AAA Traveler - Winter 2018 - 21

YOUR STORY

Celebrating Memories Along the Danube
By Alexis Moore

IMAGES: KEITH PARSLEY

oe Reiner grew up in northern New Jersey, but when
his extended family got together, it might as well
have been central Europe. "Wienerschnitzel,
sausages, and my uncle's accordion music dominated
almost every gathering," says Joe, whose father and
grandparents immigrated from Austria in the '50s. Joe's
grandparents settled at the Jersey Shore, and Joe says,
"After we ate the clams and crabs they'd caught, my
uncle and grandparents would sit around a long table on
the patio and speak German and listen to polka music."
These are the memories Joe, now a 49-year-old police
officer who lives with his wife, Pam, in Cornelius, N.C.,
felt most acutely when the couple took a river cruise
down the Danube for their 25th wedding anniversary
last year. "We went to a local winery in Vienna, and
there was a guy playing polka music on his accordion,"
Joe says. "It was my favorite place."
Viking's eight-day Danube river cruise sails from
Budapest, Hungary, to Passau, Germany. Over the
week, cruisers explore seven scenic Austrian towns,
like Vienna and Durnstein, Melk and Linz. For Joe
and Pam, whose travels usually revolve around their
camper and dogs, the cruise marked their first
European excursion.
"When I met Joe, he'd always wanted to go to
Europe," says Pam, a senior accountant with AAA
Carolinas. "But it was never on my bucket list. I was a
little apprehensive because of the language barrier and
figuring out public transportation in a foreign country."
Pam's co-worker gave her a tip that changed all
that. "A friend of mine in the travel department -
who has been all over the world - told me that a
Viking river cruise was one of the best vacations she's
ever had," Pam says. "When we came back, I gave her
the biggest hug!"
"The country of Austria is beautiful with its
mountains, medieval castles and charming riverside
villages. Having grown up in Vermont, it reminded me
so much of home. Each night we docked at a new town,
and we'd get off and go with our local guide to hear the

history and walk through the town," Pam says. "There
were many times I would catch myself with tears.
You're standing somewhere and thinking, am I really
experiencing this?"
Pam had that same "this-can't-be-real" feeling on the
fifth day of their cruise, when the boat docked at the
small village of Durnstein. It's known for its famous
medieval stone castle perched high on a hill overlooking
the town, and for its parish church of Durnstein, which
dates back to 1410. "When we were getting off the
boat that morning, Joe said, 'let's go to mass today,'"
Pam says. "That's not unusual for us. Usually if we're
on vacation, we try to find a local church on Sunday."
But this Sunday was different. The service was in
German, and after it was over, Joe escorted Pam to the
front, where the priest was waiting for them. "Joe had
arranged for the priest to renew our vows, right there in
the same church where people have worshipped for
centuries," Pam says. "I'm so glad we went on this trip.
We made memories that no one can take away from me."
Initially, the Reiners believed such an amazing trip
would be out of their price range. However, thanks to
their AAA Membership, it was just a matter of good
planning. "Through AAA, we learned of the buy one,
get one free promotion Viking offered at the time. They
also provided transportation from the airport and
other perks," explained Pam. "We even attended a local
AAA Viking event before we booked, and it sealed the
deal for us!"

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TRAVELER WINTER 2018

AAA Traveler - Winter 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AAA Traveler - Winter 2018