One evening a few years ago, my wife, Fyllis, and I were savoring a sumptuous four-course gourmet dinner accompanied by wines that had been produced nearby. More recently, we listened raptly to lectures by knowledgeable experts about a variety of issues, some controversial, in several Eastern European countries.
The settings for these experiences could have been a five-star hotel or resort, and indeed in atmosphere and attractiveness they deserved that rating. What set them apart was that they took place on small ships plying some of the most famous and fabled rivers in the world.
