A day by the Danube

Today I went with the girls on a bus trip to Linz, the 3rd largest town in Austria. We had a fabulous 4 hour river cruise on the Kristallschiff (crystal ship) on the Danube. The ship is so called because the decor of which is mostly from Swarovski crystals. Rather magnificent it was, too, and all tables are by the windows. It was very cosy inside - outside it was dull and wet - although I did spend some time on the deck watching the water rise and fall in the 15 metre high lock. The buffet lunch was excellent and there was a live ensemble playing traditional Austrian music and carols throughout the journey.
After the cruise we visited 2 different Advent markets in Linz, finishing off with the obligatory warming mug of glühwein or punch.
The ship´s decor here