The Best for Last

The train from Budapest to Prague took 7 hours. As we pass through Slovakia, the snow has been falling and with the trees, streams and fields covered in white, I thought of the movie Dr Zhivago. There is a definite Eastern European feel in the air. It was fun to wave at passengers travelling on a train parallel to us and wondering where their travels were taking them. So, anyone who has the bug for travel should definitely add Prague to the bucket list. Truly one of the most interesting, most hospitable, and most charming cities I have been to. The sites to see are too numerous to take in over a couple of days so a return trip is certainly in the cards for the future. Our boutique hotel was located near the old town and only a five-minute walk to some of the more prominent points of interest. The famous astrological clock near The Church of Our Lady before Tyn in the Old Town Square was in full Christmas mode with a gigantic evergreen taking centre stage. Disappointing as it was that the Christmas markets had been cancelled, the city was in full festive mode with lights in abundance and bobbles and twinkles hanging from the boughs and overhanging structures. There were excited small children everywhere out on outings to see the lights and decorations. They are full of anticipation as St Nicholas Day is December 6th and it will be celebrated with toys and gifts this weekend. There is magic in the air as we do our first day walk about. Prague was spared by the Nazis in WW2 because of the Czech government decision to surrender early, so the city is largely intact, and the many towers and churches remain unscathed so that we can admire the architecture and stained glass to it’s fullest. A walk through the Jewish Quarter followed by a walk across the iconic stone bridge commissioned by King Charles in the early 1600’s keeps us looking in every which way. The castle on the opposite side of the Vltava River is the largest in Europe and the Palace is surrounded by it’s extensive protective walls which have never been breached. Home to many brand name fashion icons in Wenceslas Square such as Gucci, Dior, Cartier and Tiffany was inspiration enough to take out the plastic, but we resisted by leaving the fashion designers to the models and opted for some crystal and grand children Christmas gifts instead. The weather has been cold and wet but the mulled wine with lunch always lifts the spirits and hasn’t dampened our enthusiasm for this truly world class destination. Until next time. Frohe Weihnachten!!

Prague or Bust

This journey has been a struggle from the outset to say the least. Parts of Europe have been shutting down all around us and unfortunately, we seem to have been caught in the eye of the storm. Water levels have been low on the Danube which has prevented us from disembarking at several key stops. Austria has been shut down which prevented us from visiting Vienna, which was to be a highlight, so naturally our tickets to the world-famous Lipizzaner horse show were cancelled as well. An alternative docking destination was supposed to be Bratslavia, the capital of Slovakia, but you guessed it. Christmas markets have been shutting down faster than one can keep track of, and we just learned that Prague too has decided to pull the plug on their markets. All the extra excursions we booked in advance have been cancelled and the weather has been anything but perfect with lots of rain, cool weather and the sun has been MIA with the one exception of Passau and our cruising of the Wachau Valley. Nevertheless, our tour organizers have bent over backwards to do their utmost to make the experience as positive as possible. There have been many lengthy coach trips which have enabled us to still experience some iconic churches and points of interest. One of the more interesting side trips was a visit to watch a performance of world-famous Hungarian Horsemen at a stud farm near Lajosmizse, south of Budapest. Budapest itself is truly a remarkable city. So many iconic buildings and sights including the spectacular Parliament buildings. We were treated to a river cruise of the waterfront and a return visit is certainly warranted when the weather would be more hospitable. As I write this, we are on a 7 ½ hour train journey to Prague from Budapest. Who knows what that will have in store for us as we already know the Christmas markets will be closed but we are still looking forward to it, as the weather is supposed to improve and by all accounts Prague is truly a beautiful place to visit. This is not our first rodeo and I know we already have some other trips in the pipeline, but I do feel badly for those experiencing the "once in a lifetime" trip to Europe. Frohe Weihnachten!!