FUN-travel: Berlin, Germany – Full Day

July 26, 2014 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Berlin, Germany – Full Day 

Day 19 – Saturday, July 19 – Berlin, Germany – full day – blue skies – 80’s

What I LIKE Berlin, Germany 2014 7

  • 7:30 – wake up to Via coffee
  • Slept good – (back only slightly stiff)
  • Go down to lobby for better internet
  • (doesn’t work there either)
  • Front desk calls Ibahn to fix
  • 9:00 – internet works
  • 9:45 – walk to Check Point Charlie
  • 10:10 – get on city tour bus
  • 11:00 – stop @ Brandenburg Gate
  • – French & German festival being set up
  • – Reichstag – parliament building nearby
  • – Tiergarten – huge park = 2.2 sq kms
  • 11:30 – Starbucks break – baguette sandwich & iced lattes = $13 Euro
  • Kaiser-Wilheim bldg –bombed & never rebuilt
  • Quays & canals connect Oder & Spree Rivers
  • 2:00 – back to Check Point Charlie
  • Section of Berlin Wall is there
  • Ready for lunch – only Italian near by
  • Walk back up to Gendarmen-mkt for lunch
  • Find wine shop – Planet Wein – get 2 nice bottles of South African for ship – Ernie Els blend Big Easy & Cathedral Cellar Pinotage = $34 Euro
  • 2:30 – lunch
Berlin, Germany 2014 12

Check Point Charlie

FUN-food – Augustiner: Brau München – veal sausages on mashed potatoes w/grilled onions & sauerkraut – 2 beers = $17 Euro

  • 3:30 – back for room R & R
  • 6:00 – happy hour in room – beer from Poland & duty free whiskey
  • 7:30 – eat@ hotel Mediterranean sidewalk café
  • –caprese & chicken Caesar salads w/side mushrooms & spinach – French Cab = $60 Euro
  • 11:00 – ready for bed
Berlin, Germany 2014 34

Brandenburg Gate

What I DON’T LIKE

  • Internet not working 100%
  • Hotel cappuccino – machine & not hot = $4
  • 9:20 – internet goes out again
  • Too many cranes in Berlin! Spoils view
  • Festival ruins view of Brandenburg gate
  • 3 calls from Ibahn can’t fix internet

FUN-fact – Berlin symbolizes the link between the Old Germany and the New Germany.
Not so FF – 77% of Berlin was destroyed in WW2.

Berlin, Germany 2014 28

Reichstag

FUN-travel: Berlin to Kraków, Poland

July 22, 2014 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Berlin to Kraków, Poland 

Day 16 – Wednesday, July 16 – Berlin to Kraków, Poland – blue skies w/white cottony clouds –70’s

Krakow, Poland 2014 13

What I LIKE

  • 7:00 – wake up
  • Pretty good sleep
  • 8:15 – shuttle to airport for Hertz

    Krakow, Poland 2014 65

    Kraków

  • ATM right by door & Starbuck’s just inside!
  • Good hot capp & food to go $15 Euro
  • Hertz is very close & car is ready curbside
  • – has navigation system – we brought ours too
  • drive back to hotel – load bags
  • 9:50 – take off
  • 11:25 – nice policeman @ Check Point Charlie shows us how radio works for Ipod
  • 11:45 – stop for toilet – exit has gas & BBQ restaurant
  • – kielbasa & potatoes, 2 cokes – YUM! = $8 US
  • 12:15 – head out & road is finally smooth
  • 4:45 – arrive hotel & GPS has us driving in restricted zone – pedestrian only
  • Went to TA – (trip advisor) for hotel in Kraków
  • Chose Wentzl for # of reasons
  • – #1 – main square location & elevator
  • – #2 – large rooms & valet parking
  • But have to say….
  • – Robert the doorman was highlight!
  • – truly an ambassador!
  • – came out to car (with umbrellas) due to light rain
  • – informed us being in forbidden car zone
  • – moved car – unloads luggage & moves to secure parking
  • Main Square is so adorable! – very European
  • Rain stops & take nice stroll
Krakow, Poland 2014 68

Kraków

FUN-food – Dinner @ Ristorante Da Pietro – sidewalk café – happy hour 2 beers – then caprese salad, spicy pepperoni pizza & nice 2011 Cape of Good Hope Pinotage = $65

  • 8:00 – back to hotel
  • Ask for wine glass for room – response is “red or white?”
  • 2 beautiful big glasses arrive by Robert
Krakow, Poland 2014 17

Kraków

What I DON’T LIKE

  • Can’t figure out nav system & manual in German
  • 11:20 – Check Point Charlie – freeway road block
  • – all cars exited & searched
  • – have to show ID & registration
  • – I am not kidding!
  • 11:30 – enter Poland & road is in horrible condition
  • 4:00 – light rain starts
  • Room has no AC – controls on wall do nothing but blow hot air!
  • We had to fly 2 hrs & then drive 6 hrs to see a “cute city”

FUN-fact – The scenery on the autobahn is pretty flat with everything from thick forests to corn fields on both sides and a sprinkling of small towns and farms. As we get closer to Krakow rolling hills are more common.

FUN-travel: St. Petersburg to Berlin

July 19, 2014 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: St. Petersburg to Berlin 

Day 15 – Tuesday, July 15 – St. Petersburg to Berlin, Germany – blue skies w/some light clouds – high 70’s

St. Petersburg, Russia 2014 132

Catherine’s Palace

St. Petersburg, Russia 2014 77

Madonna & Child – Leonardo Da Vinci – Hermitage

What I LIKE

  • 1:30 – depart for airport
  • Ready to leave Russia
  • 1:50 – arrive
  • 2:45 – ticket counter check in
  • – no baggage Nazi’s
  • – don’t get hit for being over 23 kilos
  • 3:00 – lady can’t figure out price to charge for extra bag
  • – don’t get hit for $15 Euro
  • 3:10 – passport control
  • 3:20 – security screening – liquids no problem
  • 3:35 – arrive gate A21
  • – very long walk
  • 4:15 – board – plane not full
  • – move to exit row for legroom
  • 4:35 – take off (fairly on time)
  • 4:40 – on time landing
  • Get 2 hrs back
  • 2nd in line for customs & breeze thru
  • 5:25 – all bags make it
  • Airport info desk calls for free shuttle pick up
  • – Mercure hotel next to airport

St. Petersburg, Russia 2014 94

  • Staying here to get car in morning & drive to PolandKrakow, Poland 2014 60
  • Fast & free internet
  • Save 15% on food & drink if sign up for loyalty program
  • 7:10 – chef has special pasta menu
  • – highly recommend ordering from that
  • – all fresh made & very tasty
  • Triangle pasta w/cheese/pesto/sundried tomatoes & salmon salad w/pasta & tomatoes = $30 Euro Bordeaux $37.50 Euro
  • 10:00 pm – tired!

What I DON’T LIKE

  • Have to go thru security just to enter airport
  • Check in doesn’t start until 2:20
  • Had to prepay extra bag fee 48 hrs prior
  • Costs $70 Euro + $15
  • 2:45 – can’t pay @ check in counter
  • – have to go to another counter – then come back with receipt
  • No jet way again & hot bus jammed full – on both ends!
  • Bags take forever
  • Need a Euro to get trolley for bags
  • Have to walk to Terminal A to get shuttle
  • Inadvertently made reservation for 1 person
  • – they charged $20 Euro more for 2nd person
  • Room has one pillow, one duvet & 1 towel
  • – REALLY! have never seen such a thing
  • 2 bottles of wine not available – finally order the Bordeaux
Moscow, Russia 2014 99

The Kremlin

Not so FUN-fact – The Mercure is a transit hotel and overpriced in our opinion. They claim 4 stars – no amenities to speak of. Free coffee is from 5 to 6 in the morning. Machine cappuccino is $3 Euro

FUN-travel: New 7 Wonders of the World Runner Up – Neuschwanstein Castle

January 13, 2014 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: New 7 Wonders of the World Runner Up – Neuschwanstein Castle 

Neuschwanstein Castle FUN-facts

  • It was built from 1869 to 1886 by King Ludwig II.Fussen, Germany 2013 59
  • He died mysteriously and building ceased.
  • He only lived there for 172 days.
  • It was only 1/3 complete.
  • It was designed by a stage painter – not an architect.
  • It had gravity fed fresh water & sewer systems.
  • It is built over the ruins of 2 medieval castles.

More FF – Rumor has it he was spending way too much money & was declared insane. The next day he and his psychiatrist were found drowned in a Munich lake
– It was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty & Disneyland castles.
– It’s a New 7 Wonders of the World runner up and #17 on our list of the 21 vying for it.

  • In the summer of 2007, more than 90 million people cast their votes to determine which architectural marvels in the world deserved to be one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. There were a total of twenty-one landmarks vying for that title.
  • Of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, only the Great Pyramids in Giza, Egypt still stand. The pyramids were given an automatic spot after infuriated Egyptian officials said it was a disgrace to have to compete for something that had belonged to their country for so long. I agree!  We saw them in 2007.

Fussen, Germany 2013 24

  • It is our goal to see all twenty-one landmarks. Also, Chris and I have collectively seen a lot of the twenty-one, however, not together. So the rule is, “If you’ve been there but not together, it doesn’t count.”

New 7 Wonders of the World we’ve been to:

#1 Chichen Itza, Mexico – 2005Fussen, Germany 2013 31
#2 Great Wall of China – 2010
#3 Machu Picchu, Peru – February, 2012
#4 Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro – February, 2012
#5 The Coliseum – Rome, Italy – August, 2012
#6 Petra, Jordan – March, 2013
#7 The Taj Mahal – Agra, India – TBA

New 7 Wonders of the World Runner Ups we’ve been to:

# 9 Statue of Liberty, New York – 2005
#10 Sydney Opera House, Australia – 2005
#11 Hagia Sophia, Istanbul – 2007
#12 Acropolis, Athens – 2007
#13 Angkor Wat, Cambodia – 2010
#14 Eiffel Tower, Paris – 2010
#15 Stonehenge, England – 2011
#16 Alhambra, Spain – August, 2012
#17 Easter Island, Chile – February, 2013
#18 Neuschwanstein Castle – Füssen, Germany – September, 2013
#19 The Kremlin, Moscow – TBA
#20 Kiyomizu Temple – Kyoto, Japan – TBA
#21 Timbuktu – Mali, Africa – TBA (may never happen due to current civil war)

Fussen, Germany 2013 56

FUN-photos: Prague to Trieste – September, 2013

November 11, 2013 by · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Prague to Trieste – September, 2013 

Our trip started on September 16th. We flew to Prague from London on the 17th. Then we trained to Munich for opening day of Oktoberfest. From there we rented a car and drove to Dachau and on to Füssen to see the Neuschwanstein Castle. (#17 on the list vying for the New 7 Wonders of the World) Next we headed to Salzburg and Vienna where we dropped the car. Then we headed to Budapest and on to Trieste by train. We spent the night in Villach, Austria to eliminate the overnight train.

If you click on the first picture it will allow you to create a slide show. And it turns out they are in ascending order (in other words, the first is actually the last) So if you click the back arrow you will see them in order. Enjoy!

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