June 22, 2013 - Toronto, Canada
Now that the DT’s have developed, it’s time for the debrief. Oh My!♫♫♫ Wasn’t it a party! ♫♫
Prague, here we come. Meeting, my always spirited, Mom at Pearson Airport in Toronto (notice she’s not afraid of colour either!) 
was the beginning of a 10 day fun packed excursion, never to be forgotten.
An 8 hour flight is always an experience, but showing Mom how to listen to my iPod, stood out as one of the more memorable moments. Adjusting volume and skipping songs for the i-Pod newbie was challenging enough to, but when Mom couldn’t get the earbuds to work, I started to think this is just way too much technology to tackle. Trouble shooting the problem, I notice the earbuds were oddly lying on the seat...they were not even in her ears! So, what pray tell was she "listening" to?? Lo and behold, she had somehow twisted and crammed her ball-shaped earrings snugly inside her eardrum!! Did the Apple product testers ever forsee that occurence??
Frankfurt flight connection went well, and after we overpaid for the taxi, we found out our room wouldn’t be ready until 5:00. How to kill 6 hours when all you want to do is sleep??
We had a swim in the pool and told stories to each other to keep us awake in the attempt to ward off our anticipated jet lag...it seemed to be working but then I would glance over and see mom sleeping through one of my riveting convos!
A lovely buffet breakfast featuring the most exquisitely delicious croissant ever and then it was off to an organized grand tour…something we soon develop an aversion to and mitigated only by resorting to mocking our guides and other childish behaviour!
Meeting up with soon-to-be good buddies from our boat, we took a bus to see what this dream-like fairy tale place was all about. Prague castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, and so much more, characterized by twisty cobblestone streets, red-tiled roofs and art nouveau architecture. Walking through passageways in Old Town, several drinking dens, quiet riverside cafés and a stroll along Petrin Hill and Mala Strana, we fell out onto the Charles IV Bridge and all it’s glory! “Where even the crush of tourist traffic hardly takes away from its magnificence” – is how it is described in Lonely Planet. We might possibly disagree Ma?? Hardly time to take in the 1357 structures, saintly statues, Czek bands, Man and his monkey, beautiful classical music played by a violinist, …and St. Francis of Assisi Church!! That’s the only thing I remember of grade 10 history class! And what about that clock? Wasn’t that cool – a mechanical marvel that still chimes on the hour! Why was it astronomical?? Missed that part…something about antique technology and religious symbolism. Very cool. Having landed in Old Towne Square and set free to explore, off we went with Linda and Marty to find some wine, beer, and Prague food…in that order.
Mom and I did a lot of exploring on our own for the next few days – finding shops with crystals and markets with laughing witches! We found the Jewish section, a food festival, (loved the Trdelnik - Rolled Pastries in Prague)
but we really enjoyed the Old Towne Square and its cultural festival. We did so much walking, but managed to sit and enjoy a concert performance of Bach and Mozart in the Church of St. Nicholas – a relatively "new" baroque monastery built in 1735. Some goulash and a coffee to tide us over and then back to the Square to enjoy the music and entertainment. WE two tired girls finally decided to pack it in at 9pm. Mom grabbed my arm on the way out and exclaimed, “I’m having so much fun, I could stay out until 11 o’clock!!”.
Very full days and a long walk back from Imperial Café and Mom’s hip is starting to get cobblestone cranky. But nothin’ will dampen that old girl…after a steam and a hot tub, and a sleep, we were ready for some Legend time!!
Memories
“Look at that crane!”
“Postcard for Thurman and mom gets into domestic with stamp lady”
and...coming out of Sex Machine Museum (which we never went through), two American girls heads swivel as they overhear Mom saying, “I’m definitely going to buy one of those”
The drive was beautiful, stopping for some pics at Lake Morey, arriving at the Viking Legend cruise ship at 4pm for appies and champagne.
Passau - OK, this is where we start to notice the rain…bloody leisure crawl-walk with crazy eyed lady…we soon ditched her in the downpour and went to lovely café. St. Stephans church had the largest (almost) organ (…and you can imagine the tomfoolery elicited by that one). Concert was impressive, … trying to take in every spiky, Gothic spire, religious stories carved in marble, stained glass still in tack after 2 wars, and OH MY, the ceiling! The afternoon was spent aboard the Legend, gazing from our arm chairs at life strolling by along the Danube.
Each evenings began with David, our program director, describing the next day’s itinerary. With drinks in hand and boundless humour, Dolly, Bill, Eileen, Ned, Ann, Nick, Margaret , Dick, Marty, Linda, Ma and I would find the biggest table (someone must have tipped them dearly) and indulge in fine food, plenty of wine, enlightened conversation… but above all; plenty of chuckling. All until the wee hours of 10 or 11:00! Actually, Mom usually out lasted & outshone most of us!
Memories
funny presentation on UNESCO; the European union; Mozart presentation & we went through our first lock!!
Lovely view of the Alps as we coached in to Salzburg – a beautiful sunny Tuesday!! The home of Mozart and the Sound of Music! These are two of my very favourite things! Alex, our enthusiastic tour guide, “prattled on” FOREVER! Oh, but we derived such great material as he went on and on ad nauseum for the rest of the tpur. “you probably don’t want to know about Hitler, (ha-ha) but interestingly enough he was born in a small town……..” Quiet box, my ass.
Up the hillside train tracks(probably the oldest operational railway in the world) to the Hohensalzburg Fortress, Mom and Dolly had a beer with an Alp-view and Eileen, Ned, Bill and I wandered up the 103 stairs to puppets, artillery, cannons – you know 1077/1495 kinda stuff. Such a beautiful city to wander around in… looking out over the rolling hills, wending our way through fellow tourists and the other150,000 home-grown…honestly – I know we tourists bring in over 2,000 euros to each person living in Austria…but enough already! We definitely took up most of the quaint, cobblestone-rich urban fabric of this historic town-scape, adorned with architectural monuments, like the Cathedral and the Nonnberg Convent! Breath! Yes…perhaps a beer would be in order! Thank you Elephant Hotel!
Memories
Mozart balls, shared schnitzel and sauerkraut, Schmuck Passage
martini on the sundeck, dinner with Tom and Judy from Washington & lovely Maria, running into Bette Midler, Alison and Barbara from England – Josh Groban & Dancing with Peter
Wednesday morning was an interesting one…well not for me post sleeping pill, but apparently at 3 in the morning the Viking Legend, with it's alleged drunken Captain at the helm, slammed aground into an island. Like Mom, most passengers were alarmed and curious. However, Mom topped out Dolly and Bill who had donned their life jackets!
So having left Linz and attempting to get to Melk and Durnstein, we were towed to port while the crew inspected the faulty part. Many meetings later, we are on the coach to the Abbey of St. Benedictine in Melk – only 900 years old… beautiful gardens of the Wachau Valley. Some went into Durntein, most napped (in light of the 3am start). Great entertainment with David singing and Peter on the piano…. Bill gets everyone up dancing!
Memories
Happy Anniversary Nick and Ann
Marty the wine connoisseur
Lovely Linda and our remedy/health talks
Vienna was literally a washout. That’s all we can say about that - sea of red umbrella’s, over-enthusiastic tour guides, and lunch at the beer hall. We were drenched but nothing dampened our spirits, however, as we continued the tour with our new found guide, Ned. “Marrriaaaa Tarrresssa, who had 16 children and was a bit of a drinker, could be seen jumping from the window onto her horse”. Thank you Ned and Eileen for buying and sharing MT’s favourite wine! Mom and I ventured over to the Vienna State Opera House for a tour. We were very brave and persistent on finding the entrance through torrential rains – even though Mom’s dollar store umbrella collapsed half way there! Viennese Opera House is without a doubt one of the leading opera houses of the world and has experienced a lot during its “life” (built in 1861-69). Hosting many of the great opera stars and renowned conductors, the building's history had a tragic beginning as the construction of monumental building located on the “Ringstraße’” became a calamity for its two architects.
This is without the rain!!!
Due to the deep foundation, the building resembled a “sunken crate”. Such criticisms finally made Eduard van der Nüll commit suicide and two months after, August von Siccardsburge died of a heart attack. Unfortunately they did not live to see the big opening with “Don Giovanni” in 1869. The imposing building is characterized through its “Renaissance elbow style”. And as many historic buildings, this one did not go without damage in the World War. They have done much to encourage and promote opera - A giant 50 sqm screen was placed on the side of the opera house facing Kärntnerstraße. In four months live broadcasts of over 60 of the most famous operas were transmitted in this way, including stellar performances of Madam Butterfly, The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni.
Barely dried out, we head back to the bus, looking forward to another fine meal. Not too much time to doddle – off to the Vienna Residence Orchestra Concerts - Vienna Stock Exchange to watch and thoroughly enjoy an 8 piece ensemble.
Due to our “grounding” troubles and extra travel by coach, we all were rewarded this concert free of charge by Viking.
Memories
crazy Brit remarks on the way out of this shabby (1877) typical Viennese style Palace, with the clean, austere lines of the Renaissance era “Lovely, but don’t you find it a bit busy?”
rack of lamb – fab meal;
eggs benedict – meh…
We were welcomed back to our ship with goulash soup…. and nestled down all snug in our dry beds, while visions of a waterless Slovakia danced in our heads.
A 40 minute coach into Bratislava, followed by a bus tour of this beautiful clean capital city (large fines if you are caught littering). The tour guide was informative, with a lovely cynical prospective on this newly democratic regime. (thanks to the 1989 revolution)
Known for building VW cars, the town spreads like a fan on both banks of the Danube River. Many beautiful monuments survive in the old town to tell of its past under Austro-Hungarian rule. The old city and the castle built above the Danube, was a frontier post of the Roman Empire from the 1st to the 5th century. Canada was still under water. Since the 9th century it has been rebuilt several times, most recently from 2008. Doesn’t it just blow you away Ma???
Memories
mini white house
With the announcement that our boat was fixed, we set sail for Budapest at 2 that afternoon. Naps for some, but we were all fresh and purdied up for the Captain’s Farewell Dinner. Expecting to eat with the usual clowns, Mom and I (& 3 other folks) were commandeered to the Captain’s Table!! (apparently, the invitation was on our bed, which we unknowingly shoved off for the afternoon nap) Tomas, the captain, fluent in Beer Drinking and the First Officer, Gerhert, confident in his exquisite sense of humor remarked in his thick German accent “We chose people who are not stuffy, ... we would not want stuffy people, no ya?” So it soon was rumored that I slept with the captain, but it was actually Mom who did! The meal was a bit painful, but we drank enough to make it work!
Saturday saw us up early AGAIN, (thank God I’m young…I don’t know how you old folks did it!) We got into Budapest late last night; however, tonight we will sail out to see the sights of this beautiful city a-light.
As the sun peeked out, we coached into Hero’s Square, and then up to the Bastion. basking in it’s wonderful panoramic views of the older “Buda” and more cosmopolitan “Pest” sides of the city
This castle-like Fisherman's Bastion was built in 1905, mainly for decorative purposes.
The bastion is located right behind the Matthias Church in the Castle District.
The Fisherman's Bastion was built at the site of an old rampart that, during the Middle Ages, was defended by the guild of fishermen, who lived nearby in Vízívaros (Watertown), at the foot of the hill. Thus the name of the bastion….An old fish market also sat at this location during medieval times. Beautiful views of the Parliament Building.
Back at the ship for a goulash lunch, Mom decided on a wine-filled afternoon, while Eileen, Ned and I swung back into this amazing city. We attended a wedding at the St. Stephen's Basilica but couldn’t get into the reception due to Ned’s lack of fashion. So we carried on through the wide, car-less cobble stoned, café / shop filled pathways and ended up at the Opera. Stunning Hungary State Opera House…this little beauty is richly-decorated in neo-Renaissance style, with elements of Baroque. The vaulted ceiling of the foyer is covered in magnificent murals and the grandeur of the foyer, with its marble columns and chandeliers must have made Ferenc Erkel and Franz Liszt wiggle with excitement as they directed back in 1884. There are 1271 seats and today’s prices are the least expensive running at about $10 for standing room. Queen Elizabeth, who attended without her husband, (scandal) had a few rooms in which to do her mingling. The hallways have these huge wrought-iron lamps, which give it a “Phantom of the Opera” feel. We were delighted to end the tour with a mini concert!!
Then on way back, just before another downpour, we detoured into the recently transformed Four Seasons Hotel, from the Gresham Palace – it was pretty funky!!
After packing, as it was our last night, we wandered up to join Dolly and Bill at a game of crib – something they do almost every night! Well, that was obvious, as we narrowly missed a skunking! Dinner was wonderful, as Alexander never steers us wrong on the choices. We endured a Hungarian Folk dance/show whose talent and dreadful blonde wig was worthy of a Simon Cowell's review.
Memories
thank you Mom for your American/Canadian toast
Saying our goodbyes, one more drink, exchanging emails and promising not to share too many pictures with each other, we tiredly but happily hit the pillow. Tomorrow would be a long day as well.
I only have one story to share from the trip back, as it was seamless as well. (except for the near grounding of the plane because of man and some kind of attach & from Frankfurt to Toronto, a German drank right from the 2 liter bottle he bought from customs’ duties)…
So, airport security at Frankfurt pulls out these witches that mom found in Prague (apparently, all her grandchildren are getting one)– they hang from hook and run on battery - motion sensor. I’m staying calm for Moms sake, thinking she will panic as she’s having a hard time to explain what they are. There are a few officials involved and with Mom’s fiery explanation, the one security officer pointedly says “ Really? You clap and they what??”
“It dances,” retorts Mom. That’s when they hauled her off to the interrogation room.
And I haven’t seen her since. Lovely lady though.