people you speak with on the phone, those who work behind the scenes, and our officers and staff who become like family while you\u2019re traveling with Viking. Together with your support, their hard work is of course what has help us achieve this great award. We are all deeply honored.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click here for our Voyage Report from the Christening of Viking Sea in London<\/em><\/strong>!<\/em><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

If anyone deserves this award, it\u2019s Viking. There are lots of good and even great cruise lines out there, but Viking has pulled out all the stops with its Viking Longship river cruise ships like Viking Embla<\/em>, and it took ocean cruising to new levels when Viking Star<\/em> launched last May. The vessel is an absolute masterclass in great shipboard design and planning, and Viking has, at long last, brought river cruise-style amenities to the oceans of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"This<\/a>
This evening, guests gathered on the Sun Deck aboard Viking Embla for…Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"...a<\/a>
…a spectacular sunset. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The crowd in the Viking Lounge gave a hearty cheer and raised their glasses to what many, including myself, hope will be a long and prosperous future to come. Everyone at the line has worked so hard on each and every voyage I\u2019ve been on, and I can\u2019t think of a nicer group of folks who deserve such meaningful recognition. The King is dead; long live the Vikings!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This evening, I\u2019m writing this from my balcony onboard Viking Embla<\/em>, as the sun dips beyond the horizon. Most of the guests (nearly all, in fact) are up on the Sun Deck, enjoying cocktails outdoors tonight, snapping photos of the gorgeous sunset in rapid-fire bursts. In fact, out of all the river cruises I\u2019ve taken, I\u2019ve never seen so many people up on the Sun Deck, enjoying the evening and our scenic cruising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Personally, I like the solitude my balcony \u2013 a real, step-out one – affords me. It\u2019s on Deck 2, so the close proximity to the water makes it feel like we\u2019re absolutely racing along, when we\u2019re probably only doing 10 to 12 knots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve done the stretch of Danube between Budapest and Nuremberg before, this isn\u2019t that Danube. On that stretch, highways and rail lines run parallel to the river. Towns and cities loom up and fall astern, and nearly every five feet there\u2019s a church steeple peeking out from among the trees. Cyclists can outrace the ships sometimes as they zip along the bike paths \u2013 made from the original \u201ctow roads\u201d used by horses to haul riverboats upstream \u2013 and the din of modernization is everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tonight,<\/a>
Tonight, our scenic cruising feels more like we’re traversing a miniature version of Alaska’s Inside Passage. There are few towns, and fewer people. Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Not here. We may as well be in Alaska now for how quiet and remote it feels. There are no roads that line the shoreline; no towns to dock in. The odd commercial dock is located here and there, but the only real man-made feature on this stretch of river that appears with any kind of consistency are the red and green channel markers. Even the mileage markers \u2013 ubiquitous on the Austrian and German sections of the Danube \u2013 are largely absent from the shoreline here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s quite, serene and peaceful, with Viking Embla<\/em> gliding along silently through the night towards Vidin, Bulgaria. Through it all, I\u2019m vaguely aware that this is one of those moments I\u2019ll remember well after it has passed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s tour may not have been my thing \u2013 but the day ended up being one of my absolute favorites thanks to this great evening onboard Viking Embla<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Photo \u00a9 2016 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Our Voyage Report<\/em><\/strong> from onboard <\/em>Viking River Cruises\u2019 Viking Embla in Eastern Europe<\/em><\/strong><\/a> will begin tomorrow from Vidin,<\/strong> Bulgaria<\/strong>! Be sure to follow along on twitter <\/em>@deckchairblog<\/em><\/a> or using the hashtag #LiveVoyageReport.<\/em>

Viking's Passage to Eastern Europe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Day<\/B><\/th>Port<\/B><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Day 1 & 2<\/td>Bucharest, Romania<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Day 3<\/td>Veliko Tarnovo & Arbanassi, Bulgaria<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Day 4<\/td>Vidin, Bulgaria<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Day 5<\/td>Cruising the Iron Gates<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Day 6<\/td>Belgrade, Serbia<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Day 7<\/td>Vukovar & Osijek, Croatia<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Day 8<\/td>Kalocsa, Hungary<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Day 9<\/td>Budapest, Hungary<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Day 10<\/td>Budapest, Hungary<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Day 11<\/td>Recapping our Journey<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Day in Bulgaria, and a Big Win for Viking Aaron Saunders, River Cruise Advisor Friday, July 8, 2016 After a good night\u2019s sleep, I was up early at six this morning, where I stepped onto the heated floor of my stateroom\u2019s bathroom to begin my day. It\u2019s such a simple luxury \u2013 not having […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":24686,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"full-width-content","footnotes":""},"categories":[728,7,24,459,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24671"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24671"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24671\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}