Day 10 Prague Czech Republik

Day 10
We spent the night in the Hilton Old Town Prague and woke up to a very nice day. Breakfast in the executive lounge was nice and I was able to post the previous day's info on the blog so that got me somewhat updated. We headed over to the train station to work out our details for the trip to Berlin and found out that it was going to be another expensive ride,so we went over to exchange some more money. We messed up there by not noticing that the posted rate was for very large amounts and since we were exchanging a smaller amount it was less. Bad move, I really don't like giving away money like that.

Old train station shows clocks of the world

Then we went over to the train station to get our tickets and realized that the international counter was way backed up. So we tried something different. We got a ticket to the German border. We figured once we got there we could get off the train and get the next ticket to run us through Germany. What really happened was when we got to the border the train didn't stop and the conductor wanted to know why we didn't have a German ticket. So we ended up buying our ticket from her right there. It all worked out OK.

Back to Prague – when we got done with the train station we stored our bags in a locker and then went back over to the city and the castle. When we were walking across a bridge we saw that the next one over was the St. Charles bridge. Its constrction started in 1357 during the time of King Charles IV.

Regular view with my camera.

Zoomed in on some of the bridge statues.
Another Charles Bridge view

Then we stopped at the Czech senate, which is housed in the Wallenstein Palace built in the baroque style in 1623. We read about the history of the country and got some pictures.

Ceiling of an outer hallway, the art even in vulnerable places is beyond great!

Grotto wall in the senate court yard. Picture was taken from a road above the Palace in order to get the whole thing in.

Then we sort of followed the crowd and continued toward the castle.

We stopped again for lunch at a little bistro. It was delicious and another learning experience. When in Prague and you order a meal. Each piece of the meal is ordered separate or as a meal with specific items in it. If the waiter sets anything else down in front of you it will be extra. Bread before your meal like we get at some places in the states, will cost you extra.Coffee after your meal will cost you extra. We knew that going in, but still got caught by the bread and herb butter. On top of that watch out for the “Convert”. It is an extra charge that means nothing. It isn't at the end of the bill like a service charge. It is sort of tucked in between the items on the bill. We chose to pay it, but didn't leave a tip rather than fuss about it.

We finally made it to the castle and the batteries on my camera died. Wouldn't you know it, we made it up the hill and then had to go back down, just a little ways though. So then up again and we got some nice pictures.

The castle dates back to the year 870, yes three digits in that number, though the gothic part that is in most of my pictures was added in the 14th century.

The main gate to the castle had two guards posted with on having this scary statue over his head.

The front of the cathedral showing the top

the front at the bottom

the clock tower next to the main section

from the side showing both the front and clock along with the new addition

I had fun finding the statues in the design of the cathedral. They aren't hardly visible from the ground but zooming in on them showed a ton of details.

This looks like a princess to me

This one looks like a bishop

Maybe the Queen Mother?

The Queen with a future King?

There were also mosaic scenes of religious events

and lots of Gargoyles that have faces of what seem to be people, maybe they made the royalty mad at some point?

This Dragon slayer was over a door way

Bill's favorite tree

Prague's Eiffel tower, really the Petrin lookout tower. is much shorter than the real Eiffel tower. It was built in 1891 and used for observation and transmission.

After that we went back down the hill and across the Charles Bridge.

The crowds on the bridge were not as thick as I had expected, but it was a rainy day

The crucifix and statues portraying the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist.

Then we followed the crowd again to what turned out to be Old Town Square with the Astronomical clock. We had meant to go there, but by accident was fine way of finding it too.

Astronomical clock has 3 main parts. The dial represents the position of the Sun and Moon in the sky and displays various astronomical details. The clockwork hourly shows Apostle figures and other moving sculptures. A calendar dial with medallions representing the months.

The Tyn Cathedral contructed in the 14th century

and court yard memorial of Jan Hus, born in 1370.

Hus was an influential religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer in Prague.

After that it was time to head back to the train station and get out of town.

Leaving Prague station

Destination of our train - Berlin

We made it to Berlin at about 11:30pm and really didn't feel like wandering the city all night, so we got a room at the train station hotel. When we planned this part of the trip out I had originally expected we would stay in Prague longer and take a night train to Berlin arriving in the morning, but this was better. We slept good and breakfast was included.

Day 8 Fest and 9 Leaving for Prague

acation Day 8
Started the day a little slow since Jen had to be on base for a few hours, she and I went the base gym. They have a couple dozen ellipticals and twice as many treadmills and bikes. A few stair steppers and a Stair Master! The stairs are like an escalator, they keep rolling and you have to keep up or fall of the back. Never ending flights of stairs. I used one like it when I was in Saudi in 1992 and haven't seen one since. I really liked it then and it really beat me up today. In 15 minutes I went up 57 flights of stairs and was done! I also spent a half hour on an elliptical and another 15 minutes walking on a treadmill. Then we went over to the weight room. They have every piece of Nautalis on the planet! I used a few of them, and now that I think about as I write this, my arms are tired too.
The rest of the day has been quiet with a few movies and schnitzel sandwiches with pommes of course! Tonight we are going to a local fest and tomorrow Billy and I leave for Prague and Berlin. Look what we found at a fest!

OK I can't show you what we found at the fest because the PC morons in the world can't figure out that what a person does legally, on their own time, and away from their job is not any of their dang business. Attempt to fire us over NOTHING and you will pay us to not work.

Thank you for listening to my rant.

Vacation Day 9
We left Bamberg at 6:38am and changed trains 3 times before arriving in Prague at about 1:20pm. We had a great time figuring out how to get to the hotel. First we were at a train station that was quite a ways from the one I had planned to arrive at and they are not connected. So we had to take another way of getting there. We thought the lady said red line bus and we knew she said they don't take Euros so we went back to the train and converted some Euros to Czeck Kronus.

Then tried to figure out how to get on the right bus. A man saw us looking at the bus schedule and referring to a Metro schedule and told us our mistake. Oops, didn't even know the metro was there too. So we bought a ticket and got on the right metro and made the transfer and ended up right outside the hotel. Yeah us!
We were about 15 minutes early for check in at the Hilton Old Town but they let us anyway. The room is great. We have a bit of a view,

no free internet, but there is a phone, robe, slippers, and heated floor in the bathroom.

I would prefer the internet. I can use the computer in the Executive Lounge though. I will probably do that to post all of this tomorrow. We went out and about on the town and found a restaurant that had edible tasteless food. If you look at Trip Advisor you will find my info about that place and the Hilton one of these days. We shopped for kid stuff on the way back to the hotel and found everything we wanted to get for them. Now we need to exchange more Euros into CK. It is expensive over here, but we are really enjoying ourselves. Tomorrow is set to relax in the morning and tour in the afternoon and evening before catching a late train to Berlin. Oh wait! I didn't bring my running shoes, but they have some nice bikes in the fitness room. I really should do that. By the way, If you ever come to Prague planning to run, bring trail shoes, the cobblestones are sharp and not very even! I read somewhere that running here is not possible because of the stones, I disagree, just bring the right kind and go out early. More later!

Day 6 Wine Fest and 7 Sunday Ride

Vacation Day 6
Running, Laundry and Wine Fest
Went out running with Jen again. She took me on a different route this time. She said it was shorter and went down hill for a while and then it was a long uphill. I figured I would run the down hill part and then see how far I got on the up hill. Running without my heart rate monitor is a learning experience, I have to pay attention to how hard I am breathing to know what is happening.

So we started down the path, then up the hill to the new corner.
I started going down the hill and it went on and on. At one point I thought about walking, but running downhill in the shade of huge pine trees is not that hard and it gets me to the end faster so I just kept going and going. Then finally I saw we were coming out of the woods and into the hot sunshine. I planned on walking if we turned that way! Turns out we didn't go that way, but the turn did take us up hill so we walked it until we got to another long down slope. That was a really good run. I would love to have paths like this at home. I would wear my trail shoes though, the stone guard under my forefoot would be nice out here. The gravel is typically small, but I manage to dodge most of the bigger pieces. The ones I don't miss come through my road shoes and hurt.
So after we got done running we headed to base to do laundry. 220 volt washers are expensive so they haven't gotten one yet. The laundromat was not busy so we got done in good time.



Then in the afternoon we went over to Lisberg to take part in a wine fest at a castle with a tower that was originally built in the year 820.

We went on a tour of it, with a German speaking guide, didn't get much out of what he said, but got the just of the story. It is old, there have been additions added over the years by different owners with their own tastes that are visible as you walk through it. It was worth the look. We came from there and tasted some wine and bought some and then went home for an evening of card playing.

Vacation Day 7
Sunday Drive on a Train
Billy and I went to the train station with very little plan other than to catch the first one out. We went to Nuremberg and found a map on the train that showed us all the places we could go with our day pass. We picked Schwandorf because it looked interesting and was east of anywhere we had been. On that train we met a lady that spoke very good English. she told us a few interesting things along the way. One of which was to point out the castle that Nicholas Cage bought a couple of years ago. We found out later that there was a big row about it in the local papers because they thought he would do something wrong to it. The lady we were talking to said it was a good thing he bought it, the upkeep is terribly expensive and he has been doing a lot of remodeling to enhance the property. In Schwandorf we looked for what had caught our attention, but it turns out that was nothing we were really interested in seeing. So we had lunch.


I started taking pictures of our lunches because some of them are very interesting to look at. Those will be in another blog. On the way back to the train station we found a water wheel by a park.



The next train we got on took us north. The scenery was really nice to look at, but I was tired after a big lunch. SO I took a little nap, the German teenagers sitting across the aisle from us had a bit of a laugh at that. After that I started getting silly with the camera and took a few pictures from the train.



That didn't work so well.
Neither did in the train when it is rolling.
Sitting still works nice though. This is a train car door.



The train is nice to view from, when the trees aren't in the way, but not great for pictures when it is moving. We headed back to Bamberg after a while and ended the day playing cards and drinking more beer.

Day 4 Dachau and 5 Food and Cards

Dachau Train Ride

We got a Bayern Pass, which allows us to travel anywhere in this region with up to 5 people for about $40 and headed to Dachau via Munich. The trains in Europe are normally like clockwork they are so on time, but not that day. The first one was good, the second one broke down in Nuremberg and the one we ended up riding was much slower than our original schedule. Plus we realized the memorial closed at 5pm. We arrived at about 3pm and hopped a taxi to hurry out there.

the front gate

sculpture

The Perimeter Fence info

The "moat", fenceline and tower

The foundations of the old barracks

Krematorium

the Prisoner Statue

the creamatory includes a place to fumigate clothing, "shower" the prisoners, and burn the bodies.

Fumigation Room, where the Nazi's said they put the clothes to clean them of bugs by gassing them.

The Creamatory Ovens where they burned the bodies.

This is a marker for where the Liberators buried the bodies of those they could not identify.

We had enough time to see plenty of what we came for before the place closed. Then when we were headed back the first train was overloaded. Lots of students riding home from school is what we guessed. They go all year long here, but it was really late. All we know is the train was late leaving and crowded. Then because we were running late the train had to wait along the way to allow for other trains to make there runs. Plus there was a lightening strike somewhere that took out a line transformer, We made it back at about 11. Even with the train problems we had a good day, lots of things to think about.

Vacation Day 5

Raum schnitzel and Cards
We are on vacation so enjoying a quiet morning is nice! We did very little this morning. Lunch was a special treat. Greg really likes the Raum schnitzel at a place called Starks.

It was delicious, like everything has been. Jen and I had a bottle of wine that was OK.
Then we went shopping at the Real, which is like Wal-Mart. Lots of good stuff there. Then we went over to the Media Mart, like Best Buy. I was surprised that there are so many Nintendo DS games!

All sorts of them and not all in German, some are multi-language. The ones we have in the states seem to be a lot of Petz and kiddie games. I found some role player games that I have seen online, but were never available for purchase and certainly aren't at our local Wal-Mart. Then over to OBI, like Home Depot – Billy got some spacers for tile, that seems odd, but they are a little different than we can get at home. I went to a sports store and found some running stuff that seemed like a good buy until I converted the exchange rate. Yikes!
That evening we went to Bamberg to do a brewery history tour, no really, there is a lot of history to this town and one way to learn it is to do the tour. Turns out you have to buy the tickets earlier in the day than we wanted to do it.

So we went down town and looked around at some more of the sights.

And then we went to an Irish pub and ate German food. Then we finished the night at a local Gasthaus with a couple of decks of cards. We played the card game golf and enjoyed the evening.

Day 1 Flying, 2 Germany, and 3 Bamberg

Vacation day 1 and 2

We made it to Germany!

We didn't have any problems with our flight in Roanoke or Atlanta. I really like both of those airports, informative and interesting. The flights were pretty good. We had “complimentary” movies, TV, HBO, and games. Lots of games and movies for entertainment. We arrived in Frankfurt on schedule, breezed through security and met Greg on the other side.

We went to the base and got a quick tour while picking up the kids from school. Then we went out too lunch and had our first beer and schnitzel with pommes (fries). IT Was Delicious! We did some shopping and walking and sitting around on the patio that evening. We went to the grocery and picked up a case of assorted beers, some distilled water for Bill's machine and a bottle of wine. The Beer made it home, but we seem to have left the water and wine in the store. No big deal the bottle of Spatlese wine was $3, probably a $10 bottle at home. It was a really long day. We will have to get another one.

Vacation day 3

I went out running with Jen. She is doing awesome. I think we went about 4.5 miles! After having done nothing for the last couple of weeks, that was a lot. Then Billy and I walked about a mile down to the Bakery and got a coffee and pastry. Then we hoped on a bus and went walking around downtown Bamberg and did some window shopping.

Bamberg Market Plaza had shops with fruits, vegetables, and flowers along with food and "stuff".

We saw kayakers using this mini fall as practice.

On the way back to the house our Hosts had a new experience. Somehow they had never taken the bus home. So we all found out that no matter what the German teacher tells you – the number 12 bus does NOT go through Erlau. We ended up getting off the bus about 2 miles from the house and walking. Just a block from the house is a BierGarten. After that walk we stopped and had a couple, with pommes of course, they are so good here!

Later we went back to the grocery and asked about yesterdays wine and water, the cashier was different, but he said he would ask his companions and we could come back later.

We are having a great time. More later!

Guess what? We got a new toy.
It is just a little camcorder. It fits in a pocket very nicely. Just for those quick videos while we are out on the road so that can show you our adventures. First came words, then came pictures, and now we have moving pictures! LOL
We are also loaded up with rechargable batteries and SD cards.

Come back next month for our travel show.

Gardening Season

This is the month for flowers and I have been busy lately.

We were gifted a Cherry tree to remember Oma by and a rose bush for our anniversary, 17 years it is hard to believe.

We got those in the ground a few days ago. So then today I added a whole bunch of petunias and some other flowers.

I put a dozen into hanging pots on the porch

and another dozen in the bed out front.

That bed also got another half dozen in coconut husk planters along with a couple salvia, vinca, and marigolds.

Oh and one impatience that Billy got from the PTO.

The parents are as humorous as their kids.

Jake wasn't too impressed with the whole picture taking adventure.

Can you tell?

Duck, Bunnies, Outside In, and Loaded Up Mixes

So this is my new thing, I run and lose weight and when I get a craving to be creative I start baking and share the wealth (and calories) with people at the school and office.
This time I made Bunnies and Ducks.
What?
You can't tell?
The bunnies are on the left, there is green grass under the face, which is made up of a pink nose and eyes, and the sky is blue over the head.

The Ducks have blue water under the face, which is made up of a orange bill and chocolate chip eyes, and green pond grass above the head
Except for the one at the very top, he seems to have water above his eyes, must be doing the backstroke. HA, I crack myself up sometimes!

To make the cookies I used the sugar cookie dough and added food coloring. Then I put wax paper in a loaf pan and started layering the colors in. That is the secret "layers".

A secret I learned is to color the roll and then put it in the fridge. The process of kneading the color into the dough makes it very pliable. Using that for a flat layer like I have in this picture is fine. I didn't do that and my layers got soft, the pink of the bunny is one example. It spread out too much and looks odd. If it was stiffer the spots would have stayed rounder. Lesson learned.
After you have the layers built put the pan in the refrigerator for a few hours so that the dough stiffens and will slice nicely.
I forgot to take a picture of the layered loaf, but it was interesting and you can see how the cookies turned out.
No matter what they were still sugar cookies.


Last weekend I decided to make a cake, but I couldn't make up my mind which of my favorites to make, so I made both of them.
The chocolate cake is unfrosted because the Pecan Coconut frosting is actually mixed in the cake mix. It is a delicious bundt cake!






This layered cake is a combination of two recipes. One is the Angel food frosted with pineapple and whipped topping recipe that you can find on the Kraft website.
The other is a variation of that which puts the pineapple in the cake mix instead of in the whipped topping.
Well, somehow I managed to have 4 cans of pineapple tidbits in the cabinet. I think Bill was trying to get me to make this cake and I wasn't getting the hint.
So I used both recipes. I put pineapple in both the cake and the frosting.

I also made a nice pasta salad for the dinner last weekend.
Yellow squash, zuchini, red pepper, green pepper, green onions, tri-colored rotini, bread crumbs, italian seasoning, and olive oil.
Delicious and potluck safe since there is really nothing that will "turn" too quickly such as eggs or mayo.

Those are my recent Made things. Billy has been working on fence and grading papers so nothing exciting there.
Take care everybody and come back hoping for something interesting next time.