3 countries and 7 days
15 Restaurants
10 Bakeries
4 Coffee/juice places
November 7th, 2018
7 ½ hours to....
November 8th, 2018
...Zurich, Switzerland
Hour and a half to Prague, Czech Republic.
Taxi to Hotel Imperial where they gave us a spacious (by European standards) corner room with a view.
Rushed out to start exploring.
First stop was some noursihment a local’s place. She had aged Fried Cheese and I Pig Knuckle Goulash.
Old Town Square has to be the largest I’ve awed over across Europe.
The famous Prague astronomical clock.
And everyone waiting for the top of the hour.
Bubble waffle cone.
Continuing south those narrow lanes opend up to the high street of Narodni Trida.
Wenceslas Square.
From the square looking at the National Museum.
Fashionable Na Prikope.
November 8th, 2018
While Aimee dozed away I went for a 45 minute run that went through the areas reflecting Czech’s Communist past...
...Josehov, the Jewish Quarter...
...along the river...
...and back through Old Town.
Havelska Market has been here since 1232. It’s aging well.
Post-run we then headed to Bakeshop (right) for breakfast.
I had a spinach salad for breakfast. For real.
The St. Nicholas church on Old Town Hall Square dates back to 1273.
Moving towards the river we crossed Charles Bridge. Aimee noted how the grey skies mirrored the atmosphere of the bridge.
Taking in the panoramic of Prague Castle.
The bridge ends in Mala Strana.
The Baroque St. Nicholas dates back to 1283.
It took a century to build.
Nerdudova is the main street in Mala Strana.
Trdelniks are ubiquotous throughout Prague. Research showed this stand has the best, and sure enough it made it on my best eats list. A spiral of dough is wrapped around a cylinder and cooked over coals. Crisp exterior countering a soft and pillowy interior; all punctuated by sugary goodness.
Gingerbread Museum
Alfa Romeo Giulia. Wanted one since they came out. Passion and beauty.
Getting up to the Castle District involved me hearing, “Oh jeesh, oh jeesh”.
For all the efforts you are rewarded with this view.
Prague Castle is a complex of a palace, courtyards, churches, munitions and offices.
Gasp, was the reaction of emerging from an archway to see the Gothic glory of St. Vitus.
Gasp, was the reaction stepping inside and awing at the voluminous space.
The palace dates back to the 9th century.
This hall was used for coronations.
St. George’s Basillica, 932AD.
Golden Lane was added in the 16th century to house palace guards.
Having explored Prague Castle we needed some nourishment and headed west to a local’s place. That is roast pork, cabbage and dumplings.
Heading back into Mala Strana.
She has to have her Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte!
Crossed the river into Old Town.
Went up into the tower of Old Town Hall for some inspiring views. This is looking south.
This is looking west towards the Castle District and Mala Strana.
Old Town Hall Square.
That is real terror. Took the 2 story spiral slide at Hamleys (The World’s Finest Toy Store) and it was dark, bumpy and noisy.
She had been talking about getting a foot long garlic sausage all day so we headed back to Wenceslas Square.
November 10th, 2018
Breakfast at the famous Café Imperial.
Had the hotel E-Class take us to the train station.
The 240kph RailJet took us to Vienna.
We did first class. Don’t be too impressed- it was only 10 Euros more.
The Czech landscape was bleak in the overcast weather and accentuated by seeing lower standards of living.
Arrived Wein hbf and headed to the hotel. Aimee is, um, selective about her hotels so I asked if I could pick ours for Vienna and surprise her.
She approved.
Added a base layer to the cold weather attire and headed out.
Headed down Karntnerstrasse marveling at all the grand buildings and imagining the generations of history on these grand pedestrian streets.
St. Stephan, built in the 1100s.
Doesn’t get old.
Demel is one of the grandest of Austrian cafes going back to 1786 and was a purveyor to the royal court.
Hofburg was the winter palace of the Habsburg dynasty, built in the 12th century. This picture is only able to capture a smidgen of this 2,550 room, 19 courtyard and 18 wing complex.
The tour included their Sisi Museum. Yep, there were room after room of utensils, place settings and candle sets.
The Imperial Apartments. Or should I say ‘apartments’?
Back to taking in the massive and stately buildings.
Freud hung out at Café Landtmann.
Maroniblute. Chestnut cream over cherry jam in a chocolate waffle.
Café Central. 1876. Freud, again. And also Trotsky, Hitler, Stalin.
Sunday, November 11th, 2018
After using the Ritz’s fitness center we walked to the north side of city center to the 1875 Café Diglas. Just imagine the decades of Viennese having a pastry and coffee here.
Saw Mozart’s apartment from 1784 to 1787. It was here he wrote Mambo #1.
This church brought to you by Breitling. Just seems so wrong. Yet look at the areas before and after restoration...we know who is paying for that.
Back on Karntnerstrasse one last time.
1920, Café Tirolerhof.
This is us looking stately as we take a Mercedes from the Ritz to...
...Wein hbf...
..and then onto another Railjet...
...through Austria and then into Hungary.
I love European train stations. Budapest Keleti is imposing and has seen better days.
Getting a taxi to our hotel is a story in itself. Including paying more than twice what it should have. Budapest has a lot of seedy areas. That is part of the train station on the right.
After checking in and getting a Metro day pass we submerged into their subway system that looks like a museum set.
Emerging from the subway into a Christmas market.
We shared a Sparhelten. Goulash wrapped in a grilled potato pancake.
Vigado Square is anchored by an 1859 concert hall.
Walking down the Vaci Utca head pivoting up looking at all the intricate facades.
Szamos Marzipan. Here is how my ordering went:
Me: “The chicken one please. Oh, wait, it has a comb. The rooster one please.”
Aimee: “YELLOW. TELL HER YOU WANT THE YELLOW ONE.”
Inner City Church. 1046.
St. Stephans Basilica is new. Built in the late 1800s.
So, so beautiful.
Strolled up Andrassy Utca, lined with designer shops and boutiques.
Monday, November 12th, 2018
Good morning Budapest.
Took the yellow line to the red line to the other side of the Danube to north Buda.
And we first checked out Mammut, the leading shopping mall.
And a nearby street market, Feny Utcai Piac.
More walking.
The Vienna Gate is the northern entrance to Castle District.
Castle District is very photogenic with its tidiness, colorful buildings and oodles of history.
Fishermen’s Bastion has views of Pest.
Matyas Church. Romanesque. 14th century.
Oh, just so inviting.
Lunch at the lauded Café Pierrot.
She went with Chanterelle Ravioli with Chervil Potato Mousse.
He went with Confit Piglet Cheek with Hungarian Potato Paprikash.
The labyrinths under Castle District have a storied history. Including imprisong Vlad the Impaler (Dracula). And bunkers during World War II.
Ruszwurm has been doing Dobastorta since 1827.
Buda Castle Palace dominates the skyline.
And from it are more views. That is Parliament and Chain Bridge.
Little know fact- Parliament is built of Legos.
We descended Castle District and walked across Chain Bridge.
Back to Inner City so Aimee could buy something at that Christmas Market for her California house.
And then we walked back down Vaci. Yes, admiring those buildings.
Hungary’s version of the chimney cake is the Kürtöskalác.
Grand Central Market.
I love European markets.
We walked the aisles admiring the presentations.
And got bakery and Langos- fried dough covered with sour cream and cheese. Health food.
Saying good bye to Budapest.
Tuesday, November 13th,2018
Hour and 50 minutes Budapest to Frankfurt, 8 hours 49 minutes to Chicago.
