May 10 and May 11 The Shoes

Our last day in Budapest was spent keeping in front of the rain.  Ron and I decided to walk across the Chain Bridge into Pest where we will await Jackie and Larry who’ve taken the bus.  We want to see one of the memorials from WWII - The Shoes on the Bridge.

There are 60 pairs of rusted period shoes cast from iron in various sizes and styles. The shoes are for children, women, businessmen, sportsmen etc. and we spend some time walking along the bank, thinking about what happened.   Behind the sculpture lies a stone bench inscribed as follows: "To the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944–45.” 

While we are waiting for Jackie and Larry, we talk with a Big Bus employee who is from Cameroon.  I admit I had to look it up on a map and see it’s just south of Nigeria with a population of 22 million.  He’s ended up here after his girlfriend became pregnant and came home to Hungary.  He's been in the country eight years now, speaks several languages including Hungarian (no small feat) and is very personable.  He is somewhat limited in his employment options since he lacks a European passport - he tried and failed to get a job on the River ships.  In his opinion, the Hungarians are less than happy than their western neighbors because of the depressed economy and low wages.  Things seem to be improving, albeit slowly.  

We get back on the bus, heading to a shopping area we’ve read about but stop first to get a coffee and a bowl of Hungarian goulash for me.  (It’s really more like a nice soup.)  We have good success with securing last gifts for friends and families and go off in search of Subway Sandwiches for the others to get lunch. Back to our hotel on the bus when the rain starts.  Good timing.  We prepare for our early departure Wednesday morning when we are up and out by 6:30 AM. Everything is smooth en route to Zurich and then, at last, we are on the plane and headed home.  There is nothing quite like going home - LAX, and Customs and all.  One confession. In spite of past experiences, I neglect to remove an apple from my luggage and we are herded to the Agricultural Line where we spend an extra 30 minutes waiting for our turn for the X-ray machine where we gladly turn over the offending fruit.  Ron exercised remarkable restraint, saying very little, bless him.  And, finally, we are out and en route to Bennington Street.  Happy.

May 9 A View Like No Other

It's Monday and we are leaving the Viking Modi for our hotel in the castle district of Budapest.  So, a few reflections on the cruise part of the journey.  The staff earns an "A" for friendliness, care, availability and good humor.  Whatever the problem, they wanted to solve it and quickly.  The food, while plentiful, was okay but not always on the mark.  I did enjoy the breakfasts and the good salad bar available at every lunch if you were in the main dining room.  As to the program, the included city walks focused always on the old sections and tourist shops.  You could, of course,  select the somewhat pricey optional excursions if those were of interest.  The accommodations were excellent as was the cabin service.  The four of us found the trip a bit sedentary with too much down time.  the only common areas were the lounge and occasionally the upper deck.  More sitting.  Except for a few, the guests were seniors and some quite compromised.  Admirable, really. I did like most of the lectures and found that talking to others, especially the staff, was fun.   And we had our friend Jacqueline, a treasure.  The concierge and the program director were especially talented.  I would recommend Viking but maybe a shorter cruise for those more active.

We are shuttled from the Modi to the Hilton where we leave our luggage and strike out on our own.  We RUN by the tour groups as we are untethered and kicking up our heels.  We've purchased tickets on the Big Bus - a hop on hop off scenario.  Pretty soon the afternoon is gone and we are weary.  Among other sights, we've seen St. Stephen's Cathedral where I light candles as I've done all over Europe, asking for blessings upon my dear family.  It's the largest cathedral in Hungary and stunning. One of our guides told us that during the Communist occupation, the government took note and those who attended church were disadvantaged.  Although they were highly qualified, her mother was overlooked as a flight attendant and her uncle denied entry to the university to study medicine because both were practicing Catholics.  

Back at the hotel, Ron wonders if we'll end up in the basement because we are the last to get our rooms.  Au contraire, we are up on the fifth floor with probably the most spectacular view I have had or will ever hope to have.  A large picture window overlooks the Danube with views of the Chain Bridge and the impressive Parliament building which is completely lit up at night along with the rest of the city that flanks the river.  Mesmerising.  I neglected to mention that on Sunday night the Modi's captain got permission from the harbor master to sail north on the river circling Madeleine Island.  This took place about 9 PM when the city was ablaze with lights.  A high point.

May 8 Taking the Waters

Happy Mother's Day!  What a beautiful place to be and how glorious the day!  I was despairing yesterday of being able to complete our activities but I think it's going to work out just fine beginning with a tour of Budapest.  The city was originally two - Buda on the hilly side and Pest (Pescht) on the flat side.  A series of beautiful bridges now connect them and the two have become one.  

The city was heavily bombed during the war and suffered mightily during the post war period when the communists were in power.  The old buildings were razed and replaced with the worst-looking cement structures - office buildings and apartments with shoddy workmanship and poor materials and a complete lack of architectural interest.  Think a flat box with aluminium framed windows in beige or tan adjacent to a beautiful 18th or 19th century building.  The residents called it communist gothic.  Fortunately these are limited to a few areas on the Pest side.  

I forgot to mention that we had a superb speaker from the University in Vienna who gave an hour lecture on the history of Austria - a country that went from world dominance to its current small size.  Vienna holds most of the country's population since it was designed to be the capital of an empire.  I now understand better its close ties to Hungary and its alliance with Germany and Hungary during the war.  And also why my Romanian facialist thought Hungary, her husband's country, was not much to be admired.  [The Romanians and the Russians fought the Hungarians in a fierce battle during WWII.]  Fate spared the Austrians ending up behind the Iron Curtain while Hungary was part of the USSR until it disbanded.  The wages are low here but the economy has slowly improved and with the tourist industry it continues to do so.

At 2 PM we headed to The Szechenyl, one of the largest natural mineral springs complexes in Europe.  We started in one of the huge outdoor pools and then meandered indoors where there were many more pools of various temperatures.  I braved two pools of 70 degrees - not bad if you start in a hot pool and it's very healthy.  I was alone in both the cold pools and laughed to myself when a few men stepped in only to scurry out.  One intrepid guy did come in for a minute after I said, 'You can do it!' 

Back on the ship, a fine dinner with a rose for each of the ladies on board.  Good day and good night.

May 7 Bring In the Old...

Our second day in Vienna dawned warm and if my strength had permitted, I'd have done sun salutations in praise and thanks for the golden rays shining upon us.  I concluded that Ron and I live in our perfect place, especially this time of year when the yard is blooming and there is a possibility of swimming.  But meanwhile, we will enjoy where we are now.

We've looked around and decided that we will walk across a very impressive bridge and go to the top of a modern sky scraper for a panoramic view of Vienna.  Just negotiating the bridge took us about 20 minutes and then we wended our way to the ultra modern building.  Adding to the somewhat cold feel of the area, the place was damn near deserted except for a few stray stalwarts going into the gym located nearby.  Apparently, all offices in Vienna are closed on Saturdays.  We found the proper way in, paid our entry fee, and received very precise instructions on how to go from one elevator to the next, not touching anything and being prepared for the doors to open upon our arrival.  And we were totally alone.  A bit on the eerie side since we went up 58 floors on 2 separate elevators.  At the top we walked around the glass-enclosed area coming abruptly to one end and realizing we needed to retrace our steps and to see all the views.  A bit hard to get by the dirty glass and the  general unkempt look of it all.  We commented that the Germans would have been up there with a power washer getting rid of the cob webs, putting a sparkle on the windows and generally tidying up the place.  I figured the Austrians were a little too busy having fun, eating and drinking.  Like my Swedish side, the Germans take care of business first and when the work is done they do as they please.  My sisters will recall our Swedish neighbor, Mrs. Johnson, sweeping her sidewalks.  The Germans ja, the Austrians nein.  

So interesting that there is a different culture in spite of the fact that the Austrians and Germans speak the same language and live right next door to each other.  We also notice that the streets and parks here are not spotless like they are in Germany.  A few things needed tending and there was more graffiti, for instance.  Excuse me but that shit is an eyesore.  The modern section, fortunately, still had its charm because there was a wonderful park being enjoyed by many people.  The Austrians like the outdoor life.  I must say, too, that the old city is very beautiful and the bridges especially.  

Back at the ship, it was lunch time and then I knew rest was in order.  Ron, Jackie and Larry took a cab into a shopping area but came back empty handed so I didn't regret my down time one bit.

May 5 and May 6 Working My Way to Wellness

So I am back - sort of.  Listening to all the noise in my head when I exhale.  Well, I've always been easily amused and according to the Internet it is not a concern unless you're wheezing on the inhale too.  I am not nor does it hurt to breathe so I am eschewing antibiotics at the moment and will bore you no more with the state of my health.  

I was incommunicado on Thursday, May 5th when the ship stopped first in Melk, Austria, and most took a morning tour of the Abbey. It is 900 years old and was fortified by the Benedictines after they got the palace from Leopoldo II of Bamburg.  It contains 80,000 medieval manuscripts as well as some remaining monks.  

In the afternoon we landed at Krems but that was another town I enjoyed from my cabin.  Austria has a population of more than 8 million people and is about the size of Maine.  It has a checkered past since it threw in its lot with Germany in WWII and we know how that turned out.    

Friday I bucked up for the walking excursion in old town Vienna.  How could I not?  Not at my liveliest but after the tour there was down time during which I sat on a stone bench outside St. Stephen's Cathedral.  Several German ladies spoke to me and I nodded and smiled.  I would catch a word or two but they seemed to lose interest when they found out no conversation would be forthcoming.  Then a young Asian man sat down with a guide book in English and I ended up talking with him for 20 minutes.  He was traveling alone - from the Philippines but working as a graphic artist in Dubai - and was going to several countries in Europe.  He was traveling by bus and if the trip was later in the day, he slept on the bus, saving himself the price of a hotel.  Ah youth.  

Vienna is a lovely city despite being almost destroyed during WWII (80percent.)  The Viennese have much pride in the fact that Mozart lived here the last 10 years of his life and created some of his most famous operas during that time.  And there is Strauss, the Waltz King.  When our tour director, Petra, asked the group who could waltz, Ron and I were pleased to be able to say, of course!  Those well-rounded educations of yesteryear when we learned to read music and sing and were taught the basic ball room dances and even square dancing.

After the morning tour I made my way to the cabin, wondering how I would feel later that evening when we were to leave for The Vienna Residence Orchestra and our much-anticipated evening concert.  I took a long nap and by skipping dinner I reserved enough strength to attend the concert and to enjoy it thoroughly.  The first half was devoted to Mozart and included ballet performances and arias.  After a brief intermission, we heard Johann Strauss marches and of course the incomparable waltzes.  It was wonderful.  That afternoon, Jackie and Larry had seen the Vienna Boys Choir which they could not say enough about.  A very good day for music lovers.

May 4 They are Dropping Like Flies

I am afraid my turn is coming.  Ron went down during the night but Jackie and Larry are back up.  Sort of.  Ron stayed in bed all day so I am hoping that he will be okay in the morning.  We have started to look carefully at our fellow passengers and I think at least 25% are ill, maybe more since many are walking wounded.  A goodly number of crew are visibly unwell - it does not build confidence and God knows it does not bode well for those of us still okay.  You have your choice of sick light - only the cold - or the real deal which is a don't-leave-your-cabin intestinal bout followed by the cold.  Unprintable thought going through my head now.  Even sick light can be debilitating since Larry was in his cabin an entire day.  I have made up my mind that I shall be well, especially since we are attending an evening concert in Vienna in a few days, one of the few extra tours that we purchased.  Wish me luck dear readers.

Today was our last in Germany in the charming city of Passau.  True is was raining but not quite so cold and not quite such a downpour so we go on without complaint.  This is a city in which three rivers converge - the Ilz, the Danube, and the Inn.  It's a pretty place and we had a wonderful guide so we all enjoyed our walking tour.  The Jewel in the Crown was the 30-minute organ rehearsal in St. Stephen's on the world's biggest cathedral organ.  There are actually 5 organs located at various places inside the cathedral and only one organist.  He plays them concurrently which was made possible only after the Siemans Company created a main keyboard allowing this. The organ(s) have almost 18 thousand pipes and 233 registers and do produce a mighty sound.  I bought a CD of the organist playing Bach, Beethoven and other composers so we will have an impressive soundtrack on our photo DVD of our European River Cruise.  I keep forgetting to mention that I post photos daily on Facebook but have not quite figured out how to include them with the blog.  I shall seek some technical assistance after this trip.

Back on board for lunch and with the wet and gloom we were hard pressed to return to town, having exhausted the shopping possibilities and certainly not seeking food or drink since they are too much in abundance on the ship.  

Later:  We enjoyed the quietude this afternoon, especially now that I am edging toward a cold.  Heavy sigh.  We kept dinner light and simple on the deck.  It's now time to admit that I've sunk to a new low with my wardrobe and wore my pj bottoms to dinner.  Okay, okay - they look like crop pants and who noticed anyway?

May 3 Culture Club

Bavaria is one of Germany's 16 states and is 51% Catholic, having turned the tide with the Counter Reformation to ensure that Martin Luther didn't get too much of a toehold starting in the 1600's.  As is was, several cathedrals went back and forth between Catholic and Lutheran.  The guides we've had in the Bavarian cities reflect the division with yesterday's declaring proudly for the Catholics and today's telling us twice that she was a Lutheran.  I almost broke through the crowd to stand in solidarity with her but decided she didn't really need me so I kept my church affiliation to myself.  Oh and today's town of Regensberg makes an even stronger case for its Catholic majority since it is the home town of Pope Benedict XVI who was known as Joseph Ratzinger when he lived here as a boy.  His controversial youth included what our guides are quick to describe as his compulsory conscription into Hitler's German Youth and his military service as a "reluctant soldier"in the German Infantry.  

Thank God the rain has been held at bay and we enjoyed some sunny stretches for our tour and shopping expedition that extended through the afternoon.  Larry opted for a rest on the ship after lunch but Ron accompanied the ladies during our later walk around.  I think we are saving our big shopping for Vienna and Budapest.  Still, you never know what treasures are to be found in these smaller places.

We had dinner again with our friend Jacqueline and afterwards heard three young opera singers and a very talented pianist from the Munich and Nuremburg theaters.  We all got to join in on "Edelweiss" and we didn't sound too bad since the professional singers were quite loud.  A bit late to bed with an early wake up on the horizon.  Ach du lieber.  

May 2 Keeping It Real

We had a long pause this morning when our ship could not pass under a low bridge.  The water is very high and the deck chairs and equipment have all been flattened for a few days making the upper deck unavailable for our use.  This was not anything we missed during our rainy days!  The crew scrambled to put down the remote steering counsel which was no small task, and after about 45 minutes of frantic effort we were able to proceed on to Nuremberg.  

Once on the tour bus, we went past the still-used courthouse in the newer section of town where they held the Nuremberg trials and then we drove on on to the Nazi Party Rally Grounds which now stand huge and empty. Our guide showed us photos of Hilter at the Rally Grounds along with thousands of troops and vehicles all parading in honor of Der Fuhrer.  This was the first time on our tour we've heard a frank discussion of the horrors of the Nazi regime and it was highly sobering to see for ourselves the places where Hilter rose to power. Nuremberg was described as the site of the fanatical party rallies, the beginning of the boycotts of Jewish businesses and the enactment of the Nuremberg Laws that outlawed Jewish citizenship in Germany.  

We were disappointed that we were not allowed to stop at the courthouse or the Rally Grounds to take photos but the tour emphasized the medieval part of the city which was largely destroyed during the war and has since been rebuilt for the enjoyment mainly of tourists.  We did have an option to pay for a WWII tour that in hindsight I wish we would have done.  The old town is beautiful, the shops fun and the food good, but I think we were ready for a deeper look into what happened here that affected the lives of millions of people then and now.  I think of what my dad experienced as a young American soldier liberating the death camps.  My sisters and I found interesting documentation about this with his papers after he died and I wish I would have talked more with him when I had the chance.  

Nuremberg is a fascinating city and the second largest in Bavaria.  It was literally flattened in early 1945 by the allies and has been almost totally rebuilt using the original stones for the old town areas when possible.  You can see the stones that were original in the buildings (they have a hole in them) and the new ones that were added.  The old cobblestones streets are uneven and rough while the new sections are even and easier to walk on but blend nicely with the old.  You do get the feeling that the German people put a great deal of focus on getting past the war years and what befell them under Hitler and are anxious to move on.   The reunification of East and West Berlin has apparently been economically and sociologically challenging as well, but the country is pretty amazing for what it's gone through.  Neat, tidy, things running smoothly, and quite a lot of care taken with natural resources.  Friendly people and excellent English speakers.  Impressive. 

May 1. I'm Turning into a Tammy

Wynette, that is.  It's one of Ron's observations about certain women who like their wine, and I am wondering if that is that he will be saying about me now with my glass of red wine every night at dinner.

That aside, we were on the ship all morning sailing to Bamberg where we toured on foot this afternoon.  It's a medieval city modelled after Rome and built on seven hills, each topped by a church.  I guess the church's influence was marginal or perhaps the numerous witch hunts that took place in the town were a result of same.  Men, women and children all fell under suspicion and were unceremoniously burned at the stake, including 5 mayors of the city.  Rough job.

It's May Day and the town has turned out for the celebration which features - you guessed it - a lot of drinking.  The revellers entertain us with song and other antics.  Part of this is no doubt because Bamberg has a wonderful university and the famous smoky beer.  Our Tour Director likens it to beer that has been left on the kitchen counter for a week straight - and oh - with a piece of ham in it the whole time.  Euuuwww!  No wonder it's called "rauchbier".  

Bamberg was one of the few cities not destroyed in WWII and so it's retained many medieval structures.  We spent quite a bit of time walking in the town and found the Jewish Cemetery and buildings in the old quarter quite interesting.  Unfortunately, the cemetery was somewhat unkempt with weeds knee high but all was green and it's spring when everything looks lovely anyway.  

We were bused back to the ship that was not at the docking point for 30 minutes after our arrival and it was pretty chilly standing in wait.  Glad to be back on board for coffee and dinner.  As you might imagine, we've gotten to know many people on board since there are only about 170 guests.  Some are interesting to talk with and some we'd just as soon leave to their own devices.  Ron and I had a nice chat with another couple from Britain and I struck up a conversation with a woman from Northern Wisconsin out on the deck.  I think we are among the younger guests although one young couple is traveling with parents.  Reminds me of John and Caroline with us on the Road Scholar trip to Scandinavia.  We can't help but notice dinner attire that runs the gamut from glittery to grunge.  I think we are more toward the grunge end since we can't quite muster it up after our day-long walking tours.  We comb our hair, wash our hands, and call it a day.

April 30 Ein, Zwei, G'Suffa

We've left Jackie on board to recover from an intestinal issue that came on last night, poor biddy.  We're hopeful that after a day's rest she'll be good to go tomorrow.  Ron, Larry and I join a walking group bound for the Bishop's Residenz in Wurtzburg.  

Since the bishops of the Catholic Church were also princes, they were at home in this opulent baroque palace with its famous grand staircase.  The steps were made low to allow ladies to glide up and down in their long, heavy dresses.  Apparently, showing one's ankle was scandalous but revealing a deep décolletage was expected.  The palace was built between 1720 and 1744 and features the largest ceiling fresco in the world created over a two-year period by an Italian painter imported for the job.  One of the rooms was covered in mirrors connected by gold leaf.  Over the top to be sure.

I note that the German guides give only perfunctory information about towns and buildings ruined during World War II as happened at the Residenz where only one area was spared destruction.  Many rooms were restored postwar based on photos of the originals and removal of various treasures prior to the bombing.  An American Army officer was instrumental in planning and beginning the restoration work.

This region of Germany is noted for wine production and the culture puts quite an emphasis on drinking - beer and wine mostly.  We are encouraged at all the stops to try the local brews and to take advantage of the vintages produced here.  Puts me in mind of the drinking songs I learned in the German classes I took in school which I imagine are no longer part of the curriculum.  

After the tour, the guys and I walk back to the ship, putting on over 5 miles today.  Good thing because I think I'd have to run home from Europe to counteract all the food I've been consuming.  We settle for a lighter dinner on the front deck since it is the three of us.  Blessedly quiet, a lovely twilight, and a good dinner.  For better or worse, I discover that they serve sugarless ice cream and here I was having fruit for dessert. Oh boy!

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