My Travel Tribe…Cindy, Janie, Sylvia and me.

This summer’s vacation took me to the Central European countries of Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. It was great to be joined by my friends and travel companions Sylvia, Cindy and Janie.

Three of us arrived three days prior to the start of the tour to spend some additional time exploring Prague. On our first full day we took a food tasting tour. What a great way to get oriented to the city and eat…eat…eat. We started at a gingerbread shop. From there we had sandwiches, meats and sausages, soup, wine and finished up with a meal of braised beef with dumplings and apple strudel. It was all delicious.

On our second full free day we visited the Lesser Town covering many sites. We traveled by foot, tram, funicular and Metro. Long and tiring but we saw much.

One day in Prague I opted to set up an e-bike tour. That was really fun. I’d never ridden an e-bike before. It was so fun and easy. Over 3 hours we covered about 12 kilometers including a ride up to Prague Castle. I hardly broke a sweat. Best part, I was the only one to sign up so got a personal tour with my own guide.

After leaving Prague we drove to little town of Cesky Krumlov for three nights. What a spectacular place. Our hotel was on the town square in the city center. You couldn’t ask for a better hotel location.

From Cesky Krumlov we headed to Slavonice. On the way we toured the Budweiser Budvar factory in Ceske Budejovice. Slavonice was a little town in the middle on nowhere and off the tourist route. This was the local interaction part of the tour. The day we arrived we had dinner at a local woman’s house. She had a wonderful garden compete with tomatoes and cannabis! Very progressive gardener. The next day we spent time at a local horse farm meeting with the owners and joining them for lunch.

The next stop was Bratislava, Slovakia for 2 nights. This town didn’t have the history of some of the others but still had a great city center with much to explore.

The final stop was Budapest for four nights. Over three days we explored much of the city including an evening cruise on the Danube. After our farewell dinner as a group we drove up to the Citadel in Buda for spectacular views of the city lights. Once the formal tour ended the four of us spent one final day exploring Budapest.

The food was good, but very heavy with lots of meat, potatoes and dumplings. For our free meals we broke it up with some burgers and Italian food. Who wouldn’t want a burger from a McDonald’s housed in a train station designed by Gustave Eiffel? It was the fanciest McDonald’s I’ve ever seen.

Keeping up with three currencies was a challenge. 23 Czech Koruna to the Dollar; .89 Euro to the Dollar; 274 Hungarian Forints to the Dollar. When we arrived in Hungary I hit the ATM and withdrew $100…the ATM spit out a 20,000 and 10,000 Forint note. Tough to buy a gelato with notes that big.

Hope you enjoy the photos of my journey. Time to plan my next adventure.

Dates: May 24 – June 11, 2017

Operator: Overseas Adventure Travel

Our tour map

Highlights of the food tour

Petrin Tower, Prague

Prague

St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague

Baby sculpture by David Cerny

Prague from Castle Hill

Charles Bridge, Prague

Memorial in honor of the fire fighters who died on 9-11 placed by the Prague Fire Department.

Astronomical Clock, Prague

Astronomical Clock, Prague

St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague

Prague

Prague Castle

St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague

Changing of the guard at Prague Castle

Prague

St. NIcholas Church, Prague

Prague

Prague

Library at the Strahov Monastery, Prague

Strahov Monastery, Prague

Library at the Strahov Monastery, Prague

Prague

Statue on the Charles Bridge

Prague

Metalmorphosis sculpture of Franz Kafka in Prague

Prague

Tram in Prague with a cool Pepsi ad in the back

Jewish Quarter in Prague

Tasty treats in Prague.

Prague

The bubble man of Prague. Got to make a living somehow.

Cistercian Monastery in Vyssi Brod.

Cistercian Monastery in Vyssi Brod. Established in 1259.

St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague

The aptly named “Piss” sculpture by David Cerny. At the Frank Kafka Museum. Every little while their hips moved back and forth. Too funny.

Prague

View of Prague Castle and St. Vitus Church from Petrin Tower

St Lawrence Church, Prague

Vojna Memorial. Former post-WWII labor camp.

Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov

Lennon Wall, Prague

Town Square in Old Town Prague

Pisek, Czech Republic

Pisek, Czech Republic

Pisek, Czech Republic

Pisek, Czech Republic

Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov Castle

Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov

Rafting in Cesky Krumlov

Viewing tower near Cesky Krumlov. The slide down was optional…but couldn’t be missed.

Sylvia had too much fun on the slide.

St. Vitus Church, Česky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov

Town Square, Cesky Krumlov. Our hotel is in the middle of the photo.

St. Vitus Church, Česky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov

Dinner on the Vltava River, Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov Castle

Cesky Krumlov Castle

Budweiser Budvar brewery tour.

Lunch stop in Trebon

Lunch stop in Trebon

Lunch stop in Trebon

Lunch stop in Trebon

Lunch stop in Trebon

Lunch stop in Trebon. We saw many sun dials like this on the trip.

Lednice Castle

Lednice Castle

Lednice Castle

Lednice Castle

Lednice Castle

Rear Synagogue in Tebic

Slavonice

Wine cellar at the hotel in Slavonice. It was in tunnels under the city from the 16th century.

Had dinner at a ladies house near Slavonice. She had an amazing garden. Tomatoes and cannabis.

The everything store in Slavonice

Slovanice

At the pottery workshop

Our ceramic shop visit. I’ve found a new career!

Lunch at a horse farm

Visit to a horse farm for lunch

The sleeping beauties.

Bratislava

Bratislava

Bratislava

Bratislava

I love buffet breakfasts. I love breakfast buffets with brownies even more.

Bratislava

Bratislava

Bratislava

The “UFO” Bridge, Bratislava

My new friends

Bratislava

Bratislava

Bratislava

Wine tasting with dinner in Bratislava.

Church of St. Elizabeth – Blue Church, Bratislava

Grasshopper store

Bratislava

Lunch stop in Goyr, Hungary

Who is Jim Carrie? In Goyr, Hungary

Lunch stop, Goyr, Hungary

Goyr, Hungary

Lunch stop in Goyr, Hungary

Lunch stop in Goyr, Hungary

Hero Square, Budapest

Budapest

St. Stephen’s Basilica, Budapes

Matthias Church, Budapest

Budapest

Liberty Bridge, Budapest

Parliament Building, Budapest

Great Market Hall, Budapest

My favorite pay toilet sign.

Margaret Bridge, Budapest

Parliament Building, Budapest

Parliament Building, Budapest

Budapest

Budapest at night

Budapest

Matthias Church, Budapest

Evening cruise on the Danube, Budapest

Farewell dinner in Budapest.

Budapest reflection

View from,St. Stephen’s Basilica

View of Budapest from the dome of St. Stephen’s Basilica

Interesting sculpture in Budapest

Budapest

Lunch at the McDonald’s designed by Gustave Eiffel.

Budapest

Cute pink T-Mobile phone booth.

Chain Bridge, Budapest

Great Market Hall, Budapest

St. Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest