A word of warning: Some of you have asked for a lot of pictures (snap, snap, snap) while some have asked for more stories (blah, blah, blah). This first part is a lot of blah, blah, blah about the mechanics of getting to our destination. Then we will hit you with more photos than a 30’s film-noir bad spy.
As we said last month, we left on October 28th for our biggest trip since arriving in France. G was turning 70 and I felt it warranted a big celebration, especially after the long quarantine. We still had to wait until after our trip for our 3rd booster shot but we managed to get our fall flu shot before leaving, which was a relief. We decided to stay in Paris the night before our two flights to Budapest because the travel day was bound to be long. Catching the 11am train the day before our flight to the airport, we had chosen a hotel which is located in the same terminal building, to make the first day of our trip easy. The only reason we flew from Paris to Budapest was to shorten the trip. It would have taken much longer to ride the train, our preferred mode of travel, all the way to Budapest and then back along our planned route.
The next morning we checked out early because we had access to the Lufthansa lounge where we planned to get some coffee and croissants. Unable to easily locate it, we got directions from a uniformed staffer and in the process, discovered that our online ‘ticket’, stored on our mobile phones, was a confirmation not a boarding pass, as it has been previously. This meant that we had to go through the crowded line for paper tickets, although they allowed us to move to the smaller line for business class tickets.
Then we needed to go through the huge line for security earlier than we planned, to get to the Lufthansa lounge which was located on the other side. That process in itself was nerve wracking. The Charles De Gaulle airport security uses an automated tray system which was confusing to many of us, requiring us to follow the shouted instructions from a giant, French speaking attendant. All of our luggage, backpack, coats, computers, even wallets, tickets and passports had to go into separate trays, which then didn’t spit out grouped together or even at the same time. By the time G was through security, all of our trays had been deposited ahead of him, exposed and unattended. His stress level was at a peak. I always end up getting through last because they physically wand and pat me down – which they did twice. I never wear jewelry or anything extra because my metal knee implant causes enough security problems. We reconnected after I’d gotten through and G had managed to locate all of our items, double checking to make sure it was all accounted for. Having our passports laying out in the open, unattended was unbelievable, not to mention our wallets. Plus with all of the process we needed to get through, if we hadn’t started early, we might not have even made our flight. Instead of the hour and a half rest we’d hoped to get in the lounge, we had a 1/2 hour for our coffee and were off to board our flight to Budapest.
At this stage in our life, if we can afford to, we fly business class. We don’t move as fast as we used to and it affords us priority boarding and more time to get situated before the plane fills. Intra-European 1st and business class is essentially economy with the middle seat blocked off, so it’s nothing like international flights. When we got off the first leg of the flight in Frankfurt, it made no difference. We all disembarked down the flight of movable outdoor stairs onto the tarmac, then were herded all together onto a bus to the terminal, then once in the building the crowd marched up two more flights, through two tunnels to the gate which we found already taking tickets. After passing the ticket agent, all of us went down two flights of indoor stairs to the tarmac, all back on a bus which drove about 5 football fields to the plane, out off the bus onto the tarmac, then up two flights of the outdoor stairs into the plane. Everyone jockeying for position and space. The commotion we’d hoped to avoid with business class tickets.
The biggest difference I notice between rail travel and air travel is the mob anxiety level, and it is actually contagious. On trains, people are not really that anxious. Everyone generally waits their turn, patiently, to get on. There is the line, of course, but everyone calmly waits for the person in front of them to board without pressing, to put their bags in the hold, which is located just inside the connecting doors, before the seating. And if that hold is filled, there is one at the other end of the car, plus racks above the seats. There is the regular bumping as some struggle with bags too big for them to handle and occasionally, if need be, another passenger will pitch in to give a hand. There are some who are in more of a hurry to get to their seat but usually it’s less a case of self promotion and more a case of just trying to get out of the way of foot traffic. Getting off the train is pretty much the same in reverse with even less hurry and some stay in their seats until a majority of folk have gotten off.
The train to the Paris airport had a good example of what I’m talking about. As we were in line in the aisle to disembark the train at the airport station, G was behind me with his rolling bag and I had mine of course. In front of me was a small 20-some year old woman, weighing maybe 100 pounds. Her mother, equally small and using a cane, was standing, waiting at the closed exit door. Across from her, at the opposite non-exit door, was a-not-much larger 30-something woman with her 10 year old son and their two bags. The young woman in front of me was maneuvering – no joke – five or six steamer trunk-size rolling luggage bags (about waist high) to the door next to her mother. The whole scene reminded me of our 15 pieces of luggage when we moved to France. So, she already had three of four lined up in the exit area and was currently working on three more, in front of me. As I watched her labor at this process – which I could not help from behind – I also watched the 30 year old and her son, who were literally pinned in their corner as the luggage parade was piling up in front of, between them and the exit.
When the train stopped and the exit door opened, mom got out first, carefully with her cane, then the daughter started to move the line of rolling trunks to the door, getting them out and mom, on the platform, would move them along, out of the way. This was clearly going to be a lengthy process and people waiting to get on the train, along with the woman and her boy and myself, all joined in to get the trunks off the train and onto the platform. It did take a bit of doing because of the size and quantity but it went rather smoothly and quickly with many hands. Then everyone went on about their business as we all got off. No one was exasperated, impatient or aggravated. Especially not the woman and her boy, who were blocked from the exit, behind all of the trunks. I fully expected them to show some exasperation – but not a single ounce. This same circumstance would not go well at an airport or on a plane.
At the CDG airport, just getting our boarding tickets and getting through security was torture, as I outlined. THEN, getting onto the first plane, the line at the gate felt like the Boston Marathon – everyone was pressing against those in front and being pressed by those behind. Everyone wanted to get on first – impatience as palatable as aggression. There was an elderly man with a cane and he was slow with his ticket to the collecting agent at the door. The people behind him (in front of us) were upset it was taking him so long. There was plenty of time to get on the plane – it was just the beginning of boarding and he even had a 1st class ticket, so it should have allowed him some extra time. But even the other 1st class passengers were impatient to get past him. I wondered later how he was managing as the line began to stampede after passing the ticket agent, especially with all the stairs we endured.
Another example of this kind of agitation was when we were already seated on the plane from Frankfurt to Budapest. Most of the seats around us had filled and the line was still streaming in. There were three seats on each side of the aisle, with the middle seat empty for required distancing. Directly next to us, across the aisle, sat one young man – already in the aisle seat and his baggage stowed. An older man arrived and pointed out that the empty seat at the window, next to this guy, was his. But then he looked up at the luggage already stored in the bin and exclaimed loudly, “THIS ISN’T RIGHT ! MY LUGGAGE GOES HERE !!!” And proceeded to pull out the young man’s, already stored luggage and put his own in – he almost hit me in the head with it. The young man said, “But wait – that’s MY luggage.” The older guy says, “ Well, it can go somewhere else.” and then sticks it in a bin further down, on our side. Really rude, impatient, aggressive – and I fully expected the younger man to retaliate, when he got up to let the guy get past into his window seat, which he did not. We’ve all read about physical confrontations on airplanes. The atmosphere in the entire process affects everyone – I’m unhappy to find myself anxious as well – to get my seat, to get my bag in the overhead bin before the space is gone. I’m strung tighter than a noose. It’s a very thick feeling of ME, ME, ME, MINE, MINE.
That’s why we like and prefer train travel. After this trip, we’ve decided that, if possible, we’ll avoid flying at all costs. It’s stressful, nerve wracking and I don’t even like myself when I’m affected. I feel the need for a mental shower, to wash off all that yuk stuck to my synapsis.
On all of our trips, we go to hear the language, taste the food, see the neighborhoods where people live. Our one constant is sitting in a cafe and just absorbing our surroundings, eating the local dishes. We’re not into fancy gourmet dinners – we look for local pubs, we’re not into high end shopping, we look for individual artisan craft shops, we’re not into tours, we don’t race around to see all the MUST SEE spots. Our experience would bore others, I’m sure. It’s a leisurely look at the place and taking in the culture, which for us, is best felt by this approach. SO – enough of the blah, blah, blah – here come some pictures !!
BUDAPEST
To continue , when we disembarked in Budapest, for the first time on our flights, we did not get emptied down a set of stairs, onto the tarmac. We actually got to walk through those extension walk ways directly from the plane into the terminal. But we sat and waited until everyone had disembarked before getting our bags and leaving. We’d had just too much of the crowd. It was a relief to land.
We got picked up at the airport by a car service called Blacklane, which we’ve used since arriving in France, and in every city on this trip as we find their service to be quick and efficient. A nice man, Vincent, was waiting for us. He was proud of his country and town, having been born, and grown up, in Budapest. He offered some places to eat and suggested some things he felt we should see. He was pleased to learn it was our first visit and that we had come specifically to SEE Budapest. It was a really nice change from the stress of the day we’d spent to get here.
At the hotel, after checking in, we dropped our bags in our room and admired the great view – we were right on the Danube with a fabulous view of the fall foliage, water and historic architecture. We went down to the hotel bar since I was in desperate need of food and libation. I’d gotten what is called ‘Hangry’ so hungry that you’re angry. Poor G – I was a mess. After a glass of wine and tapas, my mood improved 100 percent and I was finally off the crazy side of the journey. After we had a light dinner, we took a taxi to the pier for a night boat cruise which a friend had recommended. It was quite cold, with a biting wind but they gave us blankets, plus G and I were well dressed for the weather. The cruise was absolutely beautiful and serene, with just the right amount of information. I kept pinching myself and exclaiming to G, “We’re in Budapest !!!” And he just grinned.
The next day we went for an early morning walk – it was much warmer than predicted, in the mid 60’s. It was a lovely fall day, with the turning leaves swirling in the air. It’s amusing to us that the older, historic neighborhoods on the west side of the Danube are referred to as “Buda”. The newer, east side (where our hotel is located) is called, “Pest”. If you look at a map, the name is divided by the river so that it reads Buda on the west side and Pest on the east side. We also found that they pronounce it as if it ends in an ‘H’ instead of a ‘T’; Budapesh.
We picked up our hop-on hop-off bus tickets and the transportation cards. We don’t know about the tours in the cities we’re visiting because we don’t enjoy tours, so we don’t research them. The Bus works for us because we can get off when we want, for whatever reason and then resume looking at the city, hearing the commentary after taking a break. Sometimes we would get off to have a meal or to look at something in particular, or to thoroughly examine an area that is the farthest away from our hotel – one we wouldn’t reach easily by foot. After we picked up our tickets, we walked to the Central Market – a big market and the place that Vince, our car driver, said had the best goulash.
It is a two story warehouse stuffed with individual vendors AND tourists. Emphasis on ‘Tourists‘. The crowd was so thick, it reminded me of the annual Lille Braderie, which attracts over 2 million people over 3 days. Well, maybe there weren’t 2 million in the market, but it certainly felt like it to me. A view from a set of stairs showed a sea of heads – pretty daunting. The downstairs had the produce, meats, spices and wine vendors. The upstairs had the tourist souvenirs and the restaurants – that is where, inconceivably, even more people were stuffed. Trying to make our way through the vendors, shoulder to shoulder with other people, wore us both out rather quickly and we did not stay there to have lunch. We did buy some small sweet and hot paprika tins for ourselves and small packets of hot paprika for our neighbors. When we finally made it to the exit, I told G that I want a T-shirt that reads:
I survived CENTRAL MARKET HALL
In Budapest
on a Saturday !!
I’m surprised with all the tourist kitsch, that they didn’t sell those T-shirts. It seems a natural.
Back outside, we were able to remove our masks and breath in the lovely air. We continued our walk of the downtown park and plaza areas and found a nice little place for lunch. We shared a plate of goulash and a slice of pork with veggies, which was listed as pork neck. Both were very good and it was a terrific relax after the Central Market Hall. Our first taste of authentic Hungarian Goulash (which they pronounce ‘goo-lah’ without the ‘SH’. After lunch we walked through the Jewish quarter known for their cafes and shops but it was already 5 by the time we got there and the shops were all closed. More walking, enjoying the city and we came across an Irish pub – they’re really in every large city we’ve visited. Stopped for a whiskey and talked to the waitress a bit – a sprite young woman with a delightful Irish lilt. She was from Budapest – her dad was Irish and her mom was Hungarian, so she had spent time in both places, which explained her accent. She also loved Budapest and was enthusiastic about the things we could see.
When we hear the Hungarian language, it sounds like Russian spoken with an Italian cadence. The waitress explained that the roots are Flemish, which reminded me that it was similar to the Flemish Belgium and Flemish German dialects we hear in Lille. This is the only place we would be visiting on this trip which doesn’t use the euro. We needed to get Hungarian Forint’s (HUF). They come in multiple amounts, e.g, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000 and 1,000 bills which are equal to €55.5, 27.7, 13.9 and 2.3 euros, respectively. Quite a mental adjustment for us to make.
In Budapest we came to understand paprika’s role in the food – it’s not overly done and it is consistently present. The people love their city and their country. They have suffered like everyone during the pandemic and are relieved to be freer, to enjoy everyday life again and be earning a wage as travel has resumed. They’re quick to talk and share. Filming in Budapest is relatively cheap and their neighborhoods are so similar to many world wide that they are featured in a huge amount of movies, masquerading as New York, Berlin (Well’s Third Man), France and Belgium. Budapest carried the smells of fall leaves and braised beef. I couldn’t pick up any particular scent from the river – not of the sea and not of algae. It could be because it was the onset of winter.
Every bridge in Budapest had to be rebuilt after WWII but the historic buildings were relatively preserved. Baroque, Art Nouveau, the more restrained Bauhaus and some of the really harsh Socialist Classicism built during the time Hungary was part of the Soviet Union. There are examples of architecture from the 17th century forward. It’s really a beautiful city.
The last day was a Sunday and we got off to a rocky start, but gratefully, it was handled quickly. I woke up with the clear signs of an ear infection – I’ve only had one other as an adult. Because it wasn’t going to improve on its own, we went straight to a pharmacy. They were a great help in getting us in touch with a medical outfit that could take care of us on a Sunday morning (Could I have ASKED for better timing?!). After G talked with them, we took a taxi to their office, located in a nice residential area, and upon arriving they had a doctor on hand who examined my ear and gave me antibiotics to take – one on the spot, so by lunch the pain had diminished significantly. It ate up a couple of hours but that was astounding to us, on a Sunday, in a foreign country.
We were on the Buda side and caught the Hop-On bus at it’s beginning point on that side. Unfortunately it was probably the worst one we’d encountered. The commentary was confusing on which building it was explaining and it’s explanation continued so far past the point so that other buildings we wanted to hear about were not addressed at all. Very unsatisfactory, which has not been our regular experience.
When it returned to the Pest side, we got off and did more walking. Got hungry and found a delightful little restaurant serving the Hungarian food we sought. Great, small staff, terrific service – it was packed and we were lucky to get their last little table before they cut off incoming clients. I had their stuffed cabbage and G had a pork dish – pork strips braided with bacon in a paprika sauce. Both dishes were fabulous, as was the wine. Didn’t have a single disappointing wine in Budapest. We shared an apple pie, which was square, with a top crust and it was also very tasty. Somehow in our conversation, the waitress came to understand that this was a birthday trip for G, so after we finished up, the restaurant’s lights dimmed and she came out of the kitchen with another little piece of apple pie with a lit candle. The staff sang happy birthday to G and customers all joined in. We were presented with two small shots of Pàlinka, a Hungarian fruit brandy which was very fragrant, flavorful and potent. The whole experience was so touching and really put a nice zing on the day. More walking and then even more walking, before turning in.
The next day, after a nice leisurely breakfast, we had the same wonderful driver, Vince, from our arrival who, once we arrived, took our bags into the station to make sure we got on the right platform. It was a rather bleak station with no amenities – finding a clean place just to sit was tricky and it was a little confusing so we really appreciated his extra caution.
Vienna
On the train, it was an uneventful, peaceful 2-1/2 hour ride to Vienna. The drive to the hotel revealed an absolutely huge, historic city. It was mind boggling just looking at it outside of the car windows. We waited for our room to become available, in the club lounge which was so elegant and simple – Swedish style minimal lines and incredibly comfortable. Full bar at our disposal and a fresh salad bar. Quiet, we were alone and we were catered to in the extreme. It was the first day that the Club Lounge was open since the pandemic and everyone was excited just to have clients. We were made to feel like royalty. On G’s birthday, the Club staff sent to our room champagne and a wonderful dessert. They were just incredibly welcoming to us.
When the room was ready, we were struck in awe. We have only stayed at one other place that was so luxurious, which was an incredibly ostentatious hotel in Basel Switzerland, arranged by a river cruise company, at the end of a Christmas Cruise. Even so, this WAS over the top fabulous and not our regular budget choice. I’m such a gawk that the luxury almost made me uncomfortable. Almost. Then I was reminded of Dorothy Parker’s quote, “I’ve never been rich, but I bet I’d be dandy at it”. Oh yeah, I did relax. So tough.
This is definitely a city that would take a LOT of time to see. And although the Hop-On’s can have some problems, the majority of them do the job we need – a feel for the layout of the city and cliff notes of it’s history – recorded and triggered by the progress of the driver. We only buy a one-day pass and then explore on our own.
The weather was cold and rainy so this particular Hop-On suffered from fogged windows and we couldn’t see anything that we were hearing about. So we got off and walked EVERYWHERE. We started at a vast outdoor market that had every ethnic food you could want, every spice and cooking ingredient, every cut of meat, fish or produce. There was one vendor that had at least a dozen different kinds of hummus on display. We stopped to sample an authentic strudel. It was Apple Strudel and nothing like we’ve had before. The strudel we’ve eaten has always had a hearty crust – a lot like rugelach. But this was a light crust – lighter than even a great croissant and it made for a delicious, delicate dessert.
Vienna was like nothing we’ve ever seen. There was so much to see in the city. I can’t stress enough that it is simply overwhelming and over the top stimulation. The architecture, the museums, the massive structures in every direction, the foods, the diversity of populous. Because it is so massive in every regard, we didn’t get the neighborhood experience we do in a smaller city. Like Washington D.C., the every day person was involved in transporting to work or working. Hanging out at a local tavern, didn’t happen – even at night, so I didn’t get a real feel for the people. I was completely staggered by the history and arts. At the end of the day, when we dragged back to the hotel having walked our feet off, I could swear that I was two inches shorter.
To celebrate our survival, we had the best steak dinner at the hotel restaurant which was deservedly named in the top 30 World Wide best steak restaurants, the Distrikt Steakhouse. Then to top it off, we went to the D-Bar, the cocktail bar in the hotel that was so incredible. What a gem. It was also a cigar bar but it was nearly empty and we were fortunate that there were no smokers. The cocktails were complex, handmade works of art. G had a rum manhattan – the best I’ve ever tasted and I had a gin vesper, with a shot of smoky scotch. They were magnificent. In a stupor, we floated off to bed. Before we leave the subject of Vienna, have to say that we finally tried a bidet in this fancy hotel room and are totally sold on them.
Prague
Next, we took the train to Prague, a 3-1/2 hour ride. Ordinarily an uneventful part of our journeys, this day in travel, I’m sorry to say, I did not feel well the entire time. The antibiotics that I had to take for the ear infection made me dizzy, nauseated and with a bit of a headache. But that day, it was day 5 of it and I got hit with a migraine getting on the train. I carry stuff with me for it – but it made for a very uncomfortable day. Then we had the misfortune of having a very loud man and his wife sitting behind us. He clearly liked his own voice and talked in an elevated volume the entire trip. His wife made monosyllabic replies. If I were charitable, I’d say that perhaps he or his wife were hard of hearing. We certainly are not and were not feeling charitable in the least. In fact it made me want to break the rule of “Don’t bite or hit anyone.” I was very grouchy. And very tempted.
We (grumpy and G) disembarked the train and called the Blacklane driver to connect. The company makes a point of making sure the driver speaks the passenger’s language. We were already outside, on a street corner, so we could give him the street crossing names. This driver didn’t speak English and on a couple of difficult phone exchanges on the point of pick up – he insisted we go back into the train station, to Burger King in the center, for the meeting spot and he wouldn’t budge. We had to tromp back to the train station to meet in front of Burger King. After finding him, it was clear he spoke more English than he originally indicated. His stubbornness in refusing to meet us at the street corner was that he didn’t want to have to deal with traffic. Why be a driver, if that is your issue?? Anyway, grumpy me spoke zero, G wasn’t happy either and for the first time ever – when we got dropped off at the hotel, we didn’t tip him. G ALWAYS tips, frequently too much. For him NOT to tip speaks volumes.
Leaving all that, Prague is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It has the incredible, historic buildings and monuments but unlike other cities, for the most part it remained intact by the end of WWII. It’s a shopping mecca, the Czech food, of course is notable, as are the museums, the Vltava river which skirts the capital and a well known, huge astronomical clock which has run for 600 years. Their many bridges are well known and one bridge in particular, the Charles, which was started in 1300, contains 30 giant Baroque statues.
At the hotel, we found their club lounge had not opened after the pandemic – probably not enough staff. The lounges connected to the Marriott/Ritz Carlton are one of the main reasons we use them. They’re quiet, secluded areas where we can decelerate, get light appetizers and wine or cocktails. We can sit on love seats or wing chairs and take off our shoes. We can hear each other talk and the atmosphere is a break from the outside world. And it isn’t a hotel room. It’s a nice buffer in our travel. Not to have it is a big loss. So in the hotel after dropping our bag in our room, we sat in their restaurant which was in the middle of a very open section that included the lobby check in. Not at all relaxing. So we went back up to our room, ordering room service – another thing we never do. To bed early and slept in – happy to leave the worm day behind.
For our first day in Prague, we started with a light breakfast in the hotel before being picked up by Pietra in a vintage red car. He took us for an hour and half tour of Prague, giving a monologue of everything we passed. If you can’t spit in any direction in NY without hitting an Irish pub (Hey, I’m part Irish – I know what I’m talking about), the same is true here in the old city regarding churches. Names, dates, delineations of political parties in power (Socialist, Communist, Democratic), historic protests and power grabs, along with the city changing hands from one country to another – all flew past our ears at an amazing mesmerizing speed. The city itself is an old city with a new city wrapped around it, like a crescent moon, edged along one side by the Vltava river – or as referred to in German, The Moldau.
It really is stunningly beautiful everywhere you looked – in a historic village, fairytale feeling sort of way, unlike Vienna. It didn’t overpower you. There were plenty of castles, churches and synagogues, but nestled in the landscape of winding roads, small hillsides and fall foliage. Rather like a Currier & Ives with Gothic, Baroque and Rennaisance structures poking out everywhere.
The streets are too small and serpentine to accommodate Hop-On buses, which is why we took the auto tour. The only downside was that traveling on the cobblestones in a vintage auto was as rough as being on a bicycle, a problem we have in Lille. This made it hard to sit through the hour and a half and G had a terrible time trying to get steady photo shots on the move. After the ride we thanked Pietra immensely – he must lose his voice during the day, I am sure. It had drizzled off and on during the time outside. Then we went back to the hotel to rest – our room hadn’t been done, which is always frustrating because you’re looking forward to it being freshened.
We went out to lunch at a place that G found and had a really tasty meal of a roasted pork knee and goulash served in a rye bread bowl. We walked around old town, taking in the architecture, the winding streets, a few notable monuments and the giant astronomical clock which really has been running for 600 years. Although our photos don’t quite capture it, the clock chimes on the hour and little blue windows at the top open to show a parade of characters.
Our last day in Prague, we pretty much walked the entire city. Easy to cover, actually. We went to the Jewish cemetery which is famous for stacking the burials many people deep because of the lack of square footage – but silly us, it was Saturday – hello, Sabbath and of course, closed. We stopped at a non tourist type tavern to have a beer. The wines we tasted, the local foods and the beers have all been excellent. I would have to say that the average person in Prague – the drivers, the staff in restaurants and bars – were not open to conversation. In Vienna they were just too busy to even delay in any kind of conversation where Budapest was more laid back. Prague was less frantic than Vienna but we found that they were not enthusiastic to answer questions or engage in casual conversation.
After spending a good amount of time out and about, we discovered on that Saturday, all the restaurants were booked for dinner. So we settled for room service and had a very good meal of their specialties. One was a pork dish with dumplings that were large and sliced like bread rather than small and round dumplings we’re used to. We also had a Kielbasa dish, which is more flavorful than the sausages we’ve gotten in the states.
Daylight saving occurred the day we left Prague. The EU has agreed to do away with the daylight savings time but can’t get all the countries to agree, with not only passing their own legislation to authorize it, but which time to keep – the winter DLS or the summer DLS. And they all have to agree, otherwise it’d be a nightmare if they weren’t the same. Imagine trying to keep track of which US state had it or if it was winter or summer DLS, if they were all different. So, it doesn’t look like they’ll come to a consensus anytime in the near future, if ever. For now, they all do DLS.
Berlin
The train ride to Berlin was 5-1/2 hours. It was a relatively empty train and a quiet trip. Two stops before Berlin, it filled with more passengers and then most got off in Berlin. The train station was half train and half shops. We found our driver quickly, who was easy to converse with. He had been born in Berlin and enjoyed pointing out the highlights we were passing. We passed the Berlin Wall monument, Merkel’s building – joking that they called it The Washer because it was reminiscent of a giant clothes washer. There was a lovely, long, large forest – a park we were passing on our right, from the train station to the hotel, which was only five minutes away. That made our first impression of Berlin of foliage instead of a city center or having any core. It was drizzling but very lightly, cool with good-sized wind gusts. Running along to our left of the ride. all along the road was the location of the wall – separating East and West. It was no longer there of course but the driver pointed it out as we were traveling.
After checking in and resting, we went to the club lounge and had a light meal. They’d made the city specialty; Käsespätzle, a kind of fried pasta covered with cheese, accompanied with bits of fried beef in a gravy and lettuce, which is supposed to be mixed into the pasta. It was quite tasty.
The next day we took the Hop-On bus and took it until we got to a market that was a 45 min walk from the hotel. Hopped off, grabbed a light, late lunch. Talked at length with a Berlin native server – we were the only ones there, so he had time. Nice guy who loved his town and had a healthy view of the world. We walked back to the hotel, taking in the city. It’s a large city with modern buildings – so it’s missing the magnificence of Vienna’s busy city. That large park we mentioned that we passed on the way to our hotel, is in the center and the foliage is similar to the US east coast with lots of color.
As is true of each place we’ve been, Berlin has lots to do and see, art, great walking, good food, good chocolate. There is a wonderful Egyptian museum in the countryside, which we did not get to. The countryside we saw from the train was beautiful – gentle slopes, greenery, small hamlets.
Berlin for us – lots of history, forever framed by WWII with very little surviving historic architecture in the city. It is a much newer city with modern buildings – and some historic buildings and churches dotted in between. The bus commentary is structured to discuss the remaining old historic pieces but most is regarding WWII, its destruction, then the overpowering of politics in the 50’s, the dividing wall and subsequent changes that removed it – all of which shaped the city as it is now. The food is very good and basically the same as we’ve found in our travel so far – heavy comfort food. Meat and starch. Braised beef, roasted pork, root vegetables, cabbage, fried noodles or pasta, fish is smoked or pickled. Currywurst seems to be the biggest seller here. Fortunately it also fits the time of year of our trip.
We visited a lengthy exhibit – Topographie des Terrors – of basement walls of the School of Industrial Arts and Crafts built in 1901-1905. The broad light shafts with the white glazed tile slotted bricks were designed to improve the basement light. In May 1933, the Secret State Police Office moved into the building. Portions of the Berlin wall were built above the basement walls.
The German government has ensured that the city has plenty of parks – they put them at the base of all of the housing buildings and we enjoyed a walk through the Tiergarten park, which is several acres, in the city center, which we passed on the drive to the hotel. Other than that park, which had the smell of fall leaves and conifers, Berlin smells like bus and car fumes. It’s a modern, commerce city made of post war block buildings. We didn’t find it warm or inviting like the other cities. Even Vienna with it’s massive structures and overwhelming arts, had some warmth. In Berlin, unlike SF or NY, we didn’t come across small bergs with little markets and favorite taverns. There were mini stores we passed and some cafes – but scattered among the commercial buildings and there was not a grouping that gave it a cosy respite or feel.
The next day we walked all over Berlin, more on the southern part because we did the northern area the day before. It is a sprawling city whose identity was usurped by WWII and more specifically, the Gestapo and the millions of people murdered. This segued into the cold war and The Wall. The art (fine art, cinema, music) in reaction, although not my personal favorite, clearly reflects that history. The ugly and painful reality of it all needed to and must be expressed. I’m glad we saw Berlin, it should be visited. The fact that it can move forward and refuse to hide it’s scars, is nothing short of admirable. The beauty is in it’s survival.
Cologne
Our final destination was Cologne, a 4-1/2 hour train ride. We’d been to the city during Carnival in 2020, by pure accident. On that trip, we stopped for an overnighter, also coming back from a trip and on our way home, to Lille. That trip, when we got off the train, we felt like Dorothy landing in OZ. Everyone – and I do mean EVERYONE – all dressed in a huge variety of outrageous costumes. I felt woefully underdressed and unprepared. We made our way to the exit and in the train station plaza it was packed with people all in costumes, absolutely inebriated. OK, clearly we didn’t get the memo about SOMETHING happening. Got to the hotel and was told that it was Carnival. Of course. The one night everyone in Cologne goes insane is the night we picked to stop there. And that was our introduction to Cologne, our overnight stop on the way to Lille.
So we thought we’d try again and stop in Cologne. We chose to stay 2 nights, planning to just walk leisurely around the city. A way to decelerate as we tie up the journey on our way to Lille. We arrived at 4:45. Standing in the train station plaza, next to the Cologne Cathedral, the bells began to ring the 5pm. It was beautiful and the sky was turning the hues of sunset. It was coldest here, of all our travel to that point.
But once again, the plaza was filled with lots of little groupings of students with their luggage, all drinking – some already inebriated – it was 45 degrees and cooling – one fellow was in a T-shirt and shorts, standing barefoot, drinking a beer while on his phone. OK. We first decided that it must be tradition to come off the train, grab something alcoholic and gather in the square before getting picked up or going to the hostel. But then, looking at each other, we started asking ourselves about the date of our first trip to Cologne in 2019. It was the same time of year and as we looked at our calendar, it was exactly to the day we arrived, only this was the day before. This meant that Carnival was the very next day. What luck. And here we are, the two of us standing there, completely sober, 45 years older than we should be, according to the crowd and completely without Cow costumes. Oh boy, oh howdy.
At least no one was in costume, yet. So we kind of fit in. We’re the only ones in wool coats – but I could live with that. I’ll take that OVER a T-shirt and shorts and being barefoot on concrete at 45 degrees. We checked in, dropped our bags, went to the lounge for a light dinner and wine before turning in. The next day was to be 31 degrees to 45 in the afternoon. We didn’t have a hop-on bus so we thought we’d bundle up and walk the city. We visited the Roman north gate when the colony was founded in 50 AD.
Leaving the hotel in the morning, the fog was so thick that you couldn’t see more than 50 feet ahead. You couldn’t see the end of the bridge we took to the city center or the tops of buildings and most of the architecture, or how to clearly make your way. G’s GPS was giving him fits, we couldn’t use landmarks and had the good fortune to be surrounded once again by a drunk circus. Those who weren’t actually staggering around, were vomiting. It’s not illegal to have open containers or be publicly inebriated apparently and we decided this time around to just give up. We are quite boring, I guess. I suggested to G that he pack a pink tutu for Cologne next year but the look I got from him, suggests that’s a no.
We had dinner in the downstairs restaurant of the hotel because we didn’t want to go into town or after night fall because we remember from two years ago how the town was packed and food opportunities were scarce.
On a more practical note, we’ve put in our calendar that Cologne has Carnival on 11/11 since we have hit it twice. It is a perfect spot to cut the train journey home to Lille in half, but now we’ll either pick another town or avoid 11/11 in Cologne like the plague. Should mention that in traveling, we saw the regular mistakes in English translations on signs. My favorites this trip were “Meat Beer”, “Meat Up” and “Pancake Drinks.” No, we didn’t try any of them.
Returning to our apartment was just paradise. We’d been gone for 2 weeks and it felt much longer. We parked our bags in the second bedroom, jumped into the shower, got on fresh, comfortable clothes and pulled the homemade chicken soup we’d saved in the freezer for our return. The place filled with a homey, soothing smell. Refreshed, relaxed, we dined with a nice chardonnay. Home at last. What a great trip but home is made sweeter by it.
The only souvenirs we bought were some fresh paprika for the neighbors and a bob from each country that we turn into ornaments for our tree. If all else fails, when we are looking for an item to represent the country, we’ll get a key chain. It’ll have the crest of the country and it’s name “Hungary” as opposed to ‘Budapest’. We got one from Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic and Germany. The only other thing we picked up was a series of stars, in different shapes, colors and sizes, to hang in our hall for December.
We received our 3rd booster shot, had some good doctor appointments and have settled back into a routine after the trip. We also read in the week that we returned that the countries we visited are experiencing another virus wave. Austria has gone into a lockdown, others have instituted more stringent measures. We can’t believe how fortunate we were to get to see those sights in that travel window. It’s going to be hard economically for all those we met, all those who were so excited to be working again.
Here, the numbers still remain in the acceptable range. We had a fabulous Thanksgiving meal in town. It’s not hard to get a reservation when you are the only ones celebrating it ! Lille has opened it’s Christmas market and all of the holiday street lights are up. At night, the lights are all so festive and it’s hard to believe it’s already time to slide into the last month of the year. Our first snow of the year is occurring today, as I close this, on the 27th
For all of you who follow us – Hope you had a wonderful, thankful Thanksgiving. We are grateful for the life we have and wish the same for you.
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