Vienna, Prague, & Budapest

A Group Experience in Vienna/Prague/Budapest

May/June 2002

Fri., 5/24:

We’re embarking on our 1^st escorted group travel experience, with Trafalgar Tours.  Plus we have our own “group of 7”: my brother Doug & sister-in-law Ann, Wisconsin friend Kay, Kay’s brother Dick & sister-in-law Sherrie.  Doug & Ann arrived in Vienna Thurs. for extra touring of the countryside, the Wisconsin contingent arrived today.  We’ll rendezvous tomorrow.  Friend Sherry drives us to the airport, only 10 minutes to get thru ticketing & security.  Feel we’ve packed efficiently, including handy Trafalgar carry-on bags.  Looking for warmer weather in Central Europe, since it snowed here last Sat.!  Depart Albany about 3pm for Washington/Dulles.  Shuttle (basically a room on wheels) to international terminal for Austrian Airlines direct to Vienna, departing 6pm.  Not as roomy as our last European flights on British Airways, but smooth quiet ride.  Video screen on backs of seats give views of takeoffs & landings, animated safety instructions in German & English, choice of movies (in 4 languages).  And duty-free shopping in the aisles (just in case you need a head start)!  Dinner after takeoff, a little breakfast before landing.

Sat., 5/25: 

          Into Vienna ahead of schedule, about 8:45am.  Cloudy & cool.  Our first kleiner brauner (small coffee w/ milk) waiting for Trafalgar transfer.  Kay & Sherrie come out to greet us as we pull up to the hotel.  The Crowne Plaza is not in a scenic location: a non-descript building near the “Vienna International Center” (including UN buildings) north of the city center, but near U-bahn (subway) stations to get around easily.  

 We meet British tour director Neil & Austrian driver Dietmar, onto our Mercedes-Benz bus: very colorful, so should be easy to spot, seems roomy enough. 
Hotels on this trip are a couple more “stars” than the smaller, quainter places we’re used to in Europe.  Marjorie & Kay like the plush bathrobes, Kay so much she throws away one she brought that dates back to high school.  Marjorie also uses little clotheslines in the shower for washing out some clothes.  I use the scary magnifying shaving mirrors.  Have to stay off a bike path in front of the hotel to avoid being run over; Ann takes it as her responsibility to remind us.  ATM to get local money (1$=1.09 Euros), nearby grocery for a light lunch.  Decompression in our room until drinks to meet Trafalgar group at 3:00, then introductory Vienna tour led by local guide Peter.  Marjorie: “We’re ‘bus people’!”  

A drive around the Ringstrasse pointing out various sights (including passing the Staatsoper about 3 times).  Stops at part of the Hofburg (imperial palace complex) & Stadtpark w/ Strauss statue.  

Dinner w/ Doug & Ann outside at a little restaurant, then strolling along pedestrian Kartnerstrass, into St. Stephan’s Cathedral.  Pretty window shopping & building facades, plus a little something from United Chocolate (who thought of that?).  U-bahn to hotel about 8.  A scary realization: Doug & I are pretty much wearing the same clothes.  I guess we’re “two wild and crazy guys” (apologies to Steve Martin & Dan Ackroyd).  Lots of rain at night.

Sun., 5/26:

Our first bus routine for the drive to Prague: 6:30 wakeup call, bags outside room for pickup at 7, board bus at 8.  Nice buffet breakfast (included each AM) in hotel: cereals, breads/jams, cheeses and cold cuts, mini-pancakes, eggs, sausages/bacon.  Busy around the hotel, at least 2 tour groups plus Vienna 26K marathon about to start just outside.  Pretty drive thru agricultural areas, fields of red poppies & vineyards.  As on all drives, Neil gives interesting info on culture, history, geography.  Passports checked, money exchanged (1$=33 Czech korunas/crowns) at the border.  

 A stop at Lednice to see a castle, pretty gardens/greenhouses.  Tasty wafer biscuits in the parking lot from an old man Neil says is always here; gives us a nice wave as we leave.  

 Driving along we see many red-tiled roofs, painted images on buildings.  Brno service area for very inexpensive lunch (full main courses, like wiener schnitzel, only $3-4).  We sit with British couple; he works for a phone company, brought new cell phone in development that’s also digital camera & sends photos anywhere via e-mail!  [So we get a sneak preview of what would become common as “smart phones”!]  But we can’t remember Matt’s new e-mail address to send him our picture from Czech Republic.  A wet PM on expressway to Prague.  To Crowne Plaza, this one prettier, more interesting than in Vienna: from 1950s Soviet era, it’s on Czech historical register.  Located again outside city center (north of Prague Castle), but convenient to public transport. 

Included buffet dinner at hotel (thankfully not the Mexican theme of their restaurant menu!).  Our first optional excursion, “Prague by Night,” w/ local guide Casper.  Panoramic view of the city from Strahov Monastery, a “train”-style tram thru Castle district & Old Town (Stare Mesto) previewing tomorrow.  Then boat ride on the Moldau (Vltava), beer or wine & accordion music (ranging widely, from “Sloop John B” & “Long Way to Tipperary” to Smetana’s “Moldau”).  Beautiful illuminated buildings, especially the Castle (courtesy of a donation from the Rolling Stones, we’re told).  Clearer & quite cool, a pretty moonrise toward the end.  Noisy night for sleeping, a busy square outside hotel; the next night we figure out the AC so can close windows.

Mon., 5/27:

  Cloudy today w/ hazy sun on & off; cooler as the day goes on but comfortable. Casper again as AM guide, good historical/cultural overviews; his affection for his country is obvious.  Into Castle district & St. Vitus’ Cathedral.  Hadn’t expected such scope and variety in the Castle district; it’s like a walled town.  

 Very young soldiers at attention at gates, but not as stoic as Buckingham Palace.  Army uniforms designed by costume designer for movie “Amadeus,” filmed here.  Doug excited to see a stack of styrofoam by Dow (his employer) in construction area.  Busy place, lots of tour groups.  

Into Old Town Sq: Jan Hus monument surrounded by beautiful palaces (did everybody get a palace?  ̶  they’re everywhere!) & churches.  Interesting “show” by the astronomical clock in Town Hall tower.

          PM “at leisure.”  Our group of 7 lunches outside on the square, then divides up.  I have to nag Marjorie and Kay: look today, shop tomorrow.  Thru Old Town, 

over impressive Charles Bridge: many people & artisans, views of Castle & river.  Into Lesser Quarter (Mala Strana). 

We climb thru Vrtba gardens for a pretty view of the city.  Behind us a soldier with machine gun patrols the hill; an American flag at the hilltop, so we presume it’s the embassy or some such place.  After gellati cones, into nearby church to see Infant Jesus of Prague, including a little museum with clothes used by nuns to dress the Infant.  Two medals are blessed for our priests back home.   

M & K too pooped for more gardens, so a stop for Vienna coffee & cappuccino on the square.  I go to pretty Wallenstein Palace gardens, then we all go into spectacularly ornate St. Nicholas Church.   

         To Lichtenstein Palace, which houses an “Academy of Music,” for a lovely concert (by a quartet of, we presume, undergrad-aged students at the academy) of Dvorak, Smetana, others.  Kay gets credit for spotting this.  Concerts are everywhere in Prague & Vienna in palaces and churches (often advertised by people on the street in Mozart-era costumes); this is nothing “special,” just a nice basement performance area, but the hall is full.  Past beautiful grounds of Polish & Indian embassies.  Subway & tram back to hotel; we go the wrong way for a couple of stops on the tram, but right ourselves w/o much difficulty.  Another included dinner at hotel.  Very sore legs from lots of walking.

Tues., 5/28:

          Thunder & lightning during the night, light rain in AM & heavier at times, tho dry by late PM; the weather adds to the “Old World” ambience.  Marjorie commented yesterday on the absence of Japanese tour groups, so of course the lobby is full of Japanese this AM.  Breakfast at the hotel, as usual. 
We hitch a ride into the city on our bus as it heads for an optional castle tour in the countryside.  Generally the bus is available for rides into cities in AM, 1 or 2 return times in PM.  Very chatty guide Sasha points out palaces & embassies as we work thru rush hour traffic.  Marjorie and Kay head off for promised shopping day. 

          I go w/ Doug & Ann to the Jewish Quarter.  Into Old-New and Pinkas Synagogues.  The latter has simple interior w/ names of local Holocaust victims on walls.  Children’s drawings upstairs from Terezin concentration camp; some had survived the camp, most had not.  My office neighbor’s grandparents died at this camp.  Very affecting and sobering, especially on a rainy day.  Then thru the old cemetery, jumbled headstones, & into a couple of churches: too dark for photos, none allowed in synagogues, so a bit lighter photo day. 

 I wander thru a maze of streets, not always sure where I am.  Interesting shops w/ crystal, garnet, marionettes (Doug & Ann go to a marionette opera, like what Matt performed with in Spoleto).  I skip medieval torture museum & “world’s largest spiders and scorpions,” decline offers to exchange money on the street (as we were warned).   

Mid-AM break for cappuccino & strudel on the square (covered from rain), then up into Town Hall tower for pretty views all around.  Fortunate to get down just before a big group of schoolchildren headed up.  

 More wandering: Havelska produce market, views toward Wenceslas Sq, Na Prikope pedestrian shopping area (disappointing: too much like NYC).  Back at Old Town Sq, I bump into Doug & Ann having Coke Light.

         

Rendezvous with Marjorie and Kay, who’ve had a wonderful day plundering Prague; Marjorie says Prague is “the best shopping ever,” tho disappointed I won’t let her buy a Skoda (Czech car). Their first stop was in Czech handicrafts store – sort of a guild or co-op, so they knew everything was authentic. Then on to other stores, markets, chocolate shops. They had a wonderful lunch of crepes in a sidewalk cafe/bar.  Later the three of us have an excellent rib-sticking dinner in a Czech pub: sauerbraten, pork w/ dumplings, goulash with Staropramen beer; shared blueberry dumplings for dessert.  And only about $15 for all of us!  Kay’s enjoying Czech food like her grandmother didn’t make; apparently granny wasn’t a terrific cook.  [However, Dick seemed to disagree & defended the dear woman’s culinary skills on several occasions. We began to wonder if they had really grown up in the same family!]  Metro/tram back to hotel, schmoozing later with Doug & Ann in hotel lounge; shopping show and tell by all.  A lot of nice things, including garnet earrings (both Kay & Ann, tho Kay had a struggle getting some she could put on w/o the aid of several shopgirls), chef marionettes, a glass ornament (my humble contribution).

Wed., 5/29: 

          Back to Vienna today: good timing for a day of less walking.  Mostly sunny, breezy, cool & comfortable temps.  While driving out views of the Castle in sunshine, Wenceslas Sq, soldiers guarding a building for Radio Free Europe.  Thru Bohemian countryside, pretty fields of yellow rape seed flowers, Neil recounting history of the area.  A stop at Tabor, home of Jan Hus, national patriotic hero.  Pretty town: church, colorful decorated buildings, flea market in the square.  We chat with Neil: he leaves on an alpine tour right after this one, has lived out of a suitcase for 12 years.   

Second stop at Trebon: many lakes & fish farming (trout & carp).  Carp is a local delicacy, including traditional Christmas lunch (doesn’t sound that appealing, especially with lots of tiny bones).  Town is also spa/treatment center.  Pretty square with colorful buildings in bright sunshine, castle with peacocks in a garden.  Good lunch in a little hotel; again too much food for little money.  Hadn’t expected much today, thought sunshine might be wasted, but very pretty stops.   

After crossing the border a short stop in Schrems, another pretty town, and ice cream cones.  More rolling countryside, hunting shelters in fields, maypoles in towns, “Blue Danube” playing on the bus.  Thru “wine villages;” we’re skipping that optional excursion tonight.  

        

 

Instead, after returning to hotel we take U-bahn to Prater park to ride historic Riesenrad ferris wheel (here since 19^th C, featured in 1930s movie “The Third Man”); we’d been told you haven’t been to Vienna if you haven’t ridden this.  

The 7 of us have a good dinner nearby, good-natured waiter lets Marjorie keep her little Zipfer beer glass for Matt.  Dick recounts his WC experience earlier in the day: the woman taking fees for using the facilities tried to explain the 2 charges for men via a hilarious combination of facial gestures & sound effects for “number 1” & “number 2.”  It’s agreed Dick gets the prize for best story of the trip!  Marjorie, Kay, & I stroll thru the large, colorful amusement park as it gets dark and increasingly busy with young people.

Thurs., 5/30: 

          Very sunny AM.  CNN says Europe “gripped by World Cup fever.”  India & Pakistan threatening war.  Final NYC ceremony for WTC cleanup.  Corpus Christi holiday, so businesses, schools, even stores closed here.  We decide at the last minute to join optional tour to Schonbrunn Palace (plus Imperial Treasury) instead of going it alone.  Well worth the details from our guide (Peter again) & we enter before it’s open to “the public.”  A summer Hapsburg palace, beautiful interiors (but no photos) & wonderful spacious gardens, including the world’s oldest zoo & a maze.  The complex is larger than Monaco!  Interesting family history, many children were married off to gain more power.  But the favorite daughter of Empress Maria Theresien allowed to marry her true love.  

 Bus to Albertina Sq (our regular drop-off spot), then a walk to Imperial Treasury past outdoor Mass in another square.  Treasury contains fabulous crowns, robes, etc. of Hapsburgs (e.g., from Holy Roman Empire) & similar church artifacts. 

 
Lunch at nice self-serve Rosenberger Market, including my apple strudel/kuchen habit (the functional equivalent of scones in Ireland). 

          PM excursion to Wiener Wald (Vienna Woods, or “Weener World” as I joke to no one’s apparent amusement).  Foothills of the Alps, similar to the Berkshires, Peter calls this “the green lungs of Vienna.”  To Abbey of the Holy Cross, a still active monastery that Marjorie especially likes.  Includes a “plague column,” celebrating deliverance from the black death. 

  

         Then to Mayerling, where Crown Prince Rudolph purportedly murdered his young mistress and committed suicide.  Hunting lodge no longer here, replaced by a chapel.  Via “Helen’s Valley” to Baden, Strauss’ “Tales of the Vienna Woods” playing in the bus.  It’s nice that some of our drives use country roads, not just expressways.   

Baden’s a ritzy spa town, hot springs & baths, casino, pretty parks/flowers (but stores closed . . . not my fault!).  Residences used by Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss.  On the drive back to Vienna we notice large piles of haystacks used as backing for billboards.  A busy day!  No bad stops or wasted time in the excursions, but especially a lot packed into this PM, with no lollygagging (or refreshments!).

          A more elegant dinner at Astoria Hotel (Frommer’s “best value”) w/ Doug & Ann & Kay.  We’re the only ones at first, waitress working her first day scurrying to set our table; a few more diners over time.  Excellent wiener schnitzel & lamb chops.  Ann a little silly on weisswein (tho I’m the one who spilled some).  Afterwards strolling along Kartnerstrasse again on a nice evening.  Another United Chocolate stop: Lindt Mozartkugeln for me, Marjorie pointing out other varieties of Lindt chocolates not available in U.S. (see works at a Lindt store).  Marjorie & I stay later, ride fast elevator to views from 6 floors above street.  Back to hotel, Kay’s being the internet queen again, using hotel computer in the lobby to keep in touch with people back home.

Fri., 5/31: 

          Bright sun & warmer  ̶  a perfect summer day!  Bus into city, then split up: Doug & Ann to Spanish Riding School for a training session; Marjorie, Kay, Sherrie, & Dick to Naschmarkt & other shopping destinations; I to the Hofburg complex.  No takers for the Schnappsmuseum.  Marjorie’s foursome wanders thru the market, mostly wishing they could bring back loads of the fresh produce, flowers, meats, cheeses, fish & sausages.  They have to be satisfied with lots of “window shopping.” It turns out to be a great place to buy spices, major find is Turkish saffron at a fraction of its usual price. They enjoy a hearty lunch at a small cafe on a side street where the waiter start off a little cranky, but softens up after large quantities of food & drink are ordered by the crazy Americans.  An enjoyable visit to a huge Julius Meinl gourmet grocery store. Again lots of things that wouldn’t have survived the return trip to the USA, or passed customs. But fun to look & compare prices, variety & quality. They manage to find some good jams, coffees, candies and other non-perishable goodies. Dick scores huge points when he announces he will head back to the hotel and take all the shopping bags. What a saint!!  So, hands free & energy renewed, the ladies continue on to further ensure the economic stability of the Czech Republic. 

I walk thru Burggarten & Maria-TheresienPlatz into the Museum Quarter &  new Museum of Modern Art.  Then into Volksgarten, with spectacular flowers.   

On to Kohlmarkt and Graben pedestrian areas, beautiful Michaelerplatz Peterskirche (lavish baroque interior).  Mid-AM break outside at historical Cafe Demel (recommended by both Frommer’s & friend Francisco): over-priced eine kleiner brauner plus traditional glass of water.  
          Then more wandering: Hohermarkt & Fleischmarkt (historical market areas), Jesuitenkirche (another lavish baroque interior), Stephansplatz as the noon bells ring.  Down Katrnerstrasse w/ various street performers (including human “statues”).  Thru Osterreichische Werkstetten, many beautiful things by Austrian artisans.  

I can’t find the Lipozzaner Museum, instead relax a bit in Burggarten.  Such a variety of parks in Vienna; this one is green space for strolling & lounging.  There’s a butterfly house, but probably not distinct from those we’ve seen elsewhere.  Back to Rosenberger Market for a kuchen fix (raspberry this time), then thru a Mostly Mozart shop (not interested).  

 I finish a busy PM with fascinating tour of Staatsoper (Vienna opera house), including several others from our Trafalgar group (Marjorie does a later tour).  The building was mostly destroyed by U.S. bombs in WWII, but is beautiful now.  Seiji Ozawa (from Boston Symphony, who conducted Matt at Tanglewood) starts as music director in Sept.  Fabulous intermission rooms (also used as dance floors for the annual Viennese Ball) & imperial lounge.  A huge stage: area the size of St. Stephan’s Cathedral, as high as Riesenrad.  Interesting to watch all the activity: rehearsals done w/ complete stage sets (for proper acoustics), then break them down & set up a for different performance in the evening. 

          Back at the hotel, Marjorie & Kay to the grocery to get snacks & drinks for tomorrow’s bus trip, other interesting things to take home.  Then we help Kay decorate Dick & Sherrie’s room for Dick’s 50^th birthday: black balloons, letters cut from magazines to put Happy Birthday on the mirror (& some questionably ageist comments), apple kuchen with candles.  (We meet them after dinner, Dick seems surprised & amused.  But we don’t follow up on my suggestion to have the bus sing to him tomorrow.)  

 Kay & Marjorie (the “birthday brownies”) & I have dinner at Zur Alten Kaisermuhle, along the river near hotel & recommended by Neil.  Have to work out translations of the menu with the one waiter who speaks English.  Excellent meals: fish, wiener schnitzel (K’s favorite), a mountain of ribs for me.  

Sat., 6/1: 

          7am departure for Budapest.  Marjorie disappointed when Neil says we probably won’t need to exchange money (1$=260 Hungarian forints), but we do wind up with a few coins for her scrapbook.  Sunny AM drive thru rolling countryside, more of the modern wind turbines we’ve seen everywhere.  60 km to what was the first Eastern bloc entry point to open to the West, then 190 km to Budapest.  Past a designer outlet in the countryside; similar to one by the NYS Thruway: Ralph Lauren, Timberland, etc.  Long lines of parked trucks (they’re not allowed on the roadway from Fri. night to Sun. night); where do the drivers go?  Snacks & juice, including Kay’s favorite “Jumpys” (kangaroo-shaped potato snacks w/ paprika flavoring).  Beautiful fields of lavender.  It’s good we left so early: no line of coaches so thru the border easily.  And no problem with speed traps; Neil says they used to just throw money at the police out the windows of the moving bus (is he kidding?).  A large statue on a hill of “tural” bird, symbol of the Magyar people. 

          To Budapest at 10:30, an IKEA store (like around NYC) the first sight (!).  Guided tour led by Erika.  Gellert Hill, with their Statue of Liberty & panoramic views of Buda & Pest, the Danube, Castle district, Parliament.  

 To Heroes Sq, monuments & fierce-looking statues representing the 7 founding tribes of Hungary. 

 Into Castle District, Matthias Church unfortunately closed for a wedding (a busy day: we see other wedding photo shoots & processions), Fisherman’s Bastion provides more panoramic views.  Then dropped off in Pest, most of the people continuing to an optional Danube lunch cruise.

          We stroll pedestrian street Vaci utca to the main square (Vorosmarty ter).  Lunch with Kay at Gerbeaud’s, a famous confectioner in a building that takes up a whole block on the square: sandwiches & yummy tortes in an elegant setting.  M pleased that the Dobas torte tastes just like hers, all 3 of us intrigued with Esterhazy torte.  Here as elsewhere the waitress brings silverware on a plate, we set our own places.  

           Then more strolling by pretty shops: embroidery, dresses, dolls.  M & K off on their own find some nice things: paprika-colored decorated egg for Marjorie’s collection (also added to in Prague), colorful dresser scarves. Kay’s major purchase is a lovely white tablecloth w/ white embroidery & lace. Later, while enjoying ice cream cones w/ Doug and Ann, they discover Ann had also been linen shopping & she also had a lovely tablecloth.  So everyone will be dining (carefully!!) on their special souvenirs.  

 I instead walked along the Danube promenade.  It’s a good thing I hadn’t been picked up by a gypsy woman (as Erika warned about), since the Trafalgar bus passes me returning from the lunch cruise.  

  Disappointed Central Market Hall is closed when we get there.  It’s becoming quite windy.  Many young people lining up outside a dance hall.  We depart Budapest at 5:30, the Danube finally blue (as Neil promised, so we know we’re with our true love).  Neil hands out tour evaluation forms, amid much kidding.  A pretty evening drive.  Slower getting back into Austria (1 hour), which Neil says used to be common & sometimes much worse, then snacks at a service area.  Back to hotel at 9:30.  A long day, but we’re used to this with our day trips to NYC.  A bite to eat at hotel w/ Doug & Ann.

Sun., 6/2:

          Another sunny AM.  A last Trafalgar bus ride to Vienna flughafen (airport).  Lots of shops in airport; guess this is universal.  Keep saying goodbye to our fellow travellers, then bumping into them again.  Thru various stages of passport checks & security (have to remove shoes, a relatively new feature).  Here and elsewhere during the trip we note these countries make few accommodations for people w/ disabilities.  Depart Vienna about noon.  Flight movie choices include “Kate and Leopold” (Meg Ryan) & “The Majestic” (Jim Carrey).  Lunch & a snack, frequent water & juice offered.  Another smooth ride, tho a bit bumpy landing at Dulles about 3:30.  We both comment that the flight didn’t feel as long or uncomfortable as expected.  Uneventful thru immigration, customs, security.  A bit early into Albany, arriving just after 6.  A pretty view of the city, come in right over our neighborhood.  As always, it’s good to be home safe & sound.

Marjorie’s happy about lots of new stamps in our passports.  Now 7 countries on 4 European trips.  Saw distant hills of Slovakia, but decided this didn’t count as #8.  Doug took more pictures than I, but he lugged around 3 cameras (and his diary will give his side of things).  Marjorie took 7 rolls of photos, so it must have been a good trip!

It was a good first group experience.  In a package tour you give up some things but gain others.  A good itinerary, 3 fascinating & quite different cities that we might not have braved on our own, good amounts of free time.  We skipped most optional excursions, but enjoyed those we did, others liked the ones they did.  Neil was good at keeping us informed, but not until we needed it.  Lots of interesting details about history, culture, etc.; luckily, no quiz at the end.  He made sure every person & bag got on & off the bus.  Local guides also excellent.  Dietmar could wheel our bus into & thru tight spaces, always kept the windows clean for our viewing.

A congenial group of 49 travel companions, mostly American but also from England, Australia, Canada (we got an address list).  No one was obnoxious or kept the group waiting.  In addition to our family groups, various other family combos, including mother-daughter, sister-sister.  Our group of 7 played together very nicely: we did some things together, split off in various combinations for others.  It was wonderful to be able to share this trip w/ Doug & Ann.  We’ve talked about doing something like this for a long time.  And Marjorie especially enjoyed (and me, too!) a 10-day reunion w/ Kay, a very dear friend, and the opportunity to finally meet Dick & Sherrie.  We’d be delighted to share travels with this group again.