9 July, Vienna

Vienna, Austria is again one of the quintessential cities in Europe. A beautiful city with opulent buildings, vast historical sites, culture. Okay, so Carter and I were starting to get a little bit of museum-fatigue. We needed some undirected exercise. As luck would have it, Donauinsel, a man-made islet dropped into the Danube, was just what we needed. Carter went for in-line skates while I rented a bike. It was a good day of just recreating outside with no time-tables or agenda. It was here I met .........The Remora! The skates Carter rented had a bulge in one seam that produced a large blister on the side of his foot making it painful to skate after the first 45 minutes. So he latched onto my side for most of the rest of the ride. It was a good diversion from our somewhat normal routine.

The Austrians have a very formal demeanor, distinctly different from the Germans. But they are friendly and warm all the same. The city is very diverse culturally. There was a large obvious Muslim population as well as various Slavic nationalities. All coexisting peacefully, well mostly. We witnessed a near conflagration of tempers in one of the common courtyards but it produced only loud argument and frantic hand and arm gestures, ending in a truce brokered by an elderly women. Street theater at its best. Shortsightedly, we did not bring clothes appropriate for the Opera House so we only saw the exterior and missed what one could only guess was excellent music. Vienna was much more traveler friendly with unsolicited offers of assistance, patience with my poor German language skills and easy and available mass-transit systems. And thank God for the bleeding Euro.


The food was uniformly excellent as well. The somewhat simple lunch of chicken soup was one of my very favorites of the entire trip. It was so good we ate there twice in spite of the numerous choices. There were mimes, (shudder) musicians and street performers of all types throughout the market areas. One all-female string trio was especially good but there was a hippie-type bongo drum player in accompaniment that just completely ruined the effect and was very odd. We saw the same trio on the next night, this time without the bongo distraction which was much better. It is unclear whether he was an invited guest or a crasher but my guess is the tips were better without him.

Throughout this blog I have not bothered to try describing the buildings, and I will not start now. They simply must be seen first-hand to be fully appreciated. If you visit Vienna, it should be a primary destination, not a stop on the way. As we were told in Prague, unfortunately all construction must be done in the warm months which also coincides with tourist season. I think Vienna would be especially wonderful in the winter months. I will be back to test that theory one of these years. I'm thinking ski trip in the Alps, Opera in Vienna. Any takers?

On to Munich.

6 July, Prague

When dreaming of old, beautiful European cities I was always dreaming of Prague, I just did not know it until now. Ancient castles? Check. Flowing river spanned by ornate, stone bridges? Check. Elaborate churches, ruins emerging from the hillsides, quaint sidewalk cafes? Czech, Czech, Czech. Beautiful women-- Czech-mate. (I wish)


Our adventure had an inauspicious start from the train station as we struggled to find our next connection, find anyone who spoke any form of Czenglish, or get enough change to buy a subway ticket. Vendors worldwide have mastered the art of insisting on a purchase to receive change while ensuring the prices are offset just enough to require two or more individual purchases to arrive at the desired amount. Add to that the Hurculean task of converting Czech Krones to US dollars (or even Euros for Christ's sake) and you get a feel for our frustration. We then had to cross what Carter named as the Bumgarten, a park just outside the station where the homeless made their homes. (and bathrooms) Oh but it is all worth the cost once you get to the city. The city is a wonderful mess. Let me explain.

It is said the city was originally built to confuse invaders. When the Germans invaded during WWII, the Czechs took down all street signs and gave inaccurate directions when asked to great effect. (We got such confusing directions ourselves that I believe we were mistaken for the last squad of German infantry-- the shortly cropped blondish hair and blue eyes probably did not help). The streets run in odd angles often ending abruptly. And the buildings are close to each other making it almost impossible to get your bearings unless you know the city as a native. But the architecture is great and the details are diverse and interesting. Our local contact, Tod Shaw, tells me there are more cubist structures in Prague than any other city in Europe. Having little experience in cubist architecture, I took his word for it.

Speaking of Tod Shaw, he very generously took most of a day to show us parts of Prague most people do not see. We had lunch in a small, hidden cafe that was actually a microbrewery as well. Again, we would never have known of its existence without a guide. Throughout the entire afternoon Tod kept us enthralled with historical facts and personal experiences. Tod had always been personable and interesting with a rapier wit and he had not changed much from my memories. It was one of our best days this entire trip and I am indebted to him for his hospitality and friendship. Thank you, Tod.




Most of the “must-sees” can “be-seen” from the observation tower. Getting an over-city view will pay dividends later when negotiating the city from the street level. The views are breath-taking but then it may have something to do with the climb. It is not for the faint of heart or fragile of body. There is a small elevator intended for the handicapped but I did not get specific rules of its use. From the base of the tower you can walk along the Hunger Wall to the various sites close-by. Obviously Prague Castle is a prime destination but there are many clustered about in the same area so go with your instincts and be flexible. There are plenty of sidewalk cafes to choose from and all we tried were excellent. The food was good too.






Prague is a city that every well traveled person should see. I recommend an American based hotel chain to alleviate some of the culture shock and provide a safe haven. A leisurely week would give you enough time to see the city and take a couple of day-trips outside for the rest. They plan to adopt the Euro in 2012 which will help immensely. The local food is hearty and varied so be adventurous. I will remember Prague fondly until my next visit.

On to Vienna.

3-5 July, Berlin.

The train ride to Berlin from Amsterdam was pleasant. We met three regular blokes from England who entertained us with their verbal banter as only the British can. On our way from the train station we crossed the lawn of the Reichstag, Germany's Parliamentary building. As we were taking pictures of ourselves using the Riechstag as a backdrop, we observed a very distinguished and attractive woman on a bicycle being repeatedly photographed by an equally attractive younger woman. As we passed them the older women, Professor Monika Grutters, a recently elected new member to the German Parliament, (Bundestag) greeted us to her country and even graciously posed for a picture. Prof. Grutters was being photographed by her assistant riding her bicycle to work for her first term in the traditional manner. As we were taking our leave, Prof. Grutters wished us a happy 4^th of July and informed us of the American Embassy dedication ceremony taking place the next day (4^th) so we made plans for a brief visit.

We passed through the Tiergarten on our way to our hotel enjoying the forested oasis in the middle of the city,(more on this later). Well, after an hour of hiking, we never did find the hotel I had booked on-line but found a nice room in the Berlin Hotel where we asked our last time for directions, (I promptly cancelled our previous reservation). It turned out the Berlin Hotel was central to everywhere we wanted to go. To our north, the Reichstag, US embassy, and the Spree river. To our southeast, the KaDeVe, Berlin Zoo, and most of the restaurants. And being located on the fringe of the Tiergarten, we got to enjoy it during every trip. Once again, the European mass transit system was excellent, and once again, cyclists rode throughout the city.

Day two in Berlin was the polar opposite of day one weather-wise, the first being sunny and bright, the second wet and drab. This seemed appropriate however as we visited Checkpoint Charlie on this day. The inclement weather added a city-under-siege feel to the pictures of the once oppressive soviet controlled area. Ironically, there was a monument to the soviet soldiers killed during the war in the Tiergarten area depicting the graves of the slain as liberators of Berlin. I can see through the political machinations of such a gesture, but it still seems odd. It must be my American bias toward freely elected societies; My bad. I also found irony in sitting in a Starbucks, out of the rain, looking directly across the street at the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and the last soviet flag hanging in disrepair on the wall. East, meet West; How about a nice over-priced cup o' joe? After the CPC tour, we decided to avoid the weather by visiting the KaDeVe, touted as the largest single department store in Europe. The only thing, in my opinion, that was unique here (being a true child of the consumer-driven US) was the gourmet foods floor. Not only could one find just about any type of food in variety and quality, but there were small cooking kiosks distributed liberally throughout which provided on-the-spot preparation and service of meals for nearly any taste and category. Alas, we did not eat there having already eaten prior to our visit and the timing being off. I recommend making it your plan to have one meal here in conjunction with your visit. On that subject, our favorite meal was that same evening at an Argentinian steakhouse called Rosada' s where we both had very tender and tasty steaks. We did not visit the US embassy on the 4^th because the weather was poor and we were told the celebration was planned for the 5^th as well. We put it off in hopes of better conditions, wisely it turns out.

Day three was our most ambitious to date. We began with a trip to the Reichstag but the lines were ridiculously long. We got an excellent tip from a local gent to revisit in the evening around 6 to 8 pm when the lines would be smaller, the wait less and the photo opportunities enhanced by the setting of the sun. With that in mind, we immediately redirected our course to enjoy a boat trip down the Spree river. A helpful tip here, do not waste your time with the English audio-tour headphones. They went from worthless to annoying to aggravating in less than one hundred yards. Just follow along with a good map and you get the highlights. We left the cruise for a nice stroll through the Tiergarten to the Berlin Zoo. Along the way Carter climbed one the many stone sculptures for a photo op, which to the chagrin of frenzied parents, inspired a group of small children to attempt the same. Hey Berliners, that's how we roll; adding a little danger to our Saturday romp in the park. Next we visited the Berlin Zoo which was, a zoo in Berlin. It was not remarkable in any way but was a nice way to pass a few hours. Not to say it was not a well planned and executed zoo, it was, just nothing of significance. After a short late afternoon rest back at the hotel, we returned to the Reichstag for a short wait and eventual admission. The big draw to the Reichstag, other than the impressive facade, is the dome in the center. It provides a 360 degree view high above the city and the center, cone-shaped funnel that looks directly onto the floor of the Bundestag's plenary chamber below. This was intended to reinforce the dedication on the front that the Reichstag is “To the German People.” To round out the day we visited the US embassy just behind and near the Brandenburg Gate. There we enjoyed some live music and some American camaraderie before heading out for dinner and retiring after an exhausting but thoroughly enjoyable day. In the morning it is on to Czechoslovakia.

1 July, Amsterdam: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

The Good:
The flight into Amsterdam was relatively good, (aside from some sort of plumbing issue that bathed the cabin in a foul odor every ten minutes or so), smooth and seemingly quick for a trans -Atlantic flight. Our progress from plane to taxi was quick too, seeming almost too easy. A short ride took us to the Centrum area of Amsterdam and our hotel, The Golden Tulip. In spite of the hokey, tourist-trap sounding name, the hotel was anything but. The room was typically small by American standards but modern, clean and comfortable. We took the obligatory canal boat tour within an hour of arrival, mostly to pass time until check-in and in large part to spend jet-lag time off of our feet as we could slip into unconsciousness at any moment.

The most desirable museums are all closely located, (a notable exception would be the Sex Museum, appropriately located in the Red Light District to be covered later in the post), and for art lovers a must see. The Rijksmuseum was undergoing some construction so we passed on that one but spent some time enjoying the Van Gogh Museum. It is really amazing to actually see the masterpieces directly in front of you; It makes you feel like an active participant in history rather than an extraneous observer.
I absolutely loved the incredible use of pedal power by the local populace. Carter noticed before I did that there appeared to be no obesity at all. Since there were tourists scattered throughout the area, this seems more indicative of Europe as a whole than just Amsterdam. The cliché of tall, healthy Dutch women cycling through town is a reality and one I found especially pleasant. Notable also is their use of public transport. I found myself wondering why on Earth Tampa especially does not use electric trams this effectively. Dale Mabry would be the largest artery and would reduce the traffic by at least 30-50%. Absolutely ridiculous.
The food is healthy and excellent. Our favorite place turned out to be the Soup Kitchen, a soup and sandwich cafe. I believe the writers of Sienfeld stole the idea of the incredible soup shop from this place-- without the Nazi. A restaurant named Humphreys was directly next to our hotel and featured a three-course, fixed but selective menu. Choosing one of five each from the starters, main courses and desserts. Darby take note: Carter ate snails, I have photographic proof. Open air restaurants along the many courtyards are abundant.


The Bad:
Okay, in this case we mean BAD as in naughty. The hotel is located right in the center of the canal zone which means it is also located amongst the “Coffee Shops” and the brothels. Coffee shop seems to be synonymous with marijuana shop and the distinctive odor of cannabis wafts from the doorways. What you do NOT see are stoned zombies walking around aimlessly, no one dealing on the street corners and there was no violence. Whether this is a result of strict local control to ensure a robust tourist industry or the coffee shops acting as a natural container is unclear as we, of course, did not partake of their hospitality. The famous Red Light District was also a close stroll from our hotel and again, we did not partake. The women were much more presentable than expected. One gets the impression that, although prostitution is undoubtedly taking place, the Red Light District is as much a production piece for the tourists. In essence, these two elements should not dissuade you from visiting Amsterdam and are a very small part of the overall experience.

The Ugly:
Amsterdam is filthy. There is no other way to put it. Trash accumulates in the streets and the canals. Not large piles set aside for later disposal, but scattered wherever it is dropped, and it is, in volume. There are public trash containers available but not nearly enough and the containers are not large. Not that this in itself would solve the litter problem as we seemed to be in the meager minority actually taking the effort to use the ones we could find. I can not help but wonder how much the Socialist nature of the country contributes to this. Little incentive to find employment in the waste disposal industry and the “If it feels good, do it” mentality that may translate to “drop it wherever you feel.” Regardless of the reason, it seriously detracts from an otherwise nice stay.
In summary, a fun place to visit. Those more physically able will enjoy walking the canals but the efficient mass transit systems allow all to enjoy the city. Go for the art and the novelty but two days are more than enough to see the best of this city. Watch where you walk; Trash, cyclists and trams are hazards running from annoying to deadly.