CAPITALIZING ON THE CAPITALS: Central Europe
 

TRIP BACKGROUND:

Our trip to the Alps’ region in August-September of 2014 spurred our interest in visiting some countries in Central Europe this year. Last year, beginning in scenic Berchtesgarten, Bavaria, where Hitler had his second seat of command planning all the terror of the Nazis, we learned so much more about the insidiousness of that regime. In traveling through the Salzkamergut, the lake region south of Salzburg, we visited Bad Ischl where Franz Josef and his wife Elizabeth, “Sisi”, of the famous Hapsburg Empire, spent their summers in a sumptuous villa, and where he signed the edict of war which began World War I.

As we moved through the dramatic Dolomites of Italy, expecting to hear Italian, we began to witness more about the reach of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with its vestiges reflected in the German language, customs, architecture, and cuisine which remain so long after the break-up of the “empire” following World War I. We saw traces of that mighty Empire extending into Switzerland, where several mountain roads had been constructed by the Austrians. From previous travels to France, Spain, Italy, etc., we had learned that the tentacles of the Hapsburg Empire reached far and wide. Learning more about these time periods, plus the extent of the Nazi regime and the Soviet domination, and the effects on the countries we would visit, motivated us to travel to Central Europe. Traveling through all the gorgeous beauty of the Alps stimulated a lot of historical questions.
We began this TR intending it to be brief, but as we got into it, we found that there were too many experiences for brevity. The report serves as a memory of our trip, and we hope that some others will find it of interest.

We normally plan our own travel, as we like the freedom and independence it provides. If we’re visiting more than one area, we prefer driving. Train transportation is not our thing, unless it’s just for a short excursion or a day trip. Compared to our trip of 2014 where had a rental car and were traveling through dramatic scenery, we knew that this trip to Central Europe wasn’t so much for natural beauty, as for a traveling history lesson, with exploration of beautiful cities, and learning about their backgrounds and cultures. Our intention was to visit the capitals and just get a flavor for the countries.

As we began to work on plans, we soon realized that this involved more complexities (and time) than we realized. One big obstacle was language: Hungarian, Polish, Czech . . . very different and having no relation to other languages. A rental car would present several difficulties: among them reading road signs, driving/parking in big cities. While in our local AAA office for something totally unrelated, one employee asked if we had any travel plans on the horizon, and when we mentioned Central Europe, suggested that they had a tour which covered most of what we wanted.

We are not “tour people". We discussed what we thought might be the pros and cons, and decided that, for this trip, it might be worth giving a try to a tour. We chose to travel with “Insight Vacations”, recommended by AAA. The trip would begin in Vienna, a city which we have visited only briefly in the past, and travel to Budapest, Hungary, Cracow & Warsaw, Poland, Berlin, Germany, and Prague and Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic.

At the conclusion of our report, we’ll detail the experiences of the tour. But for now, we’ll just say that, in general, we felt that it was a good decision for visiting this area of Europe. Maybe we just lucked out, but the tour director was excellent, the “coach” driver was terrific, the coach itself was very comfortable, the hotels were good and well-located, and we felt fortunate to have a generally compatible group of people. We did not feel constrained to always stick with the group, and were able to enjoy time on our own in each location.

So here we go sharing 2 ½ weeks of our travel. We hope that some will come along for the adventure.


TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, September 1- 2, 2015
Travel Travails; Evening in Vienna, Austria

Our travel plans seemed good in that we could leave our home at noon on the 1st of September, allowing us to arrive 3 hours early for international travel: a direct flight from Cincinnati to Paris. Our only concern was the short time to make connections in Paris (CDG); however, the travel agent had already booked the tickets, and it would have been costly to change. So we decided to deal with it. We found out as much as we could about CDG Terminals, even having maps and directions. Fodorites were very helpful. Our luggage would be checked straight through to Vienna, so we focused on making our carry-on stuff very compact so we could get through CDG as quickly as possible.

We booked Premium Economy seats for the 8 1/2 hour flight, hoping that these provide more leg room, and be closer to the front of the plane for de-boarding. We tried to sleep, but were able only to rest, at best. Overall, it was an uneventful flight.

We touched down a few minutes early, but that is not the end of the story. Paris airport is HUGE, and it took 15 minutes+ just to taxi to the gate. It was now September 2nd and we were in the Paris Airport. (Unfortunately, we didn't have time to stay in one of our fav cities!)

Our worry did work to the negative side as our flight into Charles De Gaulle Airport allowed only 55 minutes from arrival at Terminal 2E (M Hall, which is the farthest walk), go through immigration, and make it to Terminal 2F for our flight to Vienna. After de-planing, the issue was to make the long walk as fast as possible to immigration, only to join a long line waiting to go through passport control for the entry into the EU country, part of the “Schengen Area”. We rushed, but there was no avoiding that line at Immigration. Our appeal to a supervisor was of no avail, as she said many people in the line had close connections. After finally passing immigration, we walked as fast as we could to Terminal F, without mowing people down, missing our connection by a hair.

Utterly disappointed, we learned that we needed to find our way to desk 25A to get our tickets changed for a later flight. The Air France agent was very friendly. However, the next flight out to Vienna, at 10 AM, was full, so the earliest flight we could get was 1:30! So a long wait!

The terminals in CDG have long halls between them and the gates within the terminals are lined with tons of shops, mostly high-end, making the stretch between gates very long. (Note the repetition of "long" when describing CDG). There are few areas for a casual bite to eat. We found a Chez Paul and purchased several croissants and a couple of coffees. Finding seats was a challenge, but we were invited by a friendly guy Peter to join him. A highlight of the day was talking with Peter, a Swede, who was returning home after working in Central Africa. Over breakfast, we enjoyed a great discussion.

Struggling through our documents, we needed to find the phone number to call, in order to notify our transport in Vienna that we’d be arriving on a later flight. With Peter’s help, and phone, we contacted the AAA office to arrange a later pick-up. Lots of other people missed their connections. Some expressed palpable anger. We became resigned to missing our first day in Vienna by our later arrival. And a 5+ hour wait in CDG!

Finally, it was time to board; however, it was announced that the flight to Vienna had a 45 minute delay. So more waiting. Boarding involved a trek down multiple steps and onto a bus of people squeezed sardine-like, being driven around the expanse of CDG terminals, and then finally climbing stairs to board the Airbus 320 with 3x3 seating. We were seated in different locations for the 2 hour flight.

The flight time passed more quickly for Margie as she had a delightful seatmate: a girl who lived in Vienna, had just graduated high school, and who spoke impeccable English. “Good teachers”, she said. She shared a lot of info about her city, and other details about life in Austria. She was excited about beginning her studies at the University which she happily explained were free.

Upon arrival at baggage in Vienna, we discovered that one of our two bags was missing; unfortunately Margie’s! Then more time was wasted as we waited in line at the lost baggage to submit a claim. That task accomplished, we searched, to no avail, for that transport with our name on a sign. What to do?

Plan B: A stop at the Info desk quickly got Tom interested in catching a CAT (City Austria Train) for 12 euros each to get to Stadt, the square near our hotel. Margie grudgingly went along, remembering that to catch trains often requires going down stairs several levels and walking long halls. Amazing that Tom hoisted his 50 lb. luggage up and down the stairs of the station, and up the steps in the train, considering the fatiguing day! The train ride into the city didn’t allow for much viewing of the surroundings, as it was part in tunnels and part with concrete walls on each side of the track. But, considering that we were arriving at the main rush hour in a big city, the train did get us to our destination within 15 minutes.

After exiting the train, more walking, walking, down halls and up more stairs to reach the first floor level. We crossed through a mall and onto a square. Then it was, thankfully, only another two blocks or so to our Hilton Hotel. Finally, we arrived!!! But without Margie’s luggage!

The Hilton lobby was very welcoming. Check-in was easy. We graciously accepted the offer of a toothbrush from the receptionist, although we had such, and that was the least of our concerns. Fortunately, Margie had two days’ worth of shirts; however, most of our needed supplies were in her bag. Oh well! “Make the best of it”, we thought. It was a nice hotel, and, after getting settled in our room, we headed out to dinner. Unfortunately, it had begun to rain. Of course, the umbrellas and rain jackets were in Margie’s luggage! So we popped into the little shop next door and picked up a rain poncho for Margie.

There were many little sidewalk cafes around the Hilton, but they quickly closed as the rain continued. A restaurant which appealed to us was an Italian place. Vapiano, about two blocks away. A unique concept: all fresh pasta of your choice, including the sauces, made-to-order as you watched, pizza of all kinds, salads, drinks, desserts. We shared a small mista salad and bolognese sauce with fusilli and a couple “vom Fass” (draught) beers. Vapiano’s also had a unique concept for paying. Upon entering, you were given a plastic “credit card”, and as you approached each station, you just placed that card on an electronic strip and an employee entered the charge. The total charges on the card were then submitted to the cashier for payment as you exited
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Vapiano’s was very crowded, but Margie spotted a little table as two ladies were leaving. Sitting next to us were a very friendly local lady, Gaby, and her daughter, who kept us alive via discussions over her yearly Greek Islands’ vacation and her New York visit. Her daughter will attend the university (free) next year hoping to be a primary education teacher. Gaby seemed eager to offer information about Vienna, and highly recommended Stadtwirt Restaurant, a local place a few blocks away, for good wiener schnitzel. Gaby even gave us her cell phone number in case we wanted help in Vienna. She and her daughter were among the first of the many friendly, helpful people we would meet. We knew we would visit Gaby’s restaurant recommendation tomorrow evening.

The rain had slowed to a drizzle as we walked the couple blocks back to the Hilton and turned in about 10 pm. The bed felt great after that travel day filled with frustrations, but ending happily with our experience in Vapiano’s.

We had purposely planned two extra nights in Vienna, hoping to take a daytrip to the Wachau Valley before joining the tour. But the travel delay and lost luggage would cause us to change those plans.



THURSDAY, Sept. 3, 2015 VIENNA EXPLORATION DAY

We set the alarm for 6:30 to practice for group tour endurance. The included breakfast buffet, in the main Hilton dining room, was a fabulous spread, including an omelette station and outstanding pastries, fruits, etc., etc., everything that one might want. Today was to be our full-day trip to the Wachau Valley with a visit to the monastery at Melk, perched high above the Danube, and a cruise on a section of the Danube, thought by many to be one of the most beautiful areas of that river. However, not having the previous day to explore Vienna as we had planned, and having anxiety about Margie’s missing luggage, we decided to stay in Vienna city proper. Awakening to cloudy skies further helped us forego our plans for a day-trip to the Wachau Valley, although the clouds lifted and it turned out to be a beautiful day.

We decided to get an overview of central Vienna on the Hop On, Hop Off bus, which included an English language audio guide. Today we were going for “easy”. We could purchase tickets in our hotel, and the boarding spot was right across the street. Margie could forget about her lost luggage, in hopes that, by the end of the day, it would arrive at the hotel.

Our day focused on the “Ringstrasse”, the 190 foot wide boulevard, arcing three miles around the city’s core, lined with many trees and grand buildings. In the 1860’s, the Hapsburg Emperor, Franz Josef, had the city’s medieval wall, which surrounded the inner city, torn down, and had it replaced with this boulevard. The bus proved to be a convenient way to delve right into the exploration of Vienna, one of Europe’s grandest cities of the past, as well as a vibrant city today.

We enjoyed seeing so many of the beautiful buildings, and exited at several points, one being just across the Danube Canal (Donaukanal), constructed to prevent flooding from the Danube River. There were many cafes and kiosks in this area, but we chose to take a popular walking street, Rottenturm Strasse, up to the massive St. Stephen Cathedral. The street was lined with coffee shops and stores; the walk took us quite some time.

Stephansdom, as the cathedral is called, is Austria’s finest Gothic cathedral. Austria’s population is said to be over 90% Roman Catholic, and St. Stephen Cathedral is the national church. It’s one of Vienna’s most prominent landmarks, with its spire dominating the city. The original construction of the cathedral dates back to 1147, and was Romanesque in style. Over the years, it has had several renovations, with Gothic additions. After having suffered severe damage from World War II, it has had ongoing repair.

The cathedral has so many impressive features, both inside and out. And there is so much history connected with it. Mozart was married there, and his funeral was there also, as was Emperor Franz Josef’s. We spent a good hour taking in the features of the interior; so much interesting detail that it would take hours to appreciate. Among many features, we were particularly struck by the many altars, and the ornate Gothic pulpit. carved from three blocks of sandstone, with a spiral staircase winding up to the lectern. The sides of the staircase have carvings of four church fathers, form the
support structure for the stairs.

St. Stephen Cathedral, surrounded by a huge square, dominate the city center. We found a quaint lunch spot facing Stephansdom at Café D’Europa. What do you eat for lunch in Austria? Bernerwirstel, plus “vom Fass”. Lots of “people watching” as this area seems to be a hub for visitors.
Having enjoyed the interior of the cathedral, while having lunch we could enjoy the exterior, which was equally stunning. We especially admired the colorful mosaic tiles on the roof, arranged in intricate patterns. Interesting that part of the design is an eagle, supposedly the symbol of the Hapsburgs.

We did some window shopping in the many stores surrounding the cathedral area, and in keeping with Austrian tradition, later made a stop for cappuccinos at a coffee house: Gutenberg Café.
From Stephansdom, we headed to the neo-Renaissance Opera House, which attracts music lovers from around the world.

As Paris had attracted many artists, Vienna was a hub for composers: among them, Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert, Brahms, Vivaldi, and of course, Strauss. As we would witness in our ongoing travels, many buildings of architectural beauty, such as opera houses, museums, houses of Parliament, etc., were destroyed or heavily damaged by bombings in World War II, and have since been re-built. Such was also the case with the Vienna Opera House. Admiring the exterior beauty of the Opera House, we could only imagine the beauty of the interior with its sumptuous halls and grand staircase. Unfortunately, we were not able to catch a tour and had to satisfy ourselves with pictures.

Feeling ready for an afternoon break, we headed to the famous Hotel Sacher, famous for their Sacher Torte. We were fortunate to get an outside table, and enjoy that most popular dessert while viewing another side of the Opera House. Sacher Torte, a tasty chocolate cake, with a layer of fruit, and chocolate icing, topped with whipped cream and a chocolate wafer, (truly decadent!,) originated at this old but prestigious Hotel Sacher. Coupled with cappuccinos, this stop was perfect. Following this, we did visit the first floor of the beautiful hotel.

Our first day in Vienna included a lot of imbibing of the atmosphere of this wonderful city, a needed relief from the hectic rush and frustration of yesterday. We had eyed the Hofsburg Palace Complex as one area for exploration tomorrow.

After a bit more meandering, we headed back to our hotel, arriving about 6. And a big relief! Margie’s luggage had been found and was safely in our room! This made her day! To think of spending hours the following day doing extensive shopping was not our idea of enjoying Vienna. And it would have been nearly impossible to replace all the various and sundry items needed for travel. So we were happy campers! After a little freshening up, we were ready for dinner.

Following the recommendation of Gaby, whom we had met last evening in Vapiano’s, we walked the few blocks to Stadtwirt Restaurant and had a tasty meal of wiener schnitzel. The veal was tender, the potatoes were great, as was the beer and wine. And how could we not end the meal with apfel strudel and cappuccino? The owner knew Gaby and treated us well, with a big discount for eating at her recommended spot. The atmosphere of the restaurant was very pleasant. It seemed like the diners were mostly locals. We were back at our hotel about 10 pm. Good day!


FRIDAY, September 4, 2015 2nd Day in VIENNA

Up at 6:40 and down to the dining room for a repeat omelette breakfast. Today it is crowded with lots of travelers.

This is our last chance to enjoy Vienna before meeting up with the tour at 5:30. We wanted to explore a little of the “outer ring”, so we used our remaining time with the HO-HO bus for that venture. The travel time was about an hour, but a convenient way to venture farther to the outskirts of the city.

We saw the United Nations’ building having 4000 employees here in Vienna. We passed their large amusement park with a gambling casino, concert venue, typical rides and a Ferris wheel, etc. We were told that it preceded Las Vegas. Who knows? These were part of Vienna’s largest park, Prater. A large part of it included grassy areas along the Danube Canal where many citizens enjoy biking, jogging, picnicking etc.

We crossed the real Danube River, with a fee boats moored along the shore and several smaller ships cruising. Near the river was the very large Art Nouveau St. Francis of Assisi Basilica, built between 1898 and 1910, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the reign of Franz Josef I. We were told that it is the parish of the English speaking Vienna community. It is just one of many, many churches in Vienna.

Although the outer ring doesn’t contain the number of architecturally beautiful structures of the so-called “inner ring”, it was interesting to witness the city in its full context. We enjoyed seeing the Danube River, 1777 miles long, which extends from the Black Forest in Germany to the Black Sea, and borders ten European countries. We were interested in the color of this mighty river, so romanticized by Johann Strauss, and witness for ourselves that the color isn’t blue, but a brownish-green, like our rivers in the US Midwest. But Strauss’ music is wonderful, and we do love “The Blue Danube” waltz!

Having satisfied our curiosity regarding the outskirts of Vienna, we returned to the Palace Museum Square where the central focus was a huge monument to Maria Theresa, the most important Hapsburg figure in the 1700’s Empire. She not only had 16 children, but married her children into other royal families to expand the Empire. Among other achievements, she instituted many building projects, promoted financial and educational reforms, and greatly increased the strength of the military: all of which helped extend the reach of the Hapsburgs. Very interesting to note that Maria Theresa didn’t have a real title. It was her husband Francis I who had the titles, but Maria Theresa executed the real powers of his positions. Nothing new about the idea of a competent woman leader!!!

In the Museum Square Area surrounding the Maria Theresa monument, are two very impressive museums which we would like to have visited, but we had to pace ourselves. We definitely wanted to tour the Hofsburg Palace, the main home of the Hapsburgs. So we headed in that direction, across the busy Burgring Strasse, and were amazed as we entered the grand archway to view the sprawling, lavish complex of buildings of the Hofsburg Palace.

We paid the 12 euros to walk up the magnificent Emperor Staircase leading to the 19 lavish state and private rooms of Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Elizabeth, gorgeously appointed with lots of gold, crystal chandeliers, etc. One could witnesss not only the stately splendor of the Hapsburg monarchy, but get a glimpse into the personal lives of the occupants.

We found it fascinating was to learn more about Franz Josef’s wife, Elizabeth,“Sisi”, the controversial queen, who was from a Bavarian royal family. Apparently, in her childhood, her family had a great love for the outdoors, and she experienced happy times. Living in the palace, she suffered great loneliness and depression. A 19th century Princess Diana? In some ways.

One of the first rooms was devoted to pictures and information about Sisi’s early life. Sisi spent hours a day having her prized long hair fixed, and had exercise equipment to maintain her slim shape. She had a love for learning, especially Greek mythology. She read and wrote poetry. Included in the tour were dresses and jewels worn by Sisi, as well as writings and artwork of hers.

Sisi had fostered a love for Hungary and its people, living there for months at a time, and was responsible for encouraging the extension of the Hapsburg Empire into that country, creating the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This was especially interesting to us as we would be heading into Budapest tomorrow. In order to escape palace life, Sisi loved to travel, often incognito. While on a short trip to Geneva from Montreux, her life ended tragically as she was assassinated by an Italian anarchist who discovered her identity.

The visit provided interesting insight into the life of Franz Josef, who had had a stern upbringing. He kept a busy schedule, rising very early, often eating breakfast at this desk. He reserved certain times for receiving citizens and hearing their concerns, but always stood so as to move the people quickly. His days were spent with many meetings with representatives throughout the empire.

While this visit to the Hofsburg Palace was extremely interesting, after an hour and half of standing and listening to audiotape explanations, we were feeling hungry. Lunch was at nearby café consisting of another sausage, but with a fancy name and presentation, but the vom Fass beer was great. We had an enjoyable conversation with a Canadian couple from Toronto who were visiting their daughter and son-in-law, both musicians, living in Vienna.

Since this was the day that our tour was to begin, we had to be aware of time as we were to meet the group about 5:30. We walked around palace grounds for a bit more, interested in all the tents and bandstand being erected for a festival. We returned to the Hilton Hotel area by about 4:00, wanting to walk through the lovely Stadtpark, one of Vienna’s major parks, located directly across the street from our hotel.

Stadtpark is a world of gardens with many paved walks lined with benches, containing memorials to musicians throughout. A focal point at one end is a small lake with a fountain. Near it, we visited the impressive monument to Johann Strauss. Located on the outskirts of the park was the lovely Kursalon Palace, in which Strauss performed, and which has since entertained audiences with concerts and waltzes. We had enjoyed a concert there on a former visit several years back.

Following our walk in the park, we returned to the Hilton and freshened up for the 5:30 meeting of the tour group in the hotel lobby. We met Erin, our tour director, who gave initial tour information. We would have 38 people with 40 seats on the bus. Our luggage would be picked up outside our room each morning and transported to the coach, etc., etc.

We expected the initial meeting to be drinks and appetizers in the hotel lobby. Instead, we boarded the Insight Vacations coach, and traveled to the Café Restaurant Angarten, an updated hunting lodge, located in a large woods formerly used by the royalty for hunting. We had passed this woods as we did our excursion into the inner city. The lodge restaurant was quite nice. Food and drinks were good: chicken schnitzel, potatoes, soup, beer, wine, apfel strudel etc. Since this was our initial meeting with the group, we felt a bit uneasy. We enjoyed talking with Nick, a young tour director who was preparing to lead a tour. He had a lot of knowledge about the lead up to World War 1 which we enjoyed hearing.

Back to the Hilton about 8:30. Early rising tomorrow. Lots of packing after 3 days in Vienna. We have to be ready for a long day. On the agenda is a visit to the Schonbrunn Palace, the summer home of the Hapsburgs, followed by lunch in central Vienna and a little more time to enjoy the city. Then we’re off to Budapest, Hungary.

As we turned in for the night, we discussed the fact that we never intended to spend so much time in Vienna. However, we agreed that it is a beautiful city with much to enjoy, and we’re glad that we took the opportunity to explore some of it.

Just a couple of notes.

Glad you enjoyed your tour but it really isn't necessary in thee countries.

While it is true that Hungarian is a unique language, Czech is slavic language related to Russian and other languages in that part of the world.

BUT the key point is that English is very widely spoken in all of the cities that you talked about. We have been to all of them, a couple several times, and never had any trouble not being fluent in the local languages - although we did learn the basic polite phrases. English is very widely spoken throughout Germany and Austria - towns of all sizes - and you can find someone to speak English in every place we visited in both Czech Republic and Hungary.

Excited to read the rest of your report! Thank you for the thoroughness of it.

Enjoying your report, Tom!

It's always interesting to read impressions of my adopted city; looking forward to the rest of the report.

nytraveler, not to split hairs too much, but the Czech language is more closely related to the western slavic languages of Poland and Slovakia; eastern Slavic languages include Ukrainian and Russian, to which the Czech language is less so related. The Hungarian language is only unique in that it is not Indo-European (like other Central European languages); it is related to the Finnish language, as is the language of Estonia, all of them being Uralic. After four years of traveling around Central Europe, it is the language we still struggle with for basic phrases.

Having traveled through some rather small villages in Austria, CZ, and Hungary, I don't think I would say that it's possible to find someone who speaks English, either. We have found ourselves out in Tirol and Vorarlberg, and even closer to Vienna, having to muddle through in our American-German-with-Viennese accent. On occasion I'll go shopping in CZ at a Tesco just across the border, and I've yet to encounter a sales clerk or customer service person who speaks English, but many who speak German.

Having been to all the places on your tour, I'm excited to follow along with you and get your perspective. Also interested to hear about your thoughts on Insight. We are looking to take a tour next year and Insight is one of the companies we are looking at.

Thanks to all for following along! We appreciate your interest.

Later, we'll post a few individual replies. Right now, have to run.

NYtraveler, thanks for your response. Re: a tour "really isn't necessary in these countries", our concern with the languages was one of safety; inability to read road signs,etc. And we had a couple of other reasons for deciding to go with the tour.

We'll be visiting your great city in early December! Looking forward to it!


Fourfortravel, glad to have you along on our journey. It's nice to get feedback from someone who lives/travels in these areas.

Bettyk, throughout our TR we'll have comments about Insight. Overall, we were very pleased. Thanks for your interest.

Passported and GinnyJo, it's always motivating to know that others are interested in our travel experiences, and are reading our TR. We're now finishing up Budapest and should post that part soon.

I really like how you write, will definitely follow along to a part of Europe I haven't visited yet. And I am going to dig up your report on your trip from last year, as I have randomly become obsessed with the idea of visiting the Salzkammergut on some kind of Munich to Vienna trip.

Looking forward to Budapest and Cracow especially!

Tom, I am enjoying your TR immensely! I finally went to Prague (somewhat disappointing) and Budapest, which I loved, two years ago so looking forward to hearing more about your travels.

My daughter and her husband are going to Vienna for their (belated) honeymoon and are really looking forward to it. They wanted something different in terms of a honeymoon destination and they both love history.

Great TR, and also enjoy your style of writing.
Will probably read your next installments in Vienna, where I'll be going to tomorrow. But hopefully with less hassle than your trip as it will be only a 1hr non-stop flight for me :-)

Great stuff...makes us want to get back to Vienna , which we just have not seen enough of on our two brief trips there. Speaking of Sisi, Tracy was so interested in the story she bought a book about her when we returned home. Looking forward to more.

((H))

Maitaitom, glad to see that you caught our TR. Interesting that Tracy was curious about Sisi also. Should get Budapest finished tomorrow. We'll watch for "Madrid"!

Inspiredexplorer, we had generally very good weather for our trip in 2014 except for the Salzkammergut. Hope you have better luck in that beautiful area.

Cowboy1968, glad you're following along. Have a great time in Vienna. Regarding our travel experiences, last year your advice on the Munich trains helped us have smooth travels. Thanks again.

LouisaH, thanks for your interest!

Looking forward to more, Tom. Looks like an interesting trip.

Adelaidean, we met a few really nice folks from your city on our trip. And. . .whatever we said about our "travel travails", we know that we have nothing to complain about when considering the long hours and connections you Aussies have to endure.

Thanks for following along!

Loving your detailed and well written report.
I remember reading of your trip to Croatia and throughly enjoying that report.
I didn't see it if you've mentioned it yet so apologies in advance, but might you be posting a link to pictures ?

Saving the report up for times with a mug of coffee or a pot of tea.. so I can read uninterrupted.

Thanks Tom.

SATURDAY, September 5, 2015

Morning: Vienna; Schonnbrunn Palace

Afternoon: Travel to Budapest, the “Pearl of the Danube”

Up at 5:45; luggage outside the door by 6:45. Breakfast is crowded, no time to wait for an omelette, but plenty of other choices.

Prompt 7:45 departure for Schonbrunn Palace, the first of many UNESCO World Heritage Sites we would visit on this trip. Our group was among the first arrivals. We were immediately met by a local tour guide, Claudia, and followed her lead through the extensive courtyard, up the stairs into the palace, and through the entrance area, with no wait. Our tour guide Erin presented the tickets for our group.


Today we would delve into a bit more of the lives of the Hapsburgs. Emperor Franz Josef, who began his rule at age 18, stayed in power until age 86. He would spend the last years of his life without his beloved Sisi, due to her untimely and tragic death. One could spend many months studying these figures and the history which surrounds them.

Schonnbrunn Palace, with its 1400 rooms, was the summer home of the Hapsburgs. It is said to rival Versailles.

We toured only a portion of the opulent royal apartments, filled with the gold and glitz that one might expect: elaborate furnishings, chandeliers, china and crystal in the dining room, etc. We spent about an hour with the guide, who proved to be an invaluable resource for explaining and answering questions.

Following the inside tour, we had about forty-five minutes on our own to enjoy the beautiful gardens, still highlighted with summer flowers. At home, just prior to leaving for this trip, we had viewed a concert on Public TV, which was conducted in the Schonbrunn Palace Gardens. It was interesting to actually be there and see that it looked the same. It felt like “déjà vu all over again” as Yogi would say.

Following our Schonbrunn Palace visit, we returned to the Vienna city center. During the drive, Claudia described the important sights and areas as we passed them. We felt that our previous two days in Vienna made this ride much more meaningful.

The coach dropped us off at Albertina Plaza, by the art museum of the same name. We decided to take the 20+ minute walk up the popular pedestrian street, Kartner Strasse, which is like an outdoor shopping mall. This would lead up to St. Stephen Square for one last look.

Hundreds of travelers, just like us, were milling around, window shopping, people watching, and drinking coffee at outdoor cafes. How many pictures must be taken? And those selfies… ugh! We enjoyed the time “on our own” from about 11 to 1:30, sipping cappuccinos overlooking St. Stephens, and taking a very leisurely walk back toward the area of our meeting point.

As we were heading in that direction, it began to sprinkle, so our thoughts of having lunch at an outdoor café vanished. Instead, we enjoyed a tasty meal at Rosenberg’s, a multi-level cafeteria with long counters of every type of food imaginable, and Gosser Beer.

At Rosenberg’s we met a worker, Matthew, a Canadian married to an Austrian girl. They now live in Vienna. Both of their grandfathers were Austrians who had somehow managed to get to Canada to escape the ravages of war. We enjoyed our conversation with Matthew, and wished that we had had more time to continue, as his Canadian background and experiences helped us to better understand Vienna and Austria through his eyes.

After a filling and delicious lunch, we walked to the outdoor Museum against War and Fascism which commemorates the terrible years of 1938-1945 when Austria was under the Nazi rule. The stones from the monument are from an infamous quarry at the Mauthausen Concentration Camp, not far from Vienna, where 100,000 prisoners died. A part of the monument represents the Jewish people who were murdered. 1/3rd of the 200,000 Jewish Viennese residents died in Nazi concentration camps.

The sight of this memorial, in the midst of this vibrant city, is a testament to the determination of the citizens to re-build, without forgetting the torturous past. And it’s only the beginning of a story of destruction and revitalization which we expected to experience as we traveled on to other countries which suffered under the Nazi and Soviet regimes.

As we departed Vienna, we felt sure that we would remember it as one of the major cultural cities of Europe, with an abundance of museums, churches, galleries, palaces, concert halls, and etc., many housed in architecturally outstanding buildings. In addition, Vienna has an abundance of parks, sporting arenas, restaurants and coffee houses. One regret was that we didn’t get to experience any of their “heurigens”. . . those popular wine-tasting establishments. We left Vienna with wonderful memories and ideas of what to explore if our travel plans ever include a return to this area.

When the time came to board the coach for Budapest, it was comforting to see that all of the group were punctual. For us, it was relaxing to leave the busy city without any concern for negotiating traffic or listening to the Garmin, or map reading. We just sat back, looked out the window and took in all the activity, confident in Tom our driver. With a good name like "Tom" how could one not be confident?

The scenery along the route to Budapest was not remarkable, as most of the terrain was flat. We had read that this area was known for some wine production. Our pre-trip reading also told us that we were traveling toward a beautiful city.

After an hour+, while still in Austria, we stopped for a restroom break. Immediately, memories of “pay restrooms” in Europe returned, always presenting the concern of having coins in the correct currency. (usually 1/2 euro). We hope our American businesses do not emulate this practice! McDonald’s seemed to be one of the few exceptions, and we would always look forward to finding a good ol’ Mickey D’s.

We were now only about 20 minutes from the Hungarian border. We had no problem crossing, and as we entered Hungary, Erin played the Hungarian national anthem.

Because of the recent large numbers of refugees from Syria who wanted to pass through Hungary and Austria, with the intention of reaching Germany, Austria had closed its border crossing the previous night. All traffic heading in the opposite direction to us, that is, northwest, was not allowed to enter into Austria from Hungary. Miles of traffic were stopped. Many people were out of their cars along the roadside. People were camping out: no food, no water, and no toilet facilities. A real humanitarian crisis seemed to be looming! This would only get worse and be a cause for worldwide concern. While traveling, we didn’t watch TV, but got our news from our phones. However, the tour director Erin kept us informed. Family and friends were e-mailing us to inquire whether this situation was affecting us. We assured them that it was not.

As we approached nearer to Budapest, the scenery did begin to get hillier. Erin introduced a few words in Hungarian. Although we had practiced a bit at home, the only two we remembered to use while there were “Jo’ Reggelt” for “Good Morning” and “Koszonom” for “Thank You”.

Some trivia and facts we had read before our trip:

Hungary is poorer than its neighbor, Austria. Even though it became a member of the European Union in 2004, it does not have a strong enough financial base to take part in the euro currency at this time. Their currency is the forint…thousands of them make one seem rich because about 3000 forints equal one Euro. Unemployment is about10%.

The fundamentals of the Hungarian language date back to the late 9th century. Its roots have some resemblance to Finnish, but over the years, it has been influenced by many cultures which have lived in the region. Some linguists describe the Hungarian language as “phenomenally unique”. We found it difficult to read and pronounce, although we knew from prior reading that many Hungarians, especially those in the tourist industry, speak English. Other than Hungary itself, the language is spoken only in a few pockets, mostly in Eastern Europe.

A synopsis of Hungarian history is difficult to come by. The country has had so many take-overs, and so many wars, that its history is extremely complicated. The World Wars caused great suffering and took an unimaginable toll on its people. The reign of the Hapsburgs, uniting Austria and Hungary as co-equal powers, was an intricate and most complicated feat. The Austro-Hungarian Empire lasted for 50 years, ending with World War I.

We knew that Budapest was really a combination of two cities: Buda and Pest, (which sounds like “Pesht”) and that it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But until arriving, we didn’t learn that the Buda side, perched on the hill on one side of the Danube River, (once its own city), is more expensive, and is considered to have more status than the city of Pest, which is across the river, and is mostly flat. But Pest is where most of the action is: hotels, restaurants, many main attractions, entertainment, etc. We also learned that there are 8 million residents in Hungary, 2 million of whom live in Budapest.


Now back from that digression:

As we neared Budapest, Tom, our coach driver, deftly negotiated the entry into the city and pulled right up to the front of the Sofitel, making it look easy! We were happy to be in Budapest, and staying at the Sofitel for the next two nights. The hotel was very nice, living up to the Sofitel reputation. And an extra bonus was having a view from our room. The location of the Sofitel was excellent, right beside the Danube Promenade and the famous Chain Bridge. (In Hungarian “Szechenyi”!) The yellow tram, line 2, frequently passed as its path ran parallel to the Danube, and the Buda hills provided a beautiful backdrop.

After getting settled in our hotel, we couldn’t resist a stroll along the Danube River Promenade, taking in the beautiful buildings across the river in Buda. We were free for a couple of hours to hang out in the city. Departure time for a Danube River Dinner and Cruise was 7:45.

Initially, we were going to book a cruise on our own, having read what a stunning stretch of the Danube this was, especially at night, when all the bridges and buildings were beautifully illuminated. However, we decided to go with the tour group, as by now we had gotten to know a few of the couples. The docks were a good 10 minutes ride down from our hotel, and the embankments were fairly dark. Traffic and parking were challenging along the dock area, but again, our driver maneuvered the coach with ease. There were several river cruise boats lined up, and the walk to the correct boat was made easy by just following the leader.

Upon entering the boat, we were shown to a dining room with a large Hungarian buffet table in the center and window tables for all. The tables were set with white table cloths, crystal and china. Wine was included with the meal. The buffet was a good spread: salads, cabbage rolls,(a Hungarian specialty), steak, pork, chicken, dumplings, etc., etc. Many choices! Wine a-plenty! Great desserts!

We shared a table with an Aussie couple, Robin and Bryan, whom we had met and liked a lot. They lived between Brisbane and Cairns, and we told them that we probably might have spotted their house on our flight from Sydney to Cairns!!! We enjoyed a stimulating discussion over dinner. How refreshing to enter into the world of a likable couple who grew up and live at the other end of our world, but who share common values. What a perk that traveling offers!

Following dinner, we spent the remainder of the evening on the upper deck enjoying the bright lights of the city and taking multiple photos. The five main bridges, along with the architecturally outstanding buildings lining each side, were a sight to behold. One of those bridges, painted white, was dedicated to Empress Elizabeth. We think that the Viking River Cruises’ TV ads feature the section of the Danube with the Parliament on the Pest side and the Royal Castle on the Buda side.

Following that great intro to beautiful Budapest, we returned to the Sofitel around 10 pm. The evening was so delightful that we walked along the water, enjoying the lights and people watching until around 11. Then “Good night!”

SUNDAY, Sept. 6, 2015 Budapest Exploration

Rising at 6:30, we had time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast in the attractive mezzanine restaurant. Afterward, we walked around the area of the Chain Bridge and explored more side streets, taking in the facades of many buildings. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day, and taking in the river activity along the Danube, and the hills of Buda, was a great way to begin.

Today we would have a local guide, Anita, who would lead us on a walking tour of some of the highlights of Budapest, beginning in Pest. We began with the beautiful Andrassy Ut Street), lined with trees and many elegant shops, bistros, and high-end hotels. There is a monument to Franz Liszt, the famous German composer with a Hungarian name, who spent his last five years in Budapest.

Andrassy Ut leads to Heroes’ Square and to the great park with fountains and lakes. We were especially impressed with Heroes Square, the largest and most symbolic square in Budapest, which contains the Millenium Monument erected in 1896, in celebration of the country’s 1000 year existence. At the top of a 118 foot-tall pillar is the Archangel Gabriel, with a crown in his outstretched hand. According to their legend, the angel appeared to Stephen in a dream and offered him the crown of Hungary. Statues of famous Hungarian leaders flank the colonnades of the monument. We appreciated Anita’s commentary. On each side of the wide square are several museums.

Hungary’s outstanding Parliament is the second largest in Europe, and is perfectly situated just above the road that runs along the embankment of the river. It is a real focal point in Budapest.

Another impressive site is the world’s second largest synagogue. Before World War II, 25% of Budapest was Jewish, However, Hungary lost nearly 600,000 Jews to the Holocaust at the hands of the Nazi Puppet Government, called the Arrow Cross. Efforts were made by many, including Catholic priests who secured false documents for Jews, but most Jews could not escape the vicious brutality and death from the Nazis.

We saw the House of Terror, the former headquarters of the diabolical Nazis, followed by the Communists, showing some of the torture and terror inflicted on the Hungarians. There were other sites or monuments conveying the unspeakable atrocities committed on the people of Hungary. Anita, who was very young during the days of Communism, told us a few stories. But, on this beautiful day, we did not feel up to visiting these depressing places. It was disturbing enough to hear about them!

Budapest has the world’s largest-known thermal cave system, comprising more than 170, and its bathhouses, which in themselves are architecturally interesting buildings, are very popular. Szechenyi is a popular bath near the Pest city center. Health is a big thing in Budapest, and the baths are considered very important for keeping/restoring it.

After a few hours in Pest, we moved on to Castle Hill in Buda, perched high above the Danube. Chain Bridge, near our hotel, is a popular pedestrian bridge, and after crossing it, one can take the long climb up the hill to Buda. Or, there is a funicular which can be accessed. But, in our case, we had the convenience of the tour coach nearby, so we stayed with Anita, the guide, and took the easy ride across the Danube and three-quarters of the way up the Buda hill.

After ascending the remainder of the hill, we enjoyed the main attractions in Buda: the Royal Palace, reconstructed on Castle Hill, the site of the coronation of Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Elizabeth, and housing a couple of museums; the multiple-spired Matthias Church, a landmark neo-Gothic church; and Fisherman’s Bastion, a neo-Romanesque rampart with seven towers which offers beautiful views over the Danube to Pest. In the Middle Ages, the fish market was just below Fishermens’ Bastion; hence its name. The gorgeous views of the city from the hilltop confirms why Budapest is often called “The Pearl of the Danube”.

Because it was Sunday, many sites were closed. Masses were being held at Matthias Church, whose official name is “Church of Our Lady”. The only way to gain entry was to have time to stay for an entire Mass and we did not have that advantage. However, the exterior, especially with its outstanding tiled-roof, was amazing, and we spent some time enjoying that.

While strolling around Buda, we had to weave in and out among the crowds. We managed to check out some of many little shops and cafes. One highlight was the purchase of three small prints from an impressive teen-ager who said that his father was the artist. For us, these will be treasured reminders of Budapest. (Only 10 euros each.) We were happy that he accepted euros, and even gave change in euros, as we hadn’t had enough time to exchange our money to forints, the Hungarian currency.

While in Buda, which is considered the upscale residential area, we could observe remains of the Soviet domination. Gunshot holes were especially evident in one building. Apparently, the Soviets covered the decorative facades of many of the homes with concrete. Only later, when it was removed, did people discover the beautiful fronts of these buildings.

When descending the hill from Buda, we passed the Hospital in the Rock, an underground hospital constructed in one of the many caves under Budapest. This secret hospital was used by the Hungarians during World War II and the Nazi invasion, and then in 1956 when the Soviets took over. During the Cold War, it was kept as a nuclear bomb shelter. Wow! What history we were witnessing!

After our return to Pest, our first thought was lunch! It had been a long but fascinating exploration of Budapest. We walked along the little street leading to St. Stephen Church, another major landmark, and found a delightful restaurant for an authentic Hungarian lunch at Aurum Bistro. From our table, we had a straight-on view of St. Stephen Church and the square.

Our meal began with Hungarian goulash “soup”. Their goulash is different from the German and Austrian goulash which was more akin to a stew. The Hungarian goulash soup is filled with beef chunks, potatoes, and vegetables which is served with cut-up bread for dipping and some spice (no doubt containing paprika) to flavor the otherwise flat taste. The spice was good, but we learned quickly that “more is not better” as we made ours too spicy hot. Water was appreciated! Following the goulash, we split a pork “brasso”, like a tenderloin, served with more potatoes. They know how to prepare those small round roasted potatoes! Gasso beer hit the spot. The wait staff was very friendly and knew English very well. They seemed happy that we could say “Kosonom”.

Onward toward St. Stephen Church, dedicated to the man who in about 1000 AD, founded Hungary and was canonized by Pope Sylvester. The capacity of this cathedral is about 8500. The outstanding dome, along with the amount of beautiful marble throughout the interior, were, to us, the outstanding characteristics. As with many other significant buildings which we have seen, and would continue to see, St. Stephen Cathedral suffered major damage, including the collapse of the dome, and was re-built several times. It’s interesting to note that Franz Josef’s consecration Mass was in St. Stephen. The story is told that during the ceremony, he was observed looking up in fear that the dome might again collapse.

The coffee shops and cafes surrounding the beautiful square in front of St. Stephen seemed to be the perfect spot for cappuccinos. We spotted California Coffee, a self-serve shop, with comfortable outdoor seating. We relaxed, and enjoyed the picture-perfect day staring at the façade of St. Stephen Church and watching all the people in the square.

For our return to the Sofitel, we took a circuitous route, checking out a few other small side streets, passing a large outdoor market, and ending at the Chain Bridge where pedestrians and bike riders abounded. The weather was just too beautiful to forego a couple more pictures of the mighty Danube River and the beautiful attractions on the hills of Buda. The view of the St. Matthias church complex, the government building close to it, the imposing Royal Castle, and Fishermen’s’ Bastion would seem difficult to surpass.

For the evening, we would have dinner at Gundel’s, a very well-known restaurant in Pest. After freshening up, we boarded the coach at 7:45 and were off to dinner at this storied establishment. Upon arrival at Gundel's, the welcoming landscaping, with its subtle landscaping, and the attractive interior, seemed to support the description of the restaurant. A restaurant originated on the site of Gundel’s in 1894, with the Gundel family taking over in 1910. We learned that many famous, and maybe infamous, people had eaten at Gundel’s. There were photos on the wall of Putin, Henry Kissinger, King Carlos of Greece, Queen Elizabeth II, and Pope John Paul II, who had not eaten there, but had celebrated a Mass in nearby Heroes Square.

Upon entering Gundel's, we were immediately seated, as Erin had reservations for our small group. Following wine, our meal began with asparagus soup. Our chosen entrees were fish for Tom and paprika chicken for Margie, each served with their favorite boiled potatoes with butter, and a vegetable. For dessert, we had the Hungarian specialty crepe, “palacsinta”, which was filled with walnuts, raisins, and a touch of rum topped with chocolate syrup. Orchestra music entertained during dinner. When the violinist approached our table inviting us to make a request, we asked him if they knew “New York, New York”, and the musicians immediately obliged. That livened up the evening! It made the whole experience more enjoyable, and a fitting finale to our Budapest visit.

We were back at the Sofitel by 10:15, and hated to think about leaving this beautiful city, with so much more left unexplored. Again, the weather was so delightful that we couldn’t resist a stroll on the Danube Promenade. This would be our last chance to enjoy the illuminated view of all the grand buildings and bridges. But since tomorrow is an 8:30 departure for the drive through Slovakia to Krakow, Poland, we needed to get packed. So it was “Good Night” to the Danube River and the Chain Bridge.

Love it! Budapest is one of our favorite European cities, and it's at the top of our re-visit list. Thanks for letting me re-live it a bit with your fabulous descriptions!

yes, Tom, Adelaide is nice enough (check out our local beaches here)

https://flic.kr/s/aHskdoJteL

but, 13.5 hours to Dubai, 4 hrs layover, then 7.5 hr flight is horrendous in economy!!

Enjoying your report. :)

So glad that you had a good time in Budapest. It is my favourite city in Central Europe, so much so that I've visited 4 times and can't wait to go back again. A beautiful city, accessible and inexpensive to enjoy. The people and food are wonderful and it is steeped in culture and history.

I'm very familiar with the places you visited and the area around the Sofitel, as well as all the beautiful bridges. There are many interesting areas easy to explore on foot. I usually stay at the Gellert Hotel which is on the hill, beside the citadel and in front of the Freedom Bridge (next one over from the Elisabet Bridge) which leads to the food market and hall and the pedestrian shopping area.

Thanks again for a great report. Looking forward to more.

Budapest is on our short list, so your report is vey interesting. Hope you liked Krakow...is everyone there still under 30, tall and good looking? (:
Looking forward to more!

((H))

Ginny Jo, we, too, have added Budapest to our list for a re-visit. Thanks for your continued interest in our TR.

Adelaidean, thanks for hanging in there with our long report. We experienced so much that it's difficult to condense. While in Krakow, we enjoyed a delightful meal with a couple from Adelaide. They're coming up in our next city visit.


Mathieu, Thanks so much for your positive comments on our TR. While in Budapest, we saw Gellert Hill with the prominent monument overlooking the Freedom Bridge, but didn't have time to explore it. Next time!

Regarding your comments above about the TR to Croatia: we think you may have us (Screenname: "tomarkot", Tom and Margie, confused with screenname; "maitaitom", Tom and Tracy. If that's so, we feel very complimented, because we think that maitaitom has some of the best and most entertaining TR's on Fodor's. We're sure that Tom & Tracy work as a team, as do we. Maitaitom's reports have great writing and wonderful pics, all integrated. We're not that tech-savy nor do we have maitaitom's great sense of humor.

If you're interested in Spain, Maitaitom has a wonderful ongoing TR of their trip.

Mathieu, thanks again for continuing to follow along on our journey in Central Europe.

Enjoying your report, especially the interesting people you keep meeting! However, it sounds like you thought you had a choice between driving yourselves and taking a big group tour. Not so! The choice was really: driving, taking public transport, taking a small to medium group tour, or taking a big group tour. I have visited most of Central and Eastern Europe (I think I'm just missing Belarus, Kosovo and Azerbaijan) and I have done it entirely by public transport plus a couple of flights. The only languages I speak are English, American and some French - German (or Russian) would have been more useful. I did learn the Cyrillic alphabet, but that's pretty easy.

I have never considered taking an Insight tour, and after learning that you had to get up at 5:45, and only had two nights in Budapest, I certainly won't consider using them in the future! If I wanted a tour for Europe I'd probably use Rick Steves, who puts 24-28 people on a 50 seat bus. Or for a smaller group you might look at Adventures Abroad or Odyssey.

Whoever booked you a 55 minute international transfer at CDG should be fired! With a non-EU passport I wouldn't consider less than two hours and would probably want more.

Nice report and glad that everything worked out with Margie's luggage. FYI, Vapiano's is a German chain. And they have several restaurants in the U.S. -- the closest one to Cincinnati is in Chicago.

WeisserTee, thanks for your response to our TR. Yes, finding my luggage was a great relief. Also, glad you pointed out all the Vapiano locations. We like to visit Chicago and DC, so we'll look them up.


Thursdaysd, glad you're following along.

We learned a good lesson from that flight itinerary: we'll return to our normal pattern of booking our own flights.

Our purpose on this trip was to get a taste of the cities we visited, and the tour accomplished that. We may return to some cities on our own in future travels.

Maitaitom, thanks for your comments on our ongoing TR. When in Krakow, we didn't notice an overwhelming number of young people. Maybe the universities were on break!

Hope to finish our Krakow portion today.

I'm enjoying your excellent report with all the great details. This is a part do Europe we haven't visited, so eager to learn about your experiences.

Kathie, really appreciate your response as we know that you are an avid traveler. We especially value your input. Thanks for following along.

We're working on Krakow. It is taking longer than we thought, but we should have it posted tomorrow.

MONDAY, September 7, 2015 TRAVEL TO KRAKOW, POLAND
through SLOVAKIA

This was an early start day: 8:30. We had breakfast on the main floor level of the Sofitel restaurant. No omelette station…but still a very good breakfast spread. And a last look outside at our wonderful location.

As we left the beautiful city of Budapest with the mighty Danube River running through the heart of it, lined on either side with architecturally gorgeous buildings, it was difficult to get a grip on its difficult history. It’s unspeakable to think that so much of it was destroyed at the end of WW II, and fathom the horrific ethnic cleansing by the Nazis of a half million Jews, in Budapest alone. This diabolical regime started in the rural areas and moved into the city with their holocaust. Following the Nazis was the communist dictatorial domination for years after the failure of the1956 rebellion. It wasn’t until 1990 (after the ’89 fall of Berlin Wall and collapse of Soviet Union) that the city could begin to rebuild. To rid Budapest of any reminders of that painful past, the city removed all the communist statues and plaques.

The above observations were greatly overshadowed by the wonderful experiences we had in Budapest. Beautiful setting, great restaurants, all in all, a city that bears re-visiting as there is so much more to experience. Budapest will be a hard act to follow!

Leaving Budapest, the weather looked beautiful. Of the entire trip, this day promised to be the most scenic, as we would be traveling through the Tatra Mountains, partly in Slovakia and extending into southern Poland. We were prepared for a long day, but the scenery would make it enjoyable. It was about two hours to the border of Slovakia. Although the roads were good, the terrain was mostly flat and not remarkable.

Entering Slovakia, the TD Erin played the country’s national anthem. Slovakia would be a “pass-through” country on our route to Krakow; however, never having been there, we wanted to know a little about it. We learned that it is the geographic center of Europe, and is completely land-locked, being bordered on the west by Austria and the Czech Republic, on the south by Hungary, on the east by Ukraine, and on the north by Poland. For people living in the countries close to the Slovakian border, and for the Slovakians themselves, the country seemed like a nature-lover’s paradise.

The High Tatra Mountains, which Slovakia shares with Poland, are rugged, having distinct peaks somewhat akin to the Alps, however at a lower elevation. Their highest peak is 8711 ft. They’re heavily frequented by skiers as well as mountain climbers. Many major winter sporting competitions are held there.

The Low Tatras, which are on our route, are known for extensive forests containing pine and spruce, wide pasture lands, lakes, and waterfalls. There are large deposits of limestone and granite, many species of vegetation, and wild animals such as bears and wolves. The area is great for hiking, and is also used for skiing. It reminded us of the Appalachian Mountains in the US whose highest peak of 6684 ft. is in North Carolina.

The hourly wage in Slovakia is low, so many Slovakians cross the border into Austria to work. Their capital, Bratislava, is only about 50 miles from Vienna, making those cities the closest capitals to each other. There are many Hungarians living in Slovakia, as it, too, was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Even though the weather on this travel day had started out sunny, as we began to see the mountains rising in the distance, it was deteriorating. It became cloudy and a drizzling rain began. As we gained altitude, visibility became less and less. We passed little clusters of homes along the road, mostly simple wooden structures, with very tiny yards. Some had a car parked right up against the house.

We made one rest stop en route, and broke for lunch a while later in the little ski resort town of Donovaly. (Don’t think Aspen or Squaw Valley!). This resort was very, very small. Of course, being September, the area seemed deserted. The TD had called ahead for assurance that the restaurant was open.

The menu of this little ski place was an “order by number.” The suggestion was for their garlic soup, but given the other menu options, Margie chose chicken soup (less spicy); Tom had sauerkraut soup; we split a #336 skewer of pork and beef which was served hanging on a wrought iron stand. And, of course, we had their good beer. The food was outstanding; 22 euro.

By the time we left the restaurant, the rain had stopped. However, it was still quite overcast, and with limited visibility, the drive seemed longer. Fortunately, the Insight coaches have Wi-Fi, which turned out to be more dependable than the hotels. We sent e-mails and began to catch up on trip notes which, for us, is a bit of teamwork. We each carry a notebook, plus we write notes on our Surface. When we return home, all this is collated and written in our report, usually by Margie, with Tom doing proofing. With the view of the mountains obscured, we got a good start on our records.

The rain was off and on as we drove route E77, encountering several slowdowns due to road construction. We did catch some glimpses of the mountains. Slovakia is known to contain a large amount of castles. On this trip we would pass only one, the Hrad Castle, near the Polish border. However, it was shrouded in clouds as we passed, making a stop less than worthwhile.

In spite of losing time from road construction, and traffic tie-ups, Tom our driver masterfully negotiated Krakow’s rush-hour traffic and we arrived at our Sheraton Hotel in Krakow about 5:15.

We were welcomed by a huge arrangement of fresh flowers in the center of the lobby, and were glad to see that the Sheraton was located with a view to the Wawel Castle Hill and the Vistula (Wisla) River across the street.

Dinner was scheduled for our whole group in the hotel. Today we had meals spread out over three countries: breakfast in Hungary, lunch in Slovakia, and dinner in Poland in the Sheraton Hotel Dining Room. Although it was nice to think of having dinner right in the hotel after the long travel day, we were wondering how a dinner with the tour group would work out. In a back room? Poor food? However, we were pleasantly surprised that it was in the main Sheraton dining room.

The meal turned out to be a delightful experience as we shared a table with Val and Mario, a fun couple from Adelaide, Australia. Our meal began with drinks, wine or beer. All four of us thought the entree of filet mignon of pork was excellent. And we were happy to have made the acquaintance of Val and Mario. In addition to being nice people, Mario had a great sense of humor and Val played right off of it.

Since the Sheraton had that great location at the southern end of the Old Town, a stroll outdoors seemed the perfect way to walk off our meals. We had to get our bearings, realizing that we were now in Krakow, the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. After a short while outside, it was back to the hotel, get settled, and “Good night.”

TUESDAY, September 8, 2015 KRAKOW EXPLORATION DAY

We took a pass on the salt mine tour, which some of the group elected to do, and instead decided to enjoy exploring a bit of the area of Krakow around our hotel. Being right across from the Vistula River walkway, we took advantage of the beautiful morning to enjoy it, along with the early joggers and bikers. The Wawal Castle Hill, which we would visit later on, was part of the scenery. A restaurant right along the shore, hadn’t yet opened. But the swans and ducks were delightful, and the sun helped take the chill out of the air.

In Vienna, we learned that Franz Josef had ordered the removal of the old protective walls of the city and had the area designed as the Ringstrasse, a boulevard arcing around the city with beautiful trees and buildings. Here in Krakow, it was also Franz Josef who called for the old medieval wall to be torn down. In its place, a ring of parkland, called the “Planty”, was developed to encircle the Old Town. The promenade area along the river is a part of it. Along the Planty are many little parks and gardens.

We strolled for a couple of blocks along the river, and then headed up to a side street lined with stores, where we stopped in a bakery. Its long counters of colorful pastries looked so tempting, but after our large breakfasts, we resisted. The clerks spoke no English, except that they knew “cappuccinos.” We said “dziekuje”, one of the few Polish words we knew, and sat at their window counter enjoying our drinks and people-watching. There was activity around as the shops were just beginning to open and the trams were filled with passengers. Sometimes it’s nice just to get a feel for life among the residents in a city.

It was soon time to head back to the Sheraton. At 10:45 we would meet a local guide, Marta, for a walking tour of Krakow. (Pronounced Krock-oof by the residents)

Prior to our trip, we had read that Poland’s population is about 40 million. Its economy is doing well. Over the years, since the liberation from the Soviets, Krakow has grown and flourished. Although its Old Town is a focal point for tourists, and will be for us, the city fans out around it and has all the amenities of a modern town. Besides the government buildings, it has many museums, restaurants, banks, universities, concert venues, and sporting facilities. Poland joined the European Union in 2004 but retains its own currency, the koruna.

Since our focus in Krakow will be the Old Town, what better way to have extended our morning exercise than to head up the hilly street from the Sheraton Hotel and then make the steep climb to the Wawel Castle Hill? This outstanding site, of great cultural and historical significance to Poland, is a fortified outcrop overlooking the Vistula River, with a commanding a view of the whole town of Krakow. Wawel (Vah-vehl) Hill contains a palace, chapels, with crypts of Polish leaders, highly decorated apartments, colonnaded courtyards, and small museums.

Guided by Marta, our first stop when reaching the top of the hill was the Royal Wawel Castle, which dates back to the 1300’s. For centuries, it was the seat of Polish royalty. Important decisions determining the country and its people were made here. Within the castle is a Renaissance cloister containing Flemish tapestries, significant paintings, and bejeweled crowns and swords precious to the history of Poland. The Castle now functions as an art museum.

When the Nazis invaded, they took over the Wawel Castle, making it the 3rd Administration of the Third Reich, headquarters of their created Krakow district. The beautifully decorated apartments with the arched outdoor verandas, backed by muraled walls, became the living quarters for the Nazi leaders. Some areas of the castle, less decorative, housed Nazi military. From here they planned and directed some of the most atrocious and cruel measures against the Polish citizens and the Jews in Krakow. We knew that we would be learning more of this somber history as our trip proceeded.

On the Wawel Hill, along with the Castle, is the Wawel Cathedral which, we were told, continues to be a functioning church. Compared with all the cathedrals and churches we’ve seen, the Royal Cathedral seemed less impressive. However, it contains the tombs of many Polish kings and national heroes, and is therefore significant to Krakow and all of Poland. Even after the capital was moved to Warsaw, most kings were still crowned and buried at Wawel Cathedral. One of the earlier Polish queens was of the Hapsburg family and is buried in Wawel Cathedral. Since viewing tombs and memorials is not our thing, we were happy to bypass this opportunity of an interior visit.

A special religious monument atop the hill is dedicated to Pope John Paul II, whom the Polish revere as their native son and the one who was most influential in freeing them from the communist rule. As we continued our exploration of Krakow, we would see more evidence of the esteem which they had for him as their former Archbishop and as Pope John Paul II, recently canonized a saint by Pope Francis.

The Wawel Castle is the southern terminus of the Royal Road, which began in the Old Town (Stare Miasto). This route was followed for coronation processions, parades, escorting foreign envoys and special guests to royalty receptions, etc. As we descended from the Wawel Castle Hill, we followed this route to the Old Town, passing some of the prominent landmarks of Krakow. Marta’s commentary was very helpful in learning about many of the buildings. We wended our way from the Royal Road to the popular Florianska Street and finally into the Main Square (Rynek Glowny), which is the center of Krakow.

We learned a couple of interesting, if insignificant, facts along the way, one of which is that many of the homes had an animal relief atop the doorway. Marta explained that there were no numbers on the houses, but that people would refer to their home location by the animal form displayed above it.

We passed the Archbishop's Residence, used by Pope John Paul II when he was Archbishop of Krakow, and later when he visited the city. He worked ten years before the collapse of the Soviet Union alongside of Lech Walesa in Gdansk who was organizing labor across Poland. He celebrated Mass inside the square at Krakow and urged the people to continue to struggle. Ten years later Lech Walesa was elected the head of Poland.

When the Polish people heard that Pope John Paul was near death, news accounts reported that thousands gathered outside this residence. When his death was announced, the people in the crowd fell to their knees in silence.

During the occupation of the Nazis, and the domination of the Soviets, the citizens were not permitted to be in the square. They were told, “A rested worker is a good worker”. As we later learned, ability to work and serve the government was a criteria of the Nazis to determine life or death for individuals.

Mostly in response to questions, Marta described some of the unspeakable conditions which her family had endured under the Nazis, and things she remembers from her childhood living under the Soviet oppression. Among them, living with three families confined to one little apartment, having one kitchen and one small bathroom. There was always fear of the police. Food was very sparse. She began to say more, but got tears in her eyes. It was emotional!

The group then moved on to the Old Town Square, which along with the Wawel Castle and the Kasimierz District, was included as the first of its kind on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Main Market Square (Rynek Glowny), is the largest medieval square in all of Europe. Being in the center of Old Town, it is the heart of Krakow, and is normally full of activity. Today was no exception: musicians, kiosks peddling souvenirs, people milling about. An Indian group of singers and dancers, complete with colorful costumes, had a group gathered around them.

The most striking building in the Square is St. Mary’s Church which dominates the Krakow skyline. The original building was destroyed by the first Tatar invasion in 1241, and since then it has been rebuilt several times, but always on the same foundation. It appears, at first glance, to have double steeples. In reality, one steeple is taller and is actually a municipal watchtower.

This watchtower has a small window on top where a bugler, an off-duty fireman, plays a bugle call (hejnal) each hour, stopping mid-tune. This tradition is to commemorate a bugler, who, according to a Polish legend, sustained a fatal blow with an arrow as he was warning the people of Krakow of the oncoming attack by the Tatars. The belief is that he saved the city. Each hour, many people in the square fix their gaze on that little window and wait for the bugler.

Marta guided us through the gorgeous inside of St. Mary’s, explaining so many features which we probably would not have noticed on our own. For us, one highlight of St. Mary’s is the exquisite, three-part Gothic wood-carved altarpiece. It was completed over a twelve year period by a famous Polish woodcarver. It is most impressive not only for the beautiful artistry, combining two types of wood, oak for the structural parts and linden trunks for the figures, but for the fact that the altar doors open and close, and reveal scenes from the lives of Jesus and Mary on the reverse sides.

Among other impressive features is a striking blue-starred ceiling which reminded us of Van Gogh’s “Starry, Starry Night”. And under the organ loft is a crowned eagle, the symbol of Poland.

After our visit to St. Mary Church, we expressed our thanks and farewell to Marta, knowing that we would see her the following day. The information she shares makes the history come alive!

The Old Town Square is brimming with restaurants, cafes, pubs, and shops. Before doing any more exploration, our goal was to find a spot for lunch. Several hours of walking on hills and cobblestones, and standing, spelled a need for rest and food. Selection of a place was the biggest decision.

Atmosphere won out over menu. We spotted a nice sidewalk restaurant, Steropolske, where the maitre’d found us a table near the front, good for people watching. Along the sides of the square was a long line of beautifully-decorated horse carriages, ready for passengers.

Tom’s choice of their traditional soup, consisting of white sausage, potatoes, and some other unknown ingredients, was excellent. Margie again chose chicken soup, which satisfied her. Together was their good bread and a cold beer, we enjoyed the lunch with a view as we leisurely sipped cappuccinos.

Fanning out from the Main Square are many small streets, lined with a variety of shops, cafes, and restaurants. Following our leisurely lunch, we spent some time exploring these areas. One could find shops selling anything from nice clothing to sportswear and even tattoos.

It was now getting to be late afternoon. We were aware of the Kasimierz District, which over the years had become one of the most populated Jewish areas. And we knew something about how the Nazi had systematically removed so many of its members, committing horrible atrocities against the Jews and others. But given our time frame, and the fact that we would be visiting Auschwitz the following day, and dealing with so many harrowing facts, we decided to by-pass Kasirmierz. It would have been a good 20-30 minute walk each way, giving us too little time to explore it.

We returned to the Main Square and headed for the Cloth Hall, a long building which runs along one side of the square. The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) was so called because in medieval times the cloth merchants would come through Krakow and sell their goods in this building. No business was allowed to be conducted in the open square. The first floor of the Cloth Hall is lined on both sides by small shops with local merchants selling a variety of things, from amber jewelry to Russian nesting dolls, to woodworks, etc. and also souvenirs.

We succumbed and purchased a few things. We knew that amber was a special stone in Poland, coming from the shores of the Black Sea by Gdansk, so Tom insisted on buying Margie an amber pendant. No resistance there! And Tom, true to form, bought a t-shirt and souvenir bottle opener. The fun of the experience was the conversation with the two delightful young girls who were working at the amber jewelry booth. They both spoke very good English and seemed to enjoy the encounter. One interesting note was their reaction when we asked about their I.D. cards, saying that they would never go anywhere without them. They were surprised when we said that if we’re not driving, especially Margie, we often don’t carry our licenses, our IDs.

After our Cloth Hall visit, we exited through the attractive colonnade which runs the length of the Hall. We were off to explore a bit more of the square. To the left of the Cloth Hall, is a 200 ft.Tower, the only remaining part of the Town Hall from the 14th century, built when Krakow was the capital of Poland. The tower looked impressive, but contains only a stairway to the top displaying a small exhibit of Krakow history along the way. We read that the view from the top isn’t that impressive, so we gave that a pass.

Near the south end of the Main Square is the very small St. Adalbert Church, dating back to the 11th century. It is named after a man who wss martyred on the Baltic Coast near Gdansk. It contains only four pews, but has great acoustics. We wished that we had visited the church earlier as we found out only too late that we had missed a Chamber Music concert.

Tempted by a nice table along the square, we decided that it was time for another cappuccino, followed by a second visit to St. Mary’s Church.

Krakow is well-known as a university town, the oldest and most famous being the Jagiellonian University. This prestigious center of learning was begun by King Kasimierz in 1300, because of his conviction that to flourish, the city needed educated citizens. Through the years, with changes of leadership, country partitioning, economic downturns, etc. the university has struggled. The Nazis tried to destroy it, executing almost 200 professors. The Soviets suppressed learning at all levels. Through all of the trials and tribulations, Jagiellonian University (UJ) today has colleges in every conceivable field, each with a beautiful campus. It claims among its famous graduates Copernicus and Karol Wojtyla, later Pope John Paul II. We were disappointed that we did not have time to explore it.

It had been a long day, and we thought about heading back to the hotel, but not before having a small dinner. The girls in the Cloth Hall helped us locate a restaurant whose name we had written in English, and fortunately it turned out to be very near. It was one of their famous “cellar restaurants” named POD SLONCEM RESTAURACJA. It’s an odd feeling going down the several steep flights of stone stairs and finally entering a warm, welcoming eatery. We thought we’d try pierogi; after all, it’s part of the cuisine of Poland. Never realizing how filling a pierogi with meat would be, we ordered one serving to share. In addition, Margie ordered a dinner salad and Tom had soup. We left half of the pierogi on the platter, explaining to the waitress that they were tasty, but just too filling!

It was now almost dark and high time to head home because we had to rise early in the morning as we would visit Auschwitz and Czestokowa en route to Warsaw. The walk back to the hotel was at least 20 minutes; it was now raining lightly. Too dark to see a map! We walked through the little streets, and struggled to find the correct turn at the castle to arrive at the Sheraton. Luckily a nice cab driver pointed us in the right direction.

We arrived back about 8:30, and needed to pack in order to be ready for a 7:15 departure. Erin arranged to have the hotel breakfast begin at 6:15. It was always more pressuring on an early departure day!

On our last evening, we were aware that we had only scratched the surface of Krakow. We focused our time on the Old Town, realizing that, in that area alone, we had missed museums. In addition to the Old Town, there’s the remainder of the city which has developed over the years. In light of the bombings suffered by so many other cities, it's very fortunate that Krakow escaped this fate!

We really liked Krakow and would hope for a return visit.

Thanks Tom, very interesting.

I was looking forward to your Krakow impressions; the city is one of my favorites in Central Europe. You really did only scratch the surface! We have decided to spend Christmas there this year; being of Polish descent, I'm excited for all of the festivities.

Thanks, Tom! Poland is on the docket for us for 2016, so it's wonderful to have this preview.

We have also recently returned from beautiful Krakow. A highlight for us was seeing da Vinci's "Lady with an Ermine" , on display at Wawel Castle, a separate ticket. I hope you got to see this masterpiece too. We have visited Vienna, Prague and Budapest in the past, but enjoyed Krakow even more.
It looks like tour didn't include a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau. I recommend that you include it on your next visit. Tragic but part of our world history and the guides treat it with respect, as a visit to a cemetery to pay your respects to those who perished.
Thanks for your informative report!

Ginny Jo and Adelaidean, thanks for your continued interest!

Fourfortravel, you're right, we did only scratch the surface of Krakow, as with so many cities, even in the US. Since you live in "the vicinity", Christmas in Krakow sounds a perfect place. A far cry from Krakow, but we plan to enjoy the great holiday festivities in NYC.

HappyTrvlr, following Krakow, we did visit Auschwitz-Birenau, a very emotionally draining experience. It's the most difficult part of our trip to write about.
Thanks for following along.

Addendum to Krakow: We forgot to add that stones from the Wawel Castle are imbedded in the façade of the Chicago Tribune Building in honor of the Polish population there. They're
surrounded by fragments from many important sites from around the world, including the Berlin Wall which we'll visit later in our trip.

Terrific report. We were quite enamored with Krakow. I'll be interested in your impressions of Warsaw, as we nixed that part of our trip due to time constraints.

((H))

Maitaitom, we're glad that we went to Warsaw. But as far as realistic opportunities for a future visit, it is much farther north than any other destinations on our radar. We really liked Krakow, and could see that in our future plans.

I'm catching up with you again. Interesting to read your impressions of Krakow, as friends of ours visited last year and really liked it.

Kathie, yes, Krakow is a wonderful city, and it's difficult to imagine how anyone would not find it to be so.

Thanks for following along with us! We're working on our next installment; albeit the most difficult, as part of it includes our visit to Auschwitz. But then we traveled on to explore Warsaw! Stay tuned.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015 Auschwitz visit
Czestochowa: shrine
Warsaw


7 AM departure. Wow! Can be tiring and anxiety provoking to be on a tour. Amazing how many people were at breakfast ahead of us as we thought we were a few minutes ahead of schedule.

On this morning we experienced very mixed emotions as we would be visiting the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration and Extermination Camp. This is a place which we dreaded visiting, but thought that we must.

One purpose of our trip to Central Europe was to gain more insight into the history of the countries we visited, especially the impact of the Nazis and subsequent Soviet domination. Though we have watched documentaries and visited museums, and last year visited Berchtesgarten in Germany, we wanted to get a more complete understanding of this most notorious period of history. We know local people who themselves or their families were impacted by the Nazis as well as the Communists.

Although Poland has been a Catholic country for many years, and remains heavily Catholic today, the country has had a long history with the Jews, much of it very positive for both. Poland and the Jews became acquainted in about the 10th century when Jewish merchants stopped by as they traveled on trade routes to Kiev. Traders were required to spend a couple of nights in Krakow selling their goods.

The first permanent Jewish community was established in 1085. Poland welcomed the Jews, and appreciated their craftsmen. Their skills contributed to the needs of the people by providing such services as fur-making, tanning, and tailoring, shoemaking, etc., while creating income for them. They helped to form a middle class in a country of wealthy landlords and poorer peasants.

Over the years, the Jewish population grew. Poland offered the Jews freedom of worship, trade, and travel. Around 1330, King Kasimierz the Great was especially welcoming to them. Over the next century, there was a huge migration from other countries such as Spain and Austria. By the middle of the 16th century, ¾ of all Jews lived in Poland. It was considered to be the spiritual center of Judaism.

The relationship with the Polish government seemed to be one of mutual gain: the Jews could live in an accepting environment and the country could benefit from their industriousness, craftsmanship, and knowledge of commerce. In the 16th through 18th centuries the Jews began to be recognized for their interest in learning. They became journalists, teachers, lawyers, and doctors. Someone described the Jews as “a virtual galaxy of intellectual figures.”

But anti-semitism had been raising its ugly head in many areas of the world over a long period of years. It rose to a fever pitch when Hitler came into power. Before the Nazi invasion, Poland contained 80% of the Jewish population. We learned so many of the horrible details about the unspeakable cruelty and killing of Jewish people, as well as Polish citizens, as we moved along in our trip.

Not only was Hitler’s plan to eradicate the Jews, but his plan also included no place for the Christian Churches. Since the Catholic Church has been a leading force in Polish nationalism, and against foreign domination, the Nazis targeted clergy, monks, and nuns in their terror campaign with mass executions. Many other Poles, mostly Catholics, were shot.

The drive from Krakow to Auschwitz was about 75 minutes, during which we passed the Polish countryside with the typical small farm houses. We could see the infamous railroad tracks which were only a part of the hundreds of miles of networked tracks around the whole area which served the Nazis in their goal of total extermination of the Jews and any others whom they considered “undesirable”, such as the infirm, mentally ill, Gypsies, religious leaders, and “intelligentsia”.

During the drive, Marta, our guide, shared a lot of information about the situation in Poland from the late 30’s through the end of the War. We had no idea of the large number of camps spread all over German-dominated land, described as “Labor Camps” such as Dachau, to “Labor-Concentration Camps” such as Auschwitz, to totally “Extermination Camps” such as Treblinka. Auschwitz-Berkenau was the largest and most notorious.

The territory of Poland became a virtual prison-island, with several hundred complexes of state organized terror. In these camps, it is estimated that nearly 6 million people died, either by extermination, firing squad, starvation, illness, and other means of torture. Among them it is estimated that there were between 2.7 to 2.9 million Jews, 2.77 ethnic Poles, and the others among Hitler’s “undesirables”.

Auschwitz is a sobering experience! Marta made it even more impactful as she is native Polish and lived under the Communist “liberation”/oppression. Her parents lived under the Nazis.

The end of WWI created the Versailles Treaty which greatly reduced the size and power of Germany. This fact enraged Hitler! He intended to realize a plan of territorial expansion and massive settlement of German colonists, giving explicit permission to his commanders to kill all men, women, and children of Polish descent or language.

This plan was carried out very systematically: different dates for killing Polish nobles, clergy, and Jews; then intelligentsia, finally all Poles. There are so many harrowing stories about how the Polish and Jewish were rounded up and sent to concentration camps, never to return. Rewards were offered to Germans who would turn people in. If anyone hid a Jew or Pole, the threat was death to the whole family.

The world economy in the early 30’s was poor and jobs were scarce. The Jews were not active in agriculture, etc. but were more business-oriented. They bore the brunt of Hitler’s wrath for the poor economy and hence fueled his goal of ethnic cleansing. The Nazis promoted hatred of the Jews. They indoctrinated the German public with the falsehoods that all evil came from the Jews. Even children’s textbooks promoted these vicious lies.

This process of gradually ridding the country of Jews was a well-calculated and gradual process, begun in the early 30’s. They pulled the Jews out of rural areas and overcrowded them in the ghetto, taking over their business and assigning them to hard, manual work. When moving them to a “camp”, they tricked (i.e. lied to) the Jews to manipulate them into the camps by promising them a better opportunity. They were instructed to bring their valuables with them, and each one had one suitcase which they were told to label. It was all a farce. The new location was Auschwitz!

Auschwitz was out “in the sticks” as we would say, but very strategically located on a rail line and within the vicinity of a river. As we pulled up the long driveway which led to the barracks, the expanse of the so-called camp was striking. As we entered the main building we were met by a guide specific for Auschwitz. Our group for the tour consisted of 16 people.

As we entered the compound, that infamous sign “Arbeit Macht Frei” couldn’t be missed. It was the same lie that was used at Dachau, the first concentration camp, originally established for political prisoners. Work and production was the only value of people. If you were younger or weaker, you were slated for extermination.

Auschwitz had been an army barracks prior to the concentration camp. When it became a camp, the living conditions became harsh. Bunks, three high, with several people squeezed in each bed; heat turned to minimum with thread bare covers; clothes turning to rags as they were never washed. Food very minimal. The sanitary conditions were horrible; disease was rampant.

“Arbeit macht Frei”…if you could work, you had value to the Nazis, if not you were put to death.

Other disturbing cruel tactics were the separation of families, the immediate orders to execute children deemed too young to work, the so-called hospital where painful and disgusting experiments were performed on a variety of individual, including babies, with the aim of developing that perfect race.

Prisoners were often starved to death, made to stand in a small damp cell until they dropped and eventually died, hanged, and shot by firing squads.

To learn that the people were stripped of all humanity; even their hair was cut and used to make cloth, was revolting. And, of course, those valuables which they were told to bring were all confiscated. Even gold teeth were removed.

Men determined to be able-bodied were housed together, given very meager (and gross) nourishment, e.g. soup with rotten vegetables, sawdust mixed in with rations. They were expected to do very heavy labor from dawn to dark. For those deemed not to be working hard enough there were beatings and floggings, and other torture tactics.

The men were given colored, striped prison garb: yellow for Jews, green for criminals (who were required to do a lot of the unsavory work that the soldiers disliked, as in executing people), pink for homosexuals. Many lived but a few weeks under the conditions. Then a new influx would be brought in.

Living in such squalid and insufferable conditions, a promise of a shower was made to groups. They were told to remove their clothes, and remember their numbered hook, in order not to arouse suspicion of where they were actually going. They were then escorted to the “shower”, the gas chamber, where a capsule was lowered and 20 minutes later they were all dead by strangulation. Bodies were piled up and burned; this most odious labor being done by other prisoners.

The number of people killed is uncertain, as only the workers were registered and thus known. Three hundred clergy (many Franciscans) were put to death in Auschwitz; the numbers they quote are broken down by countries and are staggering!

In the later years of this murderous camp, prisoners were tattooed with a number. That number is visible today on some people who were fortunate enough to be freed.

The administrator of all this diabolical treatment of fellow human beings at Auschwitz was Rudolph Hess. He was constantly trying to find better and cheaper ways to exterminate as many people as possible. And to camouflage what was going on there, a sweet scent was added to the gaseous mix.

Another fact totally inconceivable to us: his wife and five children lived in a villa right next this camp where the mass murders took place!!! Following the war and a trial, Rudolph Hess was later hanged at Auschwitz, suffering the same fate of many men whom he had caused to be hanged. Before his death, he poisoned his wife and children.

An experience which hit close to home for us was seeing the small cell #18 where Maximillian Kolbe, a Franciscan priest, was starved to death. A threat was held over the prisoners that if any tried to escape, ten others would be killed as punishment. Maximilian volunteered to take another man’s place and died of starvation in a tiny dank cement cell. Maximilian Kolbe was canonized by Pope John Paul II. A new parish in our area in Cincinnati is named in his honor. With such a long name, people refer to it as just “St. Max’s.”

As we left Auschwitz, it was with the hope of “Never again!”

Following that very disturbing tour, it was a relief to board the coach and have a couple of hours or so to ponder the overwhelming experience while en route to Czestowschowa. There we would visit the Jasna Gora Monastery, Poland’s greatest place of pilgrimage. There was almost silence on the coach as we made our way to Czestochowa, about an hour’s drive. We combined the stop with a short lunch.

In Czestochowa is the most famous shrine to the Virgin Mary in Poland. It contains the most important icon of Mary in Europe, and is widely credited with many miracles. In 1994, it was listed as one of Poland’s official national Historic Monuments.

The icon is a painting on wood of Mary with her hands pointing to the Christ Child, and is widely known as the “Black Madonna of Czestochowa” because of the dark-skin on their faces. Its origins are debated. Legend has it that it was painted by St. Luke, one of the Gospel writers, on a cedar table top from the house of the Holy Family. There are a couple of stories surrounding its travels. But art historians agree that the original painting was a Byzantine icon, with an estimated date of around the 6th or 9th century. They also agree that Prince Wladyslaw brought it to the Monastery in the 14th century. The “Black Madonna” icon is credited with miraculously saving the area from a Swedish invasion. Many people claim to have been cured through their pilgrimage to the shrine.

The monastery, Jasna Gora, was built by the Pauline Fathers who lived in the area, to safeguard the icon. It is kept in the monastery church, which is quite beautiful, and “unveiled” three times each day. We were in the chapel during one of these ceremonies, at which there were hundreds of people. There was standing room only. It began with quite an impressive trumpet call, a selection by a chamber music group, and an organ piece. This musical introduction was followed by a homily and prayers by the priest, after which the picture, which is about 4 ft. in height, was revealed above the altar. Since the service was all in Polish, we did not understand the words of the ceremony, but from the prayerful atmosphere in the church, the devotion of the people was well understood.

Having learned so much of the ongoing trials and tribulations which the Polish people had endured for so many years: wars, partitions of their land, the Nazi atrocities, the bombing of so many cities, the years under Communism, etc.,our thoughts were that perhaps it was their faith that enabled them to endure.

Following Czestochowa, it was another three hours of travel, including a restroom/coffee stop, to reach Warsaw for a two-night stay. No matter the means of transportation, whether by car, train, or coach, the scenery was flat and fairly uneventful, providing more time to reflect on the visit to Auschwitz. The stop at Czestochowa helped take off some of the edge, but the experience would linger on. How such horrendous actions could happen in a civilized society, when our parents/grandparents were alive, is incomprehensible!

After that long drive, we entered Warsaw, a very large city, during the busy work traffic. But again, Tom our driver handled it like the pro that he is. Erin told us that we would stop for dinner en route to the hotel. Along with the meal, there would be a demonstration of pierogi-making. This demo and meal was a bit outside of town in what appeared in a kind of lodge. Of all of our trip so far, this is the only stop that we might not have chosen.

We met Olga, who would be doing the demo and would be our Warsaw guide. Olga asked for volunteers for the pierogi-making, and while they labored, several of us just relaxed with a glass of wine, watching from a distance. Since pierogi-making is labor intensive, Olga admitted that many Polish make them in larger quantities and freeze them. (Costco sells them frozen; that’s more our style!)

The main meal course, including pierogis, was probably the least appealing of the trip, but the beer and wine were fine. And the dessert was tasty.

We were happy to arrive at the Sheraton Hotel by about 8 PM. Warsaw’s Sheraton was even nicer than the one in Krakow! It was located in the area of many Embassies, so there were ample nice restaurants nearby. However, we were very close to a main artery which was lined with many restaurants and shops. We were glad to have two nights in this nice hotel, as we were worn out from the long day, and welcomed the sleep. We would save our exploration of Warsaw until the following day.