-
London, United Kingdom
arrived noon 5/22 stayed at Heathrow Ibis hotel flight to NUE at 8:30am
-
Nuremberg, Germany
5/23 - Ate at Behringer's & Bratwurstglocklien. sausages and pork shoulder.
then walked all of Old Town, the Durer house area, to the imperial castle,
every church 5/24 - spent basically the entire day in the Documentation Center
area. Saw every last thing and walked like 15 miles. Started at the interim
museum, walked fully around and through every part of Kongesshalle (the
interior, looped around it, walked through the halls... totally nazi
architecture) , ...... late beer at an old school restaurant in Old Town area
(name?) 5/25 - Barenschanze area for Nuremburg trials museum. tedious museum
but good 15min movie to watch in the actual courtroom. Went to a far right
extremism display nearby. Mimi and I walk the entents of Nuremberg and
crisscross over all the ancient bridges. Dinner on outside patio at Wursthaus
Hutt'n. restaurant right in front of imperial castle on a different side. a
hundred or more people sitting on the brick/cobblestone road having beer or just
socializing. Mimi gets Schweinelendchen (pork loin with spatzle) and I had
Paniertes Schweineschnitzel Coron Bleu (pork schnitzel filled with ham and
cheese). mimis was better. more Hausbrau blonde and rot beer. walked around
new parts of the area for a couple hours, into rougher parts too, then hotel to
pack. 5 days at the hotel with no internet signal from the hotel. amazing.
5/26 - train to Prague. Despite our train departing on time and going travel
speed the entire time, it arrived at Schwandorf 14min late and we missed our
connection. walked around Schwandorf for 90min towing our bags across frequent
cobblestone to kill time for between the next train. Got strawberries in the
town center.
- Sinwellturm
- Jakobsplatz
- Memorium Nürnberger Prozesse
- Kongresshalle
- Handwerkerhof
- Rathenauplatz
-
Prague, Czech Republic
5/26 - Friday - out friend we called Brutus helped us from the train to the
metro and we made our wat to the apt. I napped after laborious train trip while
Mimi explored. Then we went to find a late dinner. tried Medvidku but they
weren't serving food anymore. A theme of the trip... restaurants stop serving
food early. Found a corner diner place in a pretty busy Old Town area and got a
table outside. name? Mimi had chicken kabob had a roast beef sandwich and
fries. We walked around Old Town for a long while after, went on the Charles
bridge, and then went to sleep. 5/27 - Saturday - breakfast at a spot near us.
each had a fruit and yougurt parfait dish. Then went to Vyserhad "castle."
more like an old village. Park kinda place with an old church, graveyard and
couple structures. High on a hill so views galore. Ate langos. Then went into
Old Town and saw everything in the light. Got back on tram to Jewish Quarter
but keft after only a little bit bc it was Jewish sabbath and much was closed.
Trammed back to Old Town to go to Speculum Alchemy. Underground headquarters of
Czech alchemists. went to Old Town hall, astronomical clock, a zillion other
places, shops and views. then ran into our friend Stefan from the train who
was with his partner and both had crazy Mohawks. Totally center of attention.
Hung out and walked with them for a while then we all got on a tram and we got
off for Petran Hill. Cool gondola ride all the way up (called the funicular).
Walked all the way up the eiffel tower kinda thing up there. Windy staircase
like 15 stories, not too bad tho. Unreal 360 views of Prague up there. Went to
Cafe Imperial for dinner. Fancy dinner that was meh. Mimi got roasted quail,
I got duck confit. Pretty bland. good Czech beers tho. Got fruits and things
from a market then went back to sleep. 5/28 - Sunday - went to Prague Castle.
Funicular ride up. Beautiful but tourist mayhem up there. Saw just about
everything to see there and shopped. We paid to shoot light crossbows. Walked
to/across the Charles Bridge. Went to Jewish Quarter again and got gifts and
Mimi shopped for jewelry. Decided against museums there bc we were tired.
walked all around that area then tram'd back to our room to nap. Went to eat
and found a place Pivovarsky Dum Benedict. like a brewery pub. shared a Beef
broth and liver dumpling soup to start. Mimi- beef goulash ("consistency of
beef jerky"). didnt kike hers and they offered to make another for her.
Basically like a beef stew. Dan - Roast pork shoulder. good. Psenicne Pivo
beer for Mimi. a light Weizen brewed at the place. Tmavy Lezak for me. a dark
lager from Brevnov Monastery Brewery. good enough, nothing bad, nothing
special. Walked around a little after. stopped into Kontakt, a lounge bar near
our airbnb. below ground small brick place that felt like an old bomb shelter.
Nina Simone on when walked in... good sign. Uneticke Pivo 10 beer for me,
ginger beer for Mimi. shared peanuts. great soundtrack entire time. 5/29
Ryanair flight to Budapest. Met Susie and Jim as we left our airbnb. they were
in the apt next to us. American couple from Portlan on their honeymoon. they
were on the same flight as us to Budapest. met them at the airport and chatted
for a while again while waiting to board.
- Prague Castle Walking Tour Including Admission Tickets
- Prague Oldtown, Medieval Underground and Dungeon historical Tour
- Prague Jewish Quarter And Synagogue Walking Tour With Admission Tickets
- Prague Communism and Nuclear Bunker Tour
-
Budapest, Hungary
5/29 -Land in Budapest. chatted more with Susie and Jim after flight while we
all got luggage. I had to pay like $100 for my stowable bag to get checked.
ripped off. - we take the 100E bus to our place while S&J took an Uber. - made
our way to New airbnb. Met Katta, our airbnb owner who was also staying next
door. very nice lady. - airbnb was in central location looking over the open
plaza at basilica/church. choir singers there soon after. bells every 15 min.
- contact Stefan and tell them we're headed to the Pentecost Fair near our place
at Szabadtag Ter and we plan to meet him and Denis. all booths and good crowd
but felt pretty homogenized. not a ton of Hungarian foods and drinks. learn
later that Mad Scientist Brewery is Hungarian but all their beers have American
iPad sounding names. I get a Sorproni beer. We order or mixed plate of meets
and cheeses and stuff. nothing special. Mimi called fatty-ass food. Denis and
Stefan arrive. Denis still punked out gear and mohawk, Stefan normal again. -
we start walking around. Stefan shows us the first subway station in Budapest.
-everywhere we go people are staring at the Mohawks. this always in all
countries and locals - we all walk to restaurant per Stefans choice but was also
a Katta reco.... Elso Pestei Reteshaz. a strudel joint. semi fancy, outdoor
seating. - I get the only Hungarian option on the menu, a prefix three course
meal. decent, nothing great. Mimi gets a fish dish. I pay for everything as
thx to St and Denis for all their suggestions and help. - we walk a little more
after. Stefan has us all watch Conan Obrien Budapest bits at s&m place. - we
all then walk to the Danube where people are hanging out there after the late
sundown. Stefan shows us pictures for too long and extended goodbye. we walk
back to our place. 5/30 trammed to funicular. rode up to Buda Castle. church
there etc... - did the Hospital in the Rock (WWII and nuclear bunker). as we
waited for that tour to start, Mimi and I chill nearby and she lays her on on
mine for a time. - always around area more. sneak into the huge amazing church
there. - great lunch at castle. Panorama Cafe. disorganized system to get in.
I had a Palinka drink that was rough, but a great Ceasar salad w Great Prawn,
goulash soup, truffle beef spaghetti for Mimi. Best food of our trip so far. -
more walking and views around the big buda castle village area. saw Harry
Houdini place but didn't do tour. looked for House of Wisdom with no luck. -
rain storm cones in and people running out. we ducked into and did the medieval
dungeons/labyrinth. vlad the implaer imprisoned there. the darkness walk
terrified Mimi. creepy place, also a little scattered. - no rain as we come
out. take funicular down and out. went into nice Hotel Clark for bathroom
break but were impressed. Free umbrellas for guest that Mimi wanted to steal
one. - took a tram aimlessly deep into Buda. starts looking like normal city
eventually. we get off and walk around a bit. tram back to our area again. -
UEFA championship was in Budapest when we were there so lots of guys in soccer
jerseys. Roma vs. Sevilla. - head out for late dinner and stop at Istanbul
kabob - a street food, fast food kinda place. I get a chicken and rice dish.
mimi gets shawarma dish - Mad Scientist Brewery for late drinks. I had a couple
kinda experimental stouts. mimi had a fruit tea. Stole a mini weck jar
foSeville. - walked back to our place to sleep. 5/31 - head towards Jewish
Quarter. walk around and look for Jewish Ghetto wall fragment. discover that
it's inside a property. a lady lets us in to see it. she has an airbnb there.
really shabby complex there. we walk up and all through it and see the wall
from various spots. - head back to street and I sound hound a song I hear from a
dudes car.... Blades am Block by Silva. - walk around and decide to get
scooters. scootered to Donaly Synagogue, the Great Synagogue area. I decide to
pay for the exhibit there while Mimi shopped. - history if that Synagogue is
rough. mass graves in there. was the border of the Jewish ghetto. detailed
history and memorials in there. - Mimi at this time finds Weinberger Judaica
that sells the Challah cover that my parents wanted for Hillary, and a gold star
of David pendant we get for Hillary's 4Oth bday. I leave Synagogue and meet her
there to buy these. George Weinberger is the owner and gives us the history of
these pieces. - we then go to see one of the ruins bars, the oldest one.
Szimpla Kertmozi. - then scootered to Great Market Hall.l for late lunch.
meaty Lanos for me, Hungarian seafood soup for Mimi. decent enough but not
what I hoped for. - we walk around GMH thru the shopping area. Mimi buys stuff
for Christian and Chanely. - head across street while wait for tram and i buy
myself a tshirt. - get on tram outside GMH and Tram security targeted us and
another couple of obvious travelers on the 49 tram and forced us to pay them $70
bc the tickets WE PAID FOR weren't stamped. we walked to police car with them
to verify they were legit. they wouldn't listen and fimorced us to pay them.
Total bullshit and not good taste left in mouth re Hungary with that one. -
then tram back to our place. run into Katta and tell her about the security
scam and she's upset to hear it and apologetic. We the rest a little. - dinner
at Mazel Tov in Jewish Quarter. Babganoush and various hummus' and cream cheese
type stuff. green olives. entrees- shakshuma for Mimi. charcoal beef patties
for me. good dinner. Tokyo Lemonade beer for me... a Mad Scientist beer,
Belgian wheat - we then meet up w Suzie and Jim at a plain cocktail bar, Seven
Cocktail bar. intended to go to ruins bar but didn't happen. I had two Baz
beers. Nim is drunk, Suzie is a talker. - we then walk around together and they
walk us all the way back to our place. another long goodbye. we noticed Jim
and I are wearing the exact same thing. - we go to bed. 6/1 -looked at the
church beside our apt -visited parliament and all the buildings surrounding and
that whole neighborhood. walking. -went to the Jewish shoes on the Danube
-walked across a bridge from Pest to Buda and stopped into Margaret Island in
between. -continued to Buda and then got scooters. rode all around and up and
down the hills of Buda. 1.5hrs on the scooters. mimi scared going down one
road that was like Lombard in San Fran. she walked it down. -went thru a park
and SOWA style area in Buda that was all locals. Mimi got a yuzu raspberry
popsicle covered in chocolate ganash and pistachios. -train back to Pest and
Mimi got a blood sausage at a Bordain place.... Belvarosi Disznotoros. pretty
gross IMO -walked all around the fashion district(?) and shops -went back to
apt and started to pack -met Stefan and Denis for dinner. then we all went to
Elite Medical bar for one last drink bc a piano olayer in yhere caught Stefans
interest. I teach Denis a little about scotch and whiskey. - we all then walked
to our square. Stefan again dragged out the goodbye, ugh. -Packed and prepped
til late bedtime -ran into Katta (airbnb owner) outside apt and she gave me a
bottle of Hungarian spirit that she'd bought us for whar we went thru with the
tram security. 6/2 Mimi and I woke and left together to catch the 100E shuttle
bus to the airport, even tho our flights were 2hrs apart. -Mimi delayed 2+hrs.
she flues to Dubli. for the night. I fly to London and catch my quick
connection to JFK