Ahoj Prague

 Today was the last day of our vacation and tomorrow is our travel day. We started the day out taking the tram to Wenceslas Square, site of most of the historic happenings in this city. Michel, our guide gave us quite a tutorial of many of those events and tried to give us context as well. Then we met a local man, a former high school teacher, who was here during the Velvet Revolution. It was a very interesting talk about his experiences living under Soviet rule and the massive social upheaval that resulted in their pulling out. I found it extremely interesting and inspiring as well 

Lunch was at a restaurant that had a massive model train layout that they used to deliver food and drinks to the patrons. The food was so-so but the experience was interesting. 

We spent the afternoon packing up our belongings to get ready for travel and did all the online check in stuff in preparation for our trip home. We leave the hotel at 6 am to fly to Frankfort and then on to Orlando. It’s going to be a long day!

We had a farewell drink at the hotel bar and then went by bus to a local restaurant across town for a last meal together…beef goulash and dumplings again. The company and the conversation was good and I’ll miss seeing our travel companions. We’ve grown fond of them all. We said our goodbyes and we all scatter back to our homes tomorrow. It will be good to get back home and sleep in my own bed again. 

Ahoj!

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!

Wurzburg GermanY

 Yesterday we got to Wurzburg early in the morning. I took the camera out early and got a few nice shots of the fortress and church across the river from us so hopefully I might have something worth printing when we return home. There was a group walking tour of the city later that was very interesting.

The city was bombed near the end of the war and was heavily damaged. The German military commanders tried to surrender the city but their radio message was too late. The British bombers were already on their way and the military had no way to communicate with them…what a tragedy! The town hall has a small room set up detailing the devastation that occurred, including a very detailed model that shows how most of the roofs were destroyed even if the walls were still standing. Somehow the biggest church was pretty much intact.. Go figure. The city has been rebuilt and today it’s a very pretty and vibrant community.

Today after breakfast we’re going on an excursion to Rothenburg, one of the best preserved medieval towns around. The commander there surrendered the city to preserve it, despite orders to the contrary from the high command. I visited there on my first visit to Germany 13 years ago and I look forward to seeing it again. 

Anyway, that’s all for now folks. Guten morgan!

Wertheim, Germany

 Sorry I haven’t posted in a couple of days. I didn’t have much positive to share, as we had to change ships due to low water level in the Rhine River. It was a real bummer because we had to miss the part of the cruise I was most looking forward to…the castles in the Rhine Gorge. I was planning on getting a lot of photos there and it was the reason I brought my big camera with me. Instead we spent all day on a bus and drove right past all the sights I had my heart set on, getting only quick glimpses through the trees. 

Anyway, we’ve been on the new ship for 2 nights. It’s ok but all the people in our group whom I have talked with agree that the first (older) ship was more comfortable and we liked it better. 

We just docked in the village of Wertheim and we’ll have a walking tour and free time to explore this morning, then a visit with some locals are arranged for the afternoon. It should be interesting. There’s also a castle to visit before we sail again this evening. 

Auf  Wiedersehen!

Ultrecht, the Netherlands

 So we had an unscheduled stop due to the low water levels here. We leave the ship tomorrow morning and bus to Frankfort, Germany tomorrow with a stop in either Cologne or Koblenz. Since our friends from Cologne are out of town, we chose Koblenz. 

Today was enjoyable, as we had a local guide show us around town in the morning, and after a nice lunch on board the ship we took the shuttle back into town for additional sightseeing. We had a raucous happy hour upon our return followed by another terrific dinner. Then came the chore of repacking all our belongings for the transfer to the next ship. So far that has been the only bump in the river, so to speak.  

Good night all. 

Amsterdam

 No post again yesterday as it was a busy day. We boarded the bus early and traveled to Haarlem, where the ship is docked, with a stop in Ghent. We arrived at the ship around 4:45 and quickly went through cabin assignments, etc. before the safety briefing and remarks from the captain and department heads and program directors. Then it was off to a very good dinner in the ship’s dining room. 

Today we went into Amsterdam for a canal boat tour of the city and some free time to explore on our own. We attempted to go to the VanGogh museum but our lack of prior planning came back to bite us. The time frame for us to get in was so late that we decided it wasn’t worth having to rush through in time to catch our shuttle back to the ship. But we had a good time anyway and look forward to another wonderful dinner this evening. 

I’ll report back tomorrow…good night!

Our final day in Bruges

Today was our final full day in Bruges and we had a very enjoyable day. After another wonderful breakfast at the hotel we went walking around the city. Our guide suggested a particular park and it did not disappoint. What a nice place, clean and well maintained with nice walking and bike trails alongside a canal. Eventually we wound up in the downtown district for a snack of Gelato, followed by a Belgian waffle for lunch. Delicious, even if not the most nutritious!

Back at the hotel we left on an excursion arranged for us by our guide-to a chocolatier’s farm where we participated in making our own chocolate truffles! It was a fun and delicious learning experience and we all brought home an assortment of the yummy treats we had all made. Unfortunately for all our Florida friends, we were advised that due to the fresh ingredients they should all be consumed within 2 weeks time and since we still have nearly 3 weeks before we go home…well, you do the math!

Dinner was on our own so we endeavored to eat a more balanced meal. Ribs for me and Fish & Chips for Deb, and only one glass of wine each!

We leave early in the morning and travel to Ghent, where we will have a walking tour of the city and a little time to explore on our own, then on to Amsterdam where we’ll meet up with the rest of our shipmates and begin the river portion of our journey. Adieu!

P.S. I still can’t get photos to attach to this blog, so for the foreseeable future you’ll have to be content with my witty (?) narrative. 

Bruges, Belgium

Hi all. Was tired last night so I didn’t post anything, but here we go. After breakfast yesterday we had a city walking tour with a very informative local guide, followed by a canal cruise to see the city through a different lens. Both were very interesting experiences. 

In the afternoon we were able to explore on our own and the most substantial thing we did was visit a church to see Michelangelo’s Madonna with Child sculpture, one of the few work to leave Italy during his lifetime. As the story goes, the bishop who commissioned it didn’t want any nudity, but Michelangelo carved Jesus nude anyway so a Flemish merchant bought the work and brought it to Bruges. 

Later we caught a nap, hoping to get our bodies properly on European time. Dinner was a group affair and consisted of beef stew and fries. Apparently I committed a faux pas here in Belgium by asking for a spoon (so I wouldn’t waste any of that delicious gravy), but I guess the proper method is to scoop the gravy with the fries. Who knew? Dessert was ice cream topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce-YUM!

I’m hoping that I can get some pictures to attach here, but it seems to be a challenge. Wish me luck! Bye. 

We’ve landed!

 After a couple of flights and a mostly sleepless night we’ve reached our first destination, Bruges, Belgium. After meeting the Grand Circle representative at the airport in Brussels we met 3 of our group who had arrived on different flights and we were driven about 90 minutes to Bruges by a very quiet but very competent driver. Not too much conversation amongst us though, as we were all in about the same level of exhaustion! The 2 women are from Colorado and the man is from Tampa, and we were the youngest in the group so far. 

After dropping off our luggage at the hotel we headed out for a little bit of local sightseeing and to scout for a restaurant for dinner on our own tonight after a welcome drink with the guide and the remainder of our group. We returned to the hotel to find our room was ready for us and now, after a shower and a 2 hour nap (and a cup of good Belgian coffee) we’re refreshed and ready to face the rest of the day. I’m thinking that a good night’s sleep will reset my body clock and have us ready to conquer Europe!

Adieu for now my friends!