Cruising the Danube, virtually

My toddler and I love this video!  It's a lesson in music (Strauss' waltz, interpreted by a famous conductor who's fun to watch); and geography, too, as it follows the course of the Danube River from Black Forest to Black Sea... Not that my toddler is ready to grab an atlas, but-- someday.  In the meantime, she enjoys the music and scenery, as well as the conductor's enthusiasm!

Since I'm not geographically savvy, I had to look up the significance of many places and images.  Here are a few that were unfamiliar to me:

Donaueschingen:  Traditionally, the Danube's source is a spring at Donaueschingen castle in the Black Forest-- but more accurately, it's the "Danube confluence," where the rivers Breg and Brigach flow together to form the great river.  The video first shows the castle spring (so picturesque!), and then the two streams joining in the forest.

Schlögener Schlinge:  The "Danube Loop," in Austria

Wachau Valley: A truly beautiful part of Austria, known for its wine and architecture, including monasteries... Among other things, Dürnstein was the site of King Richard's captivity (remember the Robin Hood legend?).

Golubac: A 14th-century fortress, now Serbian (it changed hands repeatedly), that controlled river traffic through the Iron Gates 

Eisernes Tor  (Iron Gates):  A series of narrow river gorges dividing the Balkan and Carpathian Mountains, as well as the states of Romania and Serbia

Danube Delta, a reedy wetland area, mostly in Romania... The river ultimately discharges into the Black Sea.

Using a map to follow along with this video might be a terrific activity for children, don't you agree?   Certainly I've learned something!

Of course, one can also simply enjoy the beauty...  This journey never grows old, and it mellows me every time.

Tethered to the Coffeepot

To put it briefly:  Rough night.  Again.  (Also, note to self: Never bring the toddler to bed with us after a night waking!  The result will be a baby bouncing on the mattress as we're trying to sleep and, ultimately, tortured screams when she's replaced in the crib.)

So early this morning I crept down to the kitchen and, armed with a cup of coffee and both baby monitors, tried to recover some shadow of interest in the world.  As usual, I went to the NPR website and listened to the Hourly News-- that five-minute audio rundown of headlines, available on demand, which is so convenient for a tired mom who has little time/motivation to click through Drudge Report or the New York Times.  (Conservative stations, Catholic stations, won't you develop something similar?)

This video, too, I find to be a helpful mood-brightener, both because of the upbeat music (who can resist the Pastoral Symphony?), and because of the obvious joy that these musicians take in its performance.  They're living in the moment, reveling in what they do-- and yes, it's just a little bit contagious!

Time for that fourth cup of coffee.  Happy Monday to all!