otherchelebi

This may be last time DyoungerD almost 30 DW mid 50s and I, 70, may get quality time together on our own like the old times, before DD starts working 9-5 in Chicago and will have only a few miserable weeks a year when she will be vacationing with her DH.

We plan to fly from Istanbul to Leipzig on THY special fare of Euros 149/person with 30kg baggage allowance, late November, take Budget automatic at THY special rates at airport, stay one night at Hotel Fregehaus (room for 3)

Drive to Prague the next day, to stay three nights at Hotel Metamorphis (some sort of suite).

Drive back to stay one night in Halle at Hotel Atlas Halle (2 rooms)

Fly back to Istanbul noon on the 6th day.

We wanted to stay fifth night at Dresden but could not find any room at hotels we liked. There must be a convention or fair. We decided on Halle rather than Leipzig on the last night, to visit another city which is not far from the airport.

We have the following questions and hope we can get help :

1- All our hotel reservations are cancellable, so I will appreciate any warnings???

2- Any pointers about the routes we will be driving and parking & driving in the cities will be very welcome. We have arranged for parking with Hotel Metamorphis in Prague and parking at Halle seems to be no problem.

3- How much cash Czech currency should we have with us for tips, gas, food and other incidentals, if our bank charges us 3-4% on foreign exchange conversions for ATM use or on credit cards, and we can buy Czech currency cheaper at FX offices in Istanbul?

4- What to tip at restaurants and cafes in Germany and Czech Rep. ? (you can tell, it has been a long time since I visited Germany when I remember tipping about 5-10%. and I.ve never been to Czech Rep.)

5. Any non touristy, typical restaurant suggestions, especially in Prague will be very welcome, together with recommendations of menu items.

6- I am not a museum person but the girls are. I love walking in the streets, checking the architecture, quaint doors, windows, flower arrangements, driveways, gates, cobblestones, as much as I can within my age and weight limitations.
Hence, all recommendations for me and for them are welcome, considering our two full days in Prague and possibly 4-6 hours in Dresden on the way back, since Halle will probably be only a place of rest for us for that final night.

Please check my Fodors profile and if you have time, some of my trip reports if you need more info on us.

I will do my best to fight urges of procrastination and hibernation (for the coming Winter) and write a trip report on this visit.

adrienne

4 - I was just in Germany and tipped about 10% for dinners (on the advice of Germany people I spoke to while I was there). I did not tip at lunch where I usually had a soup or small salad nor did I tip for a coffee of soft drink.

I rounded up the bill in the Czech Republic rather than tipping a percent.

6 - Prague - Nerudova Street is wonderful for the architecture. It's steep so walk down rather than up the street. You can do this after visiting the Loreto church (a really lovely church - I say that as a church fan). However Prague is a visual feast all over and there will be lots of cobbles.

I enjoyed the Mucha Museum and the Municipal House.

If you have a specific itinerary it will benefit you to know the Czech word for the sights you want to visit. There are signs in the old quarter point the way but they are only in Czech.

Look at some of unclegus's postings on Prague for restaurant suggestions.

For Dresden sightseeing I'd recommend the Historic Green Vault with its over-the-top opulence - lots of gilt and mirrored walls, ivory and silver objets. You need timed tickets to enter.

If you prefer to spend the time walking around, don't miss the Frauenkirche and the Meissen tile wall. There's a 2 hour walking tour in English at noon that will cover the historic center. The area is small so there's not a tremendous amount of walking.

otherchelebi

adrienne, thank you very much for the very useful information.

annhig

Hi OC - nice to see that you are on the move again.

some ideas for Halle and Leipzig to be found on my TR of a visit to that area a few years ago:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ny-that-is.cfm

You will see that I have just finished it at break-neck speed; consequently the part about Dresden is a bit sketchy. Hopefully Dresden-resident Ingo will spot your thread and chime in.

otherchelebi

Hi Ann, I hope you won't mind my stalking you (just a few years behind) i will definitely check your report and be enlightened.

I should correct one word in initial post. It was about 3 AM and I wrote 'miserable' instead of 'measly'. I hope their vacations will never be miserable no matter how short they are.

They are usually happy whereever they end up but with family and homes in Chicago, Istanbul, Nicaea and Detroit, they do not get to travel to other countries much.

annhig

I knew what you meant, OC, and I don't think that going to the same places as someone else several years later counts as stalking. [I once had a client whose stalker did in fact follow her all the way to Malta where she had gone on holiday so I know whereof I speak!]

Istanbul and Nicaea don't sound too bad as regular holiday destination, not so sure about Chicago and Detroit!

otherchelebi

Having read some of the other threads, I can tell that I will have to be careful with food and stick mainly to salads.

Stews, roast pork, game dishes can be very rich and frankfurters or pork chops usually are served with potatoes. The desserts also appear to be rather hearty.

Not much chance of nouvelle cuisine fusion dishes topped up with a sugerless sorbet.

However, I can still hope that we can find a suckling pig roast which I had in Munich too many years ago, and still remember fondly.

Ann, we also have a Tomtom which we have updated for this trip and you have successfully scared us. Both DW and DD are atrocious map readers although they would deny this at every opportunity, blaming me for handing them the map upside down. Our Tomtom, adjusted for a lady to speak with an Irish or sometimes Kiwi accent did lead us astray in Southwestern Turkey in the past. DW remembers that I was not listening to her instructions but just to her voice which I had found attractive. I vehemently deny that slur. Will pick a Welsh accent this time so that none of us will understand what she is saying.

annhig

OC - german food is not ALL Wurst und Sauerkraut but it can be quite heavy especially typical "pub" fair.

I didn't mean to scare you with tales of our poor map reading and GPS use. There may also have been the use of hyperbole for dramatic/comic effect. if you rent a car you will probably get a "navi" that speaks german so that should take car of the "comprehension" issue.

Hadog

restaurants Prague
Cafe Imperial
Cafe Louvre

Kolkovna, Potrenfa Husa

otherchelebi

Hadog, thank you.