For the next few weeks, an occasional series of photographs & comments from this year's holiday on the Danube & Rhine.

Together, these 2 mighty rivers + short sections of others & even a canal, allow both commercial & tourist traffic to travel between the North Sea & the Black Sea.
The Rhine is by far the busiest section, with roads & railways on both banks for considerable distances .
In contrast, the banks of the Danube have little settlement or industry

The vessel seen at its mooring, is typical of those involved in the tourist trade. Each one has to be low enough to be able to fit under all bridges, some of which are very low above the water. When rivers are in flood (as in June 2013), traffic is often paralysed--unable to pass below bridges or use mooring facilities.Our cruise co-incided with a hot,dry spell & at a safety briefing, the captain pointed out that there would often be only 2 metres of water below the vessel, making "sinking" an impossibility!  

In the heart of continental Europe, there is considerable contrast between summer & winter temperatures. In July/August, 35 degrees is fairly commonplace, while 42 is not unheard of.  In winter, much of the river system would be subject to significant amounts of ice, again a weather element that can dislocate commercial activity.