Budapest or Bust

Fall break!  A week long adventure with an elementary student who woke up everyday with the same question,

"What are we doing today?"

Answer: "Oh, X and Y."

Elementary student response, "Then what?"

This year, we took a short road trip to Budapest, Hungary.  It feels funny to write that and even funnier to drive it, considering it takes about as long to travel from Tucson to Phoenix.  It is only 2.5 hours between these major European capitals formerly divided by the Iron Curtain and linked together by a tragic and tumultuous history.  We happened to be in town on the anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.  Initially a student led repudiation of Soviet actions taking place in Poland, it became a violent reassertion of the Soviet grasp on Hungary.  The Revolution, though a failure at the time, was a harbinger of the future and is now recognized as a National Holiday.  Interestingly, the police had areas where crowds could gather locked down.

Internet Image-October 1956

October 2014

Like most tourists visiting a city for the first time, we get the lay of the land by taking a BigBus Tour.  This type of touring may not appeal to everyone.  I find it a great idea when exploring with an extremely curious 10 year old.  You know, the kind who asks questions like, "How did the Hapsburgs join together with Hungary?" and "Why did the Austro-Hungarian Empire break up?"

Answer: "Put on your headphones and listen to the tour guide!"

Gulp.  I really hate disappointing Mrs. Frieda Hollihan, the greatest European History teacher ever to grace the halls Pennsbury High School.  Thirty plus years later, I can say that and really, truly, mean it.

And so we roamed, in the rain in an open top BigBus wearing white BigBus trash bags to keep our headphones dry enough so we could learn about Budapest.

Royal Palace

At Night

Chain Bridge to Castle District and Matthias Church

At Night

Parliament

At Night

My favorite part of the trip was our visit to the Central Market Hall.  It is a tourist zone that truly retains its local color.  Downstairs, the shopping for produce, fresh meat, fish and spices still attracts residents marketing on a Saturday morning.  Upstairs, tourists can shop for "local" souvenirs just in from China, as well as from family run craft shops.  Everyone can dip into the food stalls stocked full of local flavors.

We even met an American retiree, now living in Hungary, who invited us to her home on our next visit.  We enjoyed her much more than the extremely loud river cruise Americans who were swapping European travel tips (gleaned from a fellow country club member, whose name I will not reveal) across the hotel restaurant for all to hear.

Central Market Hall

There are so many more questions about Budapest yet to be answered.  We will return.  Rain or shine.

Seasons Change

Always loved the change of season, Fall is my favorite.

Austria is just gorgeous, the colors and weather combine for some lovely days.  I've changed seasons, literally, having just celebrated a milestone birthday.  I hope to weather this change as elegantly as the entrance of Autumn.  We celebrated in Salzburg, one of my favorite places.  While we are speaking of favorite things, The Sound of Music will celebrate the same milestone birthday in 2015.

If you've visited Salzburg once, you'll want to return again and again.  We highly recommend the Hotel Sacher Salzburg, a dip into luxury you will not forget.  The last time we stayed at this hotel, it was September 11, 2001.  We could not have asked for kinder or more generous hosts during a tragic time for Americans at home and a time of confusion and shock for those of us stranded abroad.

Hotel Sacher Salzburg

Lounging Made Easy

Our Suite

A Room with a View

What to do in Salzburg?  Well, wandering the pedestrian streets of the Old Town is high on my list.  There are shops, restaurants and an outdoor market on weekends, we especially enjoyed having an evening glass of wine standing outside a bottle shop.  With this view, it is really a no brainer.

And although we are seasoned Salzburg tourists (yes, we've been on The Sound of Music Tour and to Mozart's birthplace and boyhood home), we decided to purchase the Salzburg Card and made our way through the majority of the venues while enjoying all of the "savings".  The tour of the Stiegl Brewery is fantastic, a museum, beer tasting and free gift (yes, a bottle of beer each) makes the trek out on public transportation worth the trip.

We Closed Out Oktoberfest 

No doubt we will return for the Christmas Markets, the Westbahn train (www.westbahn.at) takes a little over 2 hours to get there, making a day trip a possibility for anyone visiting Vienna.

The wonderful part of this adventure was my dear husband, who planned our getaway.  Thank you from the bottom of my half century heart.

Pipistrellos Gone Wild

This is what happens when you meet up in Milan with cousins who are traveling through Italy;  you join their club for a brief moment in time.  It's also a club you've belonged to for generations.  I met Carla and Gina in Milan following their visit with family in San Severino.  Yes, they were visiting the home-base Italian branch of the family.  People I'd like to meet someday and re-trace the footsteps of my Great Grandmother and Grandmother.  With love and devotion Carla has taken the reins of the Panicari-Martini Research Institute and continues gathering stories from all who have one to share, unraveling the mysteries and following the signs.

Shoes, Handbags and Chocolate......Enough Said

Love

We explored Milan, hop on hop off Italian style.  That is, we explored once we were finally able to locate the stops along the route.  Then the buses arrived when they pleased.

Navigating the Maze

Milan is a city of sights.  High end shopping to street hustlers.  Il Duomo to Il Cenecolo.  Gnocchi to Gelato.  We saw as much as we could fit into two days.  Time well spent and when it comes to family, over way too fast.

Ti amo.

We Salute You Sopron!

About a month ago, we ventured to Sopron, Hungary to visit the infamous frame shop recommended by my husband's colleague.  Having previously spent way too much in the USA on framing projects (what a racket), our 80 Euro "frame job" was a welcome relief and a brief glimpse of downtown Sopron went on the "return to do" list.

Today was that day, we were all home and looking for adventure.  Dear husband had a UN holiday, not for the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur, but for Id Al-Hadha a Muslim holiday, the two overlapping for the first time in more than 30 years.   Dear son had a parent-teacher conference day off from school.  His was outstanding, by the way.

Our journey to Sopron is a quick one from Vienna, about an hour.  This small town is now a favorite.  Sopron is known as the Civitas Fidelissima "the most faithful city" in reference to the 1921 referendum where the city's residents opted to remain part of Hungary instead of being absorbed into Austria.  It seems that everyone has ventured through Sopron, Celts, Romans, Slavs, Turks, Germans and Magyars and eventually the Nazis and then the Red Army.  Luckily, much of the medieval town remains for visitors to enjoy.

They Make Exploring Easy, in English!

My Broom Awaits

Petofi Theater

Firewatch Tower and City Hall

Medieval Promenade

Oh, there is an added benefit to visiting Sopron:  A big TESCO!  I know, I should say the Dentist, since Sopron has over 300 dental clinics and is also known as the dental capital of the world.  But no, I was in it for TESCO and was not disappointed.  300 Fornits to the Euro meant we were able to stop, shop and save.

Hungary reminds me of the Czech Republic, you get there and spend time with happy people who smile and have a welcoming attitude toward "foreigners", on the streets, in the restaurants and the shops.  It is always a welcome change from Vienna and why we keep returning.  TESCO or not.

Sopron Scene

Of Course

Let's Make a Deal

I applied for an Austrian driver's license in May.  Accomplishing this task involved a stuffed manila envelope containing paperwork from 2 different government offices, photos in a special size, a Doctor's certification form, a USA driver's license, a passport, a "legitimation" card, an application, multiple copies of all of the items mentioned, some money and any other documents (plus copies) that could possibly be requested during my trip to the licensing office at the police station.  I even had a friend who speaks German with me.....just in case the visit fell into the language gap.

After finding out that I had surrender my US driver's license as part of this process (ack!), I opted to wait and pick up the new license after our summer vacation in Arizona.  With my paperwork approved and fees paid, I was told the license would be "ready and waiting" on my return, as the young woman pointed toward sets of shelves piled high with stacks of folders and papers.

Today.  3 months after my initial visit.  I tried to pick up my license.

Two lines snaked out the door and a total of 1.5 bureaucrats were working two rows of windows.  The mood was as dim as the lighting, the silence broken only by uncovered coughs and sneezes.  Every so often, however, someone behind the windows would yell out an announcement I couldn't understand, causing a ripple of consternation in the lines.  My ignorance was bliss, until I looked around at everyone clutching their version of the stuffed manila envelope.

My manila envelope was at home.

Have you ever watched "Let's Make a Deal" with Monty Hall?

It had everything a game show could want, zany costumes, fabulous prizes and zonks, the lovely assistant Carol Merrill and the ultimate deal of the day lurking behind Door Number 1, 2 or 3.  My favorite part, however, was the show's end when Monty walked the audience asking for obscure items, like a hard boiled egg or can of soup, in exchange for a cash prize.  People in the studio audience brought bags stuffed with everything unimaginable, including the kitchen sink.  Looking at the envelopes and folders of those in line ahead was eerily similar.

So I dashed home to get mine.

And wouldn't you know, the female Austrian version of Monty Hall was working my window.  As soon as I handed over my passport, she tapped a few keys on the computer and started playing her own version of "Let's Make a Deal".

Finally this:  "Not Ready".  "Not Ready?" I asked.  "Not Ready" she confirmed.
Ever see the movie 16 Candles?  It took all I had not to snort.

She shook her head no as I continued pulling papers, copies, photos, applications, and letters out of that manila envelope.  The line grumbled and I broke into a sweat digging through my wallet for identification cards, credit cards, library cards, anything.

Damn it, Monty!  I've got my eyes on the prize!

Exasperated, she snatched one of my IDs, scurried off to make a copy and said to me in English, "Come back next week."

Oh Monty, I'll be back.  And I'm bringing a hard boiled egg, a can of soup and the kitchen sink.

Like a Virgin

I tend to share a bunch of links on Facebook and feel very happy when someone actually opens one and comments.  This type of back and forthing is what makes Facebook "social" for me, especially when one runs out of witty status updates.  When I linked a CNN story:  On the trail of the "Blood Countess" in Slovakia, one adventurous friend responded, "The castle is only 2 hours from here.  Road Trip!" Another adventurous friend added, "Sounds fun" and a plan came together.  Understand that this is all very lucky for me, since I am a "linker" and they are "doers".

The short story here:  The town of Cachtice, Slovakia is home to a serial murderess from the 1600s, Countess Elizabeth Bathory.  The Countess and some ne'er do well servants, murdered more than 100 and possibly up to 1000 local virgins.  Why? Apparently, bathing in their blood (and possibly some cannibalism) was the secret to the Countess' youthful looking appearance, as well as the fast track to lifelong imprisonment at Cachtice Castle (the Countess) and being burned at the stake (her servants).

August 21, 2014 marked the 400 year anniversary of the Countess' death.

The centerpiece of downtown Cachtice:  Countess Bathory and Victim (Wood on brick 2013)

Remarkably smooth skin represented in this Countess puzzle, which hangs in the local pizza parlor 

From Vienna, there are two ways to get to Cachtice, the highway and the byway.  Luckily, we travelled both to enjoy rural, scenic Slovakia with a view to more castles needing restoration.  After locating the right castle, we climbed the hill to take in the restored ruins and gorgeous scenery.  We also got our fill of the spooky vibe, purchased a bottle of the local vintage red in her name and appeared to be among the very few English writers signing the visitor log.

The "linker" lagging behind the "doers" recognizing that they are both fun and impressive travel companions

Obviously, the Countess was one brutal and disturbed criminal who deserved the same fate as her servants, in my opinion.  This macabre history only leads me to the conclusion that the key to a youthful appearance is (in fact) a bottle of red, followed by busting a move to some old school Madonna, topped off with an ample slathering of Oil of Olay.  Like a Virgin!