Passau is known as the City of Three Rivers, where the Danube is joined by the Inn river from the south and the Ilz from the north. Our mooring site there was on the tip of the peninsula between the Danube and the Inn, with the mouth of the Ilz just across the river. It is said this is where the Danube became known as the "Blue" Danube, because of the color of its water where it joins the "green" Inn and the "black" Ilz. Riding along at water level, none of it looked particularly colorful - just varying shades of brown.
As we explored the Old Town, or Altstadt, the importance of the rivers became clear. Just walking across the gangway to dry land gave us a glimpse of some of the local fishermen, including this one placing his catch into a fish trap. 
Continuing into town, my eye was caught by a street sign affixed above head height to a building announcing we were in Brewery Alley. I then noticed above it a white stone marker which my wife translated to me as being a high water marker. Living at the confluence of three rivers means having to head for higher ground occasionally! 
Of course, our stated purpose in visiting Germany & Austria was to see Christmas Markets. In Passau, the markets tended to be smaller and scattered throughout the old downtown area. Very low key compared to the more metropolitan venues found in Munich and Nurnberg.
Nice place to slowly wander about while enjoying another warming beverage.
Having a little more free time meant we were also able to seek out an actual restaurant, rather than enjoying more market food. In Passau, our choice was a well-recommended place named the Bayerischer Lowe. Some delicious, upscale Bavarian cuisine gave us a welcome break from our regular diet of wurst and sweets.
An advantage of meandering without a guide, is you get lost and find things you weren't looking for. This was just the case when we stumbled upon a small shop on an extremely steep and icy street as we were headed back to the ship. The shop was named "Dies und Das" or "This and That", and it lived up to its name by having an eclectic collection of wares which defied easy categorization. The proprietor was glad to have someone make the effort to come into his out of the way place, and my Lovely Bride obligingly made more purchases there than anywhere else on the trip.Next, back to the ship to prepare for our first daylight cruising on the Danube.
