A Grande Finale to a Grande Trip

An amazing start of the day with a Mass with the Vienna Boys Choir aka Wiener Sängerknaben The Mass was held in the in the Imperial Music Chapel and we were very fortunate to get seats in the 5th row.  The Mass was  from Joseph Haydn Mass in B and it was extrordinary to say the least. Besides the heavenly boys choir there was a full orchestra along with a men's choir. mass was amazing. During the Mass the choirs were high above us in the choir loft so we couldn't see them. But at the end the boys came down and performed one additional song so we could see them. The homily was summarized in 4 languages with an emphasis on the family as Pope Francis is speaking so strongly about that at the synod... happy Feast Day St Francis. 

After Mass we floated about.... Not sure where to start our last day adventures after being so moved by the Mass.... Ended up at the palace rose garden and then a famous ice cream establishment Zanoni and Zanoni... What else do you do... Eat ice cream!
We then went to the Hofburg Treasury, which again was pretty amazing. The opulence of the royalty was in full display especially in the ceremonial robes,  gowns and jewels. There were also some very impressive relics.... A piece of the cross, tooth of St John the Baptist,..... Not sure how I feel about all of that but in that time these items were meant to bring you closer to God. There was an amazing bowl also on display from the 600's which supposedly held the blood of Christ. It all leaves one a bit awestruck.
Had to have one Starbucks in Europe so enjoyed that as we took in the final sights of carriages pulled by horses, massive vines buildings, plazas and people watching.  Back to the hotel to get boarding passes and pack the suitcases. Hard to believe it's almost over....  Got a great recommendation for dinner... Very authentic and good. Our little table was housed in a wine cask which was great ambiance. One last serving of pork, dumpling and sauerkraut. 

Grand finale of the Vienna Choir Boys after Mass

Hofburg Treasury, said to be a relic of the cross with a nail hole in it. 

Our final dinner in Vienna, Great food and ambiance. 

Saturday Night Live in Vienna

As if we didn't pack in enough culture in one day... We decided to take in the Mozart Requieum  performance. The night in Vienna comes alive around 8:00 as there are concerts and performances around every corner. We were a little worried as it started at 8:15 pm and we can be rather early birds especially after walking town all day. but one good shot of espresso and we were good to go. Before the concert we followed Rick Steves suggestion and hit a great restaurant... Traditional and contemporary Austrian food. Don had a grilled chicken salad and I had a yummy pumpkin risotto. Pumpkin is really big here now. 

The town was really bustling as some of the major "rings" we're closed for the refugee concert. Lots of honking horns! 

The concert was beautiful with 20 piece orchstra and about 20 member choir. Wish we knew more about the piece before we went. It was a delightful way to finish a delightful day.  The Mozart Requim performance.

The stage for the performance, how can one not come away inspired? 

Saturday in Vienna

Today was another day of exploration. We started off at the AlbertinaMuseum which houses many art galleries along with the Habsbrug Staterooms. there is anew temporary exhibit by Edvard Munch, Love, Death and Lonliness. he is a Norwegian artist, a bit dark and one of his most famous works is pictured, The Scream. We were also able to see many other art works by Monet, picasso from Impressonism to classical modernism. They also had some great black and white phtographic collections. 

Then we moved on to the Opera House. We were able to catch a guided tours since  it is the only way to see the Opera House without going to the opera. most of this building has been refurbished as it was bombed out during WW2 This is one of the few original areas with the busts of many famous composers. It is now an intermission hall. Pretty nice way to spend intermission. 

BeLow is a picture of the actual hall which seats about 1800 and also has standing room for another 500 so it is affordable for all with standing tickets starting at 3€. The performances change nearly every night so the great amount of costumes approx 2000 have to be stored across the street. Same with the scenery... It was all pretty amazing and hard to imagine. 

Even with all this amazing culture... One must shop and dress to impress. There are many high end stores along with some of our typical.. Such as Claire's and H and M... The window sets are pretty cool! Needless to say, didn't shop in any!

Good-bye Backroads, Hello Vienna !

Today was our last day with our Backroads friends but not before we climbed high above Durnstein to a castle ruin where Richard the lionhearted was imprisoned in 1192. The view over the valley and Danube was spectacular and a fitting way to bid this part of our trip farewell. 

Then we boarded a bus to Vienna . It was a bit of.a culture shock after spending 5 days in the countryside. Vienna is a very busy city, packed with people and cars. We bid farewell to our friends and continued our journey on our own. What an amazing journey our bike trip was riding 150+ miles that flew by because of the friends and beauty. One surprising element of the trip was the richness of history we were exposed to through side trips and guides. How blessed! 

Our very small hotel Hotel Zur Wiener Staatsoper is very warm and Austrian and the location is perfect as it is right in the central part of town with museums, opera houses, shopping... All within walking distance. Our first inclination was to rest a bit as the pace has been pretty packed but we soon  opened our Rick Steves book and headed out exploring the city. We were soon mesmerized and swallowed up by the sights! We were amazed at how easy it was to navigate the city with book in hand and managed to see quite a bit of the city although there is much more to explore. of course The cathedrals and churches are plentiful, each with their own character. We also found a infamous Vienna chocolate store, Demel.... Omg! 

Then  the streets opened up to the Hofburg Palace which is massive, plaza and courtyard and palace after palace. On chance we found the Imperial Music Chapel where the Vienna Choir Boys sing at Sunday Mass. Goosebumps!  More massive areas including the Heros Square where they were erecting a huge stage for a rally and free concert tomorrow for the refugees. Here is where in 1938 Hitler packed the square with 300,000 cheering people. 

As we started our walk back to our hotel, we stopped at the TI center to see if we could inquire about tickets for the Vienna Choir Boys Mass.... And as luck would have it they had two good tickets! to say the least I'm very excited to experience this! 

As we walked down the street we spotted two people from our trip having dinner so we joined them for a drink. it was fun to rehash the trip!!! A light dinner of salad and pizza and a early night to bed. More exploring tomorrow!

 The view above the Danube from the castle ruins. 

The Hofburg Palace in Vienna

Don enjoying a beer on a bustling street in Vienna. 

Sunshine on the Danube

Today was an amazing ride as we had a full day of sun and rode most of the day alongside the beautiful blue ( somewhat green Danube. We traveled the Donauradweg, the most famous bike path in Europe. This path originates in Germany's Black Forest and continues for about 750 miles ending in Budapest. of course we cut it short, 39 miles, traveling from Durenstein to Melk where an amazing Benedictine monastery is located.  The landscape was full of apricot orchards, vineyards, apple orchards, pretty villages and churches perched high on the hillside with an occasional castle thrown in for fortification. the path was most flat and lightly traveled which made for a peaceful tranquil ride,   Which allowed us to savor the sights. 

Melk was delightful. We climbed up a narrow path to the abbey and the museum was well done, sharing the Benedictine rules of work, pray and read. Not a bad philosophy. After walking the museum for a bit we enjoyed a lunch of bratwurst and very yummy sauerkraut. 

then back on the bikes for our ride back to Durenstein. At one point we took a ferry across the Danube which was relatively small and carried many bikers, a few cars and a tractor with a load of freshly picked grapes. Some doorways had small cartons of grapes for sale, 1-2€.. On the honor system, they were very sweet. 

Riding back on the other side of the Danube allowed us to ride through many vineyards where the grapes were being hand picked. 

At 6:00 we walked a winery where we met a wine expert who treated us to a tasting of four various famous regional wines.

Then on to Lanhouse Bacher, an acclaimed family run restaurant, one of the best in Wachau Valley for our farewell dinner. 

Does it sound like we eat a lot.... Sure feels that way.

The Beautiful Blue Danube

Our good friends Bill and Sally at the Melk Abbey. The four of us were more into a casual relaxing ride so we always picked up the rear. Our goal was to finish last every day which we accomplished. On this last day of riding, fresh fruit, wine spritzer a and apricot schnapps awaited us!

The terraced wine vineyards covered the rolling hills. If you look closely, you can spot the Danube!

Lots of Layers Through the Woods

Today, is Wednesday, Day 4 of riding. We started in Czech Republic and bid farewell to this country and we shuttled by van to Austria to a small village, Ottenstein. There our guide, Karem, prepared an Austrian picnic with meats, cheeses, schnitzel, salads and of course strudel. He was quite excited and proud to welcome us to his country. Crossing the border was uneventful although randomly there are checks with all the refugees. There was an immediate difference noticed between the two countries. One of the first Was the austerity of the Austrian people. Their homes are larger, spread out, better kept, there are more commercial business in the towns. The landscape also changed as we rode into the heavily darkly clad pine woods. Someone said one of the best things about riding through a country is that you get to smell the land. You certainly do as we smelled the fires of the farmers, cut wood, cut hay bails, or course manure, fall leaves.... It's wonderful. Our ride was beautiful through such heavy woods with Rivers winding along side us until we reached the Danube in the city of Wachau. 

Now and then a castle peeked our from an overhanging cliff or hill... It's hard to imagine what has all transpired here. 

As the pictures show, we had little sun today but it didn't damper our spirits on our 29 mile ride. Thank goodness for layers as it was chilly and I believe I had about 5 layers on. Knock on wood, we've had no rain. 

The region  we're staying in is famous for its white wine and there are grape vines lining the streets and also wine tasting. Hmmmm.Perhaps I best head out and do some tasting. 

Old castle marking our bike route. 

View form our rom, on the left and right is the Danube River. 

Dinner Details

Some of our delecTable dinner choices 

Making sure I don't mix up the bathrooms again....

Our Dinner Entertainment

A Day to Recover

Today was our day to take a break, if we wanted to...... Don decided to take the horizontal trail today and got a massage ($41.00) and of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to ride. this was our chance to go short which we did. Again, winding about 22 miles through the hillside burgs around Cesky Krumlov.

Our Room with a View

Here's a shot of one of the small villages. A simple 2 lane road in and out, very quiet except a few chickens. 

 This afternoon we were able to walk the town a bit and then met our beer tasting guide who is also a tour guide for a tour of the castle. Again, stories of many struggles and changing of hands. This area is very well preserved as the people were poor and pretty much left alone during the major wars.

Tonight, we had a round table Q and A session with Helen who is also a local. A stout strong woman who says it straight. When asked about discrimination against women she said no one has discriminated against me.... I don't doubt her. Again, she told about her life under communism and how everything changed like "waking from a bad dream" when it ended. About 80% of the people are agnostic here which is surprising because of the many shrines and magnificent churches. The reason is for the most part the people have been so battered through the years, one take over after another both politically and religiously that they don't trust anyone anymore and thus are agnostic. Then Helen took us through town and left us at a small family run restaurant that was outdoors in a cave like setting. A huge fire pit was the kitchen and a group of three men played away on banjo, guitar, kazoo...... We celebrated well our last night in Bohemia. Tomorrow we're off to Austria. 

The Long and Winding Road

So off we went on day 2 of our biking excursion. Left the hotel in Tabor by shuttle at 8:00 for a short van ride to our starting destination. This first picture is our day 2route set up by our guide Karen, complete with elevations. Once again, the route was tranquil and picturesque with lakes dotting the countryside. We rode with another couple, Bill and Sally , which made the journey much easier as 4 minds was better to stay on the right roads. Our morning ride took us 24 miles and we were feeling pretty good especially after another scrumptious traditional feast in the midieval village of Holaaovice which has been designated as a world heritage site because of its well preserved South BOhemian Folk Baroque style buildings. 

So then we had to make a decision, take the shuttle to our final destination or continue to ride for another 16 miles to our final destination Cesky krumlov...... We all went for the additional 16 which ended up being a 1400' climb for the day.  Getting to town was a welcome sight 

After a hot shower we headed off for a beer tasting session with a local beer expert . We find out the Czechs drink more beer per person that any other place in the world.. 142 liters a year... But their drinking is very different.... You drink here as a social opportunity to relax with friends casually. I also believe the beer isn't as strong either. 

Another dinner of fine Czech food and now....oh so tired!!!!! A shorterride tomorrow... And touring this lovely town.

Our Route for Day 2 

An Amazing lunch Mid ride 

 A very ornate cemetery along our route in small village called Kremze

Let's Get A-Rollin

So, finally the ride starts. Met our soon to be best friends just a few blocks from our hotel. A very nice group, two couples one a little younger than us, one a little older and a mother and daughter team. All from US, Seattle, Boston, Austin. Our guides are two young men, one Austrian;Karen and one from Texas, Kevin. 

We bid Prague farewell and headed south by van to Alenina Lhota which was a very small village but to our surprise, behold a gold course. For a minute I feared I lost Don to a set of clubs but I brought him back to reality. After a hearty lunch, safety talk and bike checks, we headed out. 

 Most of the roads are one lane peppered with hills... Enough to make you breathe hard but after the uphill, comes the downhill so all good. The cars travel pretty fast but are accustomed to bikes so as long as you ride safely, we've been assured we will be safe. The countryside is amazing, with very quaint and humble villages marking our travels. What a simple life! The most dangerous part is not hitting a chicken crossing the road... Which reminds me of a joke... Never mind. We all are provided an amazing map which details turns and landmarks to the tenth of a kilometer. Then at various spots the guide and or the van will meet us to check in or have nourishment. I am the navigator/ keeper of the map for the two of us for two reasons.... 1 I guess I'm a bit controlling and 2 Don can't see... Good reasons. The only wrong turn today was my going into and using the men's bathroom at a small B and B. Guess I better get that vocabulary corrected.

Oh well. after a pleasant 27 mile journey we stopped in a small town called Tabor. Our hotel is quite lovely and it used to be a monastery. It is very quiet which is welcoming after a bustling Prague. Tonight we have a welcome reception and another good meal. We've been told the hotel restaurant has been named one of the top 15 in the county. Oh yes, we were also set straight this morning... If any of us are planning to lose weight on the trip, give it up, the food is too good. 

Tomorrow starts at 8:00 so it's early to bed and early to rise. What a grand way to see a country! How blessed are we!

Winding Roads Through Rolling Countryside

Lots of layers, temperature is brisk, perfect for riding!

Exploring Prague 2 more pics

My oh my. Ate kolahes. as a child but never like these. 

Amazing architecture at the cathedral. 

Exploring Prague 2

On to Saturday and exploring Prague Day 2. This morning we ventured to the Jewish quarter which again holds stories of man's inhumanity and turmoil as a of 120,000 Jews who lived in the area in 1939 only 10,000 survived. Today it continues to be a small but strong community. 

This afternoon we joined Katarina who is a college professor and a friend of one of Don's patients. She was a wealth of knowledge and insights on the history of Prague as we peppered her with questions. We climbid a high plateau (on trolley) to the Prague Castle. Over the years nobles built palaces surrounding the castle to gain influence with the church and King.  And what castle is complete with out a cathedral which was started in in 1344, stalled by wars, plagues and reforms... Finally finished in 1929. The stories we were told were stories of years of battles for control and power combining church and government. Most of our time was spent in this Cathedral of St Vitus which is an amazing story in itself. (Look up St Vitus)  

We were awed by Katerina's stories for 3 hours, journeyed back to our hotel and then out for another amazing meal. Good thing we join the biking group today as I believe I have a few sausages to lose. 

Pictures Exploring Prague 1

Having a little trouble with the formatting of all of this... Love the technology. So will add some pics and comments here and there. 

Above picture is is St John on the bridge with people touching the plaque to make a wish. 

Below is Don and I on the amazing Charles Bridge.

Exploring Prague

So off we go exploring Prague. We are staying just a few blocks from Old Town Square which is quite lovely. The colorful buildings are beautiful and a mix of many styles, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque as Prague was saved from bombings during WW2. The square was filled with people some riding in coaches drawn by horses while others zipped by on segways. Of course there were churches which we also visited. Some of them had also gone through their own upheavals where it may have started as a Catholic Church, then Hussite (Protestant)  then back to Catholic or whatever the sequence. Again, this area has seen constant change and struggle. After spending some time in the square we walked to the Charles Bridge which is amazing. The bridge is adorned with many  statues marking historical events, vendors of all kinds, and musical street players while it is surrounded by a breathtaking view of Prague with is magnificent landscape and buildings. Meanwhile below, boats filled with people glided along. The patron saint, Saint John of Nepomuk, of was supposedly thrown from this bridge and upon hitting the water, stars appeared around his head. If you touch the plaque honoring him, and make a wish it is said to come true, but be careful as you can only make one wish. At 5:00 we attended an organ concert featuring Händel, Betthoven, and Mozart at St Nicholas church, which was quite delightful and a perfect way to sit and take in the day. We felt very cultured!  Tonight we wove our way down small side streets to find a small local pub recommended by our guide book where we feasted on sausage, pork knee, gnocchi and sauerkraut . It was scrumptious. So, we ventured well, saw alot and are grateful for this amazing opportunity. 

Wonderful Sausage with buildings reflected in the background

Glockenspiel which on the hour has the 12 apostles come our and greet you

Arrived!

After 16 hours of travmel, with a stop in Iceland and London we arrived in Prague! Surprisingly feeling pretty good, but then you who know me, know that I'm a pretty good sleeper anywhere, anytime so I hot some good sleep, unlike Don... who is not such a good sleeper. Our stop in Iceland was fairly short but definitely intriguing and next time, I'd like to stay awhile. Icelandic Air was VERY nice also and a great low fare. London was a bit crazy with a change in terminals by train which we navigated well after a passport attendant let us cut lines after we were directed to the wrong line... Ah the joys of travel. 

We were met at the airport by a wonderful young man who took us to the hotel. He was very knowledgable and we were impressed by his knowledge of history of the country. He told us how a person who is 97 and lived in the same house all his life would have seen four changes of country, four language changes.... In his lifetime. Needless to say the Czech Republic ( we were corr ected, it is not Czechoslovakia) has some type of upheaval every 20 years or so. He also spoke of the removal of Communistic control saying there are those who miss it as it was a time that you could be assured of food and water.... That is for those who are lazy and uneducated. Interesting.    I mentioned my maiden name, Chermak, (which is Čermák here) is a VERY common name. Somehow after hearing that I can feel my dad's presence here.... I wish I had done a little research on my ancestry before we arrived bur perhaps I'll run into a few Čermáks here! 

After settling into our very nice modern hotel... We ventured out to dinner where we had goulash and dumplings and some wonderful Czech beer. 

Today we're off to explore with our Rick Steves guide book . Here's a pic of half the breakfast spread.... Oh my, need to walk a lot today! We'll have till Sunday to explore on our own, then we join our bike group. 

Katla's Ready to Fly

At the airport 3 hours early and we're ready to embark on 16 hours of travel to our Prague destination. First leg will take us to Reykjavik Keflavik ( try saying that) Iceland. Then on to London and arriving in Prague at 5:00 pm on Thursday. Hopefully our suitcases will be on the same journey. 

Protection

So tomorrow we leave after months of anticipation and planning. Many have asked ... How far is Prague from Vienna?..... Well on the map, it's about 1.5 inches, but really it's about 150 miles. Now the way these bike tours go, we'll not actually ride directly from Prague to Vienna but rather circuitously travel with loops and site seeing. Each day we can select from a Level 1 to a Level 4 ride ranging from 20 ish to 50 ish miles . So, that's some background. 

Now the other concern is safety.. So this first picture is my St Christopher medal I had on my bike as a child. He'll be riding shotgun with me. Second this St Therese, complete with football helmet, will be on my handlebars to ward off all bad guys. And if you believe that.... St Therese, I had to throw the picture in there as Annabelle today was playing a little dress up and adorned her with a football helmet. You know what St Vincent Lombardi said... When the going gets tough, the tough get going. 

The Gathering!

 

Let the Gathering Begin!

   With 10 days to go, I'm starting to gather the clothes, copy the documents, line up the dog sitters, call the bank, activate cell phone plan... amazing how much one has to do to go on vacation. Certainly not complaining! 

   Stopped at the travel agent today and picked up the documentation. Read through the itinerary and sounds so wonderful. The only concern is where they suggested for training to be able to ride 30-40 miles and be ready to do it again the next day "enthusiastically". Oh my! Think it's too late to train harder. But the final line said "Just show up, and have fun!" That we can do!