Vienna and Bad News

We arrived in Vienna as scheduled.  The city tour was both a bus tour and a short walking tour, with time on our own.  Very nice.  Pictures follow.  Dinner was as usual, but the daily briefing held bad news.  We knew there was a damaged lock in our way, but had heard it was to be repaired by the 20th.  Well, apparently not.  It will be at least another week.  And, in spite of Viking's touted massive fleet, we won't just be going around that damaged lock to meet another boat stuck on that side and trading out.  Oh no.  We have been stuck in Vienna for two extra days (not the worst place in the world to be stuck, mind you) and will leave tomorrow on a bus.  Lots of people are not happy.  From the sound of it, we will be spending two nights at one hotel, then two nights at another, before we join the Skadi (the ship we were originally scheduled to be on).  Acccording to everyone we've talked to, no one on this ship wants to pack and re-pack.  We keep hearing, "If I'd wanted a bus trip, I'd have signed up for one."  Then, daily, the plan keeps changing.  Originally, we were going to Munich because Passau was so flooded.  Now, they tell us that, while the port isn't officially open, the town has dried out enough to entertain tourists.  There was some mention of Heidelberg, but I'm not sure that's happening.  I know we leave tomorrow, but I'm not sure where we're going.  In the meantime, they arranged a bus to Melk, a town we were supposed to stop in by boat.  We therefore missed the Wachau Valley, apparently one of the prettiest stretches of the river and the area they show in their advertising.  The abbey was nice, but getting there was a disaster.  Three buses took the passengers, but one (the one Ray and I were on) had no air conditioning.  We started out, thinking it would kick in, but after 10 minutes in the 97 degree day (with 75% humidity), we had to turn around and arrange for a different bus.  Of course, that meant we arrived late, and they had to hold the abbey open long enough for us to see it, and were locking doors shut behind us as we finished each room.  Ray just found out (via internet) that the Viking Odin is just up the river and is wondering why we aren't just switching ships with that cruise.  The answer is always a non-answer:  "We would if we could."  I think that if they were really doing everything they could for us, we would be on another ship tomorrow.  But keeping us on the road for 4 nights tells me they're doing something for themselves that they aren't comfortable telling us about.  There you are.   Viking is providing sightseeing trips into Vienna:  we went and watched them exercise the Lippizan horses;  some people are touring the Imperial Palace this afternoon.  We went to Schonbrunn Castle yesterday.  Today, the humidity has abated, but the temperature remains high, so if you're not inside, you're uncomfortable.  As I'm finishing this, it's now Saturday morning, our luggage is in the hall, and we will be busing to Passau for sightseeing, then to Bad Greisbach for our overnight stay.  Sunday will be a bus trip to Regensburg, then return to Bad Greisbach for the night.  Luggage out Monday morning, blah blah blah...