ABOUT THE SHINING DANUBE
IN THE WACHAU VALLEY

-text and photos Andrei Dorian Gheorghe
design Florin Alexandru Stancu-

In 11 June 2017 I saw the Lower Danube
from the Romanian town of Braila
and I thought that such visions inspired Ion Ivanovici
to compose in 1890 The Waves of the Danube,
the second most famous waltz dedicated to the great European River.



In 17 June 2017 I saw the Upper Danube
(about 1700 km distance from Braila)
in Vienna,
the Capital of Austria,
and I thought that such visions inspired Johann Strauss II
to compose in 1866 The Blue Danube,
the most famous waltz dedicated to the great European River.



In fact, probably the best inspiration for the Austrian composer
was to sail along the Wachau Valley
(which delights anybody for 40 km with its relief,
castles, churches, ruins and buildings),
so that in 29 June 2017
I curiously walked myself by bus on the bank of the river
right through that zone.


















For a few minutes I made a halt at the middle of the distance,
hunting both the Danube and the Sun.






















Then I went further.













When I crossed the river on a bridge at the end of the Wachau Valley,
I looked for a cosmic context
and I hoped to see the Sun right over the Danube.

Like a corollary of my trip,
my dream became reality right in the last second.







On 30 June 2017
I woke up in a hotel at the edge of Budapest,
the Capital of Hungary,
which is also placed on the banks of the Danube River.

And this time I tried to compose my own small photo-waltz,
which I named
Good Morning Middle Danube!











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© 2017 SARM
(Romanian Society for Meteors and Astronomy)