Florence Pictures

For a quick look at the beginning of our time in Tuscany, here are shots from Firenze - click here...

Firenze, Italy

Finally, we made it to Tuscany! As we hit this town after Christmas, the crowds appeared much more tourist filled then our other two stops. The first outing was the bell tower adjacent to the Duomo. Many of the churches we’ve visited throughout our travels allow tourists to climb through long, winding circular staircases to get great views of the town. This was no exception. While many of these call for a stop to catch your breath, typically the towers have a system for “traffic control”. In the past we’ve used different towers for exits or security controls yielding while crowds ascend or descend (similar to a one lane bridge). Not in Florence. In this bell tower you get to meet your fellow tourist, up close and personal. The stairwell was about 3 feet wide for over 400 steps. Picture trying to walk through a doorway in your home at the same time as someone else; now picture doing that 400+ times when people are in full tourist mode (backpacks, cameras, etc). The eyerolls and sighs were understood by all languages. Our favorite was a lady in front of us (wearing high heeled boots, of course) on our descent. For 3 minutes she held up a string of tourists because she insisted on taking a picture with her daughter in the stairwell. This was an anti-Kodak moment: mother and daughter in a stairwell, no other background. After this glamour shot was taken, we quickly realized they were teaching their daughter how to walk. We’re all for child development, but there is a time and place for everything; the stairwell wasn’t a great learning spot unless the family was hoping to tour the local emergency room.

After seeing hoards of tourists wandering from museum to cathedral and back, we decided to chose wisely and only hit a few of the major sights – there are a ton! Learning from the mistake on the Last Supper in Milano, we made reservations for 2 key museums – Accademia dell Galleria (home of Michaelangelo’s David) and the Uffizi. The reservations had us bypass some serious lines in both museums and are the only way to go. We later met fellow travelers who were stuck in the lines – it did not sound pleasant. The art in this town and cathedrals ate just staggering (and can be overwhelming). Using a “less is more” approach was our new tactic; we’d take in plenty of attractions but just be more selective and look for some of Florence’s subtleties.

We had some good evening adventures as one night we came across a struggling musician who rattled off some familiar acoustic tunes and drew a nice crowd of locals and tourists. Another late afternoon we hiked up past the Boboli gardens alongside an old fortress. Our path finally led us to the Piazza Michaengelo just in time for a sunset and a great overlook of Florence. Once again recommendations from some Florence “vets” led us to superb cuisine, which looking back was possibly the best part of the visit here. The sights are legendary, our hotel outstanding (we’d recommend), shopping is great (including major design brands which have local outlet malls), sunsets are fantastic, but food really takes the cake. From the moment we set foot in Florence (gelato after the bell tower) to our last meal (a Panini from a local father/son tandem) our only dilemma was what to eat, not where… it appears we weren’t the only ones. We met people from Hong Kong, the Netherlands and California who all felt the same.

After a few days in Florence it was time for the countryside…

Venezia Pictures

Merry Christmas!!! For a glance at our Christmas, check out these pictures (click here)...

Venezia, Italy

Leg #2 brought us to Venice. We’d heard horror stories of the crowds, getting lost, and how touristy this place was known to be. After 3 days here, we’d argue that winter time, especially Christmas is a great time to visit Venezia. The first couple days we were able to meet up with a friend, which made exploring the city pretty fun. We stayed in an ideal location (a 5 minute walk from the main piazza – St. Marks Square) which we’d strongly suggest if you’re ever visiting.

While walking around Venice there are several things that were tough not to notice: pigeons, designer knock-offs, beautiful stained glass shops, paper merchants and gondolas.

First, the pigeons are famous in St. Mark’s Square. Vendors sell cornmeal for tourists to feed these birds. This is easily the worst waste of money we have come across in any of our travels. (Note: we did not partake). Tourists feed the pigeons by placing the meal on theirs arms, hands and even heads. As you walk through the square you can easily spot twenty tourists covered head to toe with birds. Our initial thought was bird flu, closely followed by spending most of our time avoiding birds who are known to “leave their mark” all throughout the continent. For a good description of this see this picture, for a better one by us a drink when get back.

Secondly, the relentless bag salesmen. After spending several days in Milan it was impossible not to notice how important designer handbags are to Italian women. Moments into any Venetian adventure you’ll quickly notice fake handbags sold at every turn. We were shocked.

There are 2 spots in Europe we had heard all about glass – Prague and Venice. As Prague did not expectations, we were skeptical for what Venice had to offer. Our friends were right, Venetian glass was extraordinary. While did not get to visit the island of Murano (where much of the glass is blown), the countless shops were unique and worth more then a quick glance. Venetian paper shops, while not as frequent offered excellent quality and distinctive designs.

While the gondolas are no longer used by the locals, it is a must for the tourist. Your best bet is to go with as many people as possible (we did, thanks to our friend!) as it can help defer some of the overpriced costs. Don’t waste much time trying to find a good price, all of these Gondolamen are in cahoots. Spend the time haggling with your driver and agree on a price/time up front. We spent most of the time wandering around the streets (don’t bother with the map) and through the main canal on the Vaparetto (local waterbus). Check out the famous bridges, fish market, San Marco (incredible ceiling mosaics and great Christmas Mass), but stay away from the local penitentiary which we happened across on a long stroll Christmas afternoon…

Milano Pictures

For a quick recap of Milano click here...

Milano, Italy

Bon Journo, from Italy! This segment of the trip couldn't have come quicker. Italy has been high on our "places to visit" long before this European adventure began. Milano was our introduction to Italy. Geography played into this choice, but it was a very solid first stop. The city is internationally known for its fashion and nationally known for its banks. Thanks to some tips from some Italy travel veterans we got to know this town very, very well.

As for tourist attractions, you could say that it doesn’t get much more stunning then the Duomo in Milan. Once you hit one the main square it is nearly impossible to take your eyes off of the Duomo. As one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, its color and design really stand out the longer you look at them. It is said that on a clear day you can see the Alps from the top of the tower. We got a couple of these clear days, yet the tower was closed because of “ice”. While the weather was hardly tropical, there was no chance of any overnight frosts during our stay. It sounded like a good excuse for the staff to catch an early holiday.

Across the Piazza from the Duomo is a large shopping complex called Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. This structure has architecture that you wouldn’t believe for a mall. The majority of the ceiling is covered with arched glass skylights which make of interesting lighting displays at all hours. Farther down from the ceiling are attractive mosaics which captivate the eye. It was here where we decided to venture on our own (and forgo some great advice some veterans gave us). Hunger hit hard and we opted to just catch a meal in the mall. The people watching looked stellar and the food prices seemed reasonable. Ten minutes after we sat down we noticed an outburst two tables over. A fellow patron raised his voice to claim, “26 euros for 2 Heinekens! That’s screwing me. I WORK for Heineken, you can’t charge that much for a beer. I don’t mind being screwed, but if I do get screwed I at least want to enjoy it!”. Probably 15 tables had their eye on this two-top table, as the British gentlemen raised his voice. The standoff was just beginning. At that point we realized food prices were very reasonable but beverage prices were not on the menu. We aptly asked for a beverage menu (although we already had been served our beverages). This investigating led to seeing the biggest drink ripoffs since Moscow (8 Euro for soft drinks/7 euros for a glass of wine/9 euros for bottled water). Great business plan; our thirst quickly disappeared. Just about the time our investigative work ended, the British man was leaving (refusing to pay for the beers). The local police were called and the altercation continued with the restaurant manager outside the front door. Some settlement was agreed upon (outside of our earshot) and unfortunately our entertainment for the evening ended or so we thought. Less then 15 minutes later we overhead some Italian voices being raised on the far side of the restaurant. Same problem – refusal to pay for their coffee and glass of wine; something told us this was not the first or last time the staff had been confronted with this issue. We couldn’t have escaped this place faster. Just as our bill came, an American family of 6 (4 kids under the age of 12) sat down next to us. We did some quick math – their drink order would be nearly 50 euros before their bread was served! As we put on our coats we slid the beverage menu to them and suggested looking at the prices before they ordered…

On the tourist front there were several things that guidebooks insist you “must do” when visiting Milano – see “The Last Supper” painting and attend the Opera at La Scala. The box office for the Opera house is conveniently in the Duomo Metro station. Our options were Friday night or Saturday performances. Friday night offered an earlier show (7pm start instead of 8pm) so the choice was easy to make. La Scala was packed that night as it had just reopened from some renovations earlier that month. Before the curtains were raised we discussed our previous opera history (one of us had been once, the other never – take your guesses). We were feeling very “local”… The lights flickered and the show was about to begin. Seconds after the curtains raised we were shocked – standing midstage was not a large Italian women belting out octave jumping notes, but a short man dressed in tights – followed by a harem of women in tutus. We looked at each other and just laughed. We never even looked at the tickets, but we now were attending our 2nd and 1st ballets (again take your guesses). Inappropriate laughter ensued (similar to catching the giggles in church or a lecture hall). This was only exacerbated by the Twenty something Finnish man seated next to us who clapped most enthusiastically – apparently this ballet was a classic and this particular performance was REALLY good (based on his applause).

The third leg of our tourist trifecta was our strike out to see the Last Supper. Apparently you need to book reservations months in advance during all times of the year. Our online attempts showed March was the next available time slot and our local concierge could do no better… We carried along and were determined to get the best of Milano. We did.

In a surprising turn of events the local economy was not increased by any purchases from us. As our time there was the weekend before Christmas, you can imagine the size of shopping crowds. In fact we got a chance to hit our last Christmas markets of the season, scattered all throughout town. The highlight of these markets were local food merchants, where we came across several tents full of baked goods. The cannoli (or connolo as the merchant called them) were exceptional! Besides the local markets we experienced more of a local scene through some great restaurant recommendations (Baguetta/Da Giacomo) and strolling through parks (Parco Sempione) and different neighborhoods (Brera/Como Corso). Despite the gaffes on the early parts of this trip, we got a good dose of Milano and would come back in an instant.

3 Month Review...

Three months in we thought it would be a good time to reflect on some of our hightlights/experiences from the trip, as many have asked through emails.

Food:
Best tastes: Lugano (chocolate gelato), Onion cake (zwiebelkuchen - Tubingen), Bretzel (Zurich), Norwegian/Danish seafood dishes, Hot wine (vin chaud, mull wein), Bread in Paris
Worst tastes: chicken "cutlets" in Moscow

Travel
Favorite larger cities: Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris
Smaller towns: Tubingen, Aarhus
Favorite Swiss Cities – Lugano, Wengen (lots of exploring to do!)
Favorite countries: Denmark (surprising), Germany



One thing to see or do one thing in each town would be:

Zurich – Walk down the Bahnhoff (with Swiss chocolate, of course)

Interlaken – hike up the mountain and check out the villages
London – Stroll around the Buckingham palace/St James Park area
Dublin – Trinity College tour
Kilkenny - grab a beer at Morrissey Pub
Brussels - moules frites!
Stuttgart – stroll around the main plaza and walk thru streets
Tubingen – gondola ride or a Saturday market
Moscow – make sure to visit the Kremlin/Red Square area

St. Petersburg – Hermitage museum
St. Gallen – check out the church and UNESCO sight
Lugano – hike one of the mountains; reward yourself after with gelato
Berlin – outdoor exhibit at Checkpoint Charlie makes a great intro to the Berlin Wall
Oslo – Vigeland is too unique to pass up, but be sure to eat seafood before you leave.
Trondheim – see the bike lift in action
Lulea – If time permits visit the churchtown - if not the Kulturhaus

Stockholm – walk around the old town
Aarhus – catch some local music
Copenhagen – rent a bike to tour the city
Dusseldorf/Cologne – Dom Cathedral
Budapest – walk around at night near any of the monuments
Krakow – Auschwitz is 40 minutes away - but a must see
Prague – spend the time on local flavors – pilsner or tradlo
Paris – Eiffel tower at night or a sidewalk café


Take a raincheck on: Budapest baths (ask K),
Sleeper attractions: Carlsberg brewery tour, Dom Cathedral (Koln)
Cities we’d like to visit: Nice, Helsinki, Vienna,
Countries on the radar: Monaco, Portugal, Finland, more of E. Europe


Forget about the map – Moscow (street signs are in Cyrillic once you leave the Red Square area), Dublin (or anywhere in Ireland) – we spoke the language and consistently got lost.
Easy navigation: Zurich, London (common language), Germany


Experiences:
Immediate laughter - moment when someone thinks you speak their language and we both have the glazed look on our faces


Interesting people we’ve met – American travel agent in St. Petersburg (claimed to have lived with her husband in Paris post WW2 for $2/day). Our taxi driver in Krakow (he’d been to California several times and we had a fast friendship. When we asked to pay with a credit card it was a mood swing similar to a child dropping their icecream on the ground)


Friendliest people as a whole – Irish, Norwegian, Danish
Least friendly to tourists – Muscovites (language barrier definitely amplified this)


Frustration – WCs, always an experience. You never know what you will get or if you’ll have to pay. It makes for unwarranted anxiety at a time when you just want some relief…


Commerce – our biggest rip offs were easily in Moscow. The center of town was a giant tourist trap and you paid for it. Eastern Europe (Hungary, Poland and Czech) brought some better currency rates for us, but we ran into a little mischief in each spot here. The Polish zloty was a nice break from getting creamed by the Euro, GBP and Swiss Franc…


Most surprising event – overall love for german experiences (all towns).

December in Zurich

Over the past few months we've been asked many times - "how do you like Zurich"? As our travels took us all over Europe, we haven't had a chance to accurately answer that question. A good part of December has been spent "home" in Zurich. By the time we leave for the holidays, we'll have actually spent as much time here in December as the combined days of October and November. Due to this long stretch in Zurich (including our first weekend), it is time to give a dose of Zurich...

This city is extremely well thought out in every sense. Public transportation here is phenomenal. The train station is centrally located providing tram connections to anywhere in town you'd need to go. If you spend a few minutes at the central train station (Hauptbahnoff) you'll notice that Zurich is a critical European rail link. At all hours the train station is jammed with people hustling to catch the train. Sundays typically make for crowded trains, as people are finishing up their weekend trips, hikes, and other excursions. Early morning trains bring the most diverse crowds; daily commuters rushing to the financial capital brush past teens and university students looking to catch a train home after a full night in the clubs. The airport is a 13 minute train ride from the central station and runs extremely efficiently. Catching a flight is a breeze.

Food has been interesting here. Fondue and chocolate our staples of the Swiss culture, but other then that you come across some very international restaurants (Italian, Asian, French and German influences). Restaurants are typically really expensive, so we often eat at home. A couple of our favorites are a quiche from the train station cafe and hot pretzel from a biergarten. Supermarkets provide a challenge for non-German speaking newcomers. When picking out produce in Zurich each consumer is responsible for weighing and tagging each item for purchase; of course, no signs (not even in German) mention this. One learns this the hard way. A tomato and zucchini were the "unmarked" culprits during the first grocery purchase back in September. Armed with a basket of goods about a half dozen people waited anxiously behind in the checkout lane. The store clerk scanned all of the items, except the vegetables mentioned above. As she came to the tomato and zucchini, she raised her voice, shook her head and asked "where is your price tag"? (this inquiry was rattled off in Swiss-German). The response was a tongue-tied blank stare. Apparently she understood that "language" and stormed off to get 2 price tags for the controversial vegetables. Looking back the line increased to 8 people, all shaking their heads. Hello new neighbors we are the Thiede's!!!!

Trip #2 to the grocery store, included a covert trip to the produce section watching veterans pick out, weigh, bag and properly tag their vegetables. Turns the process is fairly simple, just intimidating for new residents. Authors note - this is has come up in conversation several times already with other ex-pats, who made the same error.

This past weekend brought our first visit to the movies. Another learning process. Swiss movies are expensive - 36 CHF (over $30!) for two of us. The ticket gives you the choice of assigned seating, like a musical or ballgame - for that price it should. The film was in English, but added German and French subtitles (very common). An hour into the movie our film paused and an advertisement appeared, encouraging us to break for ice cream. The theatre emptied. The two of us sat dazed, wondering if 36CHF only bought half the film and why anyone might want ice cream on the coldest day of the year. Ten minutes later our fellow cinema patrons returned, ice cream in hand for Act 2. It should also be noted, that theatre laughter is funny in any country. Seated in close proximity was a university student who had a Pee Wee Herman cackle, which was only topped by intermittent snorts 2 rows in front of us.

The Swiss really seem to get into Christmas. We arrived back from Prague in early December and festive lights dominated the skyline. Besides the Christmas markets mentioned on previous entries, there are some unique highlights of the holidays here. A local couple introduced us to the legend of Schmutzli. This is Swiss sidekick of St. Nicholas (or Samiclaus as he is called here), dressed in black and brown, covered completely in soot. Schmutzli deals with those children who have been "naughty" that year. After hearing of this legend the effect seems more powerful then a simple lump of coal. This weekend Schmutzli was in the streets of Zurich, right next to St. Nick. On a happier note, just off the main drag here lies the "Singing Christmas Tree". Carolers of all ages line up to belt out festive songs on rafters decorated with greens and Christmas lights. Holiday shopping has similaraties to the US as Saturday (10 days until Christmas) made for crowds that would give 5th or Michigan Avenue crowds a run for their money.



Temperatures are below freezing now, which has limited exploring the past few days. Sunday we did see a running race throughout town, which had a beautiful course throughout Old Town Zurich. Apparently Zurich's next road race starts at midnight Jan 1, 2008 where runners are encouraged to rent their own headlights. While this might shock some, the Swiss pride themselves on outdoor activities - so only the timing seems odd. Every day you'll catch someone biking, carrying hiking sticks, snowboards or skis.

All in all, Zurich has been outstanding, making a great base for European travel. More to come...

Paris, France

Luckily we have both been here on previous trips, so the urge to run out and see everything in Paris did not exist. We arrived to Charles de Galle Saturday morning and by dumb luck found an express train into the heart of Paris. The forecast called for 5 days of rain and cold weather. If there was anywhere throughout our Fall travels where a forecast did not matter this was it. Paris thrives at all times.

Our first stop was a logical one - the nearest boulangerie. Croissants, breads, quiche, tarts and pastries were everywhere we looked. Excellent food was never an issue here.

Saturday, K made it a point to "visit" some of the same boutiques from a trip in October of 2006. Amazingly, she navigated us to several districts as a native Parisian; scary, but not at all surprising. The highlight of this excursion was finding a shop which opened about a year ago. We walked in and were greeted with a "Bon Jour" by Nikki (a Tina Turner look alike). Nikki's English was about as strong as our French - both non existent. Somehow Nikki and K were able to transcend the language barrier and rifle through the clothing racks, finding common ground. As K tried several outfits on, Nikki tried convincing us of the men's department downstairs. No chance. However, her service and efforts managed to decrease some of her inventory and we managed to snap a photo on the way out of the store.

Walking around Paris, even in the rain, was really fun. This time of year the Christmas decorations/lights were in full force and the city is strikingly beautiful at night. We happened upon a Christmas market near St. Suplice Church, which provided good shelter to avoid the rain.

Sunday morning the rain broke for a few hours and we got a little sunshine! We stopped at a famous cafe for a "Parisian breakfast" (coffee, oj, croissant, bread) and set about for more exploring. Our walk took us past some famous sights -the Louvre, Notre Dame and the Pantheon to name a few. As we kept heading south, we came across a great "locals" neighborhood featuring produce, meats and flowers at every turn. At the end of this stretch was a large square featuring about 50 people dancing, surrounded by an audience of neighborhood folk and a few tourists. Excellent people watching.

Sunday night we were spoiled by a great restaurant (Drount) near our hotel. Our reservations were at 7, and we quickly learned no one in Paris eats at 7 (we were the only ones there). They actually had to unlock the front door to let us in !!!! The hostess suggested that we have a drink at the bar; as we enjoyed our aperitif people started filing in making us feel more comfortable. The cuisine was outstanding and the service was even better. Our mood changed drastically from when we entered considering ourselves "early birds" at a Midwest pancake joint. We left this place feeling we'd just discovered a true gem of Paris. We would highly recommend dinner at Drount but don't make reservations till at least 8pm. Local hint: the French are always fashionably late:)

Monday morning we picked up the paper and learned we had company in Paris - Qaddaffi. His first visit in 30 years. Great timing by us. His Paris wish list included some local sights, a trip to Versailles and some "deals" with the French government. After missing him at Versailles Tuesday, he was spotted later in the afternoon on the Champs Elysees, with a heavily armed motorcade - very eerie!

Our last night in Paris may have been our favorite. A colleague of K's invited us to her flat for wine and cheese - definitely a great way to see the city as a "local". The metro did us right (very, very easy) and got us to their neighborhood in no time. After a fun evening with our Parisian friends, we strolled back through the 7th Arr, catching a great view of the Eiffel Tower. Continuing north we had a chance to walk along the Seine, taking in many of the buildings lit up throughout Paris.

Wednesday our plans had us flying back to Zurich. We had a chance to experience a true part of France - a train strike. 80% of the Metro employees opted to sit Wednesday out, so we got a taste of life dealing with the strike and one of Paris' low points - traffic. Our driver did a great job getting us out to Charles de Gaulle in gridlock rush hour standstill. Hopefully he picked up a fare coming back from the airport as it looked twice as bad.

We allotted more time then usual to get to the airport because of the strike which turned out to be a mistake. Terminal 2 at Charles de Galle is a horrible place to kill a couple hours. Signage is less then stellar, passport control sits before you check in, and the restaurants and shops were right out of a strip mall back home. European airports all seem to thrive with new shopping stores and gourmet restaurants. Not at Charles de Galle terminal 2. If you are ever stuck in at CDG may you have the luxury of discovering another terminal.

For the rest of the trip in photos - click here.

European Christmas Markets

One of the many highlights over the last few weeks has been the Christmas markets. We read about them earlier this year in travel magazines, but had no idea what to expect. So far it has been one of the best ways to get a true feel of each town.

Although the setup is very similar everywhere, each market has some unique characteristics. Most of the displays are wooden huts, constructed solely for this purpose. In some cities it seems they have assembly teams to put them together, while in others each vendors (ie unions) handle construction. Often we came across the markets in the central portion of town, but througout many towns there are multiple venues which attract different crowds. The beauty of the market is the people. Vendors are typically local merchants trying to capitalize on the holiday season and a new customer base. Shoppers are a mix of locals and tourists, creating some of the best people watching you can find - every class, continent and age seem to gravitate towards these markets usually with a sense of frienliness you don't find during Christmas shopping back home...

After reading about these, the first place the huts were spotted were in Cologne, Germany where they were arleady prepping in early November. So far we have come across markets in Krakow, Prague, Paris and Zurich. In upcoming trips we have hopes to see 2-3 different venues.

Location, location, location - Krakow had their market in the center of town, near the merchants' Cloth Hall. Old Town Krakow is a perfect place for it, as it is a hub of both local commerce and tourism. Prague had markets scattered throughout town - Castle District, Old Town, New Town, Havel Markets. The main market was near the Astronomical Clock in the main square, but we found some of the other venues easier to manuever and much less crowded. Zurich - stacked with various locations. The Swiss (ones always to plan) put their main marketplace in the Hauptbahnoff (central train station). They claim this is the world's largest indoor Christmas market. This is the busiest part of town, at all hours keeping vendors and shoppers happy during cold or rainy weather. Surprisingly, the Paris markets were harder to come by. The largest we spotted was in the St. Suplice Square (you may recognize that name from The Davinci Code); several others were in the surrounding neighborhoods giving a feel that the market catered more towards Parisians.

Market Food - A consistent staple in each of these towns, seem to be "mull wine". As winter is creeping into the European front, people gravitate towards a cup of mull wine to warm up a bit. The smell is often better then the taste, but we've enjoyed sipping throughout markets. In Krakow, there were several food stands with a large assortment of grub. We ventured for a kielbasa and some fried potatoes (note, fried over here means pan-fried - not deep fried). As 2 of Poland's "staples" this was the best way to have some local eats - excellent preparation and cheap! Prague's highlight was the trdlo pastry. Lines were often 20 minutes or more for these and we saw at least 6 booths hawking these throughout town. Well worth the wait, they were delicious. Watching these come from dough to consumption was an art form in itself. Zurich's gastro hightlights are an assortment of cheese booths and a crepe house. The crepe stand we came by was run by a group of teachers, who sell both salty and sweet crepes - customized to your favorite tastes. Cheese with herbs and onions hit the spot! Paris, of course, had their own crepe houses, but also had several stations with gourmet food. As outstanding boulangeries and cafes are at every corner, these cuisine vendors had their work cut out for them, but after trying a little taste here and there, you could see why the booths attract patron after patron. "Vin chaud" (hot wine, similar to mull wine) was the typical beverage of choice to wash down everything.

Market Specialties - Poland seemed to have a knack for some lace, amber and porcelain. Prague was flooded with decorated glass and many wooden toys. We met two women who were selling wooden toys their father makes. Zurich seemed to be a bit more "commerical" as bigger stores had a prescence in this market. Surprisingly, Paris seemed to have quite a bit of variety in the markets we saw - flowers, wooden crafts, speciality foods and jams, and clothes (of course).

If you're ever visiting this part of the world (business or pleasure) in December, make a point to carve out some time for the markets. Take our word for it there is something for everyone here; even those who don't like shopping can take in local culture and regional eats.

Prague, Czech Republic

As we pulled into Prague we had been reminded that anything we read about this city mentioned heavy crowds. Outside of London, we haven't really come across a "crowded" city - so we discounted our travel guides and figured it would be easy to get around. Gross miscalculation. The ride from the airport to center of town should take about 25 minutes. It took us over an hour. Our cab driver kept bobbing and weaving on side streets, apparently to dodge traffic. At times he seemed brilliant with these navigation techniques, while in a couple instances we thought we might end up in a ditch. This was our first clue that the city was crowded. Quoting the driver - "traffic is always like this". The next time we dared to enter a car was to head back to the airport.

Prague survived WW2 significantly better then most of Europe, so it has kept its charm and architecture from its founding days. Highlights included the Charles Bridge, Castle District and the Astronomical Clock. Tourists were at every one of these locations by the hundreds, with map and/or guidebook in hand. You'd think you were at a travel convention. Even so, if you can get past dodging your fellow tourists, Prague is an easy city to get around (most of the time) and has some great sights. The architecture on just about every block in the Old Town and Castle Districts had us in awe.

On Saturday Prague officially opened up their Christmas markets - which was a sight to see. Scattered throughout town were booths just like Krakow, featuring local crafts and some Czech food specialties. Our favorite had to be "trdlo". This is a local pastry, slowly roasted over flames in about 5 minutes, heavily sugared and mixed with cinnamon. We haven't tasted anything like it before - just delicious!

At 5pm Saturday the official lighting of the tree was the big event. We of course we were clueless. In the center of town, sits the Astronomical Clock. At the top of every hour, hundreds if not thousands of tourists gather in front of this clock to watch the characters dance as the bells go off. On a typical day, it is not easy to get through this sea of tourists. Take that scene and add every local Czech family with children, who have descended on the square for the Christmas tree lighting. Suddenly we realized that we were in the Prague equivalent of NY Times Square (during New Years Eve). Everything was jovial and beautiful as the lighting ceremony began. After the 10 minute display, everyone packed up to leave and chaos hit the square. Trying to walk through the town square was like swimming upstream in the Mississippi. Four women behind us had obviously been through this before - they took their elbows and forearms to our backs and pushed us forward. We turned back and all 4 were half our size, but the crowds did not deter them. Somehow we broke free from the masses and sure enough 4 minutes later two ambulances arrived as people were trampled.

The rest of our trip was uneventful, but fun. We took in an Advent Concert in a local cathedral, which was a different way of seeing another church. By Sunday afternoon, we were ready for some time back in Zurich. We had a rough flight as the last half of the flight (about 1 hr 10 mins total) was a mix of heavy turbulance and side to side rocking. Not good. For two realitively frequent travelers it was as bad as we'd come across. Once we finally reached Zurich we turned on the news, and learned we flew through a terrible rain storm that had just hit the French coast earlier that day... Happy to be back safe and sound in Zurich!

Auschwitz

There isn't too much that can really be said about this travesty. The Auschwitz concentration camps are about an hour outside of Krakow. We saw it in bleak conditions - snow cover, and -10 degrees C (about 15F). A chilling experience, all in all. The trip is something that everyone should see if in the area, but it was a very somber day. For a visual effect of our time click here for the pictures.

Krakow, Poland

The arrival to Krakow was preceded by a good few inches of snowfall. The drive from the airport to the center of town was remarkably pretty, but you get your first snow of the year anywhere in the world and it is always memorable. Krakow had a lot to offer. The students seem to dominate this town, as we definitely felt "old" when walking around. In the town center we experienced the first of many European Christmas markets. The setup for each of these booths is pretty amazing. Booths are about 5'x10' made of wood. The vendors in Krakow had these up in no time on Wednesday and were ready for locals and tourists alike to kick off their holiday shopping. No trip to Krakow would be complete without some kielbasa (a good tip from a "former local"), this went down quickly with mull wine (heated red wine with spices) - a festival favorite. The Wawel Castle sits perched above the town and river, very close to the famous Jewish Quarter - Kasmierz. Oscar Schindler's factory was just south of this area and they'll be opening an exibit of some sort soon. This is a town we hope to get back to sometime soon!

Budapest Pics...

Pictures from: Parliament, Fisherman's Bastion, St. Istvan's Basilica, City Park and more...

Budapest, Hungary

Saturday we arrived and opted to figure out Budapest on our own. All the bike tours were shut down for the winter. We strolled down to a cool neighborhood (Liszt Ferenc Ter first thing Saturday morning and tried for some coffee. Our waitress was not happy to see us, but this turned out to be our only unpleasant encounter with a local. Think Joan Jett with a solid scowl. Somehow we got the idea that we might be the only ones getting such treatment. We looked around and we were. We opted to conquer the “Pest” side of Budapest (east of the River) and managed to hit some key sights such as City Park, St. Istvan’s Basilica, Parliament, the Opera House. After a full day afoot and not too much to eat we caved and went the expat way for grub – Iguana Mexican food. Mix Hungarian spices with some Mexican dishes and that makes for tasty entrees! Sunday we attacked the Buda side of the city, leading to a local breakfast, many churches, the Buda Castle, some labyrinths and a Cave Church. The weekend ended with some local music, as a 6 man ensemble performed a mix of Hungarian and American jazz at Fat Mo’s Music Club. Coolest part was watching them setup as at 8:30 the “hired help”, 3 boys the under the age of 10 (sons of the drummers) had the band set up in no time.

When traveling you tend to be open minded and experience things you normally wouldn’t. It has been quite a while since we’ve donned a public pool back home. Nothing wrong with it, but we just haven’t been there in quite some time. So we did as Hungarians do and opted for time at the Baths. When K was asked to describe this experience in one word, her response was – “feet odor, b cracks, big bellies, foot fungus, utter odor”. It is safe to say this will be our last trip to the baths. This is one of “the things to do” in Budapest and you definitely get a local feel. We opted for a guide book rec on a Bath, rather then friends. Still not sure if this was a good choice.

Cologne/Dusseldorf, Germany

This swing through Germany was highlighted by an amazing cathedral and some travel hiccups. No trip to the area would be complete without at least a quick peak at the Dom Cathedral. Towering over the Rheine river and town of Cologne this massive church somehow survived serous bombings in WW2. Walking out of the train station, you are immediately in awe, only to be topped by going inside. The Dom is enormous. We’ve been in many churches over the past couple months, so far this one really sets itself apart. Attached are a few pictures throughout the Cathedral. As luck has it, the German train system – Deutsch Bahn, decided to strike the day after my arrival. Day 1 provided no problems, but Day 2 the day of departure was chaos. It was the equivalent of Hartsfield or Ohare airports, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (now add weather delays). I had 2 trains “disappear” from the schedule in thin air. It made for some crowded rides, high stress environments and constant second guessing. The Germans seem to pride themselves on a couple things – technology/innovation and being known for running on schedule. On this day in Cologne, neither seemed to work for them. Friday morning I checked out of my hotel in Cologne and stashed my bag at the local train station. In most European Train stations you have one of two options – luggage check (at the bigger stations) or a locker system for 24 hours. Cologne is a bit different. Instead you have an “automated system” where you place your bag in an open door attached to a conveyer belt. After inserting money, you get a claim ticket which will bring your luggage back within 40 seconds. So they claim. After a full day in Dusseldorf, I stopped back through Cologne to pickup my luggage and catch a train to the airport. Running tight to make the flight because of the train strike, I needed a smooth pickup at Cologne to guarantee on time departure at the airport. Upon inserting my claim ticket, I kept getting an error message. Figuring I was doing something wrong, I looked around – native speakers had the same difficulty. The “40 second retrieval”, turned into 50 minutes of waiting for myself and about 20 other passengers in the same predicament to get their luggage. People were trying to catch trains and flights all throughout Europe and when a baggage representative was asked to help, he countered with 1) “Just wait 5-10 mins and the system will fix itself (this was mentioned at least 3 times. 2) “just catch the next train or next plane – you’ll be fine”. No baggage could be claimed by a human, which made for some solid peanut gallery commentary from about 6 different languages. We had found the Fort Knox of Baggage Check. For some additional pics of the Dom, click here.

London trip...

How come the women of London have not revolted? As you know I (K) hate to be late, especially going to a business meeting in unfamiliar territory. I gave myself a reasonable hour and 15 minutes to make it to the meeting on time. Dressed in the all appropriate black suit and heels, I embarked on my Tube (Underground) journey. This should have taken less then 20 minutes. Navigating the Tube - taking one train - transferring - then finding the right 2^nd train, only to find by the loud overhead voice that ALL trains have been halted due to security concerns. First thought – get out of the Tube. Second thought – safe and sound, but no idea where I am. Now I find myself on a busy London street, with many locals in the same predicament. Not a cab to be found anywhere… So I rip out my map, identify my location and start hoofing it towards my meeting. 25 mins left to arrive on time, walking briskly admiring my surroundings I am amazed at the uneven pavement and cobblestones. There are women all around me in stiletto heels navigating each step with grace and composure. I have significantly sturdier shoes and can’t seem to make it a step without twisting an ankle. Who is the man who invented the high heel shoe? Why is it that women continue to wear them? A women who wears heels and conquers these heels successfully should receive a medal from the queen (or at least a pair of crutches).

Copenhagen, Denmark

This town was our favorite of this Scandanavian swing. Everything we expected in some of the other cities was to be found in Copenhagen. The city - very manageable, best discovered by bikes (this is the 2nd most biked city in Europe, sitting behind Amsterdam). The people - extremely nice, probably the most friendly of our trip and quite frankly beautiful. The food - while we didn't try all of the traditional fare, we had a good dose of seafood before we hit the Europen mainland again and it was fantastic. The weather - sunny skies both days made the 30s seem more then beareable. Some highlights of the weekend:

• The Bike Tour - according to our brochure, Copenhagen has a bike tour leaving every morning at 10:15. After ripping threw town to make the 10:15 departure, we arrive to a "Rickshaw" stand that explained in a Danish/English dialect that they only do tours for 5 or more people. We were the only 2 standing there. We walked the rest of the day.
  
• The Carlsberg Brewery - this tour gives the Heineken Experience a run for its money. D met a local who had a solid story about walking around the south side of Chicago looking for some "good blues" 25 years ago. After he made it south of Hyde Park (starting in the Loop) he was picked up by a police officer at 10pm. He was happy to still be telling the story. We are now Carlsberg fans.
• Danish Design - we thought we'd see much more of this in Norway and Sweden, but the design and architecture were more impressive here then anywhere else. The Design Museum was a worthwhile stop, but you can get a taste of this specialty in shops, hotels, restaurants and walking around town. Very cool.
• Biking Ride Sunday - this time we went on our own and saw the city as locals do. We ventured across the bridge of Copenhagen into the island known as Christianshavn, which surrounds a small community known as Christiana - the Free Town. This "self governed town" has a hippie feel to it and made for some fantastic people watching. The town claims to be a separate entity and does not consider themselves as a part of the EU. As we cut through town we encountered about 8 police officers (armed with gas masks) and about a dozen locals just watching them. As we peddled by we both realized about 10 of those eyeballs were now on us. We peddled a littler faster and escaped back to the EU.
  

This was a great town and we'd recommend Copenhagen and spending some time in Denmark - a very nice surprise... For some additional shots of Copenhagen, click here!