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!

FUN-travel: Budapest, Hungary – Full Day 2

October 3, 2013 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Budapest, Hungary – Full Day 2 

Day 15 – Monday, September 30 – Budapest, Hungary – cool, windy, ominous dark clouds threaten – 50’s

What I LIKE

  • 10:30 – off for the “free 2nd day w/Danube cruise” – WWIT!

    Budapest, Hungary 2013 56

    Castle Hill Church

  • *11:20 – hop on for one stop
  • 11:30 – change to red line for 3 stops
  • 11:40 – stroll down Andrássy – they say “the Champs-Elysées of Budapest” IDTS – (I don’t think so)
  • **12:00 – back to deal w/women @ local vendor market for souvenirs for grandkids
  • walk to cruise dock
  • 1:00 – river boat cruise
  • 1:25 – Margaret Island stop – nice walk through huge park (takes up over half the island)
  • claim to fame – musical fountain & old church ruins
  • once again Chris is beside himself, bowled over by all the beauty (not!) it’s this or the hotel and not willing to spend my day that way
  • 2:25 – take boat back
  • 2:50 – arrive dock @ Pest side
  • 3:00 – hop on bus shows up – IT (imagine that!)
  • no rain all day
  • 3:15 – hop off for good!
  • walk to restaurants for dinner choice
  • 3:30 – goulash soup & beer break @ Voros Postakocsi – 1ST TE (time ever) – they have pista (pronounced peeshta) hot, red chili paste – YUM!
  • 4:00 – room R & R
  • 6:30 – head to bar for “free cocktails” from bathroom incident on Saturday – Tullamore Dew neat & dry Bombay Sapphire up w/extra olives
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Castle Hill

  • 7:00 – walk to Soul Café – TA rating good – 2011 Áldás St. Andrea Hungarian blend – warm walnut encrusted goat cheese w/salad – salmon w/tarragon risotto – chef special dessert, pancake w/poppy seeds & plum jam (for mama!) = 15,523 ft = $75Budapest, Hungary 2013 66 US & really VG!

WWIT (What Was I Thinking) – clearly not!

What I DON’T LIKE

  • *11:15 – bus late – IT (imagine that!)
  • **they still won’t deal for 11 things! best I do is save 400 FT = $2.00 – usually I get 1 thing free! she throws in a magnet – to which I reply “I don’t want a magnet, only this.”

FUN-fact – The Danube river starts in Germany’s Black Forest and is 2800 kilometers long. It runs through 8 European countries and 4 capitol cities.
Not so FF – Budapest was the least impressive city of the past two weeks. People don’t seem very friendly here.

FUN-travel: Budapest, Hungary – Full Day 1

October 3, 2013 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Budapest, Hungary – Full Day 1 

Day 14 – Sunday, September 29 – Budapest, Hungary – overcast, cloudy & breezy – 50’s

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Local Market

What I LIKE

  • 8:15 – wake up to hot capp in bed
  • 10:15 – down to breakfast before close
  • 10:45 – walk to Hop on Hop off bus stop – good value here – includes 2 days, 2 lines & Danube river cruise – every 30 mins

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    Local Market Food

  • this is much bigger city & spread out
  • 11:15 – take yellow line for full ride – sights include: synagogue, national museum, market hall, parliament
  • 12:45 – end up in main square
  • *1:00 – starbuck break
  • 1:15 – stroll thru local vendor market
  • 1:40 – hop on red line – sights include: fashion street, opera house, heroes’ square
  • 2:30 – get off @  Castle Hill on Buda side
  • 3:15 – hungarian soup break – really yummy & only $2 US
  • **3:25 – back to bus stop
  • ***4:00 – bus finally comes
  • 4:30 – transfer to another bus to finish city loop w/citadel
  • NA – Never Again! – take any hop on hop off bus
  • 5:55 – FIKTíV Pub – right around corner of hotel – half liter Heineken & glass of red Hungarian wine (not bad, not sweet) – bowl goulash soup & grilled pork w/vegetables (typical Hungarian meal) TA (trip advisor sign in window) – VG! = $28 US
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National Museum

What I DON’T LIKE

  • *no free toilets – need code from receipt to get in (that happened in Prague too)
  • **bus late yet again! they claim protesters blocked road
  • ***back up bus only takes us to bottom of hill and parks for 20 mins!
  • can’t make a deal w/women @ local vendor market for souvenirs for grandkids (usually get a deal for buying more than 1 thing) way overpriced all over Budapest
  • ABC – another bloody castle (jaded after Neuswanstein)
Budapest, Hungary 2013 33

Heroes’ Square

FUN-fact – Heroes’ Square and the adjoining city park were created at the end of the 19th century to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the Magyar conquest of Hungary in 895. It stands in honor and memory of the great leaders in Hungary’s history.
More FF – We never drink beer at home put for reason it tastes great and is refreshing when we travel.

FUN-travel: Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary

October 2, 2013 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary 

Day 13 – Saturday, September 28 – Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary – clear blue skies, mild, cool – high 50’s

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Parliament

What I LIKE

  • 6:30 – wake upBudapest, Hungary 2013 22
  • 7:15 – Americano w/hot milk today
  • 8:30 – taxi to train (get more on time bonus pts!)
  • only takes 10 minutes (1 hr early makes Chris happy)
  • hang out @ station – quite nice w/lots of shops & food options – clean & bright w/big windows
  • 9:30 – board
  • 9:48 – take off on time
  • no crowds – have big table with 4 seats (double facing seats)
  • lovely australian couple across from us
  • 12:49 – arrive on time
  • 1:20 – nice driver – nice Mercedes – takes Euros
  • 1:30 – arrive hotel Palazzo Zichy – taxi cost $16 – give him $20 = $27 US
  • hotel very nice, newer (4 yrs) w/modern edge
  • 1:45 – off to ATM
  • 2:00 – beer break – Soproni & Zlaty Bazant pints = 690 ft = $3.30 US
  • take afternoon stroll to check out restaurants nearby (most offer outdoor patio tables)
  • 3:05 – pizza & beer break @ the pointer pub – salami w/hot chilis, Stella Artois & Guiness = $12 US
  • *4:30 – hotel lobby bar
  • Chris wonders what took me so long – new travel rule – come looking for me! (oh & he said he thought he heard construction noise too)

Budapest, Hungary 2013 14

  • 5:00 – room R & R
  • 5:30 – reception knocks on door w/coupon for 2 free drinks @ bar for my bathroom ordeal – validated that it really can’t be opened from the inside & emergency alarm doesn’t work!
  • 8:00 – still full from pizza so just snack in room & have some good “Unplugged”

What I DON’T LIKEBudapest, Hungary 2013 11

  • no ATM @ station & bad exchange rate
  • total taxi line chaos in Budapest – people not waiting their turn (bad taxi karma awaits them)
  • taxi’s not really regulated (anyone can put a sign on their car)
  • beer not that good (we think Belgium is the best)
  • *get stuck in bathroom on lower level – pocket door won’t open – start banging hoping someone hears – 5 mins & mild panic sets in! – emergency alarm on wall – finally pull it & nothing happens!– continue banging & reception opens door & thinks I’m crazy – reason it takes them so long – they think it’s from  construction going on next door – then it  dawns on them it’s 5 pm Saturday – (also, think to  myself – one reason you don’t want to travel alone as no one will miss you)

FUN-fact – Hotel Palazzo Vichy was completed in 1899 as the Vichy family home. It is 3 stories high and had a basement/cellar and featured a central court yard. Once you enter through the main doors, on the left side is an impressive iron railing staircase leading up the 3 stories, while on the right side there are 6 floors. These were probably for the servants and children. Today the lobby is on the main floor where the central courtyard was and the dining room is downstairs along with some meeting rooms. There is a glass roof just above reception so the rooms get fresh air.
More FF – They offer FREE coffee, espresso, tea, water & snacks in lobby bar all day long until 5 pm when the bartender comes on.

Budapest, Hungary 2013 38