Our Eastern European October… part nine

The day before our first morning in Krakow, Bill and I filled out a form that indicated our menu choices for breakfast. We opted to have breakfast in the apartment, since there was a table and chairs set up there. Eating breakfast in the apartment meant I could put off wearing a bra that much longer.

Breakfast is served from 9-11. I would have preferred it slightly earlier, since Bill and I are early risers. But having it at nine gave us an incentive to sleep in, and God knows Bill needs to do more of that. Also, the bed in the Prince Suite is surprisingly comfortable, so sleeping in wasn’t difficult. If we couldn’t have slept in, we could have watched television. There are THREE TVs in the apartment, including one in the bathroom!

*The bathroom TV. You can watch the news while shaving!*

After a leisurely breakfast, Bill and I ventured out into the city. The weather was sunny and somewhat warm, which was nice, since I forgot to bring my jacket with me. The first thing we saw, once we started walking on Kanonicza Street, was Pope John Paul II’s former residence, which is now the Archdiocesan Museum.

*A look at the exterior of the place where we stayed.*

We probably should have taken a look at it, since it was so close, but I had heard so much about how beautiful Krakow is that I wanted to keep walking. The museum is literally across the street from Kanonicza 22, though, and if you’re Catholic, or interested in things that are Catholic, it’s probably a must see. I am not Catholic, so it was of less interest to me.

We did stop by the Church of Saints Apostles Peter and Paul, a nearby, historic, Catholic church that is iconic in Krakow. This church was built between 1597 and 1635, and is known for being the city’s first Baroque structure. The front of the church is notable for having statues of the twelve apostles.

When we visited the church, a man was speaking to a small group of people as a pendulum moved in front of him. I was curious about the pendulum, but couldn’t understand what the man was saying, even if I could have heard him clearly. But we did get some photos, at least… And Bill lit a candle for his late father, who was a Catholic. Although we didn’t attend any concerts at this church, I understand that they are offered daily at around 8:00 PM and cost about 60 zloty per ticket (about $15.50).

From the church, we headed down the street to the big market square, Rynek Główny. The crowded street was bustling with modern stores, restaurants, and tour guides trying to sell tours. There were plenty of people in Krakow, but somehow the guides knew which people were tourists and which were locals.

This was where I saw the first of many horse drawn carriages. I was delighted to see a team of Appaloosas, since my beloved Rusty was an Appaloosa. I explained to Bill the difference between the American Appaloosa breed, and the Danish Knabstrupper breed. Both are known for their spots, but are different types of horses. I’m pretty sure we were seeing Appaloosas, since they aren’t as rare as Knabstruppers. But I could be wrong, of course. The carriages in Krakow were pretty much all pulled by two horses, all of whom appeared to be well cared for. They kept their routes close to the pedestrian areas.

We walked to the center of the market square and sat for a bit, just taking in the scene. The square is constantly teeming with people and activity, with lots of restaurants, shops, and live performers. While we were sitting in the middle of the square, we noticed that we were surrounded by a lot of very young, beautiful women, who all appeared to be styled in similar ways. I wondered if they were training to be models or… perhaps tour guides? I don’t know, but something was going on with them.

You can’t go to the market square in Krakow without seeing St. Mary’s Basilica, although if you notice my photos below, you’ll see that they actually ask people NOT to visit. I understand you can go into the basilica for free if you are appropriately dressed and have religious business there. You can also purchase a ticket to see parts of the church that are intended for tourists. Again, you are expected to be appropriately dressed for the occasion.

There is a tower there, where tourists can usually pay an extra fee to get panoramic views of the city, but I’m not sure if it was open to the public while we were visiting. I read that it was undergoing renovations. If it had been open, I think Bill and I would have skipped it. As I get older, climbing steep church towers is less appealing than it used to be. Every hour, there is a trumpet call from the taller of the two towers. It’s a tradition that dates from the Middle Ages, and the call is played in each direction.

After we visited the market square, we continued down another street and a sign caught my eye. Then I heard music, noticed quirky art, and found myself in a brewpub called Bania Luka. I later discovered that this pub has several locations, making it a chain. No matter… I was in the mood for a little day drinking. They were playing awesome Generation X music! I didn’t really care for the stools, which weren’t that easy to sit on, but they had good beer, light food, and plenty of vodka. They also had a toilet! We enjoyed a round or two while I admired the artwork.

Then it was time for lunch… so we turned right and walked a little further. I noticed a couple of dark passageways and stopped in one that advertised a traditional Polish restaurant called Stodola 47. This appeared to be a very tourist friendly place. Indeed, there was a large group of Americans there. They were with an outfit called Catholic Journeys. I know this, because they had signs on the tables that were reserved for them.

There was also an Asian Catholic priest with them, complete with collar. I see from Googling that this tour operator is in New Orleans, Louisiana, and offers pilgrimages to different places of interest to Catholics. Again, I’m not Catholic, so I don’t know. I do wonder, though, if they visit Lithuania, a place that seems as religious as Poland is.

Bill and I got the last available table, which was right next to the toilets, and enjoyed a nice heavy lunch, washed down with more beer… Zywiec is a mass produced Polish beer that is very light and refreshing. It’s a lot like water, actually!

Right next door to Stodola 47 is a very inviting underground pub called Dorby Kumpel. So, although I hadn’t planned on the day turning into a pub crawl, that is exactly what it turned into, as we went down to check out the underground bar that was also playing some great Generation X style music! There were a bunch of Brits down there, too, so we didn’t feel out of place. Maybe I should have felt guilty for pub crawling, but our main goal was to relax and enjoy ourselves. We definitely managed to do that in Krakow.

When we emerged from the underground bar, we were confronted by rain showers. So we turned back toward the market square and started heading back the way we came… But then I noticed another inviting pub called Baza. And yes, we stopped in for a bit…

Baza Pub was probably my least favorite of our three stops, mainly because of an annoying guy who happened to be there at the same time we were. The bartender was not the friendliest guy, either. He seemed rather bored with his job. Most of the patrons were sitting outside under umbrellas, probably because they could smoke. The door was left often, though, so the smoke wafted inside the bar. The barkeep would close it, and the annoying guy I referenced would open the door again. That was annoying, but it wasn’t the MOST annoying thing… I did enjoy the artwork.

At one point, I got up to use the toilet, which was unisex. There was one stall, but it hid everything, so it wasn’t a big deal that there weren’t separate rooms for men and women. The annoying man-bunned guy, who had been fouling the air with his chain smoking, came into the bathroom while I was peeing and waited for me to exit the stall. In doing so, he trapped me as I tried to maneuver past the narrow space between the sink and the stall door.

He said, “It’s a very tiny space.” as I worked out what to do.

No shit, guy. Why not wait outside so I can wash my hands in peace? It’s not like there’s a line. 🙄 The guy struck me as a bit of a weirdo. I think the bartender thought so, too.

It was still a bit damp when we left the Baza Bar, but we were still in for a treat. Stevie Wonder was playing and people were kind of dancing along… and then we ran into a group of very talented male breakdancers who entertained us with a fabulous show. I got a video of that.

This is the first video of two I got of this dance group. I will share the other one in the next post.

I had wanted to go looking for artwork, but it was getting late, and was a bit dark and cold. So we kept walking back to the apartment, where we spent the rest of the evening digesting lunch and lots of Polish beer…

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped into another church for a few minutes. It turned out to be the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, which definitely should have gotten more of our time. We had to keep it short, because Bill really had to pee! What a beautiful church, though… and just outside, we were confronted by Pope John Paul II again.

Bill turned in our breakfast choices for the next morning while I enjoyed the shower. The most notable thing about the shower in the apartment were the toiletries. They were called Oliva del Mediterraneo, and they smelled lovely. I’ve already started looking to see if I can find a full sized bottle for home!

Stay tuned for my next post about our second day in Krakow!

Eastern Europe, Polska, Slovak Republic

Our Eastern European October… part eight

On October 7th, we awoke to another stunning sunrise. We were going to be moving on to Krakow, Poland, a city I was very curious about and really looked forward to visiting. For years, some of my well traveled friends told me about the beautiful architecture in Krakow.

I had originally thought that maybe we could use the city as a base for visiting Auschwitz, but I soon found out that was impossible. I guess I wasn’t that wedded to the idea of going there, because I didn’t plan ahead. Now that I’ve been to Krakow, I’m glad we didn’t try to go to Auschwitz on this trip. There’s so much to see in the city, and we didn’t really have enough time to do it justice. We’ll have to try to do Auschwitz on a later trip.

Because Krakow isn’t that far from Vyoske Tatry, we took our time packing. Our host at the panoraMic Mountain Residence was really cool about our checkout time. I’m not sure he gets a lot of business at this time of year, although once winter hits, his property will surely be in demand. It will be ski season. He came over to give us a bottle of Slovakian wine and say goodbye, and he brought along his gorgeous dog, a Black Russian Terrier.

I had never seen a Black Russian Terrier before. If I had seen her on her own, I would have assumed she was a large black poodle. Our host explained that Black Russian Terriers, otherwise known as Chornyi Terriers, are dogs that were bred in the Soviet Union during the 1940s and 50s. They are descended from about 17 different breeds of dogs brought from countries where the Soviets were active during World War II. They are not true terriers, but were bred to protect, guard, and serve as companions.

I wish I’d had a chance to take a picture of the host’s dog, who was very well trained and extremely sweet and friendly. She was clearly very bonded to her master, but was also quite happy to accept pets from me. It’s hard to imagine such a loving dog could come from a breed that was known to guard Russian prisons! Obviously, she was okay with cats, too, as the host had several roaming his property.

Bill told the host that our destination was Krakow, but we thought maybe we’d go by way of Zakopane, Poland, since Krakow wasn’t that far from Vyoske Tatry. We needed to take our time getting to our destination, because our lodging would not be ready until 3:00 PM. Vyoske Tatry is maybe a 2 or 3 hour drive from Krakow.

I had read Zakopane was charming, and I wanted to have a look at it. Maybe, if it was charming enough, we might stop there for lunch. The host gave us some suggestions, and said that before we left the area, we should venture down a country road and have a look at the stunning fall colors.

*One last picture of our Slovakian lodging…*

We did as the host suggested, and it was a good idea, as I got some incredible pictures of fall foliage just before we left Slovakia. We drove back the same way we went to go to the Tree Walk, drove down the country road, and then got on our way to Poland. Below are a few shots before we got on the country road.

Just beyond Bachledka, we encountered the road, which the host had warned would be kind of primitive, but serviceable. I noticed there was a rickety looking arm barrier that was up. I guess when the weather gets bad and they have to close the road, the arm comes down. Or maybe it’s a relic from another era. Anyway, we started down the country road, I got lots of photos, some of which are pretty similar. I still find the colors stunning, and worth the trip! I think Slovakia might be my favorite of all our stops!

*I don’t know these people, but I think I know how they were feeling! What a beautiful place!*

I didn’t realize it when I was taking these photos, but we were extremely close to the Polish border. We came back down the country road and got back on our route… Very soon after, we encountered these signs, and everything changed.

Suddenly, the houses looked different. There were steep angled roofs, with wooden panels that looked like they were whittled from a tree. I wish I’d had a chance to take more and better pictures, because the change was very obvious in a short time. There were more billboards, more businesses, more construction areas, and and more traffic. It was obvious there was more money, too.

*Just over the Polish border, toward Zakopane…*

We stopped at a gas station to top off our tank and allow Bill the chance to pee. Bill was instantly delighted to see that in Poland, higher grade gas is available. It was not available in Czechia or Slovakia. I noticed the busier vibe and realized that as charming as the housing was, I was already missing Slovakia’s rugged charm, peace, and quiet.

We didn’t end up stopping in Zakopane. It just looked too touristy to me. At one point, I noticed several huge billboards set up, obviously meant to lure tourists. I wondered how it must feel to the locals who have to look at that shit. Still, it was interesting to see some of the more charming aspects of Poland, and realize how different it is from Czechia and Slovakia. Some things about it were genuinely great.

As time went on, Bill urgently needed to pee again. He grew ever more desperate as we crept toward Krakow on a busy road with no rest areas. He finally got desperate and pulled off at an exit for a small town. At first, he felt like he’d made a big mistake, as the town was very crowded with cars and no parking spots. But then we ended up near a town square that instantly reminded me of Freudenstadt, a city we used to live near when we lived in Jettingen, Baden-Württemberg. It had a charming square, a fountain, and a town hall.

Bill saw an open spot, so he parked the car. As he was getting ready to buy a parking ticket, a lady who was backing out of her spot rolled down her window and said something to me in rapid fire Polish. She smiled and handed me her ticket, which still had about an hour’s worth of time on it. She was gone before I could thank her.

We ended up visiting a patisserie called MonoDe, which, thankfully, had a toilet Bill could use. Over delicious pastries and coffee, which served as lunch, we took care of the urgent business, and enjoyed a rare treat. Welcome to Poland! I still don’t know where it was that we stopped. I’ll have to do some sleuthing later. Edited to add: The town is called Myślenice! It is about 30 kilometers south of Krakow.

We got back on the road to Krakow, and immediately hit more traffic. It turned out there was a McDonald’s very close to the exit where we’d gotten off, and that would have also solved Bill’s pressing problem. But I’m so glad we got off at this little suburban town, ate pastries, and saw a quaint Polish village square. We can go to McDonald’s pretty much anywhere. 😁

Traffic got heavier as we approached Krakow. Fortunately, we had already pre-booked and paid for a parking spot in a huge garage near our Krakow lodging, an apartment over a well-regarded restaurant. Nevertheless, I got pretty antsy as we inched toward the city…

*The Poles like their KFC. I spotted one on either side of the highway!*

We were getting closer as we approached what appeared to be a carnival on the side of the road, along with some pretty ugly communist era architecture…

And then, before we knew it, we were there in the garage. I had rented what was called Kanonicza 22, basically the street address of the apartment I found. When I was looking for lodging in Krakow, I was having a hard time deciding where we should go. I was very attracted to Kanonicza 22, but was a bit hesitant, because of the parking situation. This place is on one of the oldest streets in Krakow, and it doesn’t have parking. However, it is very close to the parking garage.

Kanonicza 22 has three apartments available over a small restaurant called Pod Nosem. The restaurant staff run the apartments, which are really more like suites, since they don’t have any cooking facilities. We were in what is known as the Prince Suite, which is on the second floor. Fortunately, there is an elevator.

When we arrived at the Prince Suite, I was blown away how beautiful it was. This huge suite had a living room and a very comfortable bedroom, along with an enormous bathroom. The suite included a large bowl of fresh fruit, a bottle each of red and white wine, still and sparkling water, and a couple of soft drinks. Breakfast was included, and could either be enjoyed in the restaurant, or in the apartment. The only thing I didn’t like about this suite was the mirror by the toilet. Otherwise, it was absolutely gorgeous! I think, for three nights, I paid just under $1,000 for this… I’m so glad I booked it!

*Yes, there is also a bidet, which might come in handy!*

Since it was late afternoon when we arrived, Bill and I decided to have dinner at Pod Nosem. That, too, was a great experience, although there were a number of Americans there. One couple sat near us and I overheard the male half say that he’d dined there several years before and loved it. He wanted to eat there again on his last visit, but it was fully booked, so he made sure to reserve a spot for his most current trip.

Bill and I tried to keep a low profile, but our waitress soon asked where we were from. I noticed that in Krakow, people generally pegged us for Americans. Or, maybe they just defaulted to English, because if you don’t look like a local, they assume you can speak English…

Below are some photos from dinner… This was our only fine dining experience on the trip.

Our waitress was impressed that we ordered Armenian brandy. She said she’d been to Georgia, but could not go to Armenia, because she didn’t have a passport. That led to a discussion about our American status, and how expensive it is to have an American passport. She said she didn’t want to go to America. I can’t blame her for that!

After dinner, we went back to the apartment for a much needed rest. And that we got, because the bed in the Prince Suite was–hands down– the best of all of our stops on this trip. I would definitely book this property again, in spite of the parking pain!

In the next post, I’ll write about our first glimpse of Krakow.

Eastern Europe, Slovak Republic

Our Eastern European October… part seven

Tuesday, October 6th, was another incredibly beautiful day. I was thinking maybe it would be fun to go to Poprad, the local town, south of where we were. I wanted see if they had a nice old town we could visit, and perhaps look for something to bring home with us. We had heard there was a nice church there, and our host’s son had mentioned something about an old castle… I was in the shower when he visited, though, so I base that comment only on what Bill said.

I looked on the Internet, and I thought it looked like there was a proper centrum in Poprad, a city at the base of the Tatra Mountains. There’s an art gallery, and I knew there were some restaurants.

So we ate breakfast, and headed out, stopping to greet one of the several cats that live at the panoraMic Mountain Residence. But, when we got to Poprad, we had trouble finding exactly what we were hoping to find. The main thing we hoped for was parking, and that proved to be elusive. We followed the signs for the centrum, but never saw a place that invited us to stop. Instead, I got the feeling that Poprad hadn’t yet evolved from its communist history.

Before anyone comes at me… let me state that I’m sure that if you know where to look, the city of Poprad does have its charms. It has an airport, after all, and a connection to London’s Luton Airport, as well as a few other seemingly obscure and inconvenient destinations. But we were not successful in finding anything that made us want to explore. So we decided to head back to the mountains and search for something to do there. I got a few photos on the way.

*This was at the airport… which actually kind of resembled a hospital.*

We decided to stop at the apartment so Bill could pee, and on the way there, I got a couple of pictures of a deer near where we were staying. Maybe she was related to the gorgeous buck we saw the first night. Yeah… I was “horny”, too…

We decided to explore in the opposite direction of where we had gone on Monday. We got on the road, and soon found ourselves driving through some splendid scenery. At one point, we saw several men standing on the side of the road holding out baskets, as if they were offering treats.

Bill said, “It looks like they have goodies to share. What is that? Bread?”

Looking at the man who offered a basket on Bill’s side, I could see why he thought it was bread. It kind of looked like the guy was holding bread, based on the color. On my side, a different man held out his basket, and I got a better look at the wares, which were clearly visible– much to my horror. They were selling wild mushrooms! If you know me, you know that I would never consider that a treat! In fact, that’s my idea of a nightmare! But mushroom hunting is very popular in the region, so I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.

In spite of the mushroom nightmare, it was a good decision to explore in the opposite direction, as we soon found several things to do. There were a couple of caves to visit, some traditional looking restaurants, and also the place where we ultimately decided to stop, Bachledka Ski & Sun.

We had no plans to stop at Bachledka before we stumbled across it. It simply looked like an appealing place to go. And it turned out to be a good decision to stop there, because besides a hotel and apartment rentals, this place offers a “tree top walk”, mountain carts, restaurants, shopping, and The Forest Kingdom, an adventure park for the whole family.

Bill and I are very familiar with treetop walks. We’ve done the one in the Schwarzwald. We’ve also done one in Bad Camberg, which is close to where we live now. The two treetop walks we had done before our visit to Slovakia were made by different companies, though. The one we encountered in Slovakia was made by the same people who made the treetop walk in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald). I noticed that the treetop walks in the Schwarzwald and the Tatras differed from the one in Bad Camberg, because they don’t have any steps, and they seem to be more focused toward education.

The treetop walk at Bachledka is very similar to the one in the Black Forest, in terms of its height and length. It started operations in 2017, and offers stunning views of the national park where it’s situated. Like the treetop walk in the Schwarzwald, the walk at Bachledka also has a slide to the bottom, although it wasn’t operating on the day we visited.

As we pulled into a parking space, we noticed a group of people parked near us. They started speaking and I realized I understood what they were saying, even though they weren’t speaking English. Sure enough, they were Germans, and they noticed our license plate. The father in the group said hello, noting that we were “neighbors”. For the second time on our trip, we’d run into people who live in Mainz… which is VERY close to Wiesbaden! 😁 And once again, we were mistaken for being Germans.

To get to the treetop walk, one can either take a mountain cart, or ride a cable car. We opted for the cable car, but having seen the mountain cart, I’m a little more curious about that option. I could see people on the little carts going up the mountain side from the cable car, where Bill and I were sitting.

Here are some photos from just before we started the treetop walk, which was a pleasant, and not too strenuous, activity for me and my fat ass.

*The colorful bottles in the background are different flavors of a special tea liqueur called Tatratea. They are made in the Tatras.*

I didn’t take any photos on the way up to the walk, because the cable car we were in was completely enclosed, and the view wasn’t very good. But once we got to the top, I had plenty of options for taking pictures, of which I took full advantage! Even the trail to the observation tower is a treat for the eyes, especially on a clear sunny day, like the one we enjoyed on the day of our visit!

As you can see, there is a real emphasis on education. There are a number of stops that are meant to engage youngsters and teach them about the environment, as well as help them burn off some steam. The tower itself is great if you have a stroller, or even a wheelchair. It’s just a 1250 meter ramp that doesn’t require taking any steps.

*My guess is that the toboggan slide was closed because there was no one available to work…*

I got some pictures at the top of the tower, too… The net was stretched across the top, and I assume it was allowed to be on it. I did see one girl on the net, and there were signs advising not to jump on it. Of course, I wasn’t about to try it myself.

We walked down the tower and, after a quick stop in the gift shop, decided to have lunch in the restaurant. That was also a bit of an experience, as it was set up like a cafeteria. The guy who tried to help us was a teenager who spoke almost no English, and Bill was pointing at it and saying yes and no as the guy tried to figure out what we wanted. Fortunately, one of his co-workers was able to explain things. They didn’t didn’t have their whole menu available, but I was satisfied with my grilled salmon. Bill had lasagna. We bought some mustard and mead in the shop.

Soon it was time to come down off the mountain, since the cable cars were soon going to close. I did try to take a couple of pictures going down. I also noticed the tinkling of the cowbells on the cows grazing in the bucolic pastures below. But, as you can see, the views were a little marred by the enclosed car.

*A couple of deciduous trees among the conifers.*

Since it was late afternoon by the time we finished our excursion, we decided to head back to the apartment. I was suddenly sorry we didn’t have another day or two to spend in the High Tatras, as there were other things I wanted to do. For instance, there are a couple of cool art galleries/museums in that area. And if you follow my travel blog, you know I love visiting caves and waterfalls. Ah well… now that I know what this area has to offer, perhaps we can visit again sometime.

For now, there are a few more photos to share… Slovakia is SO beautiful! Especially at this time of year!

For dinner, Bill decided to go out and get us a Hawaiian pizza. I don’t mind ham and pineapple on pizza, although it’s not my favorite. But here in Europe, I often get Hawaiian pizza, because it’s pretty much guaranteed to be mushroom free. I have a phobia of mushrooms and will not eat them under any circumstances. Consequently, I eat Hawaiian pizza… which is probably a nightmare for a lot of other people!

The next day, we went to Poland, and I’ll report more on that in the next post!

Lakes, Slovak Republic

Our Eastern European October… part six

On Monday, October 5th, we awoke to gorgeous sunny skies in Stary Smokovec. I didn’t sleep so well in the bed, which had kind of a cheap mattress that left tingly pressure points on various parts of my body. Nevertheless, I was delighted by how beautiful the weather was. It was practically warm outside.

Bill got up and went to a small COOP grocery store, near where we’d had dinner the night before. The paid parking lot near the store was expensive, but the old guy running it was kind enough to let Bill briefly park for free, so he could pick up a few groceries for breakfast.

I was eager to see Štrbské Pleso, a glacial lake near the Kempinski Hotel. People had written about how beautiful it was, and I figured it wouldn’t be too physically taxing to go there. I would say the Vysoke Tatry area is a wonderland for athletic types who love to hike.

There are mountains to climb and ski down, caves to explore, lakes to swim in and walk (or run) around, and waterfalls to hike to and gaze at. There is even a handy tram that will take explorers to some of the more remote areas, although I’ve read that they are pretty well attended by visitors. If you choose to hike to a waterfall, it’s likely you’ll be joined by others with the same plan.

Unfortunately, I’m not as fit or as ambitious as I once was. It doesn’t take much to wind me these days. I’m not sure why, although maybe menopause has something to do with it. But I did muster enough energy to go to the lake and walk around it. The locals made it easy. There were plenty of benches for resting, and even a free public toilet to use. And when we were finished walking around the lake, we had a good choice of restaurants to visit for a hearty lunch.

Below are some photos from our morning at the lake. I’m very glad the weather was so agreeable! The first three are shots from the property where we were staying.

*The toilets were a nice touch. They were clean, and free of charge!*

There’s a path that goes around this lake. If you’re fit, you can probably make it around in under an hour. We saw a few young, athletic guys who ran around it a couple of times while we slowly made our way. We also saw a couple of girls racing each other. And we heard an elderly German woman praising the lake for not being too large. One Asian lady saw me coming out of the bathroom and asked if she needed to pay. I was happy to tell her it was free to pee!

I made Bill stop for a photo or two… and so I could catch my breath. I think you can rent a boat to row around in this lake, too. We saw a couple of people doing that.

I was reminded a little of Lake Bled in Slovenia, except it was less touristy, and didn’t have an island with a church on it. I also didn’t see any swans at this lake, although we did run into a few ducks. There was also a memorial at the lake that commemorated a World War II partnership between the United States and Russia.

Everything was so rustic. That part reminded me a bit of Croatia, and the Plitvice Lakes park, where it seemed like the whole area was set up for outdoorsy fun. It doesn’t compare to the incredible beauty of Plitvice Parks, nor does it offer the same stunning colors. But Štrbské Pleso is very beautiful in its own way, and is more manageable for people who aren’t very fit. As much as I loved our 2021 trip to Croatia and Slovenia, I don’t think I could do 7 or 8 miles in a day again in 2026… at least not without getting in better shape.

We decided to have lunch at a restaurant outside of the lake area. They had traditional Slovakian food, and played annoying music with a video on a loop. The food and beer were good, but the music was grating. Also, this was another place for people with smaller asses than mine. I don’t remember the name of this restaurant, but I do remember they charged 2 euros (!) to use the restroom. I’m sure it’s because they were tired of tourists coming in just to use the facilities. Still, it’s off putting when you have to pay to pee at a restaurant you’re patronizing. I’m sure all of the restaurants in the lake area do it, though.

*I had ribs. They were pretty good, although I couldn’t finish everything.*

We decided to drive back to the apartment as the skies started to dim a bit. I wanted to do some reading and writing, and Bill wanted to pick up some more supplies. As we were driving back, I marveled at how beautiful the scenery was, and how it seemed to me like Slovakia is a place with ambitions to be a great destination for outdoorsy types.

In my younger days, we might have tried to take an afternoon walk to one of several waterfalls in Vyoske Tatry. There’s even a tram that takes visitors part of the way there, so they don’t have to expend too much energy on a hike. Maybe if we make it back to this very enchanting area, I’ll pay a visit to the falls. I’d also love a chance to visit the caves in the area.

We decided to skip dinner, since we had a big lunch and some snacks we needed to consume. That was a wise choice, given how big and hearty lunch was. Meat dishes are a big deal in Slovakia.

In my next post, I’ll write about our visit to the “treewalk” in the area. Stay tuned!

Czechia, Eastern Europe, Slovak Republic

Our Eastern European October… part five

Onward to Stary Smokovec, Vyoske Tatry…

On the morning of October 4th, we had breakfast in the hotel restaurant, and I heard a friendly British guy warning the waitress that some of his buddies would soon be descending on the hotel to play golf. That told me it was a good thing we were vacating the premises. Not that we have anything against Brits or golfers. It’s just that large groups in small venues tend to take over in an obnoxious way.

Chateau Cilheny does appear to be quite popular with Germans. Many of the people staying there were from Germany. In fact, a German couple saw us drive up in our car, with its plates from Wiesbaden, and proclaimed that we’re neighbors, as they were there from nearby Mainz.

I managed to finish reading my most recent book while we stayed at Chateau Cilheny, so I decided to write a review in the hour before we departed for Stary Smokovec, in Slovakia. Then, after we loaded the Volvo and checked out, we made our way east.

In retrospect, it was a good thing we decided to move eastward on Sunday. The Czech Republic has a lot of roads under construction, and on weekdays, they back up a lot due to more people on the roads and workers actually working. As it was, it took us over seven hours to reach our destination. I don’t actually have a lot to write about the drive, although I did see some magnificent scenery and vibrant autumn colors.

We got on a major highway toward Prague, and then drove onward to Brno. Bill had been in Brno the week prior for a business trip, and he had lamented about the terrible traffic and roadworks being done there. Fortunately, it wasn’t too bad on that Sunday.

We stopped for lunch at a very crowded and chaotic rest area that had a KFC and a McDonald’s. We opted for KFC, but Bill got himself a wrap that he said wasn’t very good. I was smart and stuck with original recipe, although KFC doesn’t taste like it did in the 70s and 80s. Especially not in Europe, where they don’t even give you biscuits!

I did get some nice pictures, though, as we drove through some very pretty country in Czechia and Slovakia.

Below are a few last images of Czechia…

And then we entered Slovakia…

The border took us through Trenčín, a city in the western part of Slovakia that I remembered from my 1997 visit. There is a large castle there, and you can see it from the road. I remembered seeing it as we passed it on the railway, too. I managed to get a few shots of the castle as we passed. If you happen to be in the area, you can visit the castle.

After awhile of driving on a pretty decent Slovakian freeway, the GPS directed us to a two lane road that was undergoing some construction. Bill got confused about a turn he was supposed to make, and continued going north. It was about twenty minutes before he realized his mistake, and the GPS put extra time on our estimated arrival.

I am not a big fan of using GPS, myself, so I got out my iPad and looked up a map of the area. I told Bill to take a different road going east, which I hope would get us back on track. Fortunately, my hunch turned out to be right. We drove through a few picturesque towns, as the sun began to set. I was astonished by how gorgeous the scenery was. The weather was beautiful, and the colors were absolutely brilliant.

The pretty views made it somewhat easier to take when we were stuck in a long queue of cars on a two lane road. It took about ten minutes to get through the jam, before we were able to make a left turn onto the road that we were originally supposed to be on, before our little detour. It was good that we hadn’t gone that way, because it was even more backed up, and from what I could tell, not nearly as beautiful as our unexpected detour had been. I kept thinking to myself that sometimes the deviations turn out to be welcome surprises for the senses.

We finally stopped for a pee break and some gas. Bill called our next host to let him know we’d be at panoraMic Mountain Residence within the hour. I chose this self catering accommodation because it got stellar reviews. I had considered booking at a hotel, and even thought maybe we’d like the nearby Kempinski, which overlooks a pristine lake. But the panoraMic Mountain Residence was a lot less expensive, and seemed to be right up our alley. It turned out to be a good choice, although we did have trouble finding it, once we got to Stary Smokovec. It was very dark on the roads, and we had no moon to help us with lighting.

Once we parked the car, feeling a bit punchy from the long drive, the host came out to show us our lodging. It was a very cozy apartment themed after the novella, “The Little Prince”, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I have never read that story, but if I’d wanted to on our trip, I could have. Our host had copies in many different languages.

Below are some photos from our lodging. It was the least expensive place we stayed on this trip. For three nights, I paid $545.

*The host had this awesome masonry heater lit up for us on our arrival. We didn’t need it, though, because the temperatures were very pleasant.*

Bill told our host that we were hoping to get something to eat, since we hadn’t had a chance to stop for dinner. He very kindly called up the folks at Stary Smakovic— a local restaurant– and they advised that we could come there, but we’d have to leave immediately. It was about 7:30 PM, and they closed at 9:00. The host was even kind enough to lead us to the parking area, which we’d already found as we were looking for his apartment.

Stary Smakovic offered a lot of meat dishes. They had steak, burgers, ribs, goulash, and chicken, as well as local delicacies. I suspect this restaurant is especially popular with men, given how the waitress was dressed. It did the trick for us. Bill decided to have a traditional Slovak dish made with sheep’s cheese. I went with a surprisingly tasty cheeseburger, although my chair reminded me that maybe I should have had a salad.

On our way back to the apartment, we encountered a magnificent buck with a full set of antlers. He was very close to our apartment. I hoped we’d see him again, so that I might get a photo of him. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. He sure was majestic, though, and seeing him set the tone of the magical beauty in this part of Slovakia.

And now, I’ll close this post, so I can start the next one fresh, with plenty of photos of the rugged Slovakian Tatra Mountains…

Czechia, Purchases

Our Eastern European October… part four

On Saturday, October 3, I hoped we could go back to Karlovy Vary and visit an area called Diana. It’s a park that offers trails, a mini zoo, a butterfly house, a restaurant, and a lookout tower, among other things. I wanted to go there for most of those things, but I especially wanted to see their peacock, Frosty, in the mini zoo. Frosty is so named because he’s white.

I had seen pictures of Frosty and was enchanted by his unusual look. Frosty is not your typical Indian peafowl. Aside from the peacock, the mini zoo also has a petting zoo, which includes goats, mini pigs, and ponies! I know I’m 54 years old, but I turn into a little kid when there’s a petting zoo.

After breakfast at the hotel restaurant, I realized that I had forgotten to bring a jacket or sweater with me. The weather had been warm when we left Germany, but I worried about cooler temperatures, especially on the later segments of our trip. So we decided to visit Karlovy Vary’s Globus.

I’ve written about the Globus chain before. It’s an enormous “hypermarket” that is so big it puts Walmart to shame. I actually hate visiting the one in Wiesbaden, because it’s so huge and overwhelming. I almost always leave there feeling exhausted. But, on this particular Saturday, Globus was a successful stop. We managed to find some Il Santo flavored mineral water, sold by Chodovar, that I fell in love with in 2009, but can never find outside of that region in the Czech Republic. We also found a bottle of ten year old Ararat brandy, Chodovar beer, and a birthday present for Bill’s grandson.

I did NOT find a suitable jacket at Globus, but I did find one next door at the Decathalon Store, which is a chain that specializes in exercise and outdoor wear. I got the sense that they didn’t see too many Americans at the Decathalon Store, as the cashier, a teenaged girl who spoke English, beamed at us when we thanked her.

After we went to the Globus, we made our way to the city… and promptly found that parking was practically impossible to find. The weather was beautiful, with sunny skies and pleasant temperatures. Consequently, there wasn’t a parking spot for love or money in the city. Then I realized that the lack of parking also meant the city would be positively teeming with people, and that would be quite annoying for both Bill and me. So, although I was sorry to miss seeing Frosty, we decided to go elsewhere.

We set off toward a smaller spa town called Mariánské Lázně, which we remembered from our 2009 visit to Chodovar. We thought maybe we might have better luck finding parking there, and could walk around the town. On the way there, I took lots of photos. The drive was on an enchanting two lane road through forests and mountains. I even saw a deer grazing in a woodsy meadow on the side of the road.

*A sign for a trout farm. We have these in Germany, too. They’re kind of sad, but they do offer fresh fish!*

Alas, it was the same story in Mariánské Lázně. It seemed like everybody was out and about… not that I could blame them. October 3rd was a really nice day for sightseeing in the Czech Republic. I did manage to take a few photos from the car… I think this town is one I’d like to see more of. Maybe if we come back to this region, we’ll stay in Mariánské Lázně, instead of Karlovy Vary.

So we kept going through Mariánské Lázně, and started looking for a place to have lunch, mainly because Bill really needed to pee. At one point, we thought we might have found a spot, but it, too, was lacking parking. Bill ended up having to pull over on the side of the road to pee. But at least the scenery was beautiful. Look at these views!

After awhile, we found ourselves on a familiar road… It was the one that led to Chodova Plana, which is where Chodovar is. There are two restaurants at Chodovar, so we decided to see if we could have lunch there. At first, it looked like we might be out of luck again, but then Bill drove around to where Chodovar’s cool cave restaurant, Ve Skále, is. Much to our delight, he managed to score a parking spot! Soon, we were walking through the “cave” entrance to the dining room, still familiar after 17.5 years!

*In February 2009, we stayed at this hotel! It was nice then… and probably still is, today.*

Below are some photos from Ve Skále… which really saved the day, and filled us up for the rest of the evening! I had duck, with delicious Czech style potato dumplings and red kraut. Bill had trout again…

Ve Skále was a great place to stop. It’s a unique restaurant with good food, huge portions, and excellent beers and other beverages. If you speak German, and happen to run into a staff member who can’t speak English, you’ll be in luck. Our waiter spoke English very well and was super cute, too.

When I used the restroom, I realized by their familiar pleasant aroma, the staff had stocked the soap dispensers with the brewery’s own cosmetics. I remembered buying them on our previous visit, and was delighted to stop at the gift shop on the way out and get more. We also got a six pack of 1.5 liter bottles of Il Santo Hoppy, which is a non-alcoholic drink the brewery now makes.

I’m pretty impressed with how much the “Beer Wellness Land” has grown since 2009. They now have a pool, whirlpool, Kneipp therapy, and a couple of specialized saunas. Unfortunately, Chodovar’s Web site still really sucks. But they DO have some great products– from drinks to shampoo! I wish it were easier to get their products from Germany. So far, I’ve only found them offered priced in euros on a site that sells truck parts! Make no mistake, though… they smell great, even if they are made of beer!

After we ate at Chodovar, we headed back to our hotel on the outskirts of Karlovy Vary. Since we were no longer exploring, it didn’t take long at all. I still got a few more fall photos…

We decided to have a couple of beers for dinner, instead of food… Then, we headed back to our room for our last night in the Tower Room. In the morning, we’d be rising early to make our way to Stary Smokovec, Slovakia…

*Chateau Cilheny’s salon. There’s a piano in there, and one rather “ballsy” young woman we ran into at breakfast with her friends, was playing it.*

Unfortunately, I have brought back a souvenir from our trip. Bill and I are both sick with nasty colds (or some other icky virus). So, for today, I’m going to stop here, and maybe tomorrow, if I’m not dead, I’ll write about our all day travel to Slovakia’s gorgeous High Tatra Mountains. See you then…

booze tourism, Czechia, Eastern Europe

Our Eastern European October… part three

After my rather dramatic and explosive first night in Karlovy Vary, I was ready for some breakfast. So after I did my morning hygiene routine, I made my way down that pesky spiral staircase and got dressed. We left our bags in the sitting room, because hauling them up that spiral staircase would have been a real pain in the ass. I wonder how in the world they got the furniture in the bedroom. I’m sure it’s easily explained somehow…

We went back down to the restaurant… the scene of the pickle crime that had me barfing hours earlier. They laid out a very nice buffet, with plenty of choices. Bill and I fueled up, and then headed out to the city for a few hours. The only thing on our agenda was visiting the Home of Becherovka, a museum dedicated to Becherovka herbal liqueur, which is made in Karlovy Vary.

On our way into the city, we encountered the first of many horse drawn carriages. Interestingly enough, it was in the news yesterday that Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City has now brokered a deal to end carriage rides in New York. This measure, which has been discussed for years, has come about due to the death of a teen who was riding in a carriage in Central Park when the horse spooked and had an accident.

I have my own opinions about the carriages, but then, I am someone who literally grew up with horses. It’s important for them to have jobs. Most people can’t afford to keep horses as pets. On the other hand, there have been instances of abuse in the carriage industry. The horses we saw in Karlovy Vary appeared to be healthy and well cared for… but I am certainly no expert on this issue as it is in Eastern Europe. Bill and I did not take any carriage rides, but I did enjoy seeing and smelling the horses. I really miss having them in my life, but keeping them is expensive and requires a lot of hard work! They are wonderful company, though.

We found a paid parking lot on the immediate outskirts of the city center. I noticed some cops standing by. One of them had a cute little dog on a leash. I’ve never seen a police dog like this one…

*I’m not sure what job this pooch does…*

As we headed into the city, I instantly recognized the Teplá River, the warm river that flows through the center of Karlovy Vary. Teplá means warm in Czech, and the river is fed by the many hot springs in the city. I took some photos of the colorful buildings we encountered as we walked into the familiar environs. After almost 18 years, it was still pretty recognizable, even though we didn’t spend that much time there in 2009.

*A Mix Markt! This is a chain that specializes in products from the former Soviet Union. We have them in Germany, too.*

As we headed closer to the main square, I caught sight of a vendor who was making chimney cakes. I took a few photos for Bill’s daughter, who lives in Utah and loves them. Someday, Bill and I will have to try one. There were other things on sale, too… only I didn’t see any art.

*Except for the mushrooms, this grill smelled and looked great!*

Soon, we encountered the first of the mineral water springs, where one can taste the thermal waters. I remembered the gazebos from our first visit, which is also incidentally, where we found my favorite painting in my collection, back in 2009. I took a video of our first tastes of the water, after we bought spa cups. The spa cups are easy to find. They are sold in kiosks around the many springs.

Yes, that is a toilet. I have a very irreverent sense of humor.

Naturally, I took some photos, too… It was very helpful that the locals provided instructions on how to best “enjoy” the water. If you listen to my video, you will hear me say that it reminded of Gloucester in 1980. I grew up in Gloucester, Virginia, and in those days, the local water was pretty terrible tasting. It was full of sulfur. They have since put in a water system there, so the water is now better. My parents, fortunately, had a well, so our water wasn’t as gross in the early days of our time living there.

Karlovy Vary really is a very pretty city…

We had an appointment to visit the Becherovka Museum at 1:00, so we had to make our way to the other side of town. On the way there, I took a few more pictures, including one of a woman’s art. I wish we’d had the chance to go back and take a closer look at what she had. It turned out hers was the only art collection with paintings that we saw during our entire trip! Everybody had mass produced prints, instead of original artwork.

*I remember when beer spas were a novelty. Now it seems like they’re all over the place!*

It was raining on the way to the museum. We got there a little bit early, so we took the opportunity to use the bathroom. Then, we took our guided tour… Bill got us “exclusive tickets”, which meant we each got personalized bottles of Becherovka to take home with us.

The guide who did our tour spoke excellent English, and we enjoyed learning the history of this very special Czech drink. The museum is very interesting and well put together. I thought the exhibits were fun and engaging. And it was fun to try the different flavors of products made by Becherovka. We came home with several different bottles after our visit.

After we visited the museum, Bill and I had lunch at a local place… It wasn’t all that “special”, but it did give us a chance to people watch and enjoy some heavy local cuisine. Bill got to have some garlic soup, too, which is a local specialty in Czechia. I need to learn how to make it, because I think it would be good for when I’m sick. Sadly, I think I’m getting sick now. 😢

Once we finished our leisurely late lunch, we decided to head back to the hotel. As we walked out of the city, we passed a political rally, and stopped by the Mix Markt for some wine and a bottle of Ukrainian vodka from a producer we like.

On the way back to the hotel, we passed a body of water. I noticed a lot of people were going down to walk near it. There was also a picturesque looking hotel… but it wasn’t quite as cute as the one we stayed in…

*Our room was in the tower… the top three levels of windows.*

Since we had a late lunch, we decided to skip dinner. We enjoyed some Georgian wine in the room, along with a few snacks from the hotel’s vending machine. You have to use a credit card to use the machine. That is so weird to me, as someone who grew up in the 70s and 80s!

So ends our first full day on vacation. In the next part, I’ll write about our quick change of plans, and a visit to a Czech Globus!

Czechia, Eastern Europe

Our Eastern European October… part two

Stop number one: Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic

Our long awaited fall vacation began on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The first stop was Karlovy Vary. I chose it after agonizing over a couple of other cities I’d had in mind. I had based our trip around visiting Slovakia, a country I first visited in 1997, but had never really explored in any meaningful way.

Prior to this year, I had only visited Zilina, Slovakia in 1997, because I was meeting a couple of friends there for a train trip through western Europe. One of them was at the university in Zilina, getting training in Information Technology. Although I did get to spend a couple of days in Zilina, I wasn’t really there to do any significant touring. Bill and I did spend a few hours in Bratislava, back in 2015, but again, it wasn’t really much of a proper visit.

Once I had decided to go to Slovakia, I needed to figure out stops that would break up the trip. Slovakia isn’t that close to Germany, if you’re driving. Bill and I also don’t have the stamina we once had. I had originally considered stopping in Gorlitz, which is a German city right on the Polish border, but then I discovered other areas near Gorlitz that I wanted to see. I knew two whole days wouldn’t be long enough to satisfy me if we went there on the way to Slovakia.

That’s when I remembered lovely Karlovy Vary, a spa town that is also known as Carlsbad. Karlovy Vary is in the western Bohemian region of Czechia, but there was a time when it was annexed to Germany. Bill and I had visited Chodovar, a brewery, beer spa, and “wellness land”, for a long weekend back in February 2009.

I remembered venturing out to Karlovy Vary and Plzen on that trip, mainly because Chodovar is located in tiny Chodova Plana, and there wasn’t much to that charming hamlet, back in 2009. They have expanded the resort quite a lot since then, and in 2026, it might be interesting enough to spend the entire time there. But in 2009, we definitely needed daytime excursions. So, one day we went to Karlovy Vary. The other day, we went to Plzen.

In 2018, we visited Plzen again, and discovered garlic soup, as well as a very cool open air museum dedicated to communist era planes! I remember liking Karlovy Vary more than Plzen, back in 2009. Now that we’ve been back to Plzen, I definitely appreciate that city more than I did in 2009. But we were long overdue to see Karlovy Vary again, if only so I could get some pictures and taste the famous spa waters that flow there.

I booked us the Tower Room at the Chateau Cihelny, a bucolic property adjacent to several golf courses, located just outside of the city. Bill and I don’t care about golfing. We like unique properties, especially if they aren’t obviously part of a corporate chain. This hotel had the appearance of offering us a chance at peace and quiet. It also had a wellness area that I found attractive. As it turned out, we never got around to hitting the spa. Aside from the chateau, there is also a less expensive lodging option on the grounds that seemed more geared toward families.

On October 1, 2026, after Bill dropped Charlie and Noyzi off at the Hundepension, Bill and I loaded up the Volvo and headed east toward Czechia. Since Karlovy Vary is relatively close, we didn’t get started on our drive until late morning. I’d say it’s about a four-and-a-half to five hour drive from Wiesbaden. Below are a few photos from the drive.

*An example of a play area for kids in a German rest stop.*

We arrived at Chateau Cihelny in the late afternoon. Bill and I were both kind of tired from the drive, and the chateau turned out to be further out than we had anticipated. There is a tiny train stop near the hotel, but it had very limited service. Still, the property was very pretty, so we weren’t too upset about missing the city on the first night. We went into the hotel to check in, where we were met by an affable young man who spoke great English and had a droll sense of humor.

While we were checking in, the guy told us that we’d booked a very special room, but it was going to involve climbing a lot of steps. He was not lying about that! There is no elevator in the Chateau Cilheny, and I had reserved the Tower Room, which is a very unique and interesting room. You might even call it spacious… The room is in the chateau’s “tower”, which makes it different from the other rooms in the hotel.

The Tower Room, pictured below, has a spiral staircase in it. You have to climb those steps to get from the sitting room to the bedroom and bathroom. Bill counted thirty narrow steps. It was a bit of a pain… but again, the room was very unique, and offered a nice balcony overlooking the beautiful grounds. There’s also another spiral staircase in the bedroom, but that just leads to a locked, boarded up window. There is no point in climbing those, unless you just want some extra exercise.

To even get to the Tower Room, one must climb several long flights of stairs. There’s a bench and sitting area on the second floor, which came in handy for us as we went to our room. It’s definitely a place where you can get a workout, especially if you’re on the third floor, and staying in the Tower Room, which requires even more stair climbing. Who needs a Stairmaster?!

Below are some more photos from the hotel. I thought it was a very tastefully decorated place. I especially liked the art on the walls.

*I rested on that bench more than once!*

We decided to have dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. That also required a walk down steps, as it’s located in the basement of the chateau. The food and service were very good, and on the first night, they were playing excellent Generation X friendly music. Bill had trout, and I had pork knuckle that was removed from the bone. Along with the pork came delicious, fresh pickles that went down easy… especially with the Pilsner Urquell beer.

After dinner, we went to bed. The mattress wasn’t particularly comfortable, but I was tired and drifted off. A couple of hours later, I woke up desperately needing the bathroom. I realized, as I was sitting on the toilet, that I really didn’t feel well. Let’s just say stuff was coming out of both ends, although fortunately not at the same time. I was afraid that maybe I got food poisoning or something, but it turned out that wasn’t the issue.

Bill got up when he heard me vomiting. He asked me if I was okay. I was perfectly fine, once everything was purged. I later looked up pickled vegetables and learned that they can upset the stomach if you aren’t used to them. What a shame! Dinner was delicious, and I truly enjoyed the fresh pickles. I probably should have just tasted them, though, because I think that’s what didn’t agree with me.

I went back to bed and managed to fall back to sleep. The next morning, we enjoyed our first breakfast at Chateau Cilheny, and a trip to the city, where we tasted the water and visited the Becherovka Museum. I’ll write more about that in the next installment.

Czechia, East Germany, Eastern Europe, Polska, Slovak Republic

Our Eastern European October… part one

An introduction of sorts…

Well… as I wrote yesterday, we are now home from our epic autumn journey to Eastern Europe. I write Eastern Europe because our almost two weeks away took us to FOUR different countries! We visited Karlovy Vary, Czechia (or Czech Republic, if you prefer). Then, we went to Stary Smokovec, Slovakia (or Vysoké Tatry). From Slovakia, we moved on to Krakow, Poland. Then, we ended in Dresden, Germany, which was once part of East Germany.

As a child of the 70s and 80s, it always amazes me when we visit former “Eastern Bloc” countries. When I was growing up, these were places that were completely off limits to “westerners”. I never thought there’d be a time when we could simply drive to the former Czechoslovakia or Poland.

I thought East Germany would always be forbidden to someone like me. In fact, I remember writing a social studies report about the two Germanys when I was in the sixth grade, and being completely shocked that Germany was divided. I hadn’t known. And now, over 40 years later, here I am living in Germany, and visiting the East with ease! Not only can I easily visit the East, but I can also have a really good time there, because Eastern Europe is nothing like it used to be. But then, I guess it’s just a reminder that I’m getting old, and time is really flying.

I had some specific goals for this trip… and for the most part, my goals went unmet. I had wanted to visit Auschwitz, for instance. That didn’t happen. I thought maybe we’d go to Saxony Switzerland. It was not to be. I didn’t even get to see Frosty the Peacock! But now we have a reason to go back to these fascinating countries and see even more of what we missed. I already have a couple of itineraries in mind.

This trip ran from October 1-13th, which means that my October, so far, has been spent on vacation in Eastern Europe. We took a long break because it had been awhile since our last one, and Bill had some leave to burn. He’s been working very hard over the past few months, so his employer kindly allowed us almost two weeks away from Hessen.

We probably would have come home on Sunday, the 11th, but we had a holiday yesterday– Columbus Day or Indigenous People’s Day, depending on your views. So, we decided to make the most of the extra day off and squeeze in Dresden, a city we had last visited in November 2008.

We had also visited Karlovy Vary previously, back in February 2009, but that was just for a few hours. The weather was freezing that day, so we didn’t get to explore much of the city. I also didn’t have my camera with me on that 2009 trip. Now, I have lots of pictures of Karlovy Vary and its environs! It was worth going back there for that reason, alone!

Anyway… enough with the intro. Time to get down to business! This will probably be a pretty long series. Most readers will lose interest after the first couple of posts. Nevertheless, I’ll keep writing. At the end, I’ll do my usual “ten things I learned post”, which people seem to appreciate more than the exhaustive blow by blows.

We did not do a lot of touristy stuff on this trip. Instead, we enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere, people watching, and taking lots of photos. We also ate rich food and drank a whole lot of beer. 🍺 For most of our trip, we enjoyed mild, and mostly sunny weather. The fall colors were absolutely stunning! Just the beautiful foliage alone was a feast for the eyes. But we also had some interesting interactions, ate good food, and picked up some fun souvenirs.

So, without further delay, on with the series. Here are a few fall photos to get things started… I took these on a drive we took on day three of our vacation, while we were still in Czechia!

East Germany, Eastern Europe

Our fall vacation is now over…

Bill and I got home about 90 minutes ago. We’re both pretty tired and busy with settling in, so I’m not going to try to write about the trip today. I will save that for tomorrow, which is usually the day of the week when I wash the sheets. Since we haven’t been home, and I washed the sheets just before we left, I won’t need to do that chore this week. 😊

This trip was rather long, and it encompassed visits to areas in four countries. Each place we visited was special in its own way. I took a lot of pictures, although we didn’t do a lot of “touristy” stuff. We mainly drank a lot of beer, did a lot of walking, and enjoyed each other’s company.

I think my favorite stop was Krakow, followed closely by Stary Smokovec, but each place was pretty awesome. We had great weather, too, until the tail end of our journey.

The drive home was kind of yucky, especially when we stopped for lunch at a rest stop. It was just beyond the Hessen state line, and the rest stop was one of the weirdest laid out ones I’ve yet encountered in Germany or elsewhere.

When we got out of the car, it was raining… that kind of cold, light, but fast drizzle, that gets you wet in a hurry. I noticed a woman sitting in the car next to ours, wanting to get out of her vehicle. I hurried to close the door, and then Bill and I had to wait for a couple of cars to pass.

By the time we found the front door of the rest stop, we were really wanting to get out of the rain. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy as we’d hoped. One could enter the building on either side of the building, and the two entrances were not easy to get to without walking the long way around the building.

The side we happened to be on had a single door, with a sidewalk leading up to it. For some reason, there was a barrier on the opposite side of the walkway from the building, meaning that everyone had to walk in and out of the building in kind of a single file.

As we were heading toward the door, rushing to get out of the cold, drizzly rain, a woman and her daughter were coming out of the building. The girl, who looked to be about nine or ten years old, stopped in front of me and suddenly vomited on the sidewalk.

*I took this photo from the table where we had lunch. You can see there’s a barrier that prevents one from walking around slowpokes or vomiters…*

She was under the shelter of a roof, but I was standing there in the falling rain, watching her throw up on the sidewalk. Her mom was right behind her, holding her hair. Fortunately, there wasn’t a lot of puke, but the two of them kind of took their time, and blocked the egress into the building. I felt sorry for the girl, but I’m sure my face registered irritation, because I needed to pee, and we were about to have lunch.

The woman and her peaked daughter finally got out of the way, so we could enter the rest stop. But once we were in the building, we encountered a large group of elderly folks. I suddenly realized they must have been on the busses that were parked outside.

To get to the toilets, we had to follow a series of signs, and go down a couple of flights of steps. As we were trying to go down, they were coming back up to the dining room.

Fortunately, there wasn’t a wait for a stall. In fact, an attendant was even cleaning the toilets as I was trying to find one. And these toilets were the self-cleaning kind anyway, which I don’t actually like that much, because the seats are usually still wet from being automatically cleaned whenever I encounter them.

Once we finished “doing our business”, we had to maneuver through more throngs of people having lunch. But then, after we ordered our crummy Burger King sandwiches, the crowd dissipated, and the place was somewhat sedate.

*Not the greatest lunch… It was basically all they had besides cold, pre-made sandwiches, which usually have cheese that I don’t like. What a crappy rest stop! But at least it was there.*

Unfortunately, the “mess” was still on the sidewalk where the poor queasy lass had left it. I started feeling kind of nauseated myself as we passed it. I was really afraid I was going to sympathy hurl. Fortunately, I managed to get over my disgust. That was a good thing, because I almost lost breakfast at the beginning of our drive home, thanks to a coughing fit.

Anyway… it’s good to be home. I look forward to seeing Noyzi and Charlie in a little while, and writing about the new things we saw and did on this long awaited vacation to Eastern Europe. But… most of all… I look forward to sleeping in my own bed. I really missed my soft bed while we were away. And now that the weather has turned to shit, maybe that will also mean the mosquitoes are done, too!

So… with that, I’m going to close this post. See you tomorrow with my tales from the trip! I promise they won’t be as gross as this one is. 😊

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…