Vienna

Magdas Hotel is a Social Hub. Employees are mainly refugees, most stuff, including furniture is repurposed (don't be horrified, you wouldn't know it), food is all healthy and organic and everything that's done has a focus on sustainability!

And the place is fabulous! Facilities are amazing. Rooms are well laid out and spotless. And one thing I really love, separate loo and shower!

Not wanting to fall asleep at 1.30 yesterday, I checked in and showered. All through the airport and on the train, I thought people around me were a bit smelly, turns out it was me! Okay, well - I had been travelling overnight!

Freshly scrubbed and with clean clothes - I set about exploring the city. Man, I was going to kill it today, like those old days of walking miles, hours ahead and behind; I had a plan.

Again, again, I say, first casualty of war is the plan. And mine didn't survive first contact.

Vienna was enjoying the hottest day this year. It was mid 30s with rotten humidity! Rotten. I did about 3kms and retreated back to the hotel in defeat, where another shower and a change of under crackers was needed. Badly needed.

We had our joining meeting and due to two nights of limited sleep (Board Meeting on line Thu night) and I retired injured to the room to manage a very acceptable 10 hours sleep. Almost unheard of.

Today, well I've had an awesome day. 18,000 steps by 2pm and then back to the hotel for a quick recharge.

Then I hit public transport this afternoon to visit some of the splendor that is Vienna.

I'll say now that over the last 24 hours, I have muttered OMG more times than I have in my 41 year life (see what I did there? I took of the school years!)

But Vienna. Okay, here goes.

2.2m people live here

One of nine federal states in Austria.

Ruling family, well their strategy for world domination was different. Marry into every main Royal/ruling  family. This is the Habsburg Empire

2000 years ago, it was a Roman settlement - but wasn't most of Europe? Then due to population increase, the old city walls were removed 1853 and with space now available they put all the new Govt buildings in.

Royals were abolished in 1918 and now it's a republic. There are still descendants and they aren't allowed to be in politics etc They've sort of been banished to keep a low profile!  I think there could be a lesson here.

The city is absolutely surrounded by parks, and I'd you were coming here, don't do a Hop On Hop Off tour, buy a 1 or 2 day pass and wing it. It took me about 20 mins to figure out the transport system and that was mainly because I couldn't read the literature with my contact lenses in!

So my afternoon today was splendid. I did a no map, set your sail where the wind takes you, trust me tour. Just divine with lots of OMGs. 

This is just the start but I love Vienna.

Things to visit

• Spanish Riding School (if it's not summer, so closed)

• Schoenbrunn Palace

• Plague Victim Memorial

• St Peters Cathedral

• National Library

• Parliament

• Sisi Museum

• Museum Totrury

Cesky Krumlov

Now after Vienna, I didn't think I could fall in love more, but it seems my capacity for love is limitless 🤣

Set all around a horseshoe bend on some river, the oldest building in the town was constructed around 1253.

The Schloss started construction in the 1400 and was still going in the 1600s with the addition of the Theatre.

In true de Winton lucky style, I'm two days late for the show! Seems to be a theme here. But things to consider here are:

• • River Float! Not the long one.....

  • City’s oldest pharmacy

  • Old town

  • Cesky Krumlov Castle

  • House of Mirrors 

  • Moldavite Museum

  • Museum Tortury

Anyway, Ive created a reel of photos but here are a few of this amazing town.

P.S. everything aches! Feet. Knees. Hips. So two Ibuprofen and an early night. How the mighty have fallen!! 🤣

Prague

Well, Prague maybe isn’t the city of love but it’s certainly a city to love. My time in Prague was as amazing as anticipated. And I love a good public transport system, so I was in my element here.  Buy a 1 or 3 day travel pass, public transport is a dawdle and you'll be grateful you did.

As mentioned, my Hotel was central to the city and we walked around the Old Town for what seemed like 32 hours this afternoon. My feet and legs were barking! Everyone else is fine, but seriously four hours on hard cobbled streets....is painful!

However, I covered the Jewish Quarter (ironically where all the designer shops are!!), the Old Town Square, Charles Bridge and did an overview of public transport; something I’ll need when my viewing of the city’s gifts begins in earnest.

Orientation Tour over, we found the museum of S3x machines. I suspected I'd be in website management jail at posting these images but, trust me, it's worth a visit. Be prepared to be shocked and amused and educated.

• A river cruise was a must-do and we did an evening dinner one to see the spectacular lights of the city.
  
  It's been interesting to hear some of the opinions from the elderly - who were looked after under the communist government so aren't all in favour of this change!
  
  The split between Czech Republic and Slovakia is known as the Velvet Divorce due to the nature of the separation. I'll be interested to see how Slovakia is doing, whilst Prague is beautiful and is the 5th most visited city in Europe. I can see why; it's beautiful ❤️
  
  Note for folks visiting soon. Everything costs about $20 Aus and the time you’ll need inside varies.

  • The Magnificent Castle

  • Museum of Communism

  • Dancing House

  • Charles Bridge

  • Wallenstein garden and palace

  • Old Jewish Cemetery

  • Old Town Square

  • Prazsky Orloj clock 

  • Sex Machines Museum

  • John Lennon wall

I did have a giggle at the Museum of Communism though. It was a small display, basically 60 small notice boards with writing, admittedly in an eye pleasing space, but at the cost of 380cz. This is more like a good lesson, well learned in Capitalism. 

Watch your valuables in both the Old Town Square and Charles Bridge. Two areas known for high crime! 😔

Now in the blink of an eye, it's time to move on and into Poland.

The Church of Peace

This was one of the first non-Catholic churches built here. At the insistence of the Swedes after the Thirty Year War in the early 1600s. But the rulers of Poland were a little miffed at this request or imposition and made it as hard as possible for them to be built.

Not inside the township, not a church shape, no spire, outside the sound of the town bells, no brick and mortar equivalent, no slate, all sustainable materials such as clay and straw - oh, and it had to be completed within a year. 

Well, they did it. In fact they did it in ten months and metaphorically, with bells on!!! Metaphorically as they also weren't allowed a bell tower.

I walked around here also thinking about the Museum of Communism - thinking overall how cruel people are to each other for their own personal advantage. Reading the Communist literature and the oppression, stealing of business and farms etc. you can dress it up as nationalisation for the greater good but it caused food and goods shortages everywhere and the only people that got rich were party members and the illegal economy/ black market businesses. 

The things we do to our fellow man. I do appreciate its being looked at in hindsight, however it doesn't make it better. 

I head to Auswitz in the next few days so I suspect this feeling will only intensify! It fair makes me shake my head. And I'd do that but I and three others have a cold, courtesy of the bloke in the group, and any shaking of the head at the minute would be like a dog shaking after a swim!!

I'm going to leave  this at a comment I found amusing yesterday.  Give the communists the Sahara Desert and we'd run out of sand in five years! 

Wroclaw

Well isn't this an unknown (to me) gem. It's divine. Big enough to be interesting and small enough to be able to discover it all in a few days. There is also a strange thing happening with bronze gnomes and they are hidden all over the town.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wroclaw_Dwarfs

There is also an area to the north of the city where there is a secret alley of street art.  Ruska Street felt a little dodgy tbh so daylight visiting is recommended. 

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Hidden-street-art-heaven-in-Wroclaw/td-p/3098550

Finally my visit schedule 

• • Old Town Square

• • Bridge of Penitence

  • Market Mall

  • Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island)

  • Wroclaw University/botanic gardens

Wroclaw is a student town with 650k inhabitants of which there are 150k are students. So there's a shitload of bars. But, I won't be seeing any more on this part of the trip! Because after thirteen hours of exploring, twenty thousand steps, ten trams, six recommended locations, three drinks, four different types of street entertainment and one pizza, I was in bed by 9.30.  Again, how the mighty have fallen 😭 

Krakow

Okay, so it's now Krakow, there is a festival on, entertainment to see, food to eat and a town to explore. And, and there is so much people watching to do. Oh yes there is!

This is a two night stop but day one afternoon was an orientation walk, the amazing underground museum, the castle and it's our base for both Auswitz and the Salt mine visits that are part of the Intrepid package. I'll deal with these visits separately but in this amazing city the following is on offer:

• • Banksy Museum

  • Kosciuszko Mound 

  • Schindler’s Factory Museum 

  • Wawel Castle

The Wieliczka Salt Mine

Well wasn't this an unexpected treasure?  It's 25 minutes from Krakow and takes 2-3 hours to get through it all, starting with 800 stairs - down!

It's been ongoing for the last 700 years, at one point being the largest source of salt in Poland.  It contains 26 shafts and 9 million cm of post excavation voids were drilled. There are a couple of lifts and one is near the most amazing underground cathedral, which is available for wedding - any takers? But I could write about it and miss so much, so here is the website. This place was amazing.

https://www.wieliczka-saltmine.com/

This is one I wouldn't miss!

Auschwitz-Birkenau

This was emotional for me but something I wanted to do.  It was also the visit and part of the trip that people had the most advice and opinions about.

I considered long and hard whether to include this. I left Auschwitz and phoned an understanding friend as I was a little messy. It made me reflect on my time in the military and some of the places I've been and the things both seen and experienced or endured. I say this not as a comparison, as it never could be, but it caused some reflection for me.

Auschwitz is a very strange place and maybe difficult to deal with for those intelligent, imaginative, and empathetic. A mind to understand the harsh reality of what occurred in that place, a soul to appreciate the depth of it all, and a heart that feels the grief. 

Knowing also that despite the horrors that once were, the good human spirit rose above it all and showed true strength and defiance in the face of pure evil…

But some facts that hit me hard

- You start by walking down a modern concrete passageway where the names of those killed are read out. I don't know how long it takes to read the list of 1.1m people 

- Birds do fly there now, and they're noisy

- There isn't a feeling of chill or cold, it's a feeling of chill and death

- Unfortunately the reverence is disturbed by the fact there is so many people there, it's like a bloody circus. But I hope they have good intent in learning the sins of the past.

The second half of the visit is to Birkenau, and I said outright that I was done. No more death for me today. 

Those who do not learn from the lessons of the past are apt to repeat them.  

This is probably why I spent most of my life in the Defence Force, including two years in overseas deployments; doing my very little bit to stop the sins in the future. 

But did it make a difference? Afghanistan......

Tatra Mountains, Slovakia

Right Slovakia. Well, I had to look up where I was before I started writing this. It’s been a few days and I’m mixing Slovakia with Slovenia, Budapest with Bucharest. I’m just glad I am not driving.

But I’m in the Tatra Mountains, Slovakia. Specifically Tatranska Lominica. Today is no lovely city site seeing, cos this is a one horse town and maybe the horse was shot in the Communist era.  There may be zebras though but I’ve yet to see one.

And the rationale for this stop?

Bragging rights to say we’ve been to Slovakia?

A three hour mountain hike.

Now some of the group were so excited about this hike and have been carrying walking poles around for three weeks!! Three weeks of extra weight and kit for a three hour walk and also, when the poles are on offer – free – from the hotel. This town is fully stocked with walking and skiing gear.

I was asked if I was interested and my inside voice was screaming that I’d rather scrub my arse with a Brillo pad!

So I’ve set off, on the train! I love a good train Trust Me Tour.

Today is only to a beautiful lake, where I will have water, in a glass with lemon, maybe a Aperol, a late lunch and some time with an audio book – just contemplating the world!

So greetings from the mountains of Slovakia., which actually turned out to be a fantastic area for skiing. Lots of little towns on my journey with ski lifts and the promise of a power wonderland!

Budapest, Hungary

Scream, now I am in Budapest at the City Hotel about 10 minutes’ walk to everything!!

We arrived at around 1.30 and to 40 deg heat, so left the orientation walk until 6pm.

With a few hours to spare, I went in search of a nail salon as I was getting to a critical stage of nail care. I found four. But they either didn’t have time or just didn’t want the discomfort of working on someone they couldn’t really talk to. To be fair, they don’t know me so don’t realise that with drawing and interpretive dance, I can talk to anyone!!

Budapest is spectacular. The city, the river, the buildings, the sense of history. It’s amazing – just not the nail salons! But that match hasn’t been fully played yet.

On our first night we found an amazing roof top bar and I posted some photos in the reel. Spectacular views, and even better Pina Colada!!  It was on the top floor of a hotel very near the center of the town, behind the American Embassy and well worth a visit.

So yesterday I was at breakfast at the opening time of 7.30 and by 8.50 I’d hijacked the Hop On Hop Off bus at it’s parking point before the first stop of the day and route, and was ready to explore. And so I did.

This is the only time I invested at a HOHO bus and it was due to the sights in Budapest being quite far apart. Here it also includes an hour river cruise – even more pleasure and beauty.

I saw Operas, Museums, Parliament House from the river boat ....and was turned away at the Marriott Hotel outdoor bar when I wanted a drink. I am not kidding – like one Aperol Spritz would have killed them.

Wandering around our hood after dinner on my own little trust me tour of the streets I found all the designer shops, some amazing alleyways and a film being made! This city is divine.

What I found even more diving was the laundry! There is an automated shop where you can pay – via an App, or with the automatic machine in the shop. It’s pretty efficient. It’s all connected to central programming machines and your phone, with Wi-Fi in the shop. Of course it is. Efficiency.

Post washing was another public transport ticket and more city exploring. And I’m even more excited – mainly about these laundry machines but ...

My final day here was a mandatory spa visit. Easy public transport and some fan girl thing happening with the stations, saw me at the Gellert Spa. It's old to be sure, but the extent of this place and all the pools, treatment areas etc - fabulous! 

With this post, I am including only two photos up front so they don’t get lost. This is a memorial along the bank of the Danube about those shot and dropped into the river, and like Auschwitz, should never be forgotten. 💖

Some things I hit on my tour....

• Central Market Hall

• Gellert Hill Cave

• Gellert Spa

• Citadella/park 

• Buda Castle

• Varkert Bazar 

• Church of Our Lady of Buda Castle 

• Szechenyi Bridge

• St Istvan’s Basilica

• Opera House 

• Soviet War Memorial 

• Parliament House tour

• Hungarian National Museum