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Danube Cruise- Melk, Austria
To be clear, I am not speaking of the Danube cruises advertised on PBS, prior to Downton Abbey. I am sure those are wonderful if you are in your twilight years, and need travel to be made as easy as possible. However, having been at museums when those groups arrive en masse, I can attest it is a disruptive nightmare, from which you can only beat a hasty retreat. So, no, not that. Thankfully, there is a wonderful 2.5 hour cruise, which you can conveniently book through the railroad. Same sights, no crowded chaos. Perfect. Start your adventure in Vienna, taking an early train to Melk. When you purchase your…
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Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa- Astoria, OR
Alright, I admit it. Not all of my favorite hotels are historic. Most are, but not all. On occasion, a hotel of recent vintage is so unique and impressive, I forgive it for being new. And that certainly describes the Cannery Pier Hotel in Astoria; built on a dock 600 feet into the Columbia River, it is a hotel you will never forget.