Monday, October 4
Today was our walking tour of the city of Prague. Our bus left us below Prague Castle where we started our walk. The Castle is considered the largest in Europe. It is in fact more like a city of it’s own. The offices of the president are located in the castle. While we were there we were able to see the changing of the guard. We passed from courtyard to courtyard as we wandered through the complex. We did get to visit the interior of the St. Vitus Cathedral. This was an other example of a huge church with very elaborate interiors.. The guide told us that there are 138 churches in Prague. It seems that everywhere that you look, there are spires on the horizon. There are grape vines planted on the slopes outside of the castle gates and we walked along a downward path as we headed down to the river. \The Vlatave River flows through Prague and has several bridges connecting the two sides of the city. In 2002 there was such severe flooding of the river that the water level rose over 9 meters and caused flooding. It was interesting to see marks in buildings indicating the height that the river rose to. Buildings were flooded up to the second floors in some cases. One of the most famous bridges is Charles Bridge which dates back to 1357.. Thousands of people cross this bridge daily and is considered a major tourist attraction. The other side of this bridge leads to the Old Town of Prague. In the town square we saw an interesting clock. It is located on the old Town Hall and has 3 main components; being able to show the position of the sun and moon in relation to the zodiac, medallions representing the months of the year, and a puppet show that has mini figures appearing from trap doors as the chock chimes on the hour. We had lunch in a small restaurant off the town square and finished the walk with a stop in the old Jewish Ghetto. We were on our feet from 10am until 4 in the afternoon . It is very difficult to recount everything that we saw, but I think that there is very little that we did not cover. Tomorrow is not a structured day so we will probably spend some time revisiting some of the sites that we saw today. Our farewell dinner will be tomorrow evening and it will be time to say goodbye to all of our new friends. Our flight leaves at 10:20 so we will be leaving the hotel early to catch our flight. It has been a great holiday and we will fondly remember our times in the 3 countries that we have visited in the past 2 weeks.

Sunday, October 3
Today we had a full day excursion into the Bohemian country side and visited a small village called Karlstejn. Here Karlstejn Castle is located ,the second most visited tourist site in the country. It was about a 45 minute drive from our hotel and we were transported up to the castle from the parking lot by horse drawn wagons. It is 2.4 km on all and goes steadily uphill. A tough grind for the horses. The driver told us that his horses were 15 and 20 years old. This castle dates back to 1348 and was originally intended to house the Royal treasures. The location high on a rock outcrop made it a strong hold. During the history it was besieged several times , but it never was totally captured. King Wenceslas often used the castle as a summer home and Royal palace. We had a tour of part of the castle by a young tour guide that carried the keys to each room with her. We would be let into one room at a time wit the doors being locked behind us as we went along. Unfortunately photographs were not allowed in the castle, but I do have several of the exterior and surrounding countryside. The walk down to the parking wandered through the small village with a selection of shops selling souvenirs and snacks . The next stop was the other side of Prague to Konopiste Castle. The bus ride took about one hour . This castle was originally established as a Gothic fortress in 1300. The architecture has changed over the centuries but it is most famous as the hunting lodge of Archduke Franz Ferdinand from 1887 until he was assassinated in 1914 triggering the start of the first world war. Franz had one strong obsession, hunting. The halls are lined with hundreds of his trophies. It is estimated that over his lifetime, that he shot over 300,000 animals. We once again were guided through several of the rooms. A very impressive sight that showed that wealth can indeed provide for ones every wish. We were on the bus once again heading back to the hotel for a short rest before dinner. I must say that this tour has the most imaginative venues picked out for our evening meals. To day was no exception with a stop at a brewery called Klasterni Pivovar. The beer , food and entertainment was great and everyone had a most entertaining evening. Back to the hotel for a much needed rest. Gale and I are enjoying having everything well planned , but it is at times a fast pace and I think that we will be ready to go home on Wednesday. Tomorrow we have a full day planned in visiting the city of Prague.

Saturday, October 2
We have been so busy and on the go that this is the first time that I have had time to sit down to give an account of what we have been up to since the last entry. Friday was our last day in Vienna and we were on our own for the day. We went down town and Gale had 2 hours on her own to go shopping. I went of to the local market and wandered about for part of the time and ended up at the coffee shop where I discovered free internet access to send the last 2 entries. Gale and I met at our planned meeting point and went of to see Kaisergruft, the crypt that all of the Royal Hapsburg family members are buried in. The crypt is located in the lower area of a small church . A very solemn place, but very interested. We wandered looking at shops on small streets and picked up more souvenirs. We could not leave Venice without stopping at Cafe Schwarzenberg, a historic coffee house for coffee and a cake. Many many calories but so yummy. Back to the hotel for a rest before the last meal in Venice. Our destination was a small place called Grieechenbeisl in the old part of the city. Apparently this place is located in one of the last remaining parts of the old city wall and all of the young musicians used to go there for food and drink. It is a very busy establishment catering to bus loads of tourists. There are many small rooms in the place and one of them has supposedly got the signatures of the musicians and composers that have visited over the years. We had the biggest schnitzel that I have ever seen. Neither Gale or I were able to finish our serving. In the morning we left for Prague. It was about a 4 hour drive through the country sides of both countries. Lots of vine yards and other agricultural lands. We arrived early and so Tom took us to Wenceslas Square to kill some time. I was expecting a big square but the street actually is a long pedestrian only area going back from the national museum. Lots of shopping and restaurants. I was able to purchase a can of beer at a small vendor on the street to quench my thirst . Very informal and inexpensive too. Our home while in Prague is the Hotel Diplomat. It is situated in an area where many of the diplomatic residences are located. Very comfortable and away from the hustle and bustle of more popular areas. We had a buffet dinner for just our group in a private dinning room. A very nice welcome to the city. Tomorrow we go castle touring in the Bohemian country side.

Thursday, Sept 30
We have been gone one week and the time has flown by. This morning was free for us so we headed to the Spanish Riding School , the home of the famous Lipizzaner horses. We were able to view the morning training of the horses in the school arena. The practice session lasts between 10 and 12 in the morning and we were able to watch many of the horses as the were put through their paces. These horse are truly beautiful. The breeding of these animals is very controlled and they all are from a line that dates back to the original Imperial stud in 1580. The breeding records are strictly kept and only the best horsed get to be in the Spanish Riding School. I remember seeing the horses at a show in Ottawa but this was much better seeing them in their own home . This afternoon the organized tour involved a visit to the Vienna Woods in the countryside outside Vienna. We started with a visit to the 12th century Cistercian Abby at HeiligenKreuz.( translation Holy Night) This Abby is still in excellent condition and was it really was a great experience to see. From the outside the building did not seem very special but we were in for a real surprise once we entered. The interior was incredible. It amazes me how these buildings were constructed . The roof was so tall . Gale and I watched Pillars of Earth on TV a while back and it involved the building of a mid evil era cathedral and the problems involved in construction. Here we get to see the finished product and can only stare in awe. We continued to a few other historical sites and to the town of Baden for a brief walk about. Dinner was at the town of Gumpoldskirchen at a unique restaurant called Bruckberger. This place specializes in traditional Austrian country food served on platters directly to the table. The crackling pork skin on the leg was amazing. Baden is in a great wine growing region and the restaurant served wine grown in it’s own vineyards. Back to the hotel at the end of another busy day. Tomorrow is a day on our own and we will be going back down town to see any sites that we have missed and of course give Gale a chance to shop.

Wednesday, September 29

Finally I become a savey traveller. I discover that for the price of a coffee, that I can use the wifi spot for free. Now I will post 2 days worth of entries. Enjoy
We Had an early wake up call for what will be the busiest day so far. The breakfast buffet at the hotel is very nice and we ate far to much. We left for a city tour of Vienna at 9 am buy bus. Our tour guide Irena has lived in Vienna for many years and really knows her history of Austria. Since I am putting this entry together 2 days later I can attest to her competence.; a really nice lady with a passionate love for the history of her country. We had a very thorough tour of the historical parts of the older part of the city. The sights were impressive but Irena’s knowledge is what made everything meaningful. We visited the Cathedral of St. Stephen which dates to approximately 1144, passed by the Opera House, city hall, Austrian parliament buildings, and many other historical buildings .It is really difficult to recount all of the sites. We were taken to Belvedere Palace, a huge complex that was the summer palace of Prince Eugene , one of the early Hapsburge aristocrats. This dates to 1700. It is a large estate with upper and lower castles and a large garden between them. We were back to the hotel for a brief break before setting out for the evening venue. We visited Schonbrunn Palace. This was the summer residence of the royal family in Vienna. The history of this palace goes back to 1559 when it was first used as a hunting estate. It was damaged several times due to wars and in 1692 Emperor Leopold started to rebuild the palace as a summer residence. Just a small building which once completed had 1440 rooms. We were lucky to be one of the last tour groups of the day so our guide put extra effort in the tour which lasted over one hour. It is amazing that articles and a building of such old age are in such remarkable shape. We had dinner at the palace after the tour and then attended a classical concert of music composed by Mozart and Strauss. The resident orchestra performsed in the great hall of the palace and we were fortunate to get to see the performance in such a splendid venue. By the time we got back to the hotel we were very tired after such a full day.

September 28

Tuesday, September 28
This morning we bid farewell to Budapest and started our journey to Vienna. Tom had everyone well organized and we left on schedule at 8:30. Our journey would take us through the Hungarian countryside via the Tihany Peninsula on Lake Balaton. This lake is central Europe’s largest lake. Although it is not particularly deep, it is about 70 km long and is about 5 km at it’s widest part. In the summer it is very popular with tourists from all over eastern Europe and from as far away as Russia. It is a popular wine district with excellent white wines being produced. We stopped and visited the Tihany Benedictine Abby. The Abby dates back to1055 and contains the world’s oldest document featuring the Hungarian language. There is a museum located in an adjoining building which featured a collection of photographs by a leading Hungarian photographer. This collection concentrated on life in that part of Hungary between 1960 and the present time. The pictures showed the people and their life styles. Lunch was arranged at a small restaurant in the village afterwards. Afterwards we headed to Vienna after dropping our local guide off near the Austrian boarder as she was returning to Budapest by train. We arrived at the hotel about 6:00 pm. We are at the Hilton Vienna Danube, situated on the river and we have a huge room on the 4th floor looking out over the river. An other fabulous property. Tomorrow is a full day with a city tour most of the day followed by dinner at the Schonbrunn Palace and a classical concert. I will report on the day in a later entry. Internet time is not free and the charge here is 10 euros for 1 hour. So I have to make the most of the time.

Sept 27 Budapest

Budapest Monday Sept 27
Today was a free day for us to do what ever we wanted to do. I was not looking forward to spending a day following Gale around every store in Budapest. We took the bus and subway from the hotel to the downtown area with out getting lost. We compromised and while Gale wandered through a variety of stores I wandered the back streets looking for new sights that had eluded us on our prior visit to the downtown area. This worked out well as Gale got to do more shopping and I got to see more of the sites. We had an enjoyable lunch of stuffed cabbage and sausage at a small cafe on one of the side streets Afterwards a short subway trip back to our hotel and we once again took advantage of the thermal pool facilities. We got to spend some time with our tour manager Tom Jacobson. He is a retired school teacher who currently lives in Windsor. He does tours for Senior tours as a contract Tour manager. He is originally from Hungary and has a great personality. Everything is very casual but he manages to move the tour on without any complications. So far Gale and I are really impressed with the quality facilities that have been arranged for this tour. For the evening dinner and entertainment, a cruise on the Danube was arranged. A small river boat picked us up at the hotel dock and we cruised down to the downtown point of the river and back. There was champagne offered as we embarked the boat and an excellent buffet spread followed with wine. After seeing the buildings and bridges from high above the city on Saturday evening, it was a special treat to again see the same sights from the river level. The cruise lasted approximately 2 hours and it was a fabulous way to bid farewell to Budapest. After 4 days everyone has got to really blend in and we are really enjoying our new acquaintances. Back to our room to pack for an early departure in the morning.

Budapest 26 September

It is 4 days since we left home and this is the first time that I have made time to put our first entry for this trip. Although we left Ottawa 30 minutes late last Thursday, our pilot managed to make up the time and we arrived early in Frankfurt. A quick turnaround had us on our connecting flight to Budapest and we were at our hotel by 11:30. The Danubius Spa Hotel is a great spot to call home for our stay to Budapest. Our room is very comfortable and has some great spa facilities. There are thermal springs on Margitsziet and they feed several pools in the spa. Our jet lagged bodies were in appreciation of the warm soothing pools. There are 41 persons in our travel group and they arrived at the hotel at around 5:00 pm and Gale and I really were glad that we made our own travel arrangements. All of the people on the trip are senior folks and come from all across Canada. We are joined by 8 other people from the Ottawa area and have folks from Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Sudbury, Montreal, Toronto and London. We have had a chance to meet most of the people we have a great group to travel with. Yesterday we had city tour of Budapest and saw many highlights of the area. The architecture of the old buildings is very impressive considering what the Hungarian people have been through. There is still quite a lot of original buildings and a great deal of restoration has been undertaken. We were taken to the main city market building where we experienced where the locals do their shopping. Lots of fresh produce and butcher shops and also a chance to sample some of the local foods prepared in small booths. Gale and I had a local item called Langos. At home this is very close to a beaver tail except that it was loaded with fresh cheese, sour cream, onions and many other optional ingredients. Not exactly diet fare. We were later taken to one of the oldest coffee and pastry shops where we sampled a selection of Hungarian pastry and a strong coffee. Later that evening we were taken to the Citadel Restaurant which is in a restored military building high above the city. The views were spectacular at night with all of the historical buildings and bridges across the Danube being illuminated. The food was traditional Hungarian and there were folk dancers and musicians. I think it is impossible to have a meal without Gypsy musicians. By now we are getting a bit tired of violin serenading.
Today we left the hotel in the morning for a tour of the country side around the Danube Bend. This is the area where the Danube changes direction as it winds its way through Hungary. We visited Esztergom where the center of Hungary’s Catholic church is located . The cathedral and surrounding buildings was most impressive. We had lunch at a neat restaurant situated high above the Danube (more Gypsy music) and then on to a small artisan village called Szentendre. We only had one hour to wander through the village and look at the various shops and local handcrafts. Of course I was happy to only spend one hour but there were several complaints about the lack of time for the women to go shopping. Gale and I are enjoying the trip so far and it is so very different form what we have experienced in the past. It is nice to have some one else do all the planning and driving. Tomorrow is a free day and we will head back in to the center of Budapest to revisit the area that we did not have a lot of time to see on Saturday. (By now I am sure that you have figured out that means shopping) I have attached some pictures of the trip so far so enjoy. The next entry will probably be when we get to Vienna.