Prague

 Yesterday was a busy day, starting with a bus tour of the city, then a walking tour. The local guide was phenomenal with his knowledge of the city and its history, and his ability to communicate with us. 

We saw Prague Castle, which is really a collection of castles, churches and other monuments and buildings that collectively make up the largest castle complex in the world. Then we spent considerable time in the Jewish quarter where, surprisingly, a large number of synagogues and other religious buildings still remain, relatively undamaged. Afterwards we moved onto the famous astronomical clock where we saw it chime the noon hour. As the crowd dispersed the guide was able to explain more about the many pieces of information that had previously escaped me. Amazing!

Lunch was a traditional Czech affair in a basement medieval restaurant. As usual the food was delicious and the portions were generous. We also learned how to use the public transportation system, trams that we can ride for free simply because we’re over 65 years old. After some free time and exploration we wound up at dinner with a couple from Arizona at a local restaurant. Beef goulash was my choice and it was delicious, but nothing like the goulash my Mom made. It was a beef stew in a spicy gravy and was served with bacon dumplings, which are also nothing like the ones Mom made! Regardless, it was very good. But I hate to think about stepping on the scales when I get home after this trip; 3 weeks of 3 hearty meals a day has had an effect on my *ahem* athletic profile. 

With that in mind, tonight’s dinner is going to be a chicken Caesar salad. Even though it’s large, it’s nowhere near as heavy. 

Today we walked to a nearby fortress and toured the grounds. It was built for defense on high ground, so made for some great overlooks for photos. Later was a trip to the famous Charles Bridge and more historic sites in the portion of the city on the other side of the river, called Lesser town. 

That’s all for now folks. Ahoj!

Traveling

 This morning we left our hotel in Vienna and began the post tour extension we signed up for. The first stop was in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. We did a walking tour of the old city, followed by some free time to explore and shop for souvenirs.  Afterwards we went to a local restaurant for a traditional lunch of Holisky-kind of a Slavic version of Mac and cheese. The “pasta” is made with potato, flour and salt. And is similar to German spetzle. The cheese is fermented and made from sheep’s milk. Finally it’s topped with crispy cubes of bacon or fatback and chopped chives. It was delicious!

As I type this I’m on a bus about an hour out of Prague in the Czech Republic. We’ll be there for 4 nights before returning home.  The landscape has been very beautiful, mostly a mix of agricultural and woods on rolling hills and the trees are beginning to turn colors. The weather has been cooler too. It was around 50 degrees this morning when we left and hasn’t gotten past the mid 60s all day. Combined with a brisk breeze, it’s been a chilly day. We’ll make sure we’re better dressed for it tomorrow when we’ll be out exploring Prague. 

I haven’t yet learned how to say goodbye in Czech so I’ll leave it to your imagination. 

Vienna, Austria

 No post yesterday, as it was a long day on the bus. We left the ship in Strubing and made a stop in Melk, Austria for lunch and a visit to a monastery and its spectacular gardens. Then back on the bus for the final stretch into Vienna followed by dinner and an early night. The beds in the Hilton were certainly roomier and more comfortable than the ones on the ship! 

After breakfast today we all took a bus tour of the city followed by a walking tour. Our guide was very informative and interesting. After several hours of free time we got back to the hotel and are soon due to meet up with some friends who are going home tomorrow. We’ve hung together quite a bit over the past 2 1/2 weeks and will miss them when we go on the extension portion of the trip tomorrow. We’ll spend 4 nights in Prague before we head home on Friday. 

Gotta go now. Bye all. 

Regensberg, Germany

 So we spent the last 2 nights docked in Regensberg. It’s a nice little city and we visited it yesterday and used it today as a home base for a trip to Passau in Austria. We’re sailing now to a place called Strubing, which is as far as the ship can go due to the low water level in the Danube. From there we’ll catch a bus to a city called Melk, where we’ll have lunch then travel to Vienna, which is the final stop of the river cruise. We’ll be there for 2 nights and then begin the post tour extension that ends in Prague. 

So that’s the logistics. Basically today was a lazy day for us. We stayed on the ship and relaxed and napped rather than spend time on a bus when most of tomorrow is due to be on one. It felt pretty good to relax after numerous days of walking tours, etc. But with all the good food they’ve been feeding us I can only imagine what my scale is going to read when I step on it when I get home! Oh well, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Anyway, good night for now. 

Nuremberg, Germany

 Yesterday was a very interesting day…city tour in the morning with a local guide, Rolf, who was very good. He was extremely knowledgeable about the city and its history, particularly the trials of the Nazis, but he also slipped in some wry humor to lighten things up. He made a subject that could have been extremely depressing a bit easier to take. 

On the ship last night there was a talent show. I know…yuk, right? There was the usual assortment of karaoke singers, including groups of crew members who work in the same areas, but our tour guide proved he has a real talent for comedy. He came out in 3 different skits with a different persona in each and had all of us roaring with laughter. He was a German comedian, a ballet dancer, and a singer in drag and was hilarious in all 3 roles. 

Today we’re docked in Regensburg, a small city where one of the highlighted attractions is a Dachshund museum! I’m sure the town will be very picturesque, including some Roman ruins and the former home of Oskar Schindler, about whom the movie was written. The ship will stay docked here for the next 2 nights. Tomorrow we will be bussed to Passau and return here to sleep on the ship one final night. After that we sail to Straubing, which is as far as the ship can safely sail due to the low water levels in the Danube, and bus to Vienna and stay in a hotel for the final 2 nights of our “cruise “. Then we begin the post tour extension by traveling to Prague. 

Guten tag everyone!

Bamberg, Germany

 We visited Bamberg yesterday, and I found it to be very pretty but otherwise unremarkable. It has a picture postcard quality about it, possibly more so than most of the other places we’ve visited, but it’s also fairly well known for its antique stores. I visited several of those shops to marvel at the intricate woodworking by the craftsmen of the last few centuries. I saw desks, tables, and chests with the most creative inlays and joinery that boggled my mind. It has me rethinking a couple of the projects I have brewing in my brain. 

Today we go to Nuremberg, known for the trials of Nazis after WW2, but also the site of numerous huge rallies the Nazis held there before and during the war. We’ll see how my attitude is after seeing this historic site. 

Bye all. 

Rothenburg

 Yesterday was an optional trip to Rothenburg, one of the best preserved medieval towns in Germany. I was there 13 years ago as part of my first Rick Steves tour and it was every bit as nice this time. I even managed to see some things I didn’t remember from that initial visit. It was a good experience and definitely well worth the money. 

As I write this we are docked in Bamberg and I’m preparing for a walking tour and some free time afterwards. I’m not sure what to expect but I’m hoping to enjoy it. 

Later today we have a meeting for the members of our group wo are going on the post cruise extension to Prague. We already know who a few of them are but it will be interesting to see who all will be in the group. The guidebook lists around 15 people who have opted in. 

Following the meeting is a tour of the ship’s galley-we’re really looking forward to that!

Auf weidershein friends!