When we travelled along the border of Slovakia to Austria we saw signs telling us that the border is only open between 08:00 and 22:00. We wondered why a border between 2 Schengen countries could only be open at a specific time. When we saw the ferry it was quite clear.
We were driving through this area of Slovakia without the intension to cross the border into Austria, but when we saw the ferry over the river March/Morava, we couldn’t resist.
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| Captain Edi |
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| Beautiful March/Morava |
I remember cruising down this river with my mother and son on a rented boat many years ago. The river forms 91 km of border to Austria, but until now there is only one bridge where cars can cross the river. The March is one of the oldest national boundaries still extant in continental Europe. The iron curtain had turned it until 1989 into a no-go area and therefore prevented the landscape from being destroyed by men.
Its weak slope across flat plains means that the river is prone to meander and flood, creating vast floodplains. These floodplains of the March river are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems in Europe. Its richness in plant and animal species ranks it second in diversity only to the Danube Delta.
The big trees along the river are perfect for the nests of the storks. At Marchegg, the biggest colony of storks living on trees can be visited on a short walk. We were told that the first stork using a building in Marchegg for his nest had chosen the house of the midwife! Nowadays, there are a couple of nests on the castle buildings.
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| Castle of Marchegg |
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| Flower of the Day |