If T-Mobile says we are in Slovakia, we must be in Slovakia !
Dodi, Jon and I - lunch in Bratislava. This turned out to be one of favorite meals of the entire trip !
Thurs. Oct. 15, 2015 Budapest Hungary
We were scheduled for a 9:00 AM pick up for private van transfer from Prague to Budapest, I told everyone it was about four hours. OK – it was 7, I was a bit off. We drove mainly through country side settings with drizzly rain most of the trip. We stopped in Bratislava – the capitol of Slovokia for lunch. I tried to get a hold of my old personal trainer from Cape Cod who lives there, but was not successful. Just as well, I do not think I am a very good advertisement for him. We got checked in to the Marriot into a marvelous room that directly overlooked the Danube river and castle. Unfortunately my cold has really reared it’s little ugly head. Jon and I made a beeline to a pharmacy and when we got back I jumped into bed. Not how I envisioned spending my first night in Budapest, but too wiped out to do anything else. We ordered room service and camped in for the evening. Check out of the hotel, and check in on to the boat are both at 11:00 AM. Plan is to taxi over to the boat, then get some exploring in. Plan now is to go to go to bed and hope I sleep this off, and that Jon stays healthy.
We were scheduled for a 9:00 AM pick up for private van transfer from Prague to Budapest, I told everyone it was about four hours. OK – it was 7, I was a bit off. We drove mainly through country side settings with drizzly rain most of the trip. We stopped in Bratislava – the capitol of Slovokia for lunch. I tried to get a hold of my old personal trainer from Cape Cod who lives there, but was not successful. Just as well, I do not think I am a very good advertisement for him. We got checked in to the Marriot into a marvelous room that directly overlooked the Danube river and castle. Unfortunately my cold has really reared it’s little ugly head. Jon and I made a beeline to a pharmacy and when we got back I jumped into bed. Not how I envisioned spending my first night in Budapest, but too wiped out to do anything else. We ordered room service and camped in for the evening. Check out of the hotel, and check in on to the boat are both at 11:00 AM. Plan is to taxi over to the boat, then get some exploring in. Plan now is to go to go to bed and hope I sleep this off, and that Jon stays healthy.
Guess we are in the Czech Republic now
Driving to Budapest
Amazing view from our hotel room window
Walking in to town to find a pharmacy - just in time for the rain to start
View at night from our room - quite enchanting
Not an exciting night for us in Budapest - I obviously do not subscribe to the starve a cold philosophy
Sat. Oct. 17, 2015
We met up with Dorothy's sister Mary and her husband Pat yesterday AM. We will be a group of six now until the end of the cruise. We checked out of our hotel and the 6 of us had private city tour. We started on the Pest side and drove down Andassy Ave., past the Opera House, then to Heroes square, toured St Stephans Cathedral. We dove across the Chain Bridge to the Buda side to the Buda castle distract . We walked around the Fisherman’s Bastion and Matias Church (trying to get the pedometer spinning). We found out where our boat was docked, then we walked across the street to the three story market called the Great Market Hall where we stocked up on some libations for our cabin. We then checked in our cabin. It is postage stamp size but extremely well thought out and laid out so it is very comfy and accommodating. We have a French balcony which is a big sliding glass door which makes you feel like you are open air cruising. We had cocktails at the bar, an informal welcoming, then proceeded to a wonderful muti course dinner. While dining the boat cruised up the Danube and turned back toward the city which provided us with a brilliant view of the city and lights. . The lights of the city were glowing in the foggy night and were eerily beautiful. Jon and I went up to the open air sun deck which was cold and drizzly, but will worth it for the view. This AM most passengers went on a tour bus for a city but as we had already dane it yesterday and the itinerary sounded about identical, we stayed on board. The boat cruised to Esztergom where the other passengers who were on the tour were bussed to. It was so much fun cruising on the boat. It is not often you feel like you have a 300 plus foot yacht almost to yourselves as there are only a handful of other passengers on board !! Top top it off, the staff could not do not enough for us !!
We met up with Dorothy's sister Mary and her husband Pat yesterday AM. We will be a group of six now until the end of the cruise. We checked out of our hotel and the 6 of us had private city tour. We started on the Pest side and drove down Andassy Ave., past the Opera House, then to Heroes square, toured St Stephans Cathedral. We dove across the Chain Bridge to the Buda side to the Buda castle distract . We walked around the Fisherman’s Bastion and Matias Church (trying to get the pedometer spinning). We found out where our boat was docked, then we walked across the street to the three story market called the Great Market Hall where we stocked up on some libations for our cabin. We then checked in our cabin. It is postage stamp size but extremely well thought out and laid out so it is very comfy and accommodating. We have a French balcony which is a big sliding glass door which makes you feel like you are open air cruising. We had cocktails at the bar, an informal welcoming, then proceeded to a wonderful muti course dinner. While dining the boat cruised up the Danube and turned back toward the city which provided us with a brilliant view of the city and lights. . The lights of the city were glowing in the foggy night and were eerily beautiful. Jon and I went up to the open air sun deck which was cold and drizzly, but will worth it for the view. This AM most passengers went on a tour bus for a city but as we had already dane it yesterday and the itinerary sounded about identical, we stayed on board. The boat cruised to Esztergom where the other passengers who were on the tour were bussed to. It was so much fun cruising on the boat. It is not often you feel like you have a 300 plus foot yacht almost to yourselves as there are only a handful of other passengers on board !! Top top it off, the staff could not do not enough for us !!
Statues at Heros square
The whole gang, Dick, Mary, Dorothy, me, Jon and Pat
St Stephan's Cathedral
The angel statues are always my favorites
yep - raining
No need to explain
A view of the Marriot we stayed at in Budapest from across the Danube River
Looking across the Danube River to the Pest side of Budapest
Looking down the funicular to the Danube River and Chain bridge.
I tried to get him to smile but he was not having any of it !
Buda castle area
Dodi at the Buda Castle
Jon and I with the Pest side of Budapest in the background
I liked the old castle being reflected off the windows of a new building next to it…..
Dodi and Jon
Dodi and Jon
Pat, Mary, Dick, Jon, Dorothy and our guide.
Unpacking - only had the bed to put the suitcases - you are looking at the entire room !
Another view of our palatial cabin - the outside wall is the sliding door
Unpacked and happy camper
Susan and Dodi - first night on board - dinner
City lights viewed from the sun deck of our ship.
Loved the glow of the lights in the foggy night sky
Just us trying to get a selfie we -we really do not have this down yet….
We have the boat all to ourselves - awesome !! This is Jon in the Aquavit terrace - we ended up eating lunch here just about every day
The lounge and bar
More seating in the lounge
Buffet counter in the Aquavit terrace
Table - Aquavit terrace
Visiting with Pat and Mary who also stayed on board during the Budapest tour
Sundeck
Outdoor section of the Aquavit terrace
One of my favorite places - the coffee,tea, cappuccino bar with pastries and cookies out all day :)
Jon all ready for the drill
Cruising with the sun setting on the Danube River….
Sunday Oct. 18, 2015
Today we toured the magical captiol of Austria – Vienna. In the AM we went on a city tour which included a drive along Ringstrasse, followed by a walking tour by the Opera house, St. Stephans Catherdral,(yep - another St. Stephan) and the stables where they board the world famous lipizzian horses. We took the subway back to the boat for lunch. After lunch we took an optional tour to Shonbrunn Palace which is reffered to as the Austrain version of a smaller Versailles.
Today we toured the magical captiol of Austria – Vienna. In the AM we went on a city tour which included a drive along Ringstrasse, followed by a walking tour by the Opera house, St. Stephans Catherdral,(yep - another St. Stephan) and the stables where they board the world famous lipizzian horses. We took the subway back to the boat for lunch. After lunch we took an optional tour to Shonbrunn Palace which is reffered to as the Austrain version of a smaller Versailles.
Vienna
Driving through Vienna
Yep blah, blah, blah…...
Dodi
One of my favorite statues - reminded me of the flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz
The Lippizian Horse Stables
So handsome !
Coffee break
Vienna and Mozart use go together !
Dodi, Mary and Pat waiting for the subway
There was street graffiti everywhere - and Jon can never pass up a photo op
"I can already smell you happyness ! "
It was an exhausting day…….
Here is a couple River boats double docked...
More graffiti
Shornbunn Palace
Jon and Dick - trouble
Shornbunn Palace gardens
After this photo - the woman looked at the pic and made her husband retake the photo - we wondered if she thought the burka made her look fat…..
Jon and me - the gardens
Jon and I doing our best statue reenactment
Going through a lock at night
The guys - Dick, Jon and Pat !