Granny's trip to Eastern Europe
 

Been back awhile and over jet lag, so I'd like to share my trip with some of the helpful folks here and maybe some who might be thinking of traveling to these parts.

Please to those who say this is rightly central Europe, who cares? Just go and enjoy.

We left on a 19 day trip on Grand Circle and then spent 9 days on our own. We felt the tour was a good value for us. It included air fare, mostly Radisson SAS hotels, most of the meals, a great guide and a lot of the sightseeing tours. There were several extra tours, but we took only two and spent the time exploring on our own.

First we went to Warsaw. Didn't realize we had booked it over Easter and the town closes down for several days, everything except the churches was closed. It was actually ok since we got to visit on our own. It was 33 degrees out.

A highlight was hearing mass in Polish on Easter across from our hotel. There was fireworks, guns saluting and a procession from the park in front of the church with the priest, alterboys and people following into the church.

Included was a city tour of Warsaw and Easter dinner in a Polish home. Since I'm half Polish, that was a treat. The next night we took another optional tour, and attended a Chopin concert and had another typical Polish meal. Great stuff. On our way to Krakow, we visited Czestochowa, the shrine of the Black Virgin. There were thousands of teens there, praying that they passed their tests to get into college. I think every highschooler who failed, blamed it on not visiting this particular shrine. Considering the number there, they were very orderly and polite.

After 3 days in Warsaw, we moved on to Krakow. We were across from the park and within walking distance of the square. I have to say Krakow was my favorite city. It's not as big as Prague, Warsaw or Budapest, but the square is wonderful. It's so large and everything happening is there. We went to the Fine Arts Museum and my husband went to the University Museum. He said that was even better and they have a tour in Engish. We walked and walked and tried out several restaurants. Most of the nicer restaurants are in cellars in the square. We did try one of Rick Steves suggestions called the milk cafe. There are two of them off the square. No one spoke English in the one we tried, but it was fun eating with the locals and we love to do that. Since the menu is in Polish, it's a suprise what you recive.

We visited Wieliczka Salt Mine on a tour. There are over 2000 rooms in the mountain. It's quite a site. Some room are as big as a football field. Try the little log restaurant right across the street. It was fun and they give you some kind of vodka at the end.

I bought a Polish tea set in the square and we had to lug it the rest of our trip, but it got home with only one handle off, which is now glued. If you Amber, that's the place you buy jewelry. Of course, I did. All the gals in the family will get amber jewelry for Christmas. It's so much more fun to buy presents from faraway places than Macy's.

We also toured Auschwitz, sad but memorable.
It was difficult to see the conditions and the rooms with clothes and hair of the people that were there.

I wish we had been able to take the tour to Zakopane, the capital of the Polish Tatra mountains, but we wouldn't have had a day to explore. Everyone that went, said it was a highlight.

More later

After a lunch stop in Bratislava, we moved on to Prague. Prague has so much to offer. We did the usual tourist things, walk the Charles Bridge, tour the castle, etc. Our tour guide, Madga, went out of her way to help us. She took us on a metro run (underground) to show us how to use the system. It was very easy getting around after that.

We went to the Municipal House and saw "The best of Carmen" and ate at a restaurant downstairs that had wonderful stained glass. Do try to visit and eat there if you go. The Opera house has a tour if you can't attend a performance.

It's such a walkable city. We did a lot of that. We had good weather and sat opposite the big clock tower and had a wonderful dessert and watched the people. There is a farmers' market in every town. If you like art nouveau, the Mucha Gallery is a must. They have a tape in English also. Can't wait to hang the poster we got there.

Garnet jewelry is a Prague specialty and easy to pack, so that's what I bought.

Kogo Restaurant in the old town was great for a late lunch. We tried the vegetarian restaurant, so so. Over the Charles Bridge is a little ice cream place on the right side, very good. Our guide took us to U Fleku, a brewery restaurant. It's the oldest pub in Prague. It's a real experience. There's music, good food and dark beer. I'm not a dark beer drinker, but it was sure good. You can buy some of their medicinal vodka. Don't laugh, that's what they call it. Good for anything that ails you. Maybe you don't remember what ails you after a couple taste.

I didn't realize Eastern Europe had so many churches and synagogues. They are truly works of art. We visited many of them.

We used Rick Steves' and Lonely Planet for most of our restaurant recommendations.

We really wanted to visit Cesky Krumlov but didn't have the opportunity. That's one trouble with tours, you lose your flexibility. We could have returned after the tour was over, but decided to stay and see more of Hungary instead.

Next was Budapest. Had the city tour and visited castles, churches, fine art museum. Across from the fine art museum on Heroes' Square, is a neat little place that represents several different styles of architecture.

Our hotel was centerly located and we walked or took the tube. Loved the Opera House there. We saw Madam Butterfly ballet, but missed Don Giovanni. Get tickets first thing when you arrive. They go quickly. We met people from Great Britain that come here for a long weekend just to see the different presentations. There is so much going each week.

You can't go to Budapest and not take the waters. We went to the Szechenyi pools by the zoo. It was raining and we sat in the warm pools. we tried several. What a day. Then we we went to lunch at Gundel's. They have a prix fix lunch during the week that reasonable but we weren't that hungry and we were going out for dinner that night, so we ordered soup and salad. I got a big bowl of goulash soup, our friend cut a cup of cream soup and my husband got a half cup of oxtail broth. We made up for it with the bread. The highlight of the lunch was the dessert platter I ordered--to die for. So 2 soups, 1 side salad, 1 dessert and 1 coffee, with tip about $55. My husband got a lot of milage stories about that soup! We also had lunch the sister restaurant next store, Bagolyvar, and that better. Actually, outside of Gundel's, food was very reasonable. For the two of us, and a glass of wine each and one dessert, with tax and tip about $30 to $40.

We took a cable type bus and then a train to Szentendre, the first stop on the Danube Bend tour. We, however, went by ourselves. It's a cutsy little place with lots of little shops. I found it kind of boring. People from our tour group who went on the tour to the other Danube Bends said it was a highlight.

That was the end of our tour and then we were on our own.

Hi granny!

Thanks for your informative report. There is not a lot of information about Poland on this forum so it will be useful for those who are planning to go there.

I'm glad you had a good trip. Now I want to hear about the nine days on your own. Where did you go?

Nice report, granny.

Look forward to more.

((I))

Thank you Mr. Ben Haines for your information on the train system. As I mentioned above, my husband rented a car at the last minute before we left. We did have one opportunity to use the trains, when we went to Szentendre.

We got to the train station okay and got on the right train, but we didn't quite understand what the station attendant said about changing midway. My husband asked this young girl sitting across from us. She cleared up our questions. He replied very slowly that she spoke very clear English and where did she learn it. With a smile, she said she was from Connecticut! She was in Budapest teaching English to business people.

We also started a conversation with a gentleman from France on the train, and we went together to Sszantendre and spent the afternoon together.

We met two other couples who were traveling by train. One couple seemed to have the hang of it, but the other couple spent a whole afternoon trying to find a train back to Buda.

Granny,

My husband and I will be taking the same GC Tour. My husband may need to use a cane some of the time. Are the steps in the Salt Mine slippery or very steep? Thanks for your help.

Glad to hear about your GCT trip. And thanks for answering some questions earlier. I'll be intouch. No doubt we'll be doing some of the same things when we depart May 27. We hope to take most of the optional tours and also wander around as time permits.

This past week was an observance of the liberating of Auschwitz. Did you see photos of snow on the ground? Brrr!
I'm hoping for balmy breezes during our stay.

We are expecting soups, goulash, etc. on the menus which is OK. In Missouri we have too much Chinese and Mexican.
I'll enjoy the dark beers which was a taste acquired in Britain and Ireland.

So RDMOREU, when are you going?

Ozarksbill
[email protected]

Ozarksbill,

I think we're on the same GCT trip! We're arriving a couple days early in Berlin; but,the GCT trip we're on does leave the USA May 27. I don't have my list of others on the trip in front of me; I'll ck. it later. Are you staying on for Vienna?

Hey, that's great! We depart JFK late May 27 (after a few days in NY with son) and we are doing the Vienna extension which means departure from there June 19 (I think). I hear the final info is in the mail so we'll look at the list. Be writing at your email, too. We've been in touch with Bill & Carol (granny) and others.

LOL, Bill (Springfield, MO)