Yes, this trip has finally come to an end. Patrice and I were definitely ready to go home (which we safely did last night) and we both think this was one of our best trips ever. Thank you to all the people who helped make it such a success. Also many thanks to all the people who left comments on the blog. I really enjoy hearing from you and staying connected to our friends and family. Here are a series of photos that I found interesting but didn’t get a chance to send them during the trip. They are in no particular order.
Your restauarant server wants to make sure that you know that Europe is no different than the USA. See this copy of one of our dinner checks.
The most common clothing attire I saw on the trip was the NY Yankee baseball cap. I guess they didn’t hear that the Astros eliminated the Yankees from the playoffs 4-0. See below, one of many.
And if you want to buy a Yankee cap they are easy to find.
In Milan, the Galleria had lots of high-end stores. See below.
After all your shopping at the Milan Galleria, you can stop for some fine dining at this location.
We saw a few of these strange devices on the streets of Bologna. No one used them and I am not sure what they are used for.
We saw this boat with an odd name in Venice. Acqua is the Italian word for water. I think you can figure out the rest.
Chocolate Lentils? That is my idea of fiber. See below.
When you gotta go, this is the place to go if you are in the Marco Polo airport in Venice. While you are at it please pick up after yourself. See below.
In Madrid, we saw signs of the USA and Canada. First, we saw little hot dogs from Nebraska. I didn’t realize Nebraska was a hot dog Mecca. See below.
I know you can see Tim Horton’s all over Canada but it looks like they are also attacking Madrid.
Looking to connect with George Washington? Try Budapest. See below.
Budapest had this very unique piece of art in a park (see below). It is also an ecological tool since it encourages people to put their plastic bottle caps inside. See the hole on the right side.
How about a taste of NYC while you are in Budapest? See below.
Did you know that Moses was a techie? See below,
In German the word for jewelry is Schmuck. I know a lot of guys who would say anyone who spends a lot of money on jewelry can be described with the same word. See below.
If you are homesick for Venice Beach in Los Angeles, just get on a tram in Vienna.
But lastly, this is my favorite memory of the trip.
We needed to get up early today because Erica had a 7:00 AM flight to Madrid and we were scheduled to leave at 9:15 AM for Berlin. The hotel staff offered to prepare some food for Erica to take with her since she was leaving the hotel at 5:00 AM. Patrice opted to sleep and she asked me to bring her something from the buffet. Luckily the buffet started at 6:30 AM (not 7 AM as I had previously been told). When I entered at 6:33 AM the entire dining room was empty. I ordered some eggs and grabbed some fruit from the buffet and of course, a Sacher Torte. Twenty minutes later (and after being asked no fewer than 5 times if there was anything else I would like) I headed back to the room with some nourishment for my bride (and the dining room was still empty).
At 7:00 AM we reluctantly left the hotel (we loved the Sacher Hotel and its staff) and headed for the airport. Harry was our driver and he had returned from the airport after taking Erica at 5 AM. Harry apparently agrees with our guide Peter that red lights are just a suggestion (just kidding he was a great driver) and got us safely to the Vienna airport.
Checking in for the flight and airport security went well and we then relaxed until told to board. Interestingly the Austrians/Germans are worse than the Spaniards when it comes to lining up before a flight. Look at this line long before any boarding announcements were made.
Only a small portion of the people lined up for the flight long before any announcement regarding boarding.
Take off was smooth and I got one last view of the Danube.
Our last view of the Danube from our flight from Vienna.
Shortly into the flight, there was a fair amount of turbulence. I was sweating, shaking, and my heart was racing, but I knew my job was to comfort my wife. So I looked over and saw Patrice and the female passenger next to her.
Patrice and the woman next to her were obviously not perturbed by the turbulence.
Okay, okay, I’m a big baby. I admit it.
The flight smoothed out and I started to read my book when suddenly a cup of water was shoved into my hand. What happened to “Would you like something to drink sir?” No in Dueschtland it’s “Here, drink!” Next, they came around with chocolates and I got two because Patrice was still sleeping (please don’t tell her). I was starting to wash down the chocolate with some water when the flight attendant came by and said “Cup!” I didn’t dare say I wasn’t finished (see above about me being a baby).
I thought I saw an old friend shortly before we landed in Berlin. I thought I was seeing the Danube but only one minor problem, the Danube doesn’t flow anywhere near Berlin. I was looking at the Spree River.
Spree River outside of Berlin.
We were met at the airport by Marcus (“I spell Marcus with a C most Germans spell it with a K, my son is Oscar with a C, not a K like most Germans”). Marcus will be our driver while we are in Berlin. He is very knowledgeable, speaks excellent English, and had a spot for both of us to charge our phones. Marcus pointed out all sorts of interesting sights on our way from the airport to the hotel. He even looked at the road occasionally. Just kidding, he is an excellent driver.
By the way, I have given up. For years I have been correcting people about the pronunciation of my surname. People frequently say “Rice”, but we pronounce it Reiss which rhymes with Peace. When people protested about my pronunciation I tell them to go argue with my grandfather. They try to explain to me that in German it’s pronounced RICE similar to Weiss. I tell them if the Germans won the war we would pronounce it as Rice but they didn’t. In reality, if the Germans had won the war I wouldn’t be here so end of story. Well, they have finally won. I’ve given up. For the remainder of this trip, I will pronounce it as Rice. You ask why, well the reason is simple. Every time we enter a hotel or restaurant and tell them we have a reservation for Reiss (as in Peace) they say “So sorry I don’t see a reservation under that name”. Then I say Rice and immediately they say “Ah yes, here we are”. Last night at dinner in Vienna I didn’t hesitate and said, “We have a reservation for Rice” and the hostess smiled and immediately said, “Come with me please”. Erica asked, “How would the you of 2 weeks ago reacted to seeing a video of that interaction?” She is right, but for now, I have given up. Next week I can return to my family’s pronunciation.
Enough for now. We are off to meet our Berlin guide, Daniel for a 4-hour walking tour. Then we will have dinner: “Rice party of 2”
I am so sorry if it has been difficult to make a comment on the blog. According to my daughter, Erica, all you need to do is reply to the email that sends the post. No need to go to the blog site and add your email address. I love those comments so please keep them coming.
We started today with another great breakfast and I have to admit the Sacher Torte has definitely grown on me and I like it very much. So much so that I am disappointed that our flight tomorrow is so early that we might miss breakfast.
We had a fantastic day with Peter touring the Hofburg Palace complex which included the Sisi museum. The museum is dedicated to Elisabeth the Emperess of Austria, Queen of Hungary and the Austro-Hungarian equivalent to Lady Di. Elisabeth was quite the beauty and a bit vain. We were told that she refused to allow any photos to be taken of her after the age of 30.
The security camera at the Elisabeth museum. Notice the 3 suspicious characters in the right lower corner.
We also toured the Military Museum and Belvedere Palace. The Belvedere Palace had an incredible array of artwork including “The Kiss” by Gustav Klimt.
“The Kiss” by Gustav Klimt.
During the day we took a lunch break at Cafe Central (Herrengasse 14, 1010 Wien). Our guide, Peter, joined us for lunch at which time he discussed the history of Vienna prior to, during, and after WW II. It was fascinating to hear what he had to say. I was essentially speechless (Patrice here: Yes, Robert hardly said a word and you know what a rare event that is).
Robert, Erica, Patrice, and Peter at Cafe Central.
One fun fact we learned today was that as part of the post-WWII peace accord the Austrians were required to put up memorials to each of the allied countries. Peter took us by the Russian memorial. He further told us that the person that owns the property adjacent to the memorial was understandably upset about the Russian military action in Ukraine. Notice the colors he painted the adjoining fence.
The private property with its new coat of paint resembling the Ukrainian flag.
Peter was with us for about 7 hours today (we were only scheduled for 6) and then we had to bid him farewell. I told him that each tour guide seems to be better than the previous so lucky for him we only have Berlin left on our tour so he will definitely be one of our top 2 favorites. Not only was he a vast source of information, but he was also very humorous. Today he really got me chuckling when we were waiting at a red light and he started to cross the street saying, “The red light is just a suggestion”.
You might remember from yesterday that I planned to return to Jungmann & Neffe to be measured for my tailor-made suit for a mere $5,000. But darn, wouldn’t you know they are closed on Sunday. I guess we will just have to return and get it next time.
Can you see how disappointed I was that I lost my opportunity to buy a $5,000 suit?
Enough for tonight. After all, we need to head out for dinner.
Today was our first full day in Vienna. Breakfast at the hotel is included so Erica and I went down to have a light meal. Patrice waited in the room, the reason for that will soon become apparent. When we arrived at the dining room we were greeted by Helmut who said “Let me introduce you to the buffet”. How could we turn down such a wonderful offer? The delights were plentiful including an old friend from yesterday.
Yes, the Sacher Torte was available.
Since I panned the Sacher Torte yesterday I felt that I had to give it another opportunity to impress me and it did much better today. Possibly yesterday’s was just from a bad batch because I enjoyed it much more today. But I had to keep myself under control because today we had planned one of our favorite activities……… yes, a FOOD TOUR!
Patrice and I have gone on food tours in New Orleans, Boston, London, Memphis, Denver, and other cities. Well, today we signed up for a Vienna food tour at the recommendation of Gwen from Exeter International and we were not disappointed. Tomas led us around the city and we had a great time. We learned a lot about Vienna, other regions of Austria, and of course food. We had 6 stops and all were lots of fun and tasty. My personal favorite was the sausage stand.
My favorite part is that you can see Erica’s reflection in the glass
Our excellent Food Tour Guide, Tomas, returned us safely to our hotel where we were able to take a short rest before heading out on a city tour.
Our afternoon tour of the city was led by Peter. At first glance, you might have some concerns because Peter is just a tad younger than me. As it turned out he had the stamina of a 20-year-old. I don’t think he sat down once and the only time he stopped was when I started complaining about my back hurting. He gave us a brief review of his personal history. Peter started out as a lawyer but quickly realized he didn’t like it. He was an owner of an art gallery and after about 20 years decided to sell it and become a financial advisor. Unfortunately, his timing wasn’t good because this was in 2008 when the global economy was very sluggish. So then he decided to be a tour guide telling us that as an attorney and financial advisor no one believed what he said but as a tour guide everyone believes everything he says. He also told us how tourists will ask where they can find the kangaroos confusing Austria with Australia.
Tourists looking for kangaroos in Vienna can go here.
After hearing this I knew immediately that we had the right person as our guide.
Our first stop was right around the corner at Wilhelm Jungmann & Neffe (Wilhelm Jungmann & Nephew), a men’s clothing store that has been in business since 1836. Peter said the store sells tailor-made suits that sell for about $5,000. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time for me to get measured for a suit so we will go back tomorrow afternoon.
Window at Wilhelm Jungmann & Neffe with a reflection of the cathedral
We next visited St. Stephen’s Cathedral which is truly a beautiful sight. I explained that although I am intrigued by the elegance and history of the cathedral, not being Catholic, makes the place a little less important to me. Peter shared that he is Catholic but has only been in church twice. Once when he was Baptized and the next when he got married. This just further affirmed that he is my kind of guy.
We also saw some residential buildings that were built in the 1800s. It is so amazing to think that these structures have been around so long. We ended the tour at the royal crypt. When I first heard we were going there I was very displeased. But not wanting to be a party pooper I just went along without voicing my objections. I am so glad we went. The coffins were ornate but even more interesting were Peter’s stories about the history of the various kings and other royalty buried there.
How is this for a simple tombstone?
Peter delivered us to our hotel for a brief rest then it was off to dinner to be followed by a Mozart concert. As hard as this is to believe, the line for the Sacher Torte was even longer today.
I signed off last night as Patrice and I were about to go to the spa for massages. We had a couples massage, Sonia took care of Patrice and Olga treated me. This was true magic and when Olga said we are done, I said “Can you start over?” I slept like a baby last night.
This morning we got up early to get ready for our train ride to Vienna where we were to meet up with Erica for the weekend. As always the Aria Hotel supplied a wonderful breakfast. At breakfast, we were greeted by an employee who we had not met before, He was not native-born in Hungary but rather from Trinidad and Tobago. He didn’t get here by taking the wrong bus but actually previously worked for Celebrity cruises. When I asked what got him to stay he replied “I met my son’s mother”. Ah yes, another man who followed his….heart. He has now been in Hungary for over 2 years and when I asked if he speaks Hungarian he replied: “That’s a work in progress but I get by thanks to Google Translate”. Our new friend brought us something new for breakfast. Question of the day: can you identify this delight?
No, these are not Eggs Benedict.
After breakfast, our wonderful driver, Attila, drove us to the train station, took our bags, found our train, found our seats, put one of our bags in the overhead compartment (no way I could have done that), and bid us a bon voyage to Vienna. I emailed our travel agent to let her know it would be impossible for the next hotel, guide, and driver to equal the experience we had in Budapest.
Thanks to Attila our luggage was in the overhead compartment and Patrice had room to sleep.
The train was due to leave at 9:40. And just as our Budapest guide, Julia, predicted, it left exactly at 9:40. A bit later one of the attendants came by to check our tickets. Of course, they were conveniently stored on the AXUS app (thank you, Gwen). I wondered what they would do with us if we didn’t have tickets or if we were on the wrong train. Luckily I didn’t need to find out.
Patrice, my sleeper extraordinaire (see above picture), wanted to get some rest but couldn’t figure out how to get the seat to recline. She saw these buttons.
These buttons seem to allow reclining of the seats.
But couldn’t get them to work. Patrice flagged down one of the porters and asked “Do these work?”. The gentleman smiled and said “Oh, no, no, no”, while looking at her with an expression that read “She must be a silly American, lol”.
The train ride was incredible. We arrived at each stop within a minute of the scheduled arrival time and reached Vienna on time. We saw our driver (notice I didn’t say we were greeted by our driver) who took Patrice’s bag (but not mine like Attila did in Budapest and Federica did in Venice) and then turned and walked towards the exit. At my age, and with a full backpack and suitcase, I don’t move as quickly as I once did. The driver walked without once looking back to see if I was following him. Lucky for me, Patrice was able to keep up with him otherwise I might have been dropped and possibly I would have decided to turn around and go back to Budapest and search out my new BFF, Attila. This driver was no Attila but he did get us to the hotel safely so I have no real complaints.
The Sacher hotel in Vienna is very elegant. They have an array of photos of celebrities who have stayed here. It is not a high-tech marvel like the Aria in Budapest but it still is very nice. The staff has been falling over themselves to make us happy.
After putting our luggage in the room, we got a quick bite at the Sacher Cafe. The cafe was full of customers. We had a light lunch but we had to treat ourselves to the famous Sacher Torte. I’d never heard of it but from what I’ve learned it seems like I’m the only one who didn’t know about their specialty. Unfortunately, we were not impressed. It looked appetizing but the taste was nothing special. After lunch, we headed to the Albertina museum which is literally steps from our hotel. On our way over we saw a line of people waiting to get into the cafe. I stopped to ask why they were waiting and yes, it was for the torte.
People waiting outside on a very cold day just so they could eat the Sacher Torte. I felt guilty for not warning them that it wasn’t worth the wait.Here it is a chocolate cake with an apricot layer. It is not as good as it looks.
Enough about overrated chocolate desserts and back to the Albertina museum. It was fantastic. Currently, they have a special exhibit of Jean-Michel Basquiat. I must share my artistic ignorance but I had never heard of this master who died at the age of 27. The exhibit was superb and taught me a lot about this man who was an artistic genius and a thinker way ahead of his time. We also saw some works by a number of other artists including Pablo Picasso. Did you know that at 80 years old Picasso married a woman 45 years his junior? Here is a portrait he painted of his young wife.
No surprise that a 35-year-old woman who marries an 80-year-old would look like this.
Time for Erica’s flight to arrive from Madrid, so don’t forget to tell me the name of the breakfast item if you can.
Robert Reiss Travel Blog and Other Ramblings 