Decent day in Warsaw today...breakfast in the marriott club...spent 4 hours on the hop on hop off bus-- did 1.5 loops...cheap at 51 PLN ($17.). Commentary was so so but we saw a lot of a not too interesting city... It rained a bit.

The sun came out so we alighted in the old town and spent a couple of hours walking around-- had some great pea soup at a little place run by young girls and shared a piece of cake.

Taxi back to hotel in late afternoon, relaxed, drinks and nibbles in the club and then around the corner to the Radio Cafe, which had been recommended to us. We were seated next to the owner who spent years with radio free Europe and was immensely interesting. On the other side was a couple from Indiana/Bahamas. We had a great 3 way conversation. this restaurant is the only remaining restaurant serving authentic polish food in this district of Warsaw. K had wine, pierogis and cheese cake... I had cold beet ( not borcht) with greens and carroway seeds, called barszcz, pork goulash with brean ( type of rice like grain) and the fab light cheese cake with crinkle topping.

Above 2 by bob... As i

As if you can't tell by the spelling...

Arr: by train, Dep: by air. I wondered if that might be easier. But you are right about schedules. Neither is ideal, since you have to make at least one stop (in middle Europe) in both directions. Most options are 3-leg flights, unless you want to get up and fly home at 6:30 in the morning! UGH... I might check into VCE and out of Rome, and re-shuffle the entire schedule just a tad, so that we end in Spoleto rather than putting that stop in the middle.

DS is back in Bangkok after having spent a lovely 3-4 days on Koh Samed. This island is a short speedboat ride from Rayong area. Very relaxed island, I don't believe there is car traffic?? I could be wrong. Great Thai food. Tubtim Beach Resort is where they always stay. The beach looks great! If I were a swimmer/sunbather, I'd be there!

simpsonc510.

Quite clever (sort of) by keeping a mixture of on-topic, mixed with off-topic, keeps you (just) within forum rules.

It's still boring though reading chat room nonsense that can easily be conducted elsewhere.

LL, if you are bored, don't click on this thread. Easy.

Bonjour Kathie.

Je parie que c'est nuageux et froid à Paris aujourd'hui!

Off and on with occasional sunbreqks, as we say in Seattle.

Is your Seattle as pretty as our Settle...

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=se...w=1024&bih=653

Very easy day on Sunday... Spent most of day in hotel...ventured out about 2 for a lunch at radio cafe: Salad of Nice (can't spell other)' rye soup and the best ever apple crepe and a cheesecake with raisins...
We really like this place.

Walked to a nearby Catholic Church, st Barbara's but it was locked up.

Back to hotel and finally went downstairs to the club about 7 when we had a light supper... I got into bed by 9.

Note about hotel marriott garage. It is very expensive, but on weekends it is 1/2 price from F at 6 to M at 9AM--- my cost $82 for those total hours.

Off to Krakow this morning. I love my ford focus station wagon from Avis---11 days $296. Automatic to boot. Booked thru Gemut.

Bob

Bob we always book Avis and we always get a station wagon. We like having room for our stuff. We also always get our car in Zurich so it has the Swiss decal on the windshield.

Hoping for any updates on red shirt rally and anti government protests in Bangkok. I watch Richard Barrow, but sometimes his simple tweets aren't enough info for me.

The Italy trip is taking shape. Flying into Venice and out of Rome, with train travel in between. Should be fun although probably hot hot hot. My travel companion wants to buy Italian shoes (LOTS OF THEM). I don't know anything about shoe shopping in Italy. My one attempt failed, and I came home pretty much empty handed.

Heading back to Bangkok last two weeks of July. I want to go to Hong Kong for a few days as well. Any thoughts on a 2-bedroom suite on Kowloon in good location for shopping and ferry?

I hope you are having better weather than we are, Bob and Karen. Lightning, thunder and downpours today.

LL our Seattle has snow-capped peaks to both the east and the west, and is located on salt water. No quaint architecture, though.

Carol, I once brought home a suitcase full of Italian shoes from a trip to Frankfort!

Haha! Kathie! I can understand that. I've shopped for shoes all over Europe and I guess I'm just hard to please. I don't wear heels (at all) and comfort comes before style. These old dogs need pampering with all the traveling I do, and when in Europe and Thailand, we walk and walk and walk.

Anyway, I'm sure my travel companion will, indeed, come home with (or ship?? although we each get plenty of suitcases on UA) lots of Italian (? made in China?) shoes!!

My one pair of "Italian shoes" (yes, made in Italy) were purchased in Locarno Switzerland, and they were the most uncomfortable pair of shoes I ever owned... but, oh, my first graders loved them. They were covered in BLING!!! Can you imagine? I would take them off as soon as the children had all seen them. Haha!

Just booked Locanda Orseolo (Venice) and Hotel Pendini (Florence). Hoping they are good choices.

Carol my shopping trip for shoes in Frankfort occurred after my back injury, so all of the shoes were flats. I haven't been able to wear heels for 20 years!

The shoes I'm wearing here in Paris are the same style I wore in Japan - a German company, Reiker - a very comfortable loafer style. We've been walking 5-7 miles a day here.

Kathie. I doubt that your Reiker shoes were made in Germany. Probably on the cheap in Morocco or Tunisia.

Kathie, please tell Cheryl that I am really enjoying her photos on FB!! Gorgeous photography.

The square in krakow is quite nice, and we have a full view of it from our large French style open windows... Constant clacking from the hoofs of the horse carts transporting tourists around.

At night the whole square is lit. Lots of sidewalk cafés.

We are in the hotel Wentzl right on the square. The dining room here is very elegant. The hotel runs breakfast here but another group serves dinner. We will try it tonight. BTW, we find Polish food to be ok, over salted, and hearty. Last night we had Italian in a lovely cellar brick vaulted ceiling room almost next to our hotel, followed by ice cream . The pastry here is VERY good.

K has been out walking and exploring this AM while I sat by our window enjoying the fresh air and activities of the square as observed from above.

I think we will go out in a while for some polish " rye" soup in one of the outside cafés.

Bob, I love Karen's photo on FB of that square. Looks lovely!