CAPITALIZING ON THE CAPITALS: Central Europe
Nov 19th, 2015, 09:14 AM
#81
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Adelaidean, I'm sure your Dad could tell amazing stories!!! He was fortunate to have escaped.
Thanks for hanging in there with us on our journey. Central Europe doesn't seem to evoke too much Fodorite interest.
It's a busy time for us, but we're attempting to post PRAGUE soon. At long last, we're approaching the homestretch of our report!
We appreciate your continued interest!
Thanks for hanging in there with us on our journey. Central Europe doesn't seem to evoke too much Fodorite interest.
It's a busy time for us, but we're attempting to post PRAGUE soon. At long last, we're approaching the homestretch of our report!
We appreciate your continued interest!
Nov 21st, 2015, 10:04 AM
#84
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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015
Onward to PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC; via DRESDEN
1st Evening in PRAGUE
At 8:45 we were off to Prague via Dresden, Germany. Leaving the magnificent city of Berlin, we felt confident that a return visit of several days would be high on our list.
The drive to Dresden was approximately 31/2 hours. Dresden is another city that suffered during the Nazi destruction with the untold loss of life. It was essentially bombed out, mostly by the Allies, toward the end of WWII. As part of the war settlement, Dresden was under Soviet occupation for 45 years. Only after the reunification of Germany was the city able to rebuild.
From the utter destruction of its beautiful baroque city center, located right on the banks of the Elbe River, Dresden has accomplished the great work of rebuilding its city to its former glory. We were very impressed with Dresden, a city which we probably might never have visited on our own.
We spent some time enjoying the “AltStadt”, the center of old town. Some of the oldest baroque buildings are located here. One of the most impressive is the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), considered to be the most beautiful Protestant church in Germany. The rebuilding, using stones salvaged from the original church, was finally completed in 2005.
The Opera House “Semperoper” is outstanding. The Catholic Cathedral is considered to be the outstanding landmark because of its tall arch. Its crypt contains 49 tombs of royalty and their families.
The most outstanding work of art is the “Princes Procession, a large mounted mural on a wall of the Royal Palace Complex. This outstanding work, 315 ft. in length, is constructed of more than 23,000 pieces of Meissen porcelain. It is located facing a very narrow street, so it would easy to miss. The bombing, which almost completely destroyed Dresden, amazingly left this precious work unharmed.
We enjoyed quite a while walking around the square. In the center there was a monument to Martin Luther, and a musician playing John Lennon’s “Imagine”. He apologized for his “poor English”, but we responded with a compliment on how well he did. The song is a favorite in several cities we visited.
In the “AltStadt” are a few pedestrian lanes with shops and cafes lining each side. We were on a mission to find an “Ampelmann” t-shirt for Tom, so that he could join in the running “competition” among a few guys. It seems that these little characters on traffic lights are a “claim to fame” for the former East Berliners. We did complete the mission, and Tom became the proud owner of a t-shirt to wear to breakfast in Prague!
Dresden has a beautiful location on both sides of the Elbe River. The “Neustadt” across the river looked like an appealing place to explore. We learned that, during the years of Soviet rule, it fell into great disrepair. But renovations have restored it.
Walking along the beautiful river promenade was delightful. Several boats were either docked or enjoying cruises on this glorious, sunshiny day.
The outdoor porch of one of the little restaurants caught our eye. A nice atmosphere for our lunch of a wurst, mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut, and of course, beer. Our seat allowed us to view the pedestrian mall leading down to the river.
The city of Dresden was a pleasant surprise! The location on the Elbe River is ideal. The city offers many cultural and educational amenities, lovely parks and gardens, as well as every form of entertainment. And, a real bonus, is its fairly temperate climate, which is strongly affected by its sheltered position in the Elbe Valley.
We were glad that we made a long lunch stop in Dresden. In that short time, we got a real flavor of the city, and it’s another place that deserves a several day visit.
Following that satisfying mini-experience of Dresden, within a couple more hours of driving we arrived Prague, Czech Republic, close to 5 PM.
Our hotel, the Art Nouveau Palace Hotel, was conveniently located within a couple of blocks from the famous “Wencelaus Square”. It was our first hotel located in an older building. Observing the beautiful lobby and reception areas gave us an expectation that our room would be nice as well. And what a room! A large, corner location with three windows and quite a nice bathroom! All marble with beautiful accouterments.
The tour had an early meal scheduled at the hotel, and it turned out to be a good one. The restaurant was lovely, with a pianist entertaining. Our table of six included a couple from Toronto and another from Melborne, Australia. We learned about the Canadian health care system from Dan, an accountant for the system. We learned that Harold from Melbourne was an artist, planning to spend two weeks in Paris with a Parisian artist, following this Central Europe trip. He and his wife Meinina were very engaging.
Following dinner, we joined a night tour of Prague which culminated in a boat ride on the Vltava River. We met Carl, the local tour guide, who began our exploration on the castle hill, providing gorgeous views over the “city of spires” as it is known. The view of the Charles Bridge, an important landmark of the city, was outstanding from this high vista point.
We then walked down the hill and through the streets of the Lesser Town “Mala Strana”, one of the oldest areas of Prague. Located on the west bank of the river, it lies on the slopes just below the Prague Castle. During the middle ages this was a predominantly German settlement.
“Mala Strana” has several churches, the most prominent being St. Nicholas. The area has many boutiques, shops, restaurants and traditional Czech pubs. We heard sounds of music and laughter originating from a couple of the places.
We played “Follow the Leader” with Carl, our guide, as we walked quite a distance on the several hundred year old lantern-lit, cobblestone streets. The churches and palaces give the “Mala Strana” its charm. During our walk, which involved climbing up and down numerous sets of steps, Carl filled us in on a few details about Prague.
The city has a population of 1.3 million. Fortunately, it shared the same good fortune as Krakow, Poland in that it was spared from WWII bombing. The residents are rightfully proud of the architectural beauty of their buildings, mostly of baroque style.
Following WWII, and until 1989, then Czechloslavakia was a Communist state under Soviet control. Today it is a member of the European Union, but still retains its own currency, the korunas.
The Czechs have historically been at a crossroads of ancestries, religions, and political control. They’ve been between Slavic and Germanic worlds, between Catholicism and Protestantism, between the Cold War and the West. The origin of the name of Prague, “Praha” means “threshold”. Very prescient in light of its unfolding history.
The inner city of Prague is under a UNESCO agreement, which means they get money, but have to restore the city to its original design. People who choose to live in the central area have to accept regulations regarding any modifications made to their apartments. They readily admit the pros and cons associated with their choice.
Many foreign students live in Prague. And it’s the recipient of large numbers of foreign tourists. The reason seems obvious. A beautiful city, all the amenities one would like. It has many universities, cultural and shopping opportunities, entertainment venues, and an abundance of cafes, bars, and restaurants offering international cuisines. The city is known to be fairly inexpensive and has many great beers!
Of the European countries, the Czech Republic is the least religious. Carl described the influence of Jan Huss, a Protestant reformer, who pre-dated Luther by a couple hundred years. Catholicism declined; Protestantism grew. Fast forward to the 1930’s. Religions were attacked by the Nazis. And further efforts at routing out religion were exerted by the Communists. All religious schools had been closed and were replaced by government control. Over the years, the young people who had been raised in an atheistic environment espoused no religious beliefs. Carl said that more recently there has been somewhat of a revived interest in religion.
After spending some time in the “Mala Strana”, we climbed the rather steep stone steps to the most popular of its twelve bridges, the Charles Bridge. It had started misting, making the steps slippery, and a bit of a challenge in the dark, with low lighting.
Having read about the crowds who are frequently gathered on the Bridge, we felt lucky to have some time to enjoy the 30 statues mounted on the balustrades, equally spaced on each side of the bridge. The statues were mostly of saints, with a couple of the Virgin Mary. One of the most outstanding was one of Mary and Mary Magdalene mourning the death of Christ.
The most talked about statue was the one of St. John of Nepomuk, a Jesuit priest who was the confessor of the queen. Apparently, Wencelaus IV had him thrown from the bridge to his death in 1393 for refusing to divulge the Queen's confessions! The tradition in modern times is to touch the bronze plaque by this statue in order to bring good fortune and assurance that the visitor will return to Prague. We hope it works for us! We thought it was much like tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain assuring a return to Rome.
After descending from the Charles Bridge, we walked quite a stretch to the dock to await a boat for an hour cruise. As we boarded, the mist had turned into a drizzle. We were happy to imbibe a glass of wine as we began our ride.
Having had a spectacular Danube boat cruise at night in Budapest, where everything was fabulously illuminated, the lighting of the buildings and bridges in Prague was more subdued. But, nonetheless, it was a pleasant introduction to a beautiful city.
We arrived back at the Art Nouveau Palace Hotel by 10:30, feeling spent but contented.
We really enjoyed our extended lunch stop in Dresden, a charming city which merits a return visit of several days. And our evening tour in Prague had given us a great intro to this outstanding city.
We looked forward to a good sleep in our beautiful room, where we would surely awake refreshed, have a nice breakfast, and be ready for a 3 hour walking tour to further appreciate the sights and beauty of this city.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015
PRAGUE by DAY
Breakfast in the hotel’s lovely dining room energized us for our exploratory walk with Carl, whom we had met the previous evening. We began on Castle Hill with the massive castle complex, said to be the largest in Europe. We saw the huge, 1000 year old St. Vitus Cathedral, which still serves as a parish. We marveled at its gorgeous interior, like several art museums in one location. The Castle Hill complex is the home of several notable building: the Old Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica, notable for its red-façade, and the Golden Lane, famous for its multi-colored houses.
Guards stood at the palace and at the presidential building. To us, the most interesting experience on Castle Hill was watching the changing of the guard. From our position, we could see the group of them march through the courtyard, and were within a few feet of the two sentries who assumed their place.
Also very impressive was taking in the same views over the city which we had witnessed the previous evening. The “hundreds” of spires of Prague were very prominent in the daylight.
Carl pointed out some interesting details about the buildings around Castle Hill. After a short while, he eventually led us down the hill by way of the picturesque Nerudova Street. We passed several beautiful gardens as we descended, most having been constructed for one or the other royalty of the past. Near the bottom of the hill, Tom couldn’t resist a little stand selling fried potato slices on a stick.
When we left the hotel earlier, the skies indicated a pleasant day. So we did not carry umbrellas. However, to our dismay, a rain shower suddenly surprised us as we made our way to the Josef neighborhood, the former Jewish area. We were ducking under store awnings trying to stay dry.
We had hoped to learn more about the rich heritage as well as the sufferings of Prague’s Jews at the hands of the Nazis. Approximately 250,000 Jews were eliminated out of Czechoslovakia. Unfortunately for us, it was the Jewish feast of Rash Hashanah and the cemetery and synagogue were closed, so we could view only the outsides of them.
We continued our walk to the center of the colorful “Stare Mesto”, the Old Town. It became the capital of the Holy Roman Empire when Charles IV transformed Prague into a medieval architectural city. The famous bridge is named after Charles IV. We were glad that we had spent time on the bridge the previous evening, in view of the rainy day.
In the Old Town Square, Carl pointed out the history of more buildings, many made from sandstone. Some of the more noted ones were the Our Lady Before Tyn church with its tall spires, a second St. Nicholas Church, the former Kinski Palace, now the National Museum, and the former City Hall with its tall tower and famous Astronomical Clock. The moving figures of the twelve apostles still attract crowds who eagerly await its hourly performance.
When our walking tour with Carl ended, we were ready for lunch! The Old Town Square is lined with restaurants and food kiosks. We were able to secure a prominent seat in an outside restaurant with large umbrellas. These were important as the drizzling rain continued. At this point, there was nothing like warm goulash soup and a ham Panini to share to take our minds off the rain. We had a straight-on view of the Clock and the activity in the square, so we were in no hurry to move. Cappuccinos fit the situation perfectly.
We intended to exchange some euros for korunas, but found that we could do quite well using credit cards. A few of the smaller shops had no issue with accepting and giving change in euros. Perhaps that’s because they’re closer to Austria, or that they have so many foreign visitors?
We had become mesmerized with all the gorgeous crystal around. To escape the rain, we walked through many of the indoor shops. And Tom succumbed, with a bit of nudging from Margie, to purchase a crystal bud vase. And, to his delight, Tom found two nifty t-shirts for mementos of Prague. Great for yard and home projects!
The rain subsided for a while, so we used the opportunity to walk some of the little back streets surrounding the square. On one street there were many tents with a variety of wares for sale. We did purchase three watercolors of key sights in Prague: the Charles Bridge, the Castle, and St. Vitus Cathedral. The sales lady was very friendly and carefully wrapped them for us.
Returning to the Main Square, we strolled back to the area of the Astronomical Clock, to take our place with all the onlookers. We met a delightful couple from New Jersey. We exchanged photos, and learned that the lady was on the medical faculty at Rutgers, a school whose team is a football rival with our local university. It was a fun encounter!
We ambled over to the center of the square where there is a prominent monument to Jan Huss, the famous Protestant reformer. There was an inviting concrete bench circling the monument, so we made use of it to take in the activity on the square. From our seat, we had a good look at the towers of the famous Our Lady of Tyn Church and the National Gallery. The enjoyment of our bench seat didn’t last long as the rain returned, this time with a little more intensity. What to do?
Convenient to our location was a “tourist tram”, a kind of truck cab pulling two trailers of sightseers. It drove at max speed of about 20 MPH. The hour-long, narrated sightseeing tour rode bumpety-bump on many of the rough cobblestoned back streets. It tugged up the long hill to the palace area, taking small back streets. This route was different from the one that we had earlier explored, and it was interesting to see the variety of small inns, shops, and restaurants nestled on the sides of these small streets. Following Castle Hill, we crossed a bridge and rode around the two main areas of central Prague, including the Jewish section.
At the end of that tour, it was still rainy. The photos of the Charles Bridge which we shot through the rain show the bridge shrouded in water droplets. We were happy that we had made use of the last rainy hour to learn a little more of Prague.
As we walked back around the Square, trying to use the awning overhangs of the kiosks, our resistance was at low ebb as saw a lady making fresh crepes at her stand. We just had to have one! Strawberry chocolate crepes were too good to pass up.
And soon after, we saw a pig being rotisserie-roasted. The sandwiches from that booth would have been tempting, had we not just had that crepe.
When the rain finally let up, we enjoyed the entertainment of a musician performing John Lennon’s “Imagine.” We learned that there is a memorial to John Lennon in Prague, begun in 1980, the year of his death. He was a hero to the pacifist youth. Interesting to know that this tribute to John was begun during the Communist rule, and white-washed several times by the Soviet police, only to be re-painted by admirers. Apparently over the years the wall has a lot of other non-Lennon graffiti added.
After enjoying the music in the square, we headed to the New Town, “Nove Mesto”. The only European Christmas Market we’ve experienced was in Paris, but the main street leading to Wenceslaus Square appeared to look like one. It was September, but many handcrafts, like nesting dolls, jewelry, and Christmas ornaments, were for sale in the large square of tents. No gluhwein, though! Unfortunately, the one Christmas ornament that we purchased, and thought was carefully packed, broke in transit.
We continued on our way, intending to look for the Museum of Communism. It wasn’t the easiest to find, as it was described as being next to, of all places, a McDonald’s. We found a McDonald’s, but the wrong one. But with a little re-calculation, and the help of a store employee, we were able to find it.
We were glad that we made the effort to find this Museum of Communism. It presents a vivid account of its effects, focusing on Czechloslavakia, in general, and Prague, in particular. The exhibits represent the Communist government’s controls on daily life, politics, history, sports, economics, education, and the arts (namely, “Socialist Realism”). It gave us insight into the insidious nature and goals of the Communist Party, as it permeated the media, the army, the secret police, censorship, Stalinist “show trials”, and political labor camps. The museum displayed many artifacts and pictures which detailed the 45 years of Soviet dominance of the Czechs.
After that sobering visit, we continued making our way up the lively street toward Wenceslaus Square, bustling with shops, bars, and restaurants. Following the lead of the concierge at our hotel for a typically Czech restaurant, we were happy to finally find the place he recommended. (Unfortunately, we don’t recall the name!) Great find for a finale meal in Prague! Pilsner Uquell beer with spicy goulash for Tom and the milder soup and salad for Margie. Both were excellent.
Following our meal, we spent a few minutes enjoying the large monument of Wenceslaus Square with the government capital building behind. This was the famous square where approximately 500,000 Czech citizens gathered in 1989 demanding freedom from Soviet domination! The Czech people had gotten wind of how the Communist regime had loosened its hold in Poland, under the leadership of Lech Walesa, and the fall of the Berlin. Wenceslaus Square was the sight of the so-called Velvet Revolution, where there was a peaceful ending from Soviet rule.
Leaving the Square, our several block walk home seemed long, no doubt due to our long, tiring day. Upon arriving at our Art Nouveau Palace Hotel about 10:30 PM, we met Dan and Margaret from our group, who were outside the hotel enjoying a breath of fresh air.
In spite of the rain which did impede a few of our plans, we had a fulfilling day in this fascinating city! As with most evenings, we looked forward to enjoying our comfortable room for a refreshing night’s sleep.
Before turning in, we had pack and be ready for an early departure. Early mornings aren’t our favorite things, but we often discussed that we can catch up on sleep when we return home.
LOOKING FORWARD TO CESKY KRUMLOV!
Onward to PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC; via DRESDEN
1st Evening in PRAGUE
At 8:45 we were off to Prague via Dresden, Germany. Leaving the magnificent city of Berlin, we felt confident that a return visit of several days would be high on our list.
The drive to Dresden was approximately 31/2 hours. Dresden is another city that suffered during the Nazi destruction with the untold loss of life. It was essentially bombed out, mostly by the Allies, toward the end of WWII. As part of the war settlement, Dresden was under Soviet occupation for 45 years. Only after the reunification of Germany was the city able to rebuild.
From the utter destruction of its beautiful baroque city center, located right on the banks of the Elbe River, Dresden has accomplished the great work of rebuilding its city to its former glory. We were very impressed with Dresden, a city which we probably might never have visited on our own.
We spent some time enjoying the “AltStadt”, the center of old town. Some of the oldest baroque buildings are located here. One of the most impressive is the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), considered to be the most beautiful Protestant church in Germany. The rebuilding, using stones salvaged from the original church, was finally completed in 2005.
The Opera House “Semperoper” is outstanding. The Catholic Cathedral is considered to be the outstanding landmark because of its tall arch. Its crypt contains 49 tombs of royalty and their families.
The most outstanding work of art is the “Princes Procession, a large mounted mural on a wall of the Royal Palace Complex. This outstanding work, 315 ft. in length, is constructed of more than 23,000 pieces of Meissen porcelain. It is located facing a very narrow street, so it would easy to miss. The bombing, which almost completely destroyed Dresden, amazingly left this precious work unharmed.
We enjoyed quite a while walking around the square. In the center there was a monument to Martin Luther, and a musician playing John Lennon’s “Imagine”. He apologized for his “poor English”, but we responded with a compliment on how well he did. The song is a favorite in several cities we visited.
In the “AltStadt” are a few pedestrian lanes with shops and cafes lining each side. We were on a mission to find an “Ampelmann” t-shirt for Tom, so that he could join in the running “competition” among a few guys. It seems that these little characters on traffic lights are a “claim to fame” for the former East Berliners. We did complete the mission, and Tom became the proud owner of a t-shirt to wear to breakfast in Prague!
Dresden has a beautiful location on both sides of the Elbe River. The “Neustadt” across the river looked like an appealing place to explore. We learned that, during the years of Soviet rule, it fell into great disrepair. But renovations have restored it.
Walking along the beautiful river promenade was delightful. Several boats were either docked or enjoying cruises on this glorious, sunshiny day.
The outdoor porch of one of the little restaurants caught our eye. A nice atmosphere for our lunch of a wurst, mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut, and of course, beer. Our seat allowed us to view the pedestrian mall leading down to the river.
The city of Dresden was a pleasant surprise! The location on the Elbe River is ideal. The city offers many cultural and educational amenities, lovely parks and gardens, as well as every form of entertainment. And, a real bonus, is its fairly temperate climate, which is strongly affected by its sheltered position in the Elbe Valley.
We were glad that we made a long lunch stop in Dresden. In that short time, we got a real flavor of the city, and it’s another place that deserves a several day visit.
Following that satisfying mini-experience of Dresden, within a couple more hours of driving we arrived Prague, Czech Republic, close to 5 PM.
Our hotel, the Art Nouveau Palace Hotel, was conveniently located within a couple of blocks from the famous “Wencelaus Square”. It was our first hotel located in an older building. Observing the beautiful lobby and reception areas gave us an expectation that our room would be nice as well. And what a room! A large, corner location with three windows and quite a nice bathroom! All marble with beautiful accouterments.
The tour had an early meal scheduled at the hotel, and it turned out to be a good one. The restaurant was lovely, with a pianist entertaining. Our table of six included a couple from Toronto and another from Melborne, Australia. We learned about the Canadian health care system from Dan, an accountant for the system. We learned that Harold from Melbourne was an artist, planning to spend two weeks in Paris with a Parisian artist, following this Central Europe trip. He and his wife Meinina were very engaging.
Following dinner, we joined a night tour of Prague which culminated in a boat ride on the Vltava River. We met Carl, the local tour guide, who began our exploration on the castle hill, providing gorgeous views over the “city of spires” as it is known. The view of the Charles Bridge, an important landmark of the city, was outstanding from this high vista point.
We then walked down the hill and through the streets of the Lesser Town “Mala Strana”, one of the oldest areas of Prague. Located on the west bank of the river, it lies on the slopes just below the Prague Castle. During the middle ages this was a predominantly German settlement.
“Mala Strana” has several churches, the most prominent being St. Nicholas. The area has many boutiques, shops, restaurants and traditional Czech pubs. We heard sounds of music and laughter originating from a couple of the places.
We played “Follow the Leader” with Carl, our guide, as we walked quite a distance on the several hundred year old lantern-lit, cobblestone streets. The churches and palaces give the “Mala Strana” its charm. During our walk, which involved climbing up and down numerous sets of steps, Carl filled us in on a few details about Prague.
The city has a population of 1.3 million. Fortunately, it shared the same good fortune as Krakow, Poland in that it was spared from WWII bombing. The residents are rightfully proud of the architectural beauty of their buildings, mostly of baroque style.
Following WWII, and until 1989, then Czechloslavakia was a Communist state under Soviet control. Today it is a member of the European Union, but still retains its own currency, the korunas.
The Czechs have historically been at a crossroads of ancestries, religions, and political control. They’ve been between Slavic and Germanic worlds, between Catholicism and Protestantism, between the Cold War and the West. The origin of the name of Prague, “Praha” means “threshold”. Very prescient in light of its unfolding history.
The inner city of Prague is under a UNESCO agreement, which means they get money, but have to restore the city to its original design. People who choose to live in the central area have to accept regulations regarding any modifications made to their apartments. They readily admit the pros and cons associated with their choice.
Many foreign students live in Prague. And it’s the recipient of large numbers of foreign tourists. The reason seems obvious. A beautiful city, all the amenities one would like. It has many universities, cultural and shopping opportunities, entertainment venues, and an abundance of cafes, bars, and restaurants offering international cuisines. The city is known to be fairly inexpensive and has many great beers!
Of the European countries, the Czech Republic is the least religious. Carl described the influence of Jan Huss, a Protestant reformer, who pre-dated Luther by a couple hundred years. Catholicism declined; Protestantism grew. Fast forward to the 1930’s. Religions were attacked by the Nazis. And further efforts at routing out religion were exerted by the Communists. All religious schools had been closed and were replaced by government control. Over the years, the young people who had been raised in an atheistic environment espoused no religious beliefs. Carl said that more recently there has been somewhat of a revived interest in religion.
After spending some time in the “Mala Strana”, we climbed the rather steep stone steps to the most popular of its twelve bridges, the Charles Bridge. It had started misting, making the steps slippery, and a bit of a challenge in the dark, with low lighting.
Having read about the crowds who are frequently gathered on the Bridge, we felt lucky to have some time to enjoy the 30 statues mounted on the balustrades, equally spaced on each side of the bridge. The statues were mostly of saints, with a couple of the Virgin Mary. One of the most outstanding was one of Mary and Mary Magdalene mourning the death of Christ.
The most talked about statue was the one of St. John of Nepomuk, a Jesuit priest who was the confessor of the queen. Apparently, Wencelaus IV had him thrown from the bridge to his death in 1393 for refusing to divulge the Queen's confessions! The tradition in modern times is to touch the bronze plaque by this statue in order to bring good fortune and assurance that the visitor will return to Prague. We hope it works for us! We thought it was much like tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain assuring a return to Rome.
After descending from the Charles Bridge, we walked quite a stretch to the dock to await a boat for an hour cruise. As we boarded, the mist had turned into a drizzle. We were happy to imbibe a glass of wine as we began our ride.
Having had a spectacular Danube boat cruise at night in Budapest, where everything was fabulously illuminated, the lighting of the buildings and bridges in Prague was more subdued. But, nonetheless, it was a pleasant introduction to a beautiful city.
We arrived back at the Art Nouveau Palace Hotel by 10:30, feeling spent but contented.
We really enjoyed our extended lunch stop in Dresden, a charming city which merits a return visit of several days. And our evening tour in Prague had given us a great intro to this outstanding city.
We looked forward to a good sleep in our beautiful room, where we would surely awake refreshed, have a nice breakfast, and be ready for a 3 hour walking tour to further appreciate the sights and beauty of this city.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015
PRAGUE by DAY
Breakfast in the hotel’s lovely dining room energized us for our exploratory walk with Carl, whom we had met the previous evening. We began on Castle Hill with the massive castle complex, said to be the largest in Europe. We saw the huge, 1000 year old St. Vitus Cathedral, which still serves as a parish. We marveled at its gorgeous interior, like several art museums in one location. The Castle Hill complex is the home of several notable building: the Old Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica, notable for its red-façade, and the Golden Lane, famous for its multi-colored houses.
Guards stood at the palace and at the presidential building. To us, the most interesting experience on Castle Hill was watching the changing of the guard. From our position, we could see the group of them march through the courtyard, and were within a few feet of the two sentries who assumed their place.
Also very impressive was taking in the same views over the city which we had witnessed the previous evening. The “hundreds” of spires of Prague were very prominent in the daylight.
Carl pointed out some interesting details about the buildings around Castle Hill. After a short while, he eventually led us down the hill by way of the picturesque Nerudova Street. We passed several beautiful gardens as we descended, most having been constructed for one or the other royalty of the past. Near the bottom of the hill, Tom couldn’t resist a little stand selling fried potato slices on a stick.
When we left the hotel earlier, the skies indicated a pleasant day. So we did not carry umbrellas. However, to our dismay, a rain shower suddenly surprised us as we made our way to the Josef neighborhood, the former Jewish area. We were ducking under store awnings trying to stay dry.
We had hoped to learn more about the rich heritage as well as the sufferings of Prague’s Jews at the hands of the Nazis. Approximately 250,000 Jews were eliminated out of Czechoslovakia. Unfortunately for us, it was the Jewish feast of Rash Hashanah and the cemetery and synagogue were closed, so we could view only the outsides of them.
We continued our walk to the center of the colorful “Stare Mesto”, the Old Town. It became the capital of the Holy Roman Empire when Charles IV transformed Prague into a medieval architectural city. The famous bridge is named after Charles IV. We were glad that we had spent time on the bridge the previous evening, in view of the rainy day.
In the Old Town Square, Carl pointed out the history of more buildings, many made from sandstone. Some of the more noted ones were the Our Lady Before Tyn church with its tall spires, a second St. Nicholas Church, the former Kinski Palace, now the National Museum, and the former City Hall with its tall tower and famous Astronomical Clock. The moving figures of the twelve apostles still attract crowds who eagerly await its hourly performance.
When our walking tour with Carl ended, we were ready for lunch! The Old Town Square is lined with restaurants and food kiosks. We were able to secure a prominent seat in an outside restaurant with large umbrellas. These were important as the drizzling rain continued. At this point, there was nothing like warm goulash soup and a ham Panini to share to take our minds off the rain. We had a straight-on view of the Clock and the activity in the square, so we were in no hurry to move. Cappuccinos fit the situation perfectly.
We intended to exchange some euros for korunas, but found that we could do quite well using credit cards. A few of the smaller shops had no issue with accepting and giving change in euros. Perhaps that’s because they’re closer to Austria, or that they have so many foreign visitors?
We had become mesmerized with all the gorgeous crystal around. To escape the rain, we walked through many of the indoor shops. And Tom succumbed, with a bit of nudging from Margie, to purchase a crystal bud vase. And, to his delight, Tom found two nifty t-shirts for mementos of Prague. Great for yard and home projects!
The rain subsided for a while, so we used the opportunity to walk some of the little back streets surrounding the square. On one street there were many tents with a variety of wares for sale. We did purchase three watercolors of key sights in Prague: the Charles Bridge, the Castle, and St. Vitus Cathedral. The sales lady was very friendly and carefully wrapped them for us.
Returning to the Main Square, we strolled back to the area of the Astronomical Clock, to take our place with all the onlookers. We met a delightful couple from New Jersey. We exchanged photos, and learned that the lady was on the medical faculty at Rutgers, a school whose team is a football rival with our local university. It was a fun encounter!
We ambled over to the center of the square where there is a prominent monument to Jan Huss, the famous Protestant reformer. There was an inviting concrete bench circling the monument, so we made use of it to take in the activity on the square. From our seat, we had a good look at the towers of the famous Our Lady of Tyn Church and the National Gallery. The enjoyment of our bench seat didn’t last long as the rain returned, this time with a little more intensity. What to do?
Convenient to our location was a “tourist tram”, a kind of truck cab pulling two trailers of sightseers. It drove at max speed of about 20 MPH. The hour-long, narrated sightseeing tour rode bumpety-bump on many of the rough cobblestoned back streets. It tugged up the long hill to the palace area, taking small back streets. This route was different from the one that we had earlier explored, and it was interesting to see the variety of small inns, shops, and restaurants nestled on the sides of these small streets. Following Castle Hill, we crossed a bridge and rode around the two main areas of central Prague, including the Jewish section.
At the end of that tour, it was still rainy. The photos of the Charles Bridge which we shot through the rain show the bridge shrouded in water droplets. We were happy that we had made use of the last rainy hour to learn a little more of Prague.
As we walked back around the Square, trying to use the awning overhangs of the kiosks, our resistance was at low ebb as saw a lady making fresh crepes at her stand. We just had to have one! Strawberry chocolate crepes were too good to pass up.
And soon after, we saw a pig being rotisserie-roasted. The sandwiches from that booth would have been tempting, had we not just had that crepe.
When the rain finally let up, we enjoyed the entertainment of a musician performing John Lennon’s “Imagine.” We learned that there is a memorial to John Lennon in Prague, begun in 1980, the year of his death. He was a hero to the pacifist youth. Interesting to know that this tribute to John was begun during the Communist rule, and white-washed several times by the Soviet police, only to be re-painted by admirers. Apparently over the years the wall has a lot of other non-Lennon graffiti added.
After enjoying the music in the square, we headed to the New Town, “Nove Mesto”. The only European Christmas Market we’ve experienced was in Paris, but the main street leading to Wenceslaus Square appeared to look like one. It was September, but many handcrafts, like nesting dolls, jewelry, and Christmas ornaments, were for sale in the large square of tents. No gluhwein, though! Unfortunately, the one Christmas ornament that we purchased, and thought was carefully packed, broke in transit.
We continued on our way, intending to look for the Museum of Communism. It wasn’t the easiest to find, as it was described as being next to, of all places, a McDonald’s. We found a McDonald’s, but the wrong one. But with a little re-calculation, and the help of a store employee, we were able to find it.
We were glad that we made the effort to find this Museum of Communism. It presents a vivid account of its effects, focusing on Czechloslavakia, in general, and Prague, in particular. The exhibits represent the Communist government’s controls on daily life, politics, history, sports, economics, education, and the arts (namely, “Socialist Realism”). It gave us insight into the insidious nature and goals of the Communist Party, as it permeated the media, the army, the secret police, censorship, Stalinist “show trials”, and political labor camps. The museum displayed many artifacts and pictures which detailed the 45 years of Soviet dominance of the Czechs.
After that sobering visit, we continued making our way up the lively street toward Wenceslaus Square, bustling with shops, bars, and restaurants. Following the lead of the concierge at our hotel for a typically Czech restaurant, we were happy to finally find the place he recommended. (Unfortunately, we don’t recall the name!) Great find for a finale meal in Prague! Pilsner Uquell beer with spicy goulash for Tom and the milder soup and salad for Margie. Both were excellent.
Following our meal, we spent a few minutes enjoying the large monument of Wenceslaus Square with the government capital building behind. This was the famous square where approximately 500,000 Czech citizens gathered in 1989 demanding freedom from Soviet domination! The Czech people had gotten wind of how the Communist regime had loosened its hold in Poland, under the leadership of Lech Walesa, and the fall of the Berlin. Wenceslaus Square was the sight of the so-called Velvet Revolution, where there was a peaceful ending from Soviet rule.
Leaving the Square, our several block walk home seemed long, no doubt due to our long, tiring day. Upon arriving at our Art Nouveau Palace Hotel about 10:30 PM, we met Dan and Margaret from our group, who were outside the hotel enjoying a breath of fresh air.
In spite of the rain which did impede a few of our plans, we had a fulfilling day in this fascinating city! As with most evenings, we looked forward to enjoying our comfortable room for a refreshing night’s sleep.
Before turning in, we had pack and be ready for an early departure. Early mornings aren’t our favorite things, but we often discussed that we can catch up on sleep when we return home.
LOOKING FORWARD TO CESKY KRUMLOV!
Nov 21st, 2015, 12:52 PM
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Tom, thank you for persevering! Trip reports, especially one with as much rich detail as yours, really are a labor of love. A couple of questions: Could you provide a compare and contrast of Prague and Kraków? In what area of Prague would you choose to stay?
Nov 21st, 2015, 01:58 PM
#86
We were in Berlin and Kraków in September and Prague and Budapest several years earlier. I have enjoyed your report, remembering those cities. Like you, we plan to return for more time in some of them. The history of each place that you visited is so helpful. Thank you for the extra work you put into this report.
Nov 22nd, 2015, 11:33 AM
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bon_yoyage, thanks for your nice comments on our TR. If you check back on the section of Krakow, and then read over Prague. . .we detailed just about all of our experiences. They're both very nice cities, and it depends on what your interests are. They both offer plenty of opportunities to satisfy a variety of interests. Also, it may be helpful to read the TR's of others.
As far as what area of Prague to stay in, we liked the Hotel Art Nouveau close to the main street leading to Wencelaus Square. If we had to pick a different area, it might be the "Stare Mesto", the Old Town. But we've done no research on lodging in this area. Again, the TR's of others might help.
Good luck in your planning!
HappyTrvlr, thanks for reading and glad you appreciated some of the history we included. This amount of detail is not something we usually focus on when we travel, but we were very interested in this area because many of the effects of the Nazis and the Soviets on these places is so relatively recent. We've heard local friends talk about the effects on their families.
We were very positively impressed with places we visited, and will, no doubt, include a several day return visit in our future travel plans.
As far as what area of Prague to stay in, we liked the Hotel Art Nouveau close to the main street leading to Wencelaus Square. If we had to pick a different area, it might be the "Stare Mesto", the Old Town. But we've done no research on lodging in this area. Again, the TR's of others might help.
Good luck in your planning!
HappyTrvlr, thanks for reading and glad you appreciated some of the history we included. This amount of detail is not something we usually focus on when we travel, but we were very interested in this area because many of the effects of the Nazis and the Soviets on these places is so relatively recent. We've heard local friends talk about the effects on their families.
We were very positively impressed with places we visited, and will, no doubt, include a several day return visit in our future travel plans.
Nov 22nd, 2015, 12:21 PM
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Thanks, Tom! I'm well into the trip report reading process and was just curious about your personal impressions. There seem to be many elements common to both cities, but different people prefer one to the other for various reasons. In general, when I consider how my interests and priorities line up in relation to others' preferences, it helps rule places in or out. If I were to stay in Prague, I'm leaning toward Stare Mesto but haven't completely ruled out Mala Strana.
Nov 22nd, 2015, 06:04 PM
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For any readers interested in the "typically Czech Restaurant" we mentioned, it's Cafe' Svateho Vaclava. It's located on the main street fairly close to the Wencelaus Monument; on the left hand side as you face the monument
Nov 23rd, 2015, 02:18 PM
#91
Wonderful and well done report. One correction however regarding Museum Island for anyone heading there.. The Neues Museum is open so visitors can see the beautiful "Nefertiti" as we did in September. It is The Pergamom Museum which is under massive feconstruction with little of it open. We need to return when Pergamon is fully open.
Nov 23rd, 2015, 03:55 PM
#92
The most talked about statue was the one of St. John of Nepomuk....The tradition in modern times is to touch the bronze plaque by this statue in order to bring good fortune..."
That's the damn guy who killed our cat... well, I rubbed his statue and asked for good health for our cat, and the cat died before we got home. I've never forgiven old John. On he other hand, life is always good with an Urquell Pilsner. Looking forward to CK, too! Great report.
That's the damn guy who killed our cat... well, I rubbed his statue and asked for good health for our cat, and the cat died before we got home. I've never forgiven old John. On he other hand, life is always good with an Urquell Pilsner. Looking forward to CK, too! Great report.
Nov 24th, 2015, 01:11 PM
#93
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HappyTrvlr, thanks for plodding through that section of Berlin. As we noted, we were still in the "Edit" phase when it posted. And we're glad you caught the error of which museum was closed for renovation.
Maitaitom, glad to have you back on board. And yes, we did enjoy that Urquell Pilsner!
Maitaitom, glad to have you back on board. And yes, we did enjoy that Urquell Pilsner!
Nov 28th, 2015, 11:25 AM
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015
CESKY KRUMLOV: via CESKY BUDEJOVICE
After only about five hours of sleep, we were packed, “breakfasted”, and ready for our 8 AM departure from Prague, a wonderful city. Our destination for the day was the charming little medieval town of Cesky Krumlov.
En route, we made a stop in Cesky Budejovice to tour one of the largest breweries in Europe, the Budejovicky Budvar Brewery. After all, the Czech Republic is noted for its outstanding beers!
During the one hour tour, the entire brewing process is carefully explained, from water purification to ingredients to fermentation and alcohol content to bottling and distribution. The automation of the huge operation is amazing. We live in a "beer" town and over the years there have been several major breweries in or around our city. But none so large as this one.
Our early morning taste was excellent as it was as fresh as we will ever have. (Since no preservatives have been added, this sample would go bad in 3 days!). According to the brewery tour guide, the American Budweiser companies are able to sell their product for less because they substitute rye for grain. It is seen by them as inferior to their Czech beer.
The Czech Budweiser and Anheiser Busch in the US went head to head for the copyright. The Czech Budweiser is sold in the US under the name Czechvar.
Tom, especially, really enjoyed the tour, and as a memento, bought a Budvar golf shirt.
We traveled on to the lovely town of Cesky Krumlov, located on the horseshoe bend of the Vltava River. This small town is dominated by an impressive castle, and enhanced by its riverside setting.
The town fell into disrepair under the Soviets; the river became polluted. In the 1990’s major renovation was begun, and Cesky Krumlov has been restored to its original charm. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our Hotel Ruze was a former Jesuit University. Built in the 16th century, its extensive renovations have preserved its magnificent Renaissance style. Our rooms were not available on arrival, so we stored our carry-on luggage, and took the short walk over to the old square.
We milled around the town square, checking out the shops and little restaurants, of which there are many for this small town. Most of the buildings date from the 14th through 17th centuries. We had almost two hours before meeting for a tour of the castle.
Meanwhile, we meandered down the one main cobblestoned street and found a quaint little restaurant alongside the river, with a view to the castle hill. We sat for a long while as we ordered beer, and meals of pork steak with green beans and bacon…excellent. We enjoyed the peaceful view along the river.
The tour to the castle was to meet at the “bear pen” where a family of bears is kept in a dry moat. From that point, the climb to the castle would begin.
According to legend, a member of the Rosenberg royal family who ruled Cesky Krumlov for many years, married into the Italian Orsini family. Since the name was a derivation from the Latin “ursa”, they adopted the bear as a shield bearer on their coat of arms. And from that, the keeping of live bears has originated and over the years has become a tourist attraction.
We made a half-hearted attempt to meet up with the tour group, but we were feeling kind of “castled-out” and needing some refreshing natural beauty. Feeling content to save our view of bears until we visit the mountains on our return home, we decided to enjoy a stroll along the river instead.
During our walk, we passed the huge two-story arched bridge which marks another entrance to castle hill. Cesky Krumlov’s charming cobblestoned square is surrounded by several other cobblestoned lanes, most of which are steep hills. Along these little streets are a variety of shops and cafes with painted facades and frescoes.
We walked some of the hilly back lanes for a while, and soon grew weary of the challenge of the crowds which had invaded this very small town. What better thing to do than have a late afternoon ice cream and cappuccino at another one of the little cafes along the river! To reach it, we walked down a small side-street, and entered what seemed to be a huge hollowed out rock entrance.
After emerging on the other end of the “cave”, we met the owner, a very engaging guy who had lived in the US until his visa expired. He has an American girlfriend. We enjoyed talking with him about familiar places which we both liked, one of which is Breckenridge, Colorado for skiing. The conversation made our ice cream stop along the river more memorable. In contrast to our rainy weather in Prague, the day in Cesky Krumlov was delightful. We found it difficult to move on from our cozy spot on the river’s edge.
We returned to the Hotel Ruze about 5 PM, needing to freshen up for our complimentary evening meal. Out of a few restaurant choices, we chose the Konice Restaurant. We met some of the group in the lobby for drinks about 6:30, and walked the few paces for our 7:00 dinner.
Fortunately, out of the twelve or so people who went to the Konice Restaurant, we were able to sit with Harold and Menina from Melborne, Australia. Harold is the artist whom we had formerly met, and we learned that Menina, his wife, is from Goa Island which had been a Portugese possession until India took it over in recent times.
We had fun discussing all sort of topics, with some good laughs mixed in the conversation, and picked up some ideas to expand our art interests on our next visit to Paris. We enjoyed our menu selections at the Kovice Restaurant. The walk back and forth was short and very pleasant, due to the perfect weather.
We appreciated having this rather laid back day after a string of days with activity from AM to PM. Cesky Krumlov was a perfect little city to enjoy as we were winding down from our 21/2 weeks of exploration of wonderful cities.
Next chapter: LAST NIGHT IN VIENNA
CESKY KRUMLOV: via CESKY BUDEJOVICE
After only about five hours of sleep, we were packed, “breakfasted”, and ready for our 8 AM departure from Prague, a wonderful city. Our destination for the day was the charming little medieval town of Cesky Krumlov.
En route, we made a stop in Cesky Budejovice to tour one of the largest breweries in Europe, the Budejovicky Budvar Brewery. After all, the Czech Republic is noted for its outstanding beers!
During the one hour tour, the entire brewing process is carefully explained, from water purification to ingredients to fermentation and alcohol content to bottling and distribution. The automation of the huge operation is amazing. We live in a "beer" town and over the years there have been several major breweries in or around our city. But none so large as this one.
Our early morning taste was excellent as it was as fresh as we will ever have. (Since no preservatives have been added, this sample would go bad in 3 days!). According to the brewery tour guide, the American Budweiser companies are able to sell their product for less because they substitute rye for grain. It is seen by them as inferior to their Czech beer.
The Czech Budweiser and Anheiser Busch in the US went head to head for the copyright. The Czech Budweiser is sold in the US under the name Czechvar.
Tom, especially, really enjoyed the tour, and as a memento, bought a Budvar golf shirt.
We traveled on to the lovely town of Cesky Krumlov, located on the horseshoe bend of the Vltava River. This small town is dominated by an impressive castle, and enhanced by its riverside setting.
The town fell into disrepair under the Soviets; the river became polluted. In the 1990’s major renovation was begun, and Cesky Krumlov has been restored to its original charm. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our Hotel Ruze was a former Jesuit University. Built in the 16th century, its extensive renovations have preserved its magnificent Renaissance style. Our rooms were not available on arrival, so we stored our carry-on luggage, and took the short walk over to the old square.
We milled around the town square, checking out the shops and little restaurants, of which there are many for this small town. Most of the buildings date from the 14th through 17th centuries. We had almost two hours before meeting for a tour of the castle.
Meanwhile, we meandered down the one main cobblestoned street and found a quaint little restaurant alongside the river, with a view to the castle hill. We sat for a long while as we ordered beer, and meals of pork steak with green beans and bacon…excellent. We enjoyed the peaceful view along the river.
The tour to the castle was to meet at the “bear pen” where a family of bears is kept in a dry moat. From that point, the climb to the castle would begin.
According to legend, a member of the Rosenberg royal family who ruled Cesky Krumlov for many years, married into the Italian Orsini family. Since the name was a derivation from the Latin “ursa”, they adopted the bear as a shield bearer on their coat of arms. And from that, the keeping of live bears has originated and over the years has become a tourist attraction.
We made a half-hearted attempt to meet up with the tour group, but we were feeling kind of “castled-out” and needing some refreshing natural beauty. Feeling content to save our view of bears until we visit the mountains on our return home, we decided to enjoy a stroll along the river instead.
During our walk, we passed the huge two-story arched bridge which marks another entrance to castle hill. Cesky Krumlov’s charming cobblestoned square is surrounded by several other cobblestoned lanes, most of which are steep hills. Along these little streets are a variety of shops and cafes with painted facades and frescoes.
We walked some of the hilly back lanes for a while, and soon grew weary of the challenge of the crowds which had invaded this very small town. What better thing to do than have a late afternoon ice cream and cappuccino at another one of the little cafes along the river! To reach it, we walked down a small side-street, and entered what seemed to be a huge hollowed out rock entrance.
After emerging on the other end of the “cave”, we met the owner, a very engaging guy who had lived in the US until his visa expired. He has an American girlfriend. We enjoyed talking with him about familiar places which we both liked, one of which is Breckenridge, Colorado for skiing. The conversation made our ice cream stop along the river more memorable. In contrast to our rainy weather in Prague, the day in Cesky Krumlov was delightful. We found it difficult to move on from our cozy spot on the river’s edge.
We returned to the Hotel Ruze about 5 PM, needing to freshen up for our complimentary evening meal. Out of a few restaurant choices, we chose the Konice Restaurant. We met some of the group in the lobby for drinks about 6:30, and walked the few paces for our 7:00 dinner.
Fortunately, out of the twelve or so people who went to the Konice Restaurant, we were able to sit with Harold and Menina from Melborne, Australia. Harold is the artist whom we had formerly met, and we learned that Menina, his wife, is from Goa Island which had been a Portugese possession until India took it over in recent times.
We had fun discussing all sort of topics, with some good laughs mixed in the conversation, and picked up some ideas to expand our art interests on our next visit to Paris. We enjoyed our menu selections at the Kovice Restaurant. The walk back and forth was short and very pleasant, due to the perfect weather.
We appreciated having this rather laid back day after a string of days with activity from AM to PM. Cesky Krumlov was a perfect little city to enjoy as we were winding down from our 21/2 weeks of exploration of wonderful cities.
Next chapter: LAST NIGHT IN VIENNA
Dec 1st, 2015, 08:54 AM
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Adelaidean, thanks for hanging in there with us. We have only the "finale" to post.
BTW, I saw on another post a link to "Flicker" photos that you had posted of Berchtesgaden, Salzburg, etc. They were beautiful. And those two sons of yours look like great kids.
You will all, no doubt, enjoy the Dolomites.
Maitaitom, glad you followed along with us. This TR has really been strung out!
Although we love our vin rouge, the "pivo" was so good that it became our daily habit.
Hope to get our final day completed!!! Next, NY, NY!! And then, "CA, here we come!"
BTW, I saw on another post a link to "Flicker" photos that you had posted of Berchtesgaden, Salzburg, etc. They were beautiful. And those two sons of yours look like great kids.
You will all, no doubt, enjoy the Dolomites.
Maitaitom, glad you followed along with us. This TR has really been strung out!
Although we love our vin rouge, the "pivo" was so good that it became our daily habit.
Hope to get our final day completed!!! Next, NY, NY!! And then, "CA, here we come!"
Dec 1st, 2015, 05:55 PM
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FINAL DAYS:
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015
RETURN TO VIENNA
CELEBRATION DINNER AND CONCERT
This was our last day to enjoy those great hotel breakfasts! We were off from Cesky Krumlov, destination Vienna, at 8 AM, but not before enjoying a few minutes taking in some morning views of this beautiful medieval town. Our visit to Cesky Krumlov was short, but this quaint city was a great one night stop on our return route to Vienna.
The drive from Cesky Krumlov to Vienna was one of the most scenic of the trip. There are hills surrounding Cesky Krumlov, and as we got closer to Vienna, the terrain became hillier. Mountains could be seen in the distance. We passed near the town of Linz. After one coffee stop, we arrived in Vienna around noon.
With our early arrival, the rooms in the hotel were not available. Having spent a few days here prior to our tour, this area felt quite familiar to us. We used the time to visit the little shop next door, whose owner we had befriended on our previous several day stay. Tom bought that Vienna t-shirt that he had wanted two weeks earlier. Since it was a pleasant day, we chose to enjoy our last Vienna lunch at one of the sidewalk cafes in the pedestrian plaza near the Hilton.
We intended to use our free time to pack for our very early morning departure, take care of our airline check-in, and perhaps have a little time for final enjoyment of Vienna. We had known that there was a “Celebration Dinner and Concert” scheduled, but we had no idea that it was a gala affair at a palace. So that would mean dressing up, and arriving back at the hotel fairly late.
We did not anticipate the difficulty we would have in trying to print boarding passes. Austrian Air was our first carrier from Vienna to Paris. Andreas, the concierge we had met and liked a couple of weeks ago, wasn’t working. After quite a few unsuccessful attempts on our own, the concierge on duty suggested that we go up a floor to the business office
The employees in the business office were also unsuccessful. But a helpful girl who worked in the office told us of her personal experience of inability to do online check-in with Austrian Air. She suggested that we go to the airport very early to get boarding passes. Ugh!!! So we moved up our departure from the hotel from 4:30 to 4:00 AM. We confirmed from the concierge that we could request a taxi from the desk staff 5 minutes before we wanted to depart, even at 4AM!
Dealing with this airline check-in issue consumed quite a bit of time. So we headed back to our room, packed as much as possible, and dressed for the evening’s affair. We were ready for the 6:30 departure for the Palais Auersperg, built between 1706-1710, the location of the dinner and concert.
We enjoyed our one last trip through Vienna, by now being familiar with a lot of the sites. Having consumed so much time fooling around with Austrian Airline check-in, we were happy to get this last chance to take in the sights of this beautiful city, truly one of Europe’s grandest.
The entrance to Palais Auersperg was quite impressive, with glistening chandeliers, plush red carpeting, and beautiful paintings on the walls.
Although the palace has changed ownership over the years, supposedly, the room in which we had dinner was the location where Mozart first entertained Maria Theresa. It, too, was beautifully appointed, with paintings of Maria Theresa and other Hapsburgs on the walls.
Unfortunately, the kitchen had some kind of power issue, and our meals were delayed. But, again, we had a good group at our table, including Bryan who was celebrating a birthday. Between the birthday toasting and the conversation, we didn’t notice the delay. It did cause somewhat of a rush to finish dessert/coffee in order to arrive on time for the concert which was in a hall within the same palace.
The concert was wonderful, partially featuring Strauss waltzes, with dancers performing. The music was provided by an eight piece orchestra and was extremely beautiful. A fitting finale to a fulfilling trip!
We returned to the hotel by about 11:00 PM. Since this was the last event of the tour, and we would be leaving at 4 AM, we would not be around in the morning to bid farewells. We tried to talk to as many people as possible, but felt a bit constrained as we knew that we had last minute packing to do for our 3 AM wake up. Returning to our room after about twenty minutes or so of good-byes, we set two alarms and requested a hotel wake-up call.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015
FAREWELL, EUROPE!
TRANSITION FROM FANTASY TO REALITY
Just as promised, there was a taxi waiting outside the hotel. At 4 AM there was barely a car on the road. When we arrived at the airport, it seemed that the employees were just arriving at their posts.
We were relieved to have a friendly, helpful Austrian Airlines desk attendant who assigned us seats and issued our boarding passes. Relieved to have that accomplished, we had time to enjoy a very leisurely breakfast.
The flight to Paris was fine. But on arrival at CDG, we rushed and just about made our non-stop flight from Paris to Cincinnati. Once on board, we felt a great relief!
The timing was amazing! From the time our flight left Vienna, flew two+ hours, left Paris 10:40 AM. . .flew 8 hours, gaining 6 hours with the time change, we were in our Cincinnati home by 3 PM. A total of only 16 hours!!!
We stopped en route from the airport to home to pick up our mail. As we pulled up our driveway, it was good to see that our lawn was green, the flowers were still healthy, and everything was just as we left it. We were very grateful and happy to be home! But our heads were spinning with the quick transition from the magic of Vienna to the realities of everyday life.
We believe that travel (and maybe life) is shaped by our choices, attitudes, and, in general, deriving meaning and fulfillment out of our experiences. We very much enjoyed this travel experience as we learned so much about new places, history, architecture, etc., and unexpected benefits were derived from the relationships and sharing with people on the tour. Many of them were a lot more experienced international travelers than ourselves, and it was interesting to share ideas. Overall, we felt that this was an enriching experience for us.
Having said all of the above, we still value our independent travel, and will, no doubt, plan most of our future trips on our own. However, for some particular locations or goals, we would be open to a tour such as we experienced.
We know that this TR has been extraordinarily long, and we thank all those who expressed their interest in our trip! As with other travels, we appreciate all the insights we gained from other Fodorites. Our sincere thanks to all!
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015
RETURN TO VIENNA
CELEBRATION DINNER AND CONCERT
This was our last day to enjoy those great hotel breakfasts! We were off from Cesky Krumlov, destination Vienna, at 8 AM, but not before enjoying a few minutes taking in some morning views of this beautiful medieval town. Our visit to Cesky Krumlov was short, but this quaint city was a great one night stop on our return route to Vienna.
The drive from Cesky Krumlov to Vienna was one of the most scenic of the trip. There are hills surrounding Cesky Krumlov, and as we got closer to Vienna, the terrain became hillier. Mountains could be seen in the distance. We passed near the town of Linz. After one coffee stop, we arrived in Vienna around noon.
With our early arrival, the rooms in the hotel were not available. Having spent a few days here prior to our tour, this area felt quite familiar to us. We used the time to visit the little shop next door, whose owner we had befriended on our previous several day stay. Tom bought that Vienna t-shirt that he had wanted two weeks earlier. Since it was a pleasant day, we chose to enjoy our last Vienna lunch at one of the sidewalk cafes in the pedestrian plaza near the Hilton.
We intended to use our free time to pack for our very early morning departure, take care of our airline check-in, and perhaps have a little time for final enjoyment of Vienna. We had known that there was a “Celebration Dinner and Concert” scheduled, but we had no idea that it was a gala affair at a palace. So that would mean dressing up, and arriving back at the hotel fairly late.
We did not anticipate the difficulty we would have in trying to print boarding passes. Austrian Air was our first carrier from Vienna to Paris. Andreas, the concierge we had met and liked a couple of weeks ago, wasn’t working. After quite a few unsuccessful attempts on our own, the concierge on duty suggested that we go up a floor to the business office
The employees in the business office were also unsuccessful. But a helpful girl who worked in the office told us of her personal experience of inability to do online check-in with Austrian Air. She suggested that we go to the airport very early to get boarding passes. Ugh!!! So we moved up our departure from the hotel from 4:30 to 4:00 AM. We confirmed from the concierge that we could request a taxi from the desk staff 5 minutes before we wanted to depart, even at 4AM!
Dealing with this airline check-in issue consumed quite a bit of time. So we headed back to our room, packed as much as possible, and dressed for the evening’s affair. We were ready for the 6:30 departure for the Palais Auersperg, built between 1706-1710, the location of the dinner and concert.
We enjoyed our one last trip through Vienna, by now being familiar with a lot of the sites. Having consumed so much time fooling around with Austrian Airline check-in, we were happy to get this last chance to take in the sights of this beautiful city, truly one of Europe’s grandest.
The entrance to Palais Auersperg was quite impressive, with glistening chandeliers, plush red carpeting, and beautiful paintings on the walls.
Although the palace has changed ownership over the years, supposedly, the room in which we had dinner was the location where Mozart first entertained Maria Theresa. It, too, was beautifully appointed, with paintings of Maria Theresa and other Hapsburgs on the walls.
Unfortunately, the kitchen had some kind of power issue, and our meals were delayed. But, again, we had a good group at our table, including Bryan who was celebrating a birthday. Between the birthday toasting and the conversation, we didn’t notice the delay. It did cause somewhat of a rush to finish dessert/coffee in order to arrive on time for the concert which was in a hall within the same palace.
The concert was wonderful, partially featuring Strauss waltzes, with dancers performing. The music was provided by an eight piece orchestra and was extremely beautiful. A fitting finale to a fulfilling trip!
We returned to the hotel by about 11:00 PM. Since this was the last event of the tour, and we would be leaving at 4 AM, we would not be around in the morning to bid farewells. We tried to talk to as many people as possible, but felt a bit constrained as we knew that we had last minute packing to do for our 3 AM wake up. Returning to our room after about twenty minutes or so of good-byes, we set two alarms and requested a hotel wake-up call.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015
FAREWELL, EUROPE!
TRANSITION FROM FANTASY TO REALITY
Just as promised, there was a taxi waiting outside the hotel. At 4 AM there was barely a car on the road. When we arrived at the airport, it seemed that the employees were just arriving at their posts.
We were relieved to have a friendly, helpful Austrian Airlines desk attendant who assigned us seats and issued our boarding passes. Relieved to have that accomplished, we had time to enjoy a very leisurely breakfast.
The flight to Paris was fine. But on arrival at CDG, we rushed and just about made our non-stop flight from Paris to Cincinnati. Once on board, we felt a great relief!
The timing was amazing! From the time our flight left Vienna, flew two+ hours, left Paris 10:40 AM. . .flew 8 hours, gaining 6 hours with the time change, we were in our Cincinnati home by 3 PM. A total of only 16 hours!!!
We stopped en route from the airport to home to pick up our mail. As we pulled up our driveway, it was good to see that our lawn was green, the flowers were still healthy, and everything was just as we left it. We were very grateful and happy to be home! But our heads were spinning with the quick transition from the magic of Vienna to the realities of everyday life.
We believe that travel (and maybe life) is shaped by our choices, attitudes, and, in general, deriving meaning and fulfillment out of our experiences. We very much enjoyed this travel experience as we learned so much about new places, history, architecture, etc., and unexpected benefits were derived from the relationships and sharing with people on the tour. Many of them were a lot more experienced international travelers than ourselves, and it was interesting to share ideas. Overall, we felt that this was an enriching experience for us.
Having said all of the above, we still value our independent travel, and will, no doubt, plan most of our future trips on our own. However, for some particular locations or goals, we would be open to a tour such as we experienced.
We know that this TR has been extraordinarily long, and we thank all those who expressed their interest in our trip! As with other travels, we appreciate all the insights we gained from other Fodorites. Our sincere thanks to all!
