Prague Budapest Vienna Untour, Spring of 2004

by Fay & Len Reisfelt, Walnut Creek, CA

May 18, 19, 2004

Off to the San Francisco airport for our 9:25 p.m. departure and the beginning of our much anticipated three week visit to Prague, Budapest, and Vienna. Len dragged his two large suitcases up to the check-in counter, and I, having finally achieved my long sought-after goal of traveling with just my carry-on, proudly presented it for the weigh in. It was rejected – too heavy! There, as a long line watched and waited behind me, I had to open it up and give Len some of the heaviest things so that I could make the weight limit. My pride plummeted and embarrassment took over.

Our Frequent Flyer miles allowed us to fly Business Class on a brand new Lufthansa A340-600 Airbus, and what an incredible plane it was. The seat controls in business could be set for a choice of 4 or 5 positions ranging from upright to prone; there were movable head rests, movable foot supports, an entertainment screen at each seat, and a pillow reading light besides the overhead one.

The plane took off, and meal service started immediately. After toasting our trip with wine for Len and champagne for me, we were presented with our first courses. Len chose a plate with a grilled ½ artichoke, hearts of palm, marinated mozzarella, and bell peppers, and I chose smoked salmon and a potato cake. Then a mescalum salad and bread was served followed by the main course, vegetable raviolis layered on a bed of olive-caper tomato sauce and accompanied by sautéed spinach and Portobello mushrooms. For dessert we chose fruit salad instead of raspberry cheesecake. The sumptuous meal ended around midnight, and we luxuriously lowered our seats to bed position, snuggled down in our blankets, and slept for about 6 hours. In the morning we were served fruit, rolls and croissants, smoked turkey breast, three cheeses, and Len chose an omelet while I opted for a spinach and ricotta crepe. Coffee, tea, and orange juice were served. The crew was fabulous. One’s slightest wish was their command. Everything was done cheerfully and immediately, and I never want to fly coach again.

It was eleven hours before our Munich landing, and we were treated to a beautiful sight coming in, a quilted agricultural carpet in various shades of green often punctuated by bright yellow rectangles of rapeseed flowers. The red tiled roofs and stuccoed walls of farmhouses were widely scattered among the fields and the area somehow gave out an aura of prosperity.

After two hours in the airport, our Augsberg Airlines flight to Prague was announced. What a shock after our pampered Lufthansa trip to find ourselves crowded into a small prop plane that was packed to capacity. We wondered how it could even get off the ground, and were very relieved when the one hour flight was actually quite smooth.

We were met on our arrival by a van sent by Idyll and were driven to our apartment, the Sazavska apartment in the New Town section of the city. Herschel was there on the corner to greet us, and Joan was upstairs asleep.

It was an old building with a funny little elevator with plywood walls. One pressed the bottom button and the floor indicator button at the same time to send it to the desired floor. There was only room for Len and me and our three bags, so Herschel took the stairs and met us at the apartment on the 2nd floor. They had arrived at 10:00 that morning very tired after a scary flight through a storm.

It was a nice apartment, very roomy with a well appointed kitchen (toaster, coffee maker, sandwich grill, a stove and refrigerator, and a small washing machine that was broken and not usable). The refrigerator and adjoining pantry were stocked with bread, cereal, yoghurt, coffee and tea, and cheese to get us started. There were two bedrooms, and a light and cheery living room with a t.v. Though there was only one bath, it was compartmentalized with the tub and its hand held shower in one room and the toilet and sink in the adjoining part. Tired, we showered and brushed our teeth, and it felt wonderful to be clean again. We were in bed and sound asleep by 11:00 p.m.

May 20, 2004

The joys of time change. This morning we were up at 5:00. After breakfast the four of us set out to walk to the Kava Hotel, the site of our 10:00 Idyll orientation meeting. What an interesting old building. Suits of armor, swords, old rifles, and targets with bullet holes, some dating as far back as 1880, decorate the walls. We walked through the restaurant and down a long narrow passage to the room where Orientation was to be held. There we met Alena, Idyll’s on-site person, and two young women who were there to help her. We joined the 11 other Untourists seated at the table, and we all opened our maps as Alena gave us a thumbnail sketch of the city and its many points of interest. Prague is divided into 4 districts: the Castle District (Hradcany)settled in 1320, the Lesser Quarter (Mala Strana) from the year 1257, the Old Town (Stare Mesto) founded in 1230, and the New Town (Nove Mesto) begun in 1348 and the site of our apartment. Then followed an overwhelming amount of information about the points of interest in each section.. There is so much to see and do it boggles the mind to think of fitting it all into one week. Alena mentioned many not-to-be-missed sights and the street names where they could be found, but the pronunciation was so different from the spelling that it was hard to follow. The young women who were helpers came around and showed us and marked our maps, and we now have marvelously marked maps but have no idea what the marks mean.

At noon, exhausted, we set out to find a restaurant for lunch. On the way we passed a cyber café, and we went in to try our luck sending an E-mail to the family. It turned out to be easy to do, and we left, elated by our accomplishment. We walked to a Czech restaurant in the area and lunched on typical Czech food. My dumplings, cut like large pieces of bread, were heavy. We did not become fans of Czech food, but the beer was good.

Leaving the restaurant, we came upon steps that went half way up a hill and then stopped abruptly. Standing on the steps were rusted iron men, each one with the same face but with different body parts torn away. The man at the bottom was whole, and each ascending person lost a larger portion of himself. It was a moving tribute To the victims of the Communists which could be interpreted in two ways: either the man became broken during the Communist regime or (descending) the man became whole again after the overthrow.

Continuing our stroll, we made our way through narrow, quiet streets, empty of pedestrians but lined with lovely large buildings, many of them embassies. We noted those from Japan, Mali, Sweden, Malta, and we also passed the headquarters of the European Union. After stopping at a crystal shop and an enticing art store to admire the merchandise, we came to an intersection with Nerudova Street and suddenly encountered masses of humanity all approaching the Charles Bridge. We couldn’t believe the size of the crowd. The bridge, a pedestrian only span, was an amazing creation. Statues on pedestals lined both of its walls, and we are told that there are 30 of these works of art. We were particularly astonished to see a crucifixion scene with large Hebrew letters running from one side of the cross to the other. The walkers came from both directions, many of them stopping at some of the booths that were set up on both sides. Vendors sold their handicrafts, caricatures were drawn, and crafts and paintings were for sale. Street musicians filled the air with their sounds. A one man band performed before a gathering crowd, and an organ grinder and his monkey captivated many.

Pausing for awhile on the bridge and looking down at the river, we watched the ferries plying the waters of the Vltava, and, looking out at its banks, we admired the colorful buildings with their spires, domes, and towers that bordered the water.

We entered the Old City, and our steps carried us past many churches, statues, and museums. We were getting tired, and the horse drawn carriages for sight seers began to look very attractive, but we resisted and continued walking. We got to the Jewish cemetery just as it closed, and we found the Jewish museum also closed, so we’ll have to return next week. We entered a gorgeous art glass shop where we were entranced by a $30,000 glass butterfly with gold leaf fused to its wings. Hungry, we asked the proprietor for a restaurant recommendation, and she suggested the Marco Polo restaurant, Siroka 4/24, Praha 1, Telephone 224-819-668 . What a wonderful discovery. They specialized in delicious food from all over the world. Len had spaghetti with marscone cheese and a salad of a mescaline mixture with walnuts. I had a salad and monkfish with avocado sauce and a glass of delicious minted lime tea. Joan had two appetizers – a salad with baked cheese and a dish of parma ham with broccoli and melted cheese. Herschel had Thai chicken skewers. The presentation was exquisite as different shaped white plates were used to complement each dish. Cost was about $30.00 per person, and we will definitely go back again.

The end of dinner left us 5 minutes to run to the Spring Music Festival for the 8:00 performance of the Hagen String Quartet in the Rudolfinum. They gave a beautiful rendition of the Mozart string quartet in B flat major, the Bartok string quartet #2 and the Smetana String Quartet in E minor. We were underdressed and fighting sleep. When we left there were crowds outside waiting to enter and hear Garrick Ohlsson give a 10:30 piano recital. There were people of all ages, and their enthusiasm was testimony to the fact that the culture, even of young people, in eastern Europe wholeheartedly embraces classical music.

We activated our one week transportation pass at the subway station by inserting it in a machine which stamped the day’s date on it. Prague is on the honor system, and we won’t have to show it again unless challenged by an official. The trip back to the apartment was very fast on the subway.

Friday, May 21, 2004

At 10:00 a.m. the doorbell rang, and it was Martin Palan, a guide Joan had contacted, who was to take us on a private tour of the city. Martin was a young Czech who worked for the American Embassy and whose mastery of Czech history and command of the English language were very impressive. We were to start at the castle area of the city, and from the time we climbed aboard the #22 tram, Martin talked, covering Czech history, the country’s culture, and answering all of our questions. The tram made its way up hill past thickly wooded areas, and as we neared the castle we saw crowds and crowds of tourists lined up everywhere and streets lined with buses. Martin chose to start at the Strahov monastery, a magnificent 850 year old building that illustrates by its age and location near the castle how the spiritual aspect of the Czech Republic has existed and influenced the secular throughout the centuries. We entered through a long hall with walls lined with fascinating displays. One of the most interesting was a collection of 68 books, each one devoted to one tree that grows in the country. Each book cover was made from the wood of the depicted tree and bark of that tree covered its spine.

Parallel to this hall is a hall called the Department of Curiosities which is really a natural history museum. Besides natural history collections, the shelves display, among other things, china and glassware, and other Czech crafts. We were very frustrated as no photographs were allowed in the building, but were partially mollified when told that we could buy postcards at the conclusion of the viewing. Continuing through this corridor, we came to the libraries, roped off so we could only look in from the hall. They were incredible. The libraries, open to all researchers, consist of approximately 140,000 books, the oldest dating from 860. These volumes range from theological manuscripts to mathematics, physics, astronomy, poetry history, art, and many other fields.

But besides this astounding collection, the outstanding decor is, by itself, worth a visit to the Strahov. The ceiling fresco in the 50,000 volume Philosophical Hall branch of the library, painted in 1794 by Anton Maulbertsch of Vienna depicts the journey of the human spirit in search of truth. It tops long walls of beautifully carved cabinets that display the collection of books. In the center of the room a cabinet inlaid with mother of pearl contains 10 books that were presented by Marie Louise, consort of Napoleon the First, after she visited the library in 1813.

The Theological Hall, containing 16,000 volumes of religious literature and a variety of globes from the 17th to the 19th century, is equally beautiful. The exquisite ceiling frescos, painted from 1724 to 1727 by Siard Nosecky, illustrate the relation between wisdom and human knowledge in confrontation with religion. It is an awe inspiring sight, and we were delighted that Martin had chosen to bring us to this monastery.

Leaving the monastery we walked downhill until we reached a beautiful view sight that overlooked the entire city. We took picture after picture as Martin pointed out the sights. What a fairy tale city with its castles and palaces, its spires and domes, its towers and statuary, its river and bridges, and its colorful buildings, each one with a story to tell.

Continuing down the hill, we soon came to a large gray building, the Ministry of Defense. Under the Communist rule Jan Masaryk, a Czech Foreign Minister, was either pushed or fell to his death out of a window in this building. Four times in Czech history prominent members of the government met their death this way – assassination by defenestration.

Continuing our walk, we arrived at the castle just in time for the changing of the guards. A guard stood at rigid attention inside each of the tiny gray and white striped wooden shelters on each side of the castle gate. In natty uniforms designed by the costume designer for the movie “Amadeus,” a contingent of 3 soldiers marched up to the guard on duty, performed a precision maneuver with their rifles, and switched guards before marching back. The castle is like a city. Along the streets inside the gate are museums, shops, restaurants, and churches. The majestic St. Vitus Cathedral dominates one section, its magnificent gothic windows bathing the interior in a rainbow of muted colors.

After visiting the cathedral we continued to walk and observe the architecture and shops until, near the end of the street, Martin took us to the Lobkowicz Palace Café where, seated outside on a balcony overlooking the city, we enjoyed an excellent lunch. Then it was back on the tram, and we parted company with Martin at about 3:00.

The flow of information from Martin and the attempt to absorb centuries of history proved fascinating but exhausting, and, back at our apartment, we took an hour’s nap. When we awoke it was raining, and we donned our rain gear and walked to the J Club where Alena, the Untour’s onsite person, had suggested we meet for dinner before taking in the Idyll provided concert at the Dvorak Museum.

The museum was only a few doors away from the restaurant, and as we gathered outside the entrance we were served an after dinner drink, a liqueur that was a Czech specialty. Once inside we were ushered into a salon, seated on folding chairs, and treated to a charming costumed musical production. According to the introduction on the program, “The scenario takes place on May 1st 1904. The soprano opera singer Marie has organized an afternoon musical party at her home. Her salon is one of the most highly favored in Prague, and so outstanding artists have gathered here. Even the master Antonin Dvorak is to come. And because all the performers in attendance love him, they want to prepare a nice holiday entertainment for him. Each will play or sing the work of the master that he or she likes best. And thus together they choose what will give him the greatest pleasure when he comes.” The cast of a soprano, a mezzo soprano, a baritone, a violinist, and a pianist were superb. The performance was charming, and we left entranced with music ringing in our ears.

It was a short trip to the apartment by tram, and we spent the remainder of the evening planning our activities for the rest of the week.

Saturday, May 22, ‘04

This morning, after a stop at an internet café, we set out for a walk through the Lesser Town and a stop at the St. Nicholas Church, a baroque beauty with its bell tower and adjoining dome. It boasts one of the largest ceiling frescos in Europe. Jan Lukas Kracker, the artist, covered 1790 square yards of ceiling with scenes from the life of St. Nicholas. Golden statues adorn the walls and dazzled our eyes, and we stood there in awe admiring the architecture and decor of this wonderful building.

We are continually enthralled by the architecture in this city. Statues, friezes, graffito, and sculptures adorn the majority of buildings no matter whether they are used by the church, by officialdom, or just as apartments or homes. The rococo abounds here and attests to the history and culture of this beautiful city. The streets, too, boast monuments and statuary with religious or heroic themes, and one could spend the day examining them and perusing the stories they tell.

We walked to the Wallerstein Garden, a strange looking park surrounded by steep walls of black rock eroded by centuries of rainfall so that they resembled fused masses of boulders. The park itself was rather bleak, but one corner held a cage where two gorillas were kept in captivity and on display. From this park it was a short walk to the tram stop, and Joan and Hershel left us to go to the Museum of Modern Art.

We, wishing for a day in the open air, took the 22 bus back to the castle grounds. We are amazed by the courtesy of the young people of Prague. We never got on a standing room only tram when some young person didn’t get up and insist we take his or her seat. Despite our protestations, they always refused to sit down and remained standing until we capitulated and took their seats. It will remain one of our fond memories of this city.

Hungry, we walked down the Golden Lane, past the souvenir shops, and back to the Lubkowicz Palace Café for another delicious lunch on the balcony. Then we set out on a walk through the Royal Park behind the castle. The path led through a very green and beautiful thickly wooded area but eventually was blocked off so that we had to make our way to the street from a side path and again board the #22 bus to return us down hill to the Lesser Town. Leaving the tram, under an overcast sky and in a chill buffeting wind, we walked a short distance in the direction of the Charles Bridge. A tiny take out window in a building beside the walk offered welcome refreshments, and Len bought a coke and I chose a cappuccino. Across the street a pretty park beckoned, and we carried our drinks there and sat on a park bench admiring its grove of trees and marveling at its upkeep. Not a leaf lay on the path, and there was absolutely no litter. As we sat there, a couple with a baby took a nearby bench, and we watched delightedly as the toddler vainly tried to catch the pigeons on the lawn. Finishing our drinks, we resumed our walk, and made our way to the Certovka restaurant on the river bank where we were supposed to meet Joan and Herschel. Sitting at a table on the deck, we took in the delightful view. Large sightseeing ferries cruised down the Vltava River, and outboards with 2 or 3 passengers aboard were diverted into the side canal that led past our viewing deck. We spent a pleasant ½ hour taking in the sights.

Joan and Herschel arrived, and we decided that our food would get cold if we ate outside, so we moved to an inside table. Though the restaurant was Idyll recommended, we found the food disappointing and the waiter abrupt and surly.

After dinner we walked across the Charles Bridge to the Old Town which was alive with night life. While Joan and Herschel looked in jewelry shops for garnet earrings for Joan, Len and I window shopped. Bohemian garnets are mined in the Czech Republic and are known for their fiery red color and their refractive properties. Many shops displayed them, but genuine garnet jewelry is only available from certified sellers or those who offer a manufacturer’s certificate.

We checked merchandise in other little stores and ended up buying an umbrella. Live jazz emanated from many of the cafes, and the streets were full of week-end celebrants. Everyone was well behaved.

We returned to the apartment building. I missed a step and fell hard. Upstairs, everyone helped clean me up as I was a bloody mess. Fortunately nothing was broken so I showered, salved, and sat with ice on my hip and finger before going to bed.

Sunday, May 23, 04

We stole some welcome extra sleep this morning and didn’t get up until 9:00. Out by 11:00, we headed to the Old Town and the Jewish Museum. The area here encompasses 7 buildings consisting of 6 synagogues, the old Jewish cemetery, and a ceremonial hall. Though we knew that the museum, closed on Saturday, is open on Sunday when almost everything else is closed, we were amazed at the long lines of people paying 500 crowns each (about $16.00) for admission. In addition there was an optional audio guide which could be rented for $25.00, and we found this to be well worth every penny. We started our tour at the Pinkas synagogue, built in 1535. After World War II this building was turned into a memorial for the Czech Jews murdered by the Nazis. The 80,000 names of those killed are inscribed on the walls, a sobering and sad reminder. The upper floor houses an agonizing exhibit of pictures drawn by children in the Terezin concentration camp. 10,000 children under the age of 15 were imprisoned, and, of these, 8,000 were deported to the east, and only 242 survived.

We next followed a path through the old Jewish cemetery, founded in the early 15th century. When, after many years, the cemetery reached capacity, and because under Jewish law the bodies could not be disturbed, bodies were placed over those already there. The markers were raised to the new ground level, and over time this resulted in tombstones from several centuries placed close together and often leaning against each other. The 12,000 tombstones there tell the history of the Jews in Prague.

Next was the Klausen Synagogue built in 1694 and now used to house an exhibit of Jewish customs and traditions. We went from there to the Old-New Synagogue built in the 13th century. It was originally known as the New Synagogue having been built after an older house of prayer did not survive. Then, in the 16th century, when other synagogues were built in Prague, it became “The Old-New Synagogue.” Built in Gothic style, it has 6 vaults, each supported by 2 octagonal pillars. The floor of the south vestibule and nave where we entered is several degrees lower than the surrounding ground, and this is a reflection of the biblical entreaty, “Out of the depths I call to you.”

Helping with the dead was considered the most charitable thing a Jew could do, and the Burial Society was based in our next stop, the Ceremonial Hall. Here we saw an exhibition of medicine in the ghetto and of death customs in Jewish Prague.

The Maisel Synagogue built in 1591 by mayor Mordecai Maisel as his own private synagogue, destroyed by fire in 1689, partially rebuilt in 1691 and finished between 1892 and 1905 was once the largest and most lavish building of the ghetto. At the time of our visit a permanent exhibit illustrating the history of Czech Jews from earliest times to the 18th century provided us with an interesting overview.

In 1868 when the Spanish Synagogue was built, the Moorish style was widely viewed as the finest architectural style. The decoration here is exquisite. The walls have oriental motifs as do the doors, balustrades, and the gallery. Because this is a Reform congregation, an organ is used in the services, and in the first half of the 19th century, the composer of the Czech national anthem was the organist. The halls of this building are devoted to the history of Czech Jews from the Austro-Hungarian empire to those of post World War II, and we spent some time perusing a moving display of anti-Jewish government edicts.

Mid visit, very hungry, we left for lunch at the Pravda restaurant which was very close by. (Parizska 17, Praha 1). The Prague Marathon finish line was nearby, and through a big window by the table we could see the runners go by. We had a delicious lunch. The hot borscht warmed us through, and the tuna sandwiches were the best we have ever tasted. We would highly recommend this restaurant for lunch.

We returned to the museum and after having spent close to 3 hours, we completed our visit. Depressed by the centuries of hate, we set out to the city square to see the astrological clock. We got there at 5:00, just in time to join the crowds watching the figures in the little squares on top move as the clock struck the hour. It was raining, and we were glad to have our umbrella though it didn’t help with the bitter cold and the wind.

After visiting some beautiful crystal shops while Joan and Herschel looked for garnet or amber earrings for Joan, we ran back through the rain to the Spanish Synagogue to attend a 7:00 concert. The synagogue was even more spectacular when illuminated in the evening, and it made a dramatic setting for the musicians. The talent was incredible. Barbara Slezakova, was a soprano who had won the Mahler European prize. Dana Safrankova played the flute. She was an opera soloist. Martin Kos on the violin played with the Dvorak string orchestra, and Jelena Noskova, the pianist accompanist from the State Opera of Prague was the accompanist for these performers. The program was aptly entitled “Jewels of Czech and World Music,” and each performer came out alone, and, accompanied by the pianist, played or sang one of the 12 pieces on the program. The air was filled with music that held us in enchantment. The violinist made the instrument sing. The flutist seemed a part of her instrument, and the music that came out of it was sweet magic. The soprano’s voice was pure and lyrical, and the pianist was perfect in sound and rhythm. The program varied from ”Preyer” by Ervin Bloch, “Lamentation for Flute Solo” by Mark Kopytmann, “Liebesfrued” by Fritz Kreisler to songs from Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story.” What a delightful evening. Then, before returning to the apartment, it was out for dinner at Marco Polo 4 where everything we had was again incredibly good.

Monday, May 24, 2004

We were up at 7:30 today and by 9:15 were on the subway and on our way to the Intercontinental Hotel. At our request Alena had made reservations for us for a tour to Terezin, the former concentration camp. She neglected to say which tour company she was using, and we neglected to ask. We waited and waited, but no one came to pick us up. Not having Alena’s phone number with us, we finally decided to go into the hotel and check with the concierge. Sadly, she knew of no tour scheduled for us, but she did find a 1:00 Gray Line tour, and, much to our relief, she was able to place us on that.

Taking advantage of the delay in our departure, we went for a long stroll along streets lined with lovely designer shops. Many of them showcased Czech specialties, and we saw store after store displaying exquisite garnet and amber jewelry and sparkling Czech crystal in their windows. We stopped in the town square again and stood in the huge crowds amassed below the clock to watch it mark the hour.

This is an amazing city. The streets and sidewalks have no litter despite the tremendous number of tourists and locals who frequent them. Even the public bathrooms are immaculate. The only thing that spoils the picture is the inordinate amount of graffiti everywhere.

Wenceslas Square, which actually is a long rectangle, was our next stop, and there we were delighted to find a street market. A long line of back to back booths offered mouth watering fresh produce, flowers, hand carved wooden toys, leather goods, and a display of witch dolls that hung on a spring and would respond to a clap of hands by cackling with laughter and flashing the tiny red bulbs that constituted their eyes. I had to have one, and, happily, this Halloween it will be hanging over our door to join us in greeting the trick or treaters as we clap our hands at their spooky costumes.

After lunching on a hot dog from one of the stands, we noticed an interesting looking pastry for sale at another booth. Pieces of rectangular dough were flattened out, coated with sugar and crushed almonds, and then shaped into wide circles like large bracelets. Then they were put on a metal roller and set on a moving gear over a gas flame where they slowly rotated for about 15 minutes. We decided to try them and found them delicious with a slight doughnut flavor but not oily or fatty.

We walked back to the hotel for the Gray Line pick-up and The Terezin tour. The tour leader spoke in terribly accented English, and we could hardly understand him. After a ride through farmland where few houses sat amid the green fields, we arrived at the camp, entering on a drive past the cemetery for those unknown whose bodies were found there. Here a local guide took over. She was a very dignified older woman who spoke softly and sadly as she familiarized us with the history of the place. Originally founded by Emperor Josef II in the late 18th century as a fortress, later becoming a penitentiary, Terezin’s Small Fortress became a police prison of the Prague Gestapo in 1940 and held mostly political prisoners. In November 1941 the town itself (which was the former Main Fortress) was turned into a ghetto, and a collection and transit camp for Jews bound for extermination. Nearby in the town of Litomerice was another camp whose prisoners were forced to build underground factories and to serve as slave laborers. Including the political prisoners, over 200,000 people from 30 countries passed through these camps, and every 4th prisoner died. It was called “a graveyard camp” because so many died there.

In the Small Fortress we saw where men and women lived separately. In each section there were wooden bunks with each prisoner occupying less than the width of a sleeping bag as they lay crowded 3 abreast. Because the straw mattresses soon became flea and lice infested, they were eventually taken away. In the winter time there was no heat, and it was freezing. Water and a piece of toast were the day’s only food. Showers were allowed once a week, and there were only 2 toilets for a roomful of 600 people. Many were sick and had to void or defecate on the floor. So many people in one room caused breath to turn into moisture on the ceiling and fall like mist or rain so that by morning 5 inches of filthy water stood on the floor. The prisoners were ordered to mop it up using their own uniforms and then to wring them out and wear them. This gave rise to a terrible epidemic of typhoid fever, and 3500 died of typhoid in the 3 months after they were freed. Typhus, tuberculosis, and spotted fever also ran rampant. In the prison yard a gallows remained, mute evidence of the treatment of those who dared to rebel.

Our unfeeling lout of a driver gleefully announced as he loaded us on board the bus that we would next see the theater where prisoners put on shows. We drove through the town of Terezin where the Nazis had evicted all of the residents and transformed it into a ghetto for the Jews as a demonstration to the world of Hitler’s benevolence. Formerly imprisoned in barracks, the prisoners were now imprisoned in the town, and this became the first stop for Jews from Germany, Bohemia, Moravia, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark, Slovakia, and Hungary. Eventually more than 155,000 deportees came through Terezin. 35,000 of them died there, and 83,000 of them died after being sent from Terezin to extermination camps, concentration camps, and death marches.

The Red Cross came to inspect the camp once. Their visit lasted 6 hours, 2 of which were spent having lunch with the Nazi officials. The camp and the prisoners had been prepared for this visit. Dire warnings kept the prisoners quiet, and the Red Cross inspectors either didn’t see or didn’t want to see what was going on. As Herschel said to us angrily after hearing this fact, “How could the Red Cross have ignored the fact that those people shouldn’t have been imprisoned at all.”

Our reactions were of sorrow and disgust, and Joan and I were choking back tears as we left. Though it was all horrible, I think the saddest part for us was thinking of the children who had once been here, the treatment they received, and the fates that awaited them. When I think of all the Jews have contributed to the world – in science, in medicine, in literature, music, theater, and in almost every field of human endeavor, I find this hatred (which still exists in most parts of the world) to be incomprehensible.

Thoroughly depressed, we returned to town. We walked to the National Symphony building to buy tickets to the opera only to find they were not sold there. We stopped for a drink in a bar and then walked to the Pravda restaurant for another terrific dinner there. The presentation was exquisite as different shaped plates were used to compliment the different food items offered. It reminded us of the presentation at the Marco Polo.

We took the metro home.

Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Our destination this morning was the Mucha Museum so we took the subway to Walenska Square and walked from there to gallery at Kaunicky palace, Panska 7, 110 00 Praha 1. Here, we were treated to an exhibit of lovely Art Nouveau pictures and posters by Alphonse Mucha, an artist who was born in 1860 and lived until 1939. We spent an hour or more admiring his lithographs of beautiful lacy women in delicate colors with flaming hair and ethereal gowns often surrounded by flowers and outlines of softened geometric designs. Everything was beautifully displayed, and we were really glad we had come.

After lunch at a pizza restaurant, we went to a cyber café to send messages home and then returned to the square and walked to the post office. Someone had mentioned to me that it was a must-see, and they were certainly right. Decorated by allegorical paintings in fresco, the walls invite hours of inspection. We could hardly believe it was a post office. The décor on the floor of the building, dating from 1901 is surprisingly contemporary in feel with luminous stairs, a very modern lamp, and contemporary glass and steel hoods over the service windows.

Back out on the street Joan and Herschel decided to go to the Modern Art museum, and Len and I walked to the National Museum at the end of Wenceslas Square. Built in 1891, this building is an enormous palace. Red carpeted stairways lead from the imposing lobby to the 2nd and 3rd floor exhibit rooms, and we ascended and spent a long time wandering through an exhibit on water that took up a whole floor and illustrated its necessity to life. The 2nd floor housed a zoology and paleontology collection, and we stood staring at the huge mounted mammoth head on the entrance wall before entering to peruse the exhibit.

Extremely tired, we opted for a subway trip back to the apartment. The escalator seems to descend miles below the earth in Prague, and we always admired the engineering feat that made this escalator possible. The other thing about the subway that amazed us was that, though we carried them at all times no one ever checked to see that we had validated our transportation passes or that they were current.

We rested at home, and when Joan and Herschel returned, we again set out for dinner at Marco Polo. It was wonderful as usual. We then walked over to the shopping area near the bridge. I bought a blue pashmina scarf for Judy, and a purple one for myself. Then it was home to pack.

Wednesday, May 26, 2004

Moving day, and what a morning. I set about packing my last minute things and couldn’t find my passport! It was 6:30 a.m. and the plane was to leave at 9:30. How could the passport disappear in my empty money belt in the locked apartment in the locked building? I looked everywhere. Len looked everywhere. Joan looked everywhere. I unpacked and repacked several times, but there was no sign of it. Desperate, I called Alena. She said that Joan and Herschel should leave for the airport, and we should stay. She would phone the landlady, who was scheduled to arrive at 7:15, and the landlady would help us search. Sure enough, the landlady, an adorable, friendly little lady arrived at 7:15. She checked every nook and cranny, unpacked my suitcase, combed through my purse, and finally phoned Alena to say the passport was nowhere to be seen. She then summoned me to the phone, and Alena assured me everything would be all right. She said the American embassy opens at 9:00, and she would call a cab to take us there. She requested that I call her when I knew how long it would take to have my new passport issued.

As we waited for the cab, the kindly landlady, sensing our near panic, tried to distract us by showing us pictures of her daughter’s recent wedding. We worked around the language barrier and, as we conversed our tension eased and we were able to put things into perspective. Then the taxi came and we headed for the embassy. All of the embassies we had seen on our walks seemed peaceful and accessible, but the street where the American embassy stood was blocked by wooden barricades ½ block away. There, the police stopped us and checked the taxi’s trunk and asked our business at the embassy. Satisfied, they let us pass, and we drove to the front of the embassy where 2 policemen questioned us about our business there before allowing us to enter. The guards inside put our suitcases through the metal detectors and made us leave them behind their desk before allowing us to climb the flight of stairs to the offices. What a bitter reminder of the hatred of the U.S. that now exists in Europe.

Once upstairs, a courteous employee gave me two long forms to fill out and gave Len a form to testify that I was who I said I was. Then we were sent down the street to a photo studio for $12.00 worth of passport photos. Back at the embassy a notary was called, and we had to swear that all we had filled out on the forms was true. Then an $80.00 fee was requested, and my new, temporary passport would be ready in minutes. It was 11:15. The embassy allowed me to use their phone, and I called Alena on her cell phone. She was at the airport changing our tickets! She called a cab for us. The cabbie drove up just as we exited, me clutching my new passport, and we were off to the airport. There, following Alena’s instructions, we went to the Hungarian Airlines desk and found we were ticketed for a 12:30 flight. The ticket seller called Alena, and Alena’s message to us was, “Have a good flight. Someone will be at the airport in Budapest to meet you and take you to your apartment.”

Just before the flight was ready to load, Len ran to the bathroom. He couldn’t find the urinal, so he used a booth. When he came out, a woman was drying her hands at the sink, and a light dawned. He sheepishly asked if he was in the Ladies’ Room. He was. He and the woman shared a good laugh, and I laughed all the way to Budapest.

When we arrived at the airport in Budapest, sure enough, a car and driver were there to meet us. We were driven to our apartment, the Attila apartment, which the driver informed us was in the nicest, most upscale part of town. There, standing in front of the building was Herschel, and we were delighted to be reunited.

We entered the open stone courtyard, and our jaws fell. Pigeons were roosting on the roof and flying everywhere. The whole building looked dilapidated, and we wondered what was awaiting us. We took the elevator to the 4th floor and stepped out to a rickety looking landing that was part of a walkway that circled the entire courtyard square. In order to access the walk, Herschel had to unlock a chickenwire-like gate, and he led us to our apartment, passing one that had pigeon food scattered all along its length.

We opened the door to our place, and our doubts immediately dissolved. It was spacious and beautifully appointed. We entered into a big kitchen with a Whirlpool stainless steel stove and oven and a stainless steel sink. The adjoining table could seat 6 comfortably. Our spacious bedroom with adjoining bath was situated on the left of the kitchen, and on the other side of the kitchen a door led to the living room. Beyond that was Joan and Herschel’s bedroom.

We dove into bed and died for about an hour before Joan knocked to say we had only ½ hour to get to orientation. Quickly dressing, we headed for a meeting 5 or 6 blocks away in a hotel meeting room. Susie, from Idyll, gave us an excellent orientation, showing us bus and underground routes and places of interest along the way. 11 people were in attendance, and we all got many good suggestions.

Afterwards we had dinner at a colorful Hungarian restaurant, Karpatia, at Ferencick tere 7-8, 4-1053 Budapest, telephone (36-1) 317-3596. Live Gypsy music from a violin, bass, and accordion trio accompanied our conversation, and, in a lucky break for us, a Hungarian folk dance ensemble was providing a floor show for a tour group that was eating there. We shared a sampling of Hungarian hors d’ouvres and a bottle of Villany red wine. 3 of us had cucumber salad. I had a stuffed beef roll, and Len had duck. Joan had veal stew with dumplings, and Herschel had stuffed cabbage. We each had a glass of sparkling water, and we shared portions of an apple strudel and another pastry. Dinner and tip came to $37.50 each.

We walked back to the apartment and called Aggie. We will take her family to dinner between 7:00 and 7:30 tomorrow night, and are invited to their home on Saturday night.

Thursday, May 27, 2004

Idyll had scheduled a bus tour this morning as an introduction to Budapest, home to 20% of the Hungarian population. The cost of living here is quite high. Take home pay averages $500.00 a month, and $700 or $800 is considered very good. An apartment in the city would run about $120,000.00, and one in the outskirts would cost about $70,000. Payments would average about $400.00 a month. Taxes, which amount to 44 % of workers’ pay, support free health care and free education. The automobile manufacturing industry is Hungary’s most important, and tourism produces the 2nd most income. We were amazed at the crowds of tourists we saw. I’d be surprised if red hair dye was not the third highest income producer. Women of all ages here and in Prague had dyed red hair, and the color was uniformly solid with no highlights. It looked like it was spray painted on. Where is Clairol when they need it?

We stopped first at the historic Matthias church with its diamond patterned roof and its lovely stained glass windows. It was where King Matthias, a heroic figure in Hungary, was married twice in the 15th century. Emperor Franz Joseph I was crowned there in 1867. First built in the 13th century , the church became a mosque during the Turkish occupation and was finally rebuilt in the configuration we saw between 1873 and 1896.

From Castle Hill where the former palace sits high above the Danube, we stopped to take in the glorious views below of Buda and Pest, the river and its bridges, and the buildings and greenery that descended the slopes and lined the shores of the waterway. Not far away was the Hilton Hotel, built on the ruins of a 13th Century Dominican church. One section of the church was preserved, and the contrast with this very modern hotel was dramatic. We were told that one of the hotel’s public rooms is a part of this preserved area, but we didn’t get inside to see it.

We then were driven up Gellert Hill, another vantage point for views of the city, the citadel, and the Liberation Monument which was built by the Russians in memory of their troops killed as they drove the Germans from the city. Most Hungarians supposedly hate the monument, but it has become a city landmark and can be seen from everywhere in Budapest.

The citadel was built by the Austrians in 1848 but was not used until World War II when the German army made camp there. We stopped at Heroes’ Square, a must see for its magnificent statuary depicting both religious and military figures in Hungarian history.

The tour ended at a huge market at the end of Vaci ter. What an embarrassment of riches. The downstairs had row upon row of fruit stands, vegetable stands, meat stalls, paprika stands, a bakery, cheese stores, salami and bacon stores and many more. After lunch in the colorful self-serve restaurant upstairs we browsed amidst the Hungarian handicraft stalls that lined the 2nd floor, and we admired the beautiful embroidered table cloths, the leather goods, children’s clothing, toys, shawls, and caps that were among the items displayed there.

Returning to the apartment, we rested for awhile, and then, while Len slept, Herschel, Joan, and I walked to the opera house where we were able to purchase Sunday tickets to Salome. On our way back we stopped at an Internet Café to pick up our messages and send one off. Then it was back to the apartment to change clothes and ready hors’douvres for the eagerly awaited arrival of Aggie, Donni, Eva, and Tomas. It was great to have them with us and fun to see their faces when they saw the inside of our apartment after the outside had prepared them for something pretty dismal. Aggie looked well but was very tired after giving oral exams at the university all morning and then going to her doctor in the afternoon. Tomas had quite a sparkling personality and was fun to talk to. Eva (Aggie’s mother) had a twinkle in her eyes but spoke no English, and Donni was a beautiful 10 year old boy with lovely manners who surprised us by speaking English. After drinks we walked along the river to Dunacorso Etterem, 1051 Budapest, Vigado ter 3. We ate inside, facing the river, and I had my first meal of goose and loved it. Len thought he was getting stuffed cabbage, but it had large hunks of meat with it. Though we sat down at 8:00, the service was so slow that we weren’t done eating until after 11:00. Donni was starving but joked about it good humoredly as he waited to be served. Then, when the waiter finally brought bread for the table, he didn’t take any as he was on a diet. When they finally brought his fish, he ate it with relish. For dessert he ordered a fresh fruit plate out of all the tantalizing temptations on the menu and he ate it with as much enjoyment as if he were eating the gooiest pastry. He is an amazing child. We said goodbye to them on the restaurant deck as we all took pictures of the lighted castle and the Elizabeth Bridge before walking back to the apartment.

Friday, May 28, 2004

This morning we visited the very impressive Doheny Synagogue, the largest synagogue in Europe. We arrived for the 10:30 tour. Though tickets were $20.00 apiece, huge crowds were going in. Again, the security measures necessary made us sad. Our purses were checked for weapons, and we had to walk through a metal detector before entering. The building was designed in the 1850’s by a non-Jewish Viennese architect who was brought in by the Jews of Budapest to build a synagogue that would hold their 6,000 congregants. The first thing that struck us was its opulent and dramatic décor. Fold down wooden benches lined its tiled floor, and a gold and wooden pulpit overlooked each side of the center aisle. The unusual placements of the bimas were necessary so that everyone could hear as no mikes were allowed in the room. Blue and gold stained glass windows displaying the Jewish star filtered the sunlight, and the ark with its torah was in the front of the room. 22 torahs were stored behind the ark for rental to other congregations who could not afford their own. The guide explained that, historically, congregants were not only from the city but many were from the surrounding country-side, and gathering together was a joyous occasion and an opportunity to catch up on the news. The bells on the torah cover were therefore designed to tinkle when the torah was moved to remind people to stop visiting and pay attention when an important part of the service was to take place. A red eternal light hung above the ark, and a dome behind it served to reflect the voices forward. The balconies were reserved for women on the High Holy Days, and an organ was there to provide the music. Many wrought iron chandeliers with white globes illuminated the hand painted Moorish designs on the walls and ceiling.

Today there is a very small congregation. A small building on the grounds is used for winter services, and the large building is used only in the summer months. In the last census only 2,000 people registered as Jews, but about 20,000 Jews actually live in Budapest. Defining themselves as Jews would expose them to the virulent anti-Semitism that still exists there. Jewish life today is very different from before. Only very small families now exist because 2 generations (6,000 Hungarian Jews) were wiped out in the Holocaust, and congregants have few Jewish friends. Religious holidays, once large gatherings of family and friends, are now quite small and sometimes not observed at all.

Before the Nazis there were no ghettos in Budapest. Hitler’s soldiers used the synagogue as their headquarters, and, ironically, Eichman planned the “final solution” there. Jews from all over Europe were brought there for a few days before deportation and were forced to sleep on the floor as the benches were removed.

With these facts fresh in our minds, we went outside into the courtyard where a memorial in the form of a large silver willow tree served as a remembrance of the murdered Jews. Each leaf had the name of a victim inscribed upon it. Further behind the tree were two columns engraved with the names of people who helped numbers of Jews escape, and next to them was a stained glass wall depicting flames, a wall which commemorated those who were cremated.

The sobering experience continued as we were ushered into the adjoining museum where a guide took us through a room with photos of Jews being forced into trains and pictures of male Jewish prisoners doing shovel work and heavy duty manual labor for the German soldiers who held them prisoner. These men worked until they died from exhaustion whereupon new ones were conscripted to take their places. Our guide was 5 years old at the time, and his father died in a concentration camp.

On a happier note the next room exhibited beautiful ritual objects used for Jewish holidays, and the last room displayed items used in a Jewish home. In the gift shop Len and I bought a hand embroidered, lovely matzoh cover for our next Passover seder.

Hungry after a long morning, we stopped at a specialty store that sold tea sandwiches to go, and from its huge variety we chose 10 kinds to bring to the apartment for lunch. We chose tuna, deviled egg, roast beef, egg and caviar, camembert cheese and several other kinds. The cost was about $8.00 for all, and the lunch was so delicious we vowed to do it again another time.

After time out for a rest, Len and I set out for Vaci Ut, the main Budapest shopping street, where we had a wonderful time window shopping and enjoying the displays of Swarovski crystal, fashionable clothing, ceramics, and shoes It seemed that red and orange haired women were everywhere among the shoppers. Meeting Joan and Herschel who also were shopping, we walked to the Tom-George Restaurant (1051 Budapest, October 6.U.8. Phone for reservations 266-3525), a restaurant that serves food from around the world, and we had an outstanding meal. We then walked to the river to take the “Living Legends” 1 hour night cruise on the Danube. Inside the boat a screen showed a moving picture of the places we were passing and the narration explained their history and significance. The presentation was synchronized to coincide with the position of the boat so that we could look from screen to shore and view in both places what was being described. The buildings and statues that lined the river were lit up as was the Chain Bridge with its string of lights, and the whole scene felt like fairyland. It was a lovely way to end the evening.

May 29, 2004

This morning we walked to parliament, arriving at 9:30 for the 10:00 tour. We took our place at the end of a long line of people standing outside, behind a gate, waiting to buy tickets. A guard kept close watch, and as people left the building, tickets in hand, he allowed the same number from the line to enter and proceed to the ticket office. We finally had a turn to purchase our $15.00 tickets (tourists from the EU countries were allowed in free), and we made our way to the line for the 10:00 a.m. English tour. Our turn finally came, and as we entered the building we had to go through a metal detector, and all bags and purses had to go through the x-ray machine.

Our first impression of Parliament was one of eye-popping opulence. A glass enclosed model of the building made to scale entirely of matches stood at the foot of the 96 red carpeted stairs that led to the Congress Hall. Bordering either side of the stairs were stained glass windows with stained glass curtains on curtain rods. These absolutely looked three dimensional though they were actually flat. 4 very impressive marble pillars, a gift of the Swedish government, captured our attention. Each one was cut out of only one piece of marble. The building opened in 1896, celebrating the millennium of the year the Magyars first settled in Hungary. This 96 meters high building with its myriad gables and pinnacles took 19 years to build, and its ceiling frescos, statues, gothic arches, gilded walls, its columns and trim are truly spectacular. We were amazed to find that many of what we thought were marble columns were actually made of horsehair, Hungarian stone powder, pumice, and glue! There was absolutely no way for the average observer to ever guess at this truth. The resemblance to the real thing was uncanny.

We entered the horseshoe shaped Congress Hall and looked down upon rows of desks. Each one held a voting machine, and a name plate. The building has 2 domes, and one of them is much lower than the 96 meter one. The lower one contains a trap door that connects with the other one so that a workman can change the lights. Otherwise, there is no access. Though members of parliament have their offices in other parts of town, all the rooms in the parliament building, are constantly in use.

Walking back to the apartment we decided to repeat yesterday’s lunch but double the amount because it was so delicious. Len, Herschel, and I walked to Duran Sandwiches at 1065 Budapest, Bajisy-Zs ut 7 and purchased 20 of the small open-face sandwiches. The 4 of us had no trouble finishing them all.

After lunch Herschel went for a walk, Len napped, and Joan and I went by underground to the Giacometti exhibit at the Museum of Fine Art. We watched a movie telling about his life and work and then walked through exhibits of his sketches, paintings, and sculptures from his cubism and abstract periods before proceeding to the sculptures for which he was so famous. Though we enjoyed most of it, we left with the strong feeling that he was a very disturbed and haunted man.

On the way home we stopped while Joan bought peonies for Aggie from an elderly, white-haired street vendor. As we walked we saw more of the ubiquitous garish dyed red or orange hair sported by many European women. We also couldn’t believe the shoe styles in the store windows and on the feet of passing women. The extra long pointed toes made their feet look huge, and the shoes looked terribly uncomfortable.

Taking the subway to our stop, we walked through raindrops to pick up our husbands and an umbrella for the trip on the #8 bus to a lovely tree-lined street in Buda and Aggie’s house. There, we walked up 2 flights of steps and entered their very small but charming unit. The tiny entry was in an area behind the kitchen, and we followed Aggie and Tomas through a hallway and a small room lined with books into the living room where Aggie served a fiery Hungarian drink made from pears, and special crackers with a choice of two home-made delicious cheese spreads. While we sat and visited, we were entertained by Donni, who had committed many short pieces to memory, playing the piano for us. We were invited into the kitchen, a lovely room with windows looking out into the tree-tops, and dinner was served. First came a delectable vegetable soup served in a beautiful antique soup tureen. To accompany it, we were offered the soup vegetables: carrots parsnips, potatoes and dumplings so light that they floated on top of the soup. The next course was a delicately flavored chicken with a light sauce, a homemade starch called knockeril, beet salad and cucumber salad. This was accompanied by a Hungarian wine designated “half sweet.” Everything was delicious, but best of all was dessert – palacsinta, a stack of 12 crepes filled with chocolate, poppy seeds and marmalade and topped with whipped cream.

Following this delicious meal, while the men and Joan were enjoying a fascinating conversation with Tomas about his experiences under Russian occupation, I was busy using Aggie’s computer. Aggie and I wrote Brigitta, and then Aggie showed us digital pictures she had taken of all of us. She printed the ones we wanted and gifted us and the Solomons with beautiful large photographs she printed out on her computer.

It was a lovely evening with such good company. Aggie and Tomas are so bright. Cute Eva was grinning and laughing even though she didn’t understand much of what was being said. She’s a warm loving woman. Donni adores her and loves it when she stays overnight.

We left shortly before 11:00 and having just missed the last bus, hailed a cab for home.

Sunday, May 30, 2004

Today we awoke to bright sunlight and a clear sky. After breakfast we took the subway and then transferred to a bus that took us across the Arpad Bridge to Margaret Island. It seems that everyone in Budapest had the same idea. We were amazed by the number of people out for a Sunday outing. The bus was crowded, and we had to stand. Once on the island, on many paths it was hard to find much space to walk. Margaret Island is known as the Island of 10,000 trees, and its wooded beauty is appreciated and hugely enjoyed by the denizens of the city as well as visitors from other areas. All kinds of rentals were available, and tiny children determinedly steering small electric bicycles, miniature taxis, and pedal cars all came whizzing by. The lawns were dotted with families, some with Frisbees, some kicking soccer balls, children flying balsa wood model planes, some batting a badminton birdie, and some just sunbathing in the welcome warm weather. An open-air stage hosted a band playing jazz, and we stood and listened for awhile. We resumed walking, but soon felt hungry so we stopped at a food stand and purchased corn on the cob for Joan and me. Herschel had a greasy shish-ka-bob, and Len had an orange drink. Both Len and Herschel had ice cream bars, and we continued walking. Along this lovely 1 ¼ mile walk from the north to the south end of the island we observed families pushing strollers or carrying youngsters on their backs, and elderly people either walking or sitting on benches enjoying the lovely day.

We came to a cinder running path paralleling the river. The bounce from the pavement felt good on our feet, and we followed the path to the Margaret Bridge where we crossed and walked unfamiliar streets to the Gerbeaud restaurant, famous for its pastries, and rightly so. We treated ourselves to wonderful pastries as we sat at an out door table. We have noticed that in Budapest there are smokers on the streets and also in the restaurants. Also we have found that people are not nearly as courteous as they are in Prague. They push and shove to get by, and they do not return our smiles.

We returned home for a scrambled egg dinner and to dress for the opera. We walked to the opera house, and I wore my new shawl and loved it. In the little gilded red and gold gem of an opera house we saw Salome by Richard Strauss. There were beautiful voices, beautiful costumes, beautiful scenery, but a ridiculous plot. We came out after the performance, and it was raining! We took the metro to Deak station and a cab to our apartment. We had a late night snack and tried to make phone calls but only reached answering machines.

Monday, May 31, 2004

The 4 of us rendezvoused with Ralph and Jeannie at the boat dock and boarded for our trip to Szentendre. It was a holiday and the good weather brought out many of the locals in canoes, kayaks, shells, and speedboats. It was good to be on the water and to observe holiday life and the lovely summer homes on the Danube. Our hour and a half on the river went by swiftly, and we soon docked at Szentendre and joined the crowds of tourists there.

We headed straight for the Margit Kovacs museum. Margit Kovacs was an award winning Hungarian ceramicist who was born in 1902 and pursued her art until her death in 1977. The winner of the Hungarian Heritage, the Excellence in Art and the Kossuth awards, she was recognized everywhere for the artistic quality of her work and the unique Hungarian expression of many aspects of every day life. We found her work delightful. It was mostly illustrative of Hungarian life, and the expressions on her peoples’ faces and bodies were wonderfully expressive. Her glazes were gorgeous. Each piece was named, and there was no mystery about what she was depicting. Each piece was what she said it was. The colors were vibrant and very Hungarian, and we enjoyed every moment inside the museum and finally had to tear ourselves away.

The commercial part of town was very touristy, comprising row after row of handicraft shops interspersed with restaurants and ice cream parlors. Walking along one of these streets we were surprised to run into Susan, our guide from the day before, and we asked for a restaurant recommendation for lunch. She suggested Rab Ra’by, and we proceeded there. This too was very touristy, the food all tasting pretty much the same with its paprika seasoning. My lunch was the exception though – goose leg and red cabbage. The goose was quite fat, and I left lots of it, but the cabbage was really delicious.

The six of us browsed in handicraft shops, but soon Ralph and Jeannie left for home because Ralph’s bad back was becoming very painful.

Len and I and Joan and Herschel walked along some of the back streets, out of the commercial area and soon found an inviting resting place that looked down at rooftops and, below them, the Danube and its wooded shores. After a picture stop, we headed to the train station and the 4:00 train to Budapest. It was a bumpy, uncomfortable ride on narrow hard seats, and we were glad when we reached our final stop. A fruit stand was conveniently nearby, and we purchased fruit for our dinner. Back at the apartment I made a fresh fruit salad, and Joan made grilled cheese sandwiches, and the combination made an excellent dinner.

We walked to the Folk Festival performance Idyll had booked for us. Joining groups from many countries, we entered a building with a large 3rd floor theater and took our seats. A Dutch group sat in the row ahead of us. Colorfully costumed singers and dancers performed complicated precision movements accompanied by foot stamping, leg slapping, and body twisting, all in unison. The orchestra was amazing. It started out with a female vocalist and 5 men – 2 violinists, one marimba player, one clarinetist, and one bass musician. Then we noticed the clarinet player playing the piccolo, the marimba player playing the piano, the bass player playing a drum, and one of the orchestra playing the accordion, and one, the bagpipes. What talent!

After the concert we went to a restaurant on the Vaci ut and had ice cream. Tomorrow we’ll go to the Gellert Spa. I can hardly wait.

Tuesday, June 1, 2004

This morning we took the #57 tram and crossed the Danube to the Buda side and the Gellert Spa. I was the only one wanting a massage, and of the 3 offered (deep tissue, Swedish, or relaxing), I opted for the relaxing one. It was heaven. In a private room, clad only in underpants, I lay face down on a towel covered massage table. Soft music played in the background, and the masseuse, using wonderful smelling lotion, started with my legs and worked her way up my back, gently massaging even my scalp. I was so relaxed that I was nearly asleep during the whole 30 minute treatment. It was a wonderful experience, my first, but it definitely won’t be my last. Languidly, I joined Len at the dressing room area. Rows of stalls confronted us, and we were issued keys to a tiny change room. We changed into our suits and made our way to the co-ed pool. It was a huge rectangular pool, probably at least Olympic size, situated in a two story room with pillared hallways, 2nd story balconies, and a curved glass ceiling partially open to the sky. After being issued blue bathing caps we entered the water. What a shock. It was cold! Strict rules prevailed. Swimmers were required to swim the perimeter. No laps were allowed. After one time around, we decided to see what else was offered.

I found my way to the women’s’ thermal baths. Culture Shock! The pool was filled with women of all ages, shapes, and sizes, and most were nude. One naked elderly woman sat facing me on a stone bench, her legs spread wide, her arms splayed, and her head thrown back. Across the pool a wall spout sent out a rush of water, and, under the falling water a nude swimmer clung to the spout, one leg in the air, and her big belly catching the cascading torrent. A swimmer passed me in the warm water wearing nothing but her glasses. I felt quite overdressed in my stodgy one piece Speedo suit.

After a while I left and met Len who came from the men’s thermal pool which he found not nearly as interesting. I walked up a flight of stairs to see the 2 outside pools. They were on two levels. An announcement on the public address system informed everyone that the waves would start in 5 minutes so I took pictures of the sundeck and the upper thermal pool and then went down some stairs to watch the wave action. Right on time the waves began. They were only a couple of feet high but were eagerly awaited by the bathers who positioned themselves to either jump or ride them a short distance. Everyone was having a wonderful time.

I walked down to join Len, and we had a terrible time trying to find our dressing room. An attendant finally walked us to it, and with great relief we changed to our street clothes and set out to meet Joan and Herschel at the big market. After lunch there, we went downstairs and bought a salami to take home to Brigitta, and then strolled to our apartment. Len napped, and I folded and put away the laundry.

We walked to dinner in the Opera section of town at the Articsoka restaurant recommended in the Berlitz guidebook. What a disappointment. It was 6:30 p.m. and we made our selections from a rather extensive menu, but, to every item ordered, the waiter shook his head and announced, “Finished.” We finally resignedly settled on what was available, but it was not good, and we would never recommend this restaurant. Afterwards we walked along the street until we found a coffee house with pastries, and we sat at an outdoor table and enjoyed coffee and dessert. Then it was home to pack for Vienna.

Wednesday, June 2, 2004

Herschel got us up at 5:30 to be ready for our 8:15 pick-up. We were not happy campers as we ate our breakfast, put the dishes in the dishwasher, packed our last minute things, and waited for our pick-up (We still love him though). The cleaning woman arrived at 7:45. Her 1st move was to clean the pigeon droppings from our walk. We even had pigeon feathers in the apartment! We won’t miss the pigeons or the dilapidated walk-way to the elevator. The apartment was great though.

We wrestled our bags to the street, and the van picked us up. The same girl, Rachel, who was with the cab driver in Prague accompanied us on the 3 hour trip to Vienna. We traveled past vast agricultural fields and scattered red tile roofed farmhouses. Some industry was interspersed. Mary and Ben and Ralph and Jeanne were the other passengers with us, and the conversation was lots of fun. Jeanne entertained us by reading the wonderful trip log of Bob Silver that had accompanied them and guided them on the entire trip.

We crossed the border into Austria, and Rachel, who had gathered all our passports, presented them, and we were waved through. The scenery was pretty similar to the fields we had left, and I dozed off for a while, awakening on the outskirts of Vienna. Our first impression was that this large and busy city looked much more prosperous than Budapest.

Our apartment, Apartment #5, Riemergasse 8, 1010 Vienna, was shown us by the manager. It was huge. We entered into an entry hall that had 2 closets and a table with 4 chairs. Off the hall was a small kitchen with a washing machine, dishwasher, microwave, a stove, and plenty of dishes. A breakfast nook was part of this room. The living room had a t.v., a single wall bed and a sofa that made up into a queen size bed. We took this room, and Joan and Herschel took a large bedroom that also boasted a t.v. There was also a 3rd bedroom with a twin bed. There were 2 baths – one with a shower stall and one with a tub and tub shower. Ours had the shower stall, but there was no place in the room to put anything.

We went out into the cold rain and walked several blocks to the nearest ATM machine before returning to the apartment and collapsing into bed, sleeping soundly until 6:45 when it was time to get up and go out. We walked several blocks to St. Stephens Square, admiring the upscale shops in the vicinity and the exterior architecture of the church. We saw a sign advertising an organ concert at 8:00 in St. Stevens, and an American woman from Seattle excitedly told us that this was the largest organ in Europe. We bought tickets and attended the 1 hour concert. Ten minutes would have been ample. Though the church was very ornate with stained glass windows and statues and frescos everywhere, it was cold and draughty, and the pews were very uncomfortable.

When the concert finally ended we ventured out into the cold again. The rain had diminished, and we walked to La Norma, Franziakanerplatz#3, a tiny but excellent Italian restaurant about 1 block from the apartment. We had a delicious and quite reasonable Italian dinner before returning to the apartment and a welcome night’s sleep.

Thursday June 3, 2004

We were up at 7:00 and out by 9:00 to walk to Orientation. Claudia, Idyll’s on site person met the group upstairs in a restaurant. She told us how to activate our transportation tickets, and she talked about accessing many of the things we might want to see. She also told of a privately guided trip she could arrange to the small towns of Wachau, Melk, and Krems that were situated in the beautiful Wachau Valley. Since the van only holds 6 passengers and there were 8 who wanted to go, we had to reserve in groups of 4. We and the Solomons arranged the trip for Saturday.

After orientation we walked to Nordsee, a self-service fish restaurant, for lunch, and, though the food was good, we were shocked by the cost. 8 prawns on a bed of lettuce cost the equivalent of $20.00. Not a good omen.

From Nordsee we walked to the Opera House to purchase tickets for tonight’s performance and were very disappointed to be told that only single tickets remained and they were for the most expensive or the very cheapest seats. We left, disappointed, without tickets, but, outside, we were approached by a furtive looking raincoat clad older man with thinning hair who asked if we were looking for tickets. We got orchestra seats from him for the book price of $30.00 each, and we were thrilled.

It was raining hard and had been raining all day. Looking for an indoor activity, we joined a “Behind the Scenes Opera Tour.” It was a very quick tour and left out much of the building. We wouldn’t recommend it.

The rain continued to fall as we did some sight-seeing on foot. I tried to take some pictures, but my camera became balky. Finding a market, we bought some food for dinner and then went home to nap before dinner and the opera.

Cucumber and tomato sandwiches were our evening dinner, and then we were off for a 15 minute walk in the rain to the opera. It was a fantastic performance of Rossini’s The Italian in Algiers. The Opera House at night is spectacular. The opera is very funny, and all of the performers had fabulous voices. The costumes were colorful and an imaginative use of Moorish styles, and the stage sets were beautifully done. All in all it was a fabulous evening. The audience went wild at the end, bringing back performers again and again and throwing them bouquets. What fun!

After the performance we went to the Sacher Hotel where sacher torte originated. Joan and I each ordered the highly anticipated torte and were disappointed. It was just very sweet, very chocolate cake. Len and Herschel had apple strudel, and we all decided that the pastries at Gerbeaud in Budapest were better than these.

It was still raining, but we walked, exploring new areas, before returning to the apartment. Talking it over, we compared our feelings about the people in these 3 cities .

The people of Prague seemed relaxed and happy. In Budapest most people seemed curt and unhappy, and in Vienna, people seemed prosperous and were busily going about their own business.

Friday, June 4, 2004

This was a long day, but we found it quite fascinating. This morning we were off to the Spanish Riding School. A rehearsal was going on inside a beautiful ornate building inside the palace grounds. Huge crystal fixtures hung from the ceiling. Corinthian columns supporting the ornate ceiling sat atop a white wall, and, between the columns, the tiered seating galleries accommodated the spectators. Crystal wall brackets lighted the seating galleries, and a walkway ran along the wall. On the arena side of the walkway a leaning railing was available so standees could watch the performance. It was hard to believe that this beautiful, formal room could be used for performing horses. There was a special red dirt covering the arena floor, and for the 1 ½ hours that we were there, no manure marred its surface! Black uniformed riders wearing gold buttons and with gold trim on their hats were riding in formation around the ring. The horses pranced, their necks gracefully curved as they danced to the rhythm of the music that came over the loudspeakers. Every half hour the horses were led off, and new horses were brought in. No pictures were allowed.

Joan and Herschel had left earlier with directions to meet them at the market for lunch. What a find that was. Though called a market, it actually was 3 floors of restaurant, all different. The bottom floor was a cafeteria with lots to choose from and a wonderful salad bar. We had a delicious lunch.

Out on the street again, I tried to take a picture only to discover that my camera was broken. The zoom lens refused to retract. I was totally frustrated, and, while Joan and Herschel went back to the apartment to rest, Len and I went hunting for a camera repair shop. We tried 2 places, but no one was able to do anything for us. Finally, in desperation, I bought a throw-away one.

Following directions from the camera shop employee, we walked a long way to an Internet Café where we accessed a long note from Brigitta in which she said we won’t have been to Vienna if we don’t go to a heuriger in Grinzing, a suburb of Vienna. A heuriger is an outdoor wine bar in a garden setting where people gather in the evening. I took down her directions to Grinzing and will include it in our plans.

We picked up Joan and Herschel and waited for the N tram at Schwedenplatz. While we were waiting we found a monument dedicated to those who were killed by the Nazis. There was no mention of the Jews. We took the tram to the Hetzgasse and walked to the Kunsthaus Wien, a museum exhibiting the art of Hundertwasser, a Viennese artist, ecologist, architectural designer, and writer who lived from 1928 to the year 2000.

What a fascinating experience. Our first clue as to what awaited us was the admission ticket we received, brightly colored, on heavy cardboard looking like a puzzle piece. The building is of brick and wood. The rooms are bright and airy. The floors are sometimes wood and sometimes brick, with little hills which one walks up and down to see the paintings. Planted pots of primary colors that predominate in Hundertwasser’s art work gave a refreshing outside feeling to the interior. I loved his writing as much as I loved his paintings. They also illustrate his philosophy.

Some quotes:
We must restore to nature territories which man has illegally occupied.
If we do not honour our past we lose our future. If we destroy our roots we cannot grow.
The straight line is Godless

We reluctantly left the museum and walked to the houses designed by Hundertwasser, one on a shopping mall and one, an apartment building. They were amazing, like something from one of his paintings. Looking at them was like looking at cartoons, but they were real. It was really fun.

We walked back to the museum and ate dinner at the café adjoining it. It was decorated in the Hundertwasser style, and the décor was great. Dinner was quite good.

Saturday, June 5, 2004

Since today was the day for our eagerly awaited trip to the Wachau Valley, we were up at 6:00 and rushed through breakfast to be ready to catch the 8:23 train to Melk. We looked out the open window, and the pouring rain from the gray sky dampening the whole outside dampened our spirits as well. We tried to call Claudia to cancel the trip, but neither of our phones were working. In desperation we went to the reception office, and the phone there was working. Claudia said she could change the day to Sunday but soon called us back to tell us the guide said the weather was beautiful there. We called a cab and got to the train station in the nick of time.

The ride was lovely. We traveled through a little forested valley. Houses were nestled closely together against the steep uphill backdrop of the Vienna Woods with its thick stands of many kinds of trees. We passed through the farmlands of Neulenbach Stadt and stared at the power windmills at Prinzerclorf, but the sky was not clearing, and we had weather worries. The rain continued as we passed through Loosdorf, and we arrived at Melk thankful that we had raincoats and umbrellas. As soon as we left the train at Melk, we were greeted by Norbert, our guide, easily identified by the Untour jacket he was wearing. He was a tall man, 65 years old, with a charming personality, and we warmed to him immediately. After introductions and a short overview of the plans for the day, he walked with us up the main street of Melk where a small Farmers’ Market was underway. The sidewalk was lined with stores. Booths, protected from the elements by colorful umbrellas, were situated on both sides of the street. Some of the merchandise displayed was lovely, and some of it consisted of souvenirs obviously designed for the tourist trade.

At the top of the hill stood a 300 year old Benedictine monastery that is now being utilized as a day school. 700 students attend, and 25 monks are on the faculty. We entered the church on the grounds, admiring its gold statues and its other rich baroque decoration, and we found it very beautiful. Nearby was a monument to those from the town who were killed by the Nazis. Norbert, who didn’t know we were Jewish, told us that he couldn’t understand people being so cruel. He felt the Austrians had learned nothing from those times. Just yesterday in parliament, he told us, a young lawmaker chided the members of 2 Neo Nazi parties for their spread of hatred, and a big fight ensued. He said that the hate still permeates Austria. We told him that we were Jewish, and we, too, worried about these attitudes and actions.

We strolled through town while Norbert went for the van, and we met him at the outskirts at the foot of a bridge over the Danube. From there, we continued on our tour of this beautiful valley. Norbert informed us that the 35 km. between Melk and Krems is considered the most picturesque winding stretch of the Danube and has been chosen as a scenic landscape world heritage area by UNESCO. A handout he gave us stated that on both sides of the river vine-bearing, ruin-encrusted hills roll down and in springtime the banks are a mass of apricot blossoms.

We stopped to visit Durnstein with its blue tower and its church which was formerly an Augustine monastery. We peeked through a locked gate to see part of the interior. Crossing the Danube in a small outboard motor launch, we arrived at the restaurant Schmankerl Golb, Rossatzbach 43, 3602 Rossatz for an incredible lunch. It was so huge that, had we been forewarned, we would have shared it rather than having individual portions. We had soup and salad, and then were confronted with a big plate served family style, consisting of asparagus wrapped in ham and cheese and breaded and deep fried, celery root and cheese, also breaded and fried, fried chicken pieces, and weinerschnitzel. Dessert was the dough covered apricots rolled in crumbs, sugar, and nuts and deep fried for which the restaurant is famous. This was served with mélange hag (coffee with milk topped by whipped cream). Though everything was delicious, I couldn’t begin to finish it all.

We recrossed the river and visited St. Michael with its fortified church tower and the oldest church in Europe. We climbed the old stone stairs to the top of the tower, looking out weapon placement holes that were used in the year 900.

At Aggsbach we just happened upon a wedding celebration in the town square, and what a party it was! A uniformed brass band was playing. The best man and the groom were ritually sawing through a log, and when it was partially split, the bride and groom took over the job. Evidently the groom is required to break a glass after the ceremony, and he is also required to sweep up the pieces. The bride holds the dustpan. After completing this ritual, the newlyweds started the dancing, and the guests were a happy audience. We, too, were a happy audience and were thrilled for the close-up chance to observe the country’s wedding customs.

A light rain continued through almost all of the day. After the wedding, Norbert drove us up into the mountains somewhere between Durnstein and Stein, and we walked along a trail for a few minutes to reach a view that took away our breath. Far below, the river, belying its swift current, looked like a slow moving body of water. Little houses formed each tiny village. Miniature cars traveled on a long ribbon of road, and a tiny train in the background made its way along the tracks. We stood there in rhapsody and couldn’t take our eyes off the scene. However, Norbert confirmed our one disappointment. The Danube is not blue.

After saying a reluctant goodbye to Norbert at the train station, it was back to Vienna for us. Norbert had picked beautiful white flowers for us to take back, and he said they were delicious baked in pancakes. He said for us to take them to a café and ask to have them made into pancakes, but after 2 restaurants turned us down, we gave up and went to Purstner, a restaurant on our street, for dinner. Then, exhausted, we headed for the apartment and bed.

Sunday, June 6, 2004

High mass at the Albertina Church was famed for its full orchestra and choir and the classical music that accompanied the service so we attended on this Sunday morning. The music was beautiful, but, after we sat through a sermon we couldn’t understand because it was given in German, we decided it was time to leave. We walked with Joan and Herschel to the Leopold museum where a Goya exhibit we had looked forward to seeing was being shown. After paying 8 euros apiece for tickets and 2.50 euros each for audio guides, we took the elevator to one of the lower floors to see the exhibit. What a disappointment. Instead of paintings like the Goyas we fell in love with in the Prada, these were very small etchings made during his dark period. And they were dark. One had to stand very close to see them, and even then it was hard to make them out. We spent about 20 minutes there before proceeding to the next room and slightly larger etchings of the history of bull fighting. His horses and bulls were magnificent.

After the bullfighting room we decided we were too tired to appreciate anything, and we turned in our audios at the desk. The woman there noticed that we were from California and asked if we knew President Regan had died. We had seen it in the news on CNN in the morning. She then commented, “He was a good man – not like Bush.” We have heard this kind of comment about Bush in every country on this trip. While most people are warm to us, they dislike Bush intensely and lose no opportunity to tell us.

We left the museum. Walking on the pavement on the grounds, we were amused by the large pink plastic lounges, mostly occupied by students sunning themselves as they visited and studied. On a large signboard display oversized photos formed an exhibit on the population explosion, and Len was fascinated by one taken by a French artist of a beach with a mass of nude bodies prone upon the sand. He insisted I take a picture of it. Joan and Herschel stayed at the museum, but Len and I, both exhausted, walked through the Burggarten, a leafy green park with benches along the walks and trees reflected in a small pond. A coffee house was at the end with a greenhouse and butterfly garden attached, but we walked straight to our apartment. We turned on the tv which was showing programs on D Day and on President Regan. We lay down on the bed and in 2 minutes were asleep. We didn’t wake up until 6:00. Joan and Herschel were back from the museum. We went downstairs to the Purstner Gaststatte, Wien 1, Riemergasse 10 and had an Austrian dinner in the restaurant where we ate last night. The food was good, and the prices were reasonable. The décor was great. ½ of a 100 year old wine barrel with hand painted scenes on its interior surrounded a section of our table, and a collection of antique irons was displayed on the wall.

After a sumptuous meal, we walked down town and window shopped. We wanted coffee and dessert, but everything was closed so we headed back home for tea and bed.

Monday, June 7, 2004

We left in the late morning for the Schonbrunn Palace, the home of the Hapsburgs from 1569 to 1918, listed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. Of the tours offered we chose the shortest, a 24 room self guided tour with an audio guide. The rooms were exquisite, and we learned much about the Hapsburgs. The most interesting parts to us were stories about Franz Joseph and the Empress Elisabeth. Hard working Franz Joseph awakened at 4:00 each day and was at work by 5:00. He granted audiences to 100 people a day. Elisabeth (known as Si Si) was married to him at 15 and was never happy in her marriage. She was very beautiful and ate next to nothing in order to preserve her tiny figure. She also had an exercise room which was not on our tour. Today we would probably diagnose her as anorexic. She became very independent and traveled extensively until she was stabbed and killed by an Italian anarchist in 1898.

Most of the rooms had white walls and gold rococo trims, but those used by the Emperor were utilitarian. The rococo rooms had many mirrors and crystal chandeliers in the style that today we call Maria Theresa after the empress who was responsible for much of the enlargement and remodeling of the palace. She also commissioned the planting of the extensive royal gardens.

Once finished with the interior tour, we set out to tour the royal gardens. They are huge and separated into many parts. There even is a zoo, founded in 1752. Today

there is a small outdoor restaurant outside of the zoo, and we decided to have lunch there. Refreshed after hot dogs and cokes, we walked back to the central part of the garden and decided to climb up the steep hill with its switchbacks to the Gloriette, a series of arches, providing a distant overlook of most of the city of Vienna. From a large pool at the base of the hill a fountain is part of a huge sculpture of Neptune, surrounded by many horses and tritons.

It was quite a trek up the hill, but there is a lovely restaurant at the top, and we regretted not having waited for our lunch. We returned to the apartment and dressed for the evening. The 8 of us Idyllers had planned a cocktail party, a restaurant dinner, and a Mozart concert for the evening. Claudia, our onsite person had been invited to join us for cocktails, and we 4 headed to Ben and Mary’s with hors d’ouvres and Joan and Herschel’s bottle of Scotch. We had such a good time visiting that we decided to make the appetizers dinner, and we headed to the concert hall at 7:30.

Once there, we added the total to our down payment for the tickets only to find out that the amount charged had been doubled! Herschel was told we had been upgraded. We hadn’t asked to be upgraded, and we were pretty upset, but Herschel was told to talk to the manager at intermission.

Once the music started, we calmed down. The musicians were costumed as they would have looked in Mozart’s time, and the music was familiar and like an old friend. Two opera singers, a baritone and a soprano sang pieces from some of Mozart’s operas. The hall had wonderful acoustics, and from our 2nd row seats we could really see the performers up close.

At intermission, the manager was nowhere to be found. We were out at about 10:00 and found our way to Cantino, in the House of Music, A-1010 Wien, Seilerstatte 30. Joan and Herschel had tapas, and Len and I chose dessert. Len said it was the best apple strudel of the whole trip. We would all highly recommend this place.

Tuesday, June 8, 2004

We slept so hard that Joan had to knock on our door 3 times before we woke up. After breakfast we decided to spend time walking around St. Stephens Platz window shopping only it turned out not to be just window shopping. Joan bought a pair of leather gloves and a coral necklace, and Len bought a leather wallet with features he has been looking for a long time. We had a really good time checking out the clothing styles in the store windows and the clothing on people walking by. Women’s clothing here for spring and summer is brightly colored with lots of orange predominating. Many dresses have skirt hems that are 2 different lengths in front and are made of filmy see-through fabric. Since the streets are packed with tourists from many countries, very little of what is displayed in the windows goes by. We did see some lovely skirts and some very smart suits on women we judged to be Viennese. Occasionally a business man, briefcase in one hand, wearing suit and tie, would pass us on a motorized scooter. There was not so much red hair here. Beauty salons and make-up salons were everywhere. The store window displays were uniformly beautiful. This is a wealthy, thriving city, and the tourist trade is a very big part of it.

The sun was out to our great joy, and we decided to go to Demels, K.u.K. Hofzuckerbacker for lunch. Demels is known to be one of Vienna’s finest pastry makers, and, to our delight, there was outside seating. We were given a menu and told to go inside to look at their offerings to help make up our minds. Crabby, rushed waitresses kept pushing by us, and the counter people grudgingly gave us information on the contents of the salads and the composition of the pastries. We made our choices and gave the order to the waitress who unsmilingly served us. The atmosphere was very unpleasant, but the food was quite good.

After lunch we walked to the rose garden, a block or so from the palace. The fragrant air and the many beautiful varieties of roses made this a delightful interlude, but our feet soon became tired so we sat on a bench and rested for about 30 minutes.

Refreshed, we were off again, this time to Grinsing and Kahlenberg in the fabled Vienna Woods. These were great little towns with houses hundreds of years old. We walked up -the hills looking for the house Brigitta used to live in, but we didn’t have a clue as to which one it was. Seeing a charming little restaurant with its garden gate framed by roses, we decided to return there for dinner. We climbed aboard the 38 bus for Kahlenberg, and we rode up hill on a narrow, winding street bordered by thick forests on either side. At the top was Kahlenberg and a restaurant with a magnificent terrace view of the Danube, grape vines, and the city below. It was a perfect picture taking spot, and I took full advantage of it. After quenching our thirst with a coke, we caught the bus to return to Grinsing. In the crowded bus Joan and Herschel found seats in front, and Len and I sat in back. As we drove down the hill, I spotted the restaurant, and at the next stop Joan and Herschel got up and Len and I made for the door. I was the only one who got out! I waved goodbye as the bus continued downhill and found a comfortable place to wait until they walked back up. And, sure enough, they did. A fellow passenger had told them it was the wrong stop, and they were confused and stayed on.

We all walked up to the restaurant, Brandl, 1190 Vienna, Cobenzlgasse 17, and the 4 of us had our best meals of the entire week. We sat outside. Len had a huge Greek salad, and veal and noodles in a gorgonzola sauce, and I had a small beer, and salmon with a delicious dill sauce, spinach and boiled potatoes. The meal came to about $21.00 a person. We all ordered tap water. In Vienna it is graciously served when ordered, but in Budapest and Prague, almost always, a deaf ear is turned to one’s request, and bottled water is served.

After dinner our plan had been to go to a heuringer, a restaurant which bottles its own wine and sells it when it is new wine. Live music is played, and one can sit around with a glass of wine and people watch. It’s an integral part of Viennese life, but Joan and Herschel had to be out by 4:30 tomorrow morning, and we all reluctantly decided to return to the apartment. We had to pack to move to another apartment tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 9, 2004

The creaking floors early this morning told us that Joan and Herschel were sneaking out on their way to the airport and home. We got up early to change rooms for our extra day in Vienna and moved upstairs to a smaller apartment. A table and bed were in the sun washed living room. The bathroom had a stall shower, and the kitchen was postage stamp size with no dishwasher. It was quite adequate for an overnight stay. After getting settled we took a walk to the Stadt Park. This was the prettiest park we’ve seen in Vienna. Situated around a large lake ringed by trees and lawns with statues of Viennese composers tucked away among its gardens, this park offered a haven for sunbathers and lovers of the outdoors.

We walked on toward the river and stopped at a beautiful modern building which looked like it had an observatory on top. Entering, we spoke to a gracious young woman at a desk, and she informed us that this was a school. After further conversation we concluded that it was like a community center as the classes resembled those taught by our recreation departments.

We started to walk along the Danube, gazing in dismay at its brown waters. A fisherman sat on a walkway with a pole and a net, and we decided that we would never want to eat a fish caught there. At one place the smell was so bad that we decided to stay far above the path on city streets, and we walked to Schwedenplatz and had a sandwich and coke from a bakery there. Then we set out to walk to Stephensplatz. The day was very warm so the walk was tiring. We arrived at the apartment carrying a portion of our uneaten cheese strudel, and we lay down for a welcome nap.

To our amazement we awoke to a completely overcast sky! We decided to have dinner at the Il Fornaio restaurant (no relation to the Il Fornaio in the U.S.) on our street, and we feasted on wonderful Italian food. Each of us had a very big salad. I had a glass of chianti and tagliarini and mushrooms in a delicious sauce. Len had paparilla noodles and mushrooms in an excellent cream sauce. The mushrooms in his dinner and mine were different uncommon varieties. We finished our meal with large café lattes. The cost for the 2 of us was 34 euros, and we can really recommend this eatery. We had opted not to take one of the sidewalk tables and were seated at an open double glass door that gave the illusion of sitting outside when suddenly a violent thunder storm struck. Lightning was flashing, often right overhead, and the claps of thunder were deafening. The skies opened up, and cloudburst after cloudburst hit the street. We had a long wait before we could run back to the apartment, and we were thankful it was only a few doors away.

Once back, we finished this morning’s cheese strudel, re-organized our packing and went to bed at 9:00 in preparation for a 5:45 early rising for our 7:00 pick-up tomorrow. It’s the end of a fascinating vacation, and we’ll return home with new insights about life and the culture in this part of the world.

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