Planes, Trains, Boats, and Automobiles!

April 13, 2018 ~ A Long Ride to Prague! We had a fairly early "call" this morning (although not as early as some folks who left the ship at 3:30 a.m. for the airport and home).  Bags needed to be packed and outside our cabin by 7:15 a.m., and we were to be on our bus to Prague by 8:15 a.m.  I packed all but our essentials before we slept, so that we could be up, dressed, and out of the cabin on time.  Imagine our surprise to see grey skies and rain!  But I suppose that if it had to be rainy, at least it was on a day of travel from one place to another and not on a day we had a walking tour. Josef, the patient omelette maker! We enjoyed our final breakfast on the ship, said our goodbyes to some of our favorite members of the crew, and headed out for our bus. A Hungarian Castle - Somewhere Along Our Journey Interesting Skies All Day Long The Sun Breaking Through Over the Hungarian Village Hungarian Windmills Grey Skies over ...

April 12, 2018 ~ Budapest, Hungary This has been our last full day on the ship as we will debark early tomorrow morning for our transfer via long bus ride to Prague.  As I reflect on this journey I am filled with images of blue skies and fluffy white clouds, contrails criss-crossing against a brilliant sky.  I see church steeples in the hundreds against those azure skies, architecture in the gothic, romanesque, rococco styles.  Cobblestone streets - so narrow - opening up into market squares where peddlers sell their wares and street musicians perform.  Crowds of tourists jostle for position all striving for the perfect photograph to capture the moment - all of whom will struggle to remember just which church; which building; which statue they captured in that precious moment.  And all around me are people smiling, overwhelmed by the beauty and the amazing history behind each place - each photograph.  My head is a jumble of historical facts, but I come...