by Ron Largent | Dec 10, 2017 | Budapest. Hungary, Eastern Europe, Eastern Germany, European Travel, Germany, Hungary, International Travel, Matthias Church, Munich, Northern Europe Cruise, Organist, Special Events Travel Deals, St Stephens Basilica, St. Petersburg, Travel, Travel the World, Uncategorized, Viking Cruises, Vikings, Zurich
Saturday..Day 3 began as a cloudy and cold day…we had the usual delightful breakfast in the Club Lounge….then decided to Ride the Yellow Hop On and Hop Off bus….to see more of the city. About the Hop On Hop Off….there are actually 3 or 4 companies that call themselves Hop On Hop Off….and basically all of them are the same and three of the four wear the Red Coats….so it is a bit tricky to get the correct bus. And, a couple of the lines have a covered top, which is critical in this cold weather. In any case, you can pick and choose the bus…and we chose one that did not have the cover…so we sat inside the bus. You don’t see as much, but much, much warmer.
The ride was fine and when we concluded we decided to take the small streetcar that runs along the River up to the Parliament Building. This is a must see building and is the one featured on may many of the ;publications. Magnificent building. We went down into the Visitor Center…sold out for Saturday and Sunday….and the best way to get a ticket is on the internet. Probably well worth it, and more after the Viking Tour on Monday.
Upon returning to the Hotel, we decided to go straight on to the Restaurant that had the small museum that Carrie had told us about. We got there and it was full…but did go downstairs into the museum…very interesting and well worth it. The restaurant was full of Viking Pre Trip folks, and the food looked like full meals, etc,,..and pretty expensive…so sent down to Costa Coffee again….and again, pretty much sold out…so went back to Perfetto, where we were the night before. It was also jammed, but the manager saw us and got us a seat…big lunch of salad, sspaghetti, and lasagna…mine was great.
We then returned to the hotel and on our way heard the demonstration and saw the police cars…later found out it was a political demonstration to cross the Chain Bridge…which is the main bridge…. a big crowd of people walking with flags, etc….woman’s voice over the loud speaker in English…but not much more.
Had a nap and at 5:45 PM went down to catch the bus at 6:15 for the night light bus tour….as we were going to take it up to the Matthias Church, for the concert……and it was gorgeous going up and seeing the lights…definitely recommended.
The Solti Concert Orchestra and Choir and Soloists was the best of the best, and the setting in Matthias Church is unmatched in the world. Definitely another MUST SEE. Absolutely supurb musicians, with the concert master actually leading the orchestra on the first 3 numbers, which was a first for me. For me, the 90 minute program was perfect, as the quality of the musicians and the singers and soloists were the best that one could find anywhere. The magnificent church is probably perfect acoustically…..as you could hear every instrument and voice as is right next to you. The full house audience….probably 90% of them followers or the orchestra or patrons….would not quit at the end, with 3 “curtain” calls. Just a “once in a lifetime experience” for me.
We went next door to the Hilton for a “potty break” before heading back to the hotel using the taxi…10 minutes back and a good nights sleep.
Some observations…
- Budapest is a huge city that literally features its old and functional and beautiful buildings, and to see them lit up at night is a MUST.
- The River has allowed massive development on both sides, and both sides have these gorgeous buildings. Thinking of other cities in Europe, I cannot think of another one with this setting, with these magnificent buildings, palace, and parliament buildings being so prominent. London is a 2nd at this stage.
- The city just goes and goes, and the bus tour is a necessity….as traffic is very heavy and the road lanes run in all directions.
- The attitude of the people is very friendly….there is evidence of policemen around…but a very, very safe feeling all of the time. A lot of English is spoken, so it is easy to get around……
- Today we are going to change plans and go to the Central Train station…then back to the hotel by about noon…get ready for the River Boat…and will leave the room about 4…that is the plan.
Should be another great day….
by Ron Largent | Sep 21, 2017 | Alborg, Asian Travel, Bergen, Copenhagen, Cruise Line Deals, Denmark, Eidfjord, European Travel, Finland, Fjords, Gdansk, Germany, Helsinki, Iceland, Iceland Hiking, Iceland Tours, Icelandair, International Travel, Latvia, Northern Europe Cruise, Norway, Poland, Russia, Special Events Travel Deals, Special travel deals, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Sweden, Tallin, The Fjords, Travel, Travel the World, Uncategorized, Viking Cruises, Vikings, Volcano Island, Warnemunde
Located in the middle of these giant mountains, the fjords, which are bodies of sea water that flows in to the inner part of Norway (kind of like our bays)….Eidfjord is a little tiny place literally dwarfed by the soaring mountains around it. Breathtaking is an understatement…. We have never seen anything like it, including the glacier areas of Alaska. The mountains soar 4000 feet almost straight up ….. With sheer cliffs coming down to the water. We went to the museum….saw a video, and then got one, as it is the best way to show this incredible area. Not many of the cruise ships come in here as they can only handle one at a time..but well worth it if only for the natural beauty.
A bit cloudy and colder today as we are getting closer to the North Pole…..but a great day to just enjoy this incredible beauty.
By the day, becoming more impressed with Norway. Very clean, …..very, very progressive, and very industrious…..which is so key to surviving in these cold areas. By the way, leading country in the world for electric cars…all over the place..and all models…
Off to Bergen…the 2nd largest city in Norway and former capital….more later.
Located in the middle of these giant mountains, the fjords, which are bodies of sea water that flows in to the inner part of Norway (kind of like our bays)….Eidfjord is a little tiny place literally dwarfed by the soaring mountains around it. Breathtaking is an understatement…. We have never seen anything like it, including the glacier areas of Alaska. The mountains soar 4000 feet almost straight up ….. With sheer cliffs coming down to the water. We went to the museum….saw a video, and then got one, as it is the best way to show this incredible area. Not many of the cruise ships come in here as they can only handle one at a time..but well worth it if only for the natural beauty.
A bit cloudy and colder today as we are getting closer to the North Pole…..but a great day to just enjoy this incredible beauty.
By the day, becoming more impressed with Norway. Very clean, …..very, very progressive, and very industrious…..which is so key to surviving in these cold areas. By the way, leading country in the world for electric cars…all over the place..and all models…
Off to Bergen…the 2nd largest city in Norway and former capital….more later.
Day 14–Bergen
The day in Bergen started out cold and windy and continued though the day…..we got on the mid day included excursion….guide was ok but not up to the par of the others….too young and inexperienced. But this was the Panoramic Bergen excursion…so we did get to see this gorgeous city built around the fjords, with the wharf area being the world showplace. The wooden houses in various colors are on the postcards in the Bryggen area right along the harbor, Marina, etc….and it was busy, in spite of the wind and rain. Bergen has over 250 days of rain a year…so thus was a normal day for the locals…in fact they said it was pretty mild. Oil and gas and the related industries are driving this area, and even with the high taxation, is frequently voted the happiest city in the world. After the tour we told a short walk from the hotel, which was the Radisson Blu right downtown..and this was a perfect location so we walked a few doors and had a great snack in a locally owned place…..very nice. We walked for a few minutes more then decided too nasty so returned to the ship ….Audy had a good rest and I decided to explore more….and went back out to see what we had not seen in the downtown area such as the fish markets and other shopping areas. Rain and wind off and on but got to see their main shopping and tourist areas….very impressive. The plan was to stay on the ship this night and then disembark the next morning….and go on another city tour…which we did and this one covers additional parts of the city..well done…and then to the hotel, as we were then on the Bergen to Oslo extension. After lunch locally we walked through the fish market areas and saw the sights as today the weather turned sunny and the area is so beautiful. Got to the food area and, along with the other thousand tourists got to have our Local pancake and ate it standing along the stores and shops….just enjoying the locals, Etc…
After a rest went down the street to a Brew and Bar…and clearly one of the most delicious hamburgers we have ever had, Norwegian style. Back to the hotel and prepared for the early departure from the hotel to the train to Oslo. 68 folks on the extension so we got on the train early for a good seat..so the start of a good day.
In Summary, Bergen is a must, and is a must for many of the Cruise lines…due to the history connections with the Vikings and with the historic trade of the area. Due to its critical location, it was a key player in the Hanseatic League….which established traders the primary reason for being . Bergen was the capital of Norway with the King living here…and being the center of the fishing trade…started out being a wealthy city..and then with the oil discovery in 1969….one very wealthy and affluent place. Well worth the time. Off to Oslo…
by Ron Largent | Sep 20, 2017 | Alborg, Asian Travel, Copenhagen, Cruise Line Deals, Denmark, European Travel, Finland, Gdansk, Germany, Helsinki, Iceland, Iceland Hiking, Iceland Tours, Icelandair, International Travel, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Special Events Travel Deals, Special travel deals, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Sweden, Tallin, Travel, Travel the World, Uncategorized, Volcano Island, Warnemunde
Copenhagen…..and Denmark……what a place. A very full all day….and it was so impressive. Almost ready to move there…kind of place. Bikes galore…..industrious, super clean….and a lot to see. This is another 2 day minimum place…as there is so much to do and see. The city with its port and huge river and being on the ocean….is oriented around water…..and from the Little Mermaid to the magnificent Cathedral….this place is a must. We came within a few minutes of seeing the Queen off on her yacht….but did get to see the cars and the stuff getting getting ready for her trip. It is a major city, but very easy to walk around so we took the tour bus back to the ship then caught the shuttle back downtown to see the churches. More churches than any other European city we have ever seen….and wonderful organs, etc. It became a very hot day…so we were “bushed” when we got back to the ship. A wonderful city……must come back and spend more time….and we have some great stories to tell about the tour leader on the bus, etc…just a very enjoyable day.
Audy can tell you about getting back on ship….but a great day in a great city…we saw a lot in a short time.
by Ron Largent | Sep 15, 2017 | Alborg, Asian Travel, Cruise Line Deals, European Travel, Finland, Gdansk, Helsinki, Iceland, Iceland Hiking, Iceland Tours, Icelandair, International Travel, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Special Events Travel Deals, Special travel deals, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Sweden, Tallin, Travel, Travel the World, Uncategorized, Volcano Island
Greetings all…..we are now in Alborg, Denmark…..and have had some great days. Needless to say, each day has been packed with tours and lectures, etc….here are some highlights….
1. Gdansk is a marvel, in that it was a heavily destroyed city during WW II……and has been completely rebuilt. Right on the water, it has always been a trading center….but now it is a very modern and progressive major shipping city. We walked the Old Town along the canal that was once the major loading area from the Baltic for all of Poland. This was on Saturday and was part of their 3 week period of independence…so on this day was their marathon race…and we were right in the middle if it. A gorgeous city thus is a must to see….
2. From Gdansk we sailed on to Warnemunde…..where we got off the ship and directly on to the train for the 3 hour ride into Berlin. The train was older but very fast and comfortable and we arrived into Berlin about 10:30 am….we then had an hour bus ride around the city…and then free time, which we used to ride the hop on hop off for about 2 hours.
3. Suffice it to say that both Audy and I were overwhelmed with what has happened in Berlin…primarily east Berlin. It is now a hug city with massive development, especially in east Berlin. We were very disappointed in that the old is largely gone…replaced by new and very modern. The city has spent millions to bring it to the point of leading cities of the world. The Hop On was not as god as usual …… Not as many stops, etc….and all in all….Probably will not go back to Berlin….just to big and so different that what we have seen in the past. We got back in the train and back to the ship by 8:30 pm…a long day. But, for someone that has not known Berlin in the past ……a good day tour and experience.
So, 2 busy days….and good days….Gdansk was the bright spot…..but Berlin has so much for a few hours….maybe 3 days minimum…..
by Ron Largent | Aug 12, 2016 | Alaska, Alborg, Asian Travel, Bergen, Copenhagen, Cruise Line Deals, Denmark, Eidfjord, European Travel, Finland, Fjords, Gdansk, Germany, Glacier Bay, Glaciers, Helsinki, Holland America Cruise Lines, Iceland, Iceland Hiking, Iceland Tours, Icelandair, International Travel, Juneau, Latvia, Northern Europe Cruise, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sawyer, Sitka, South Sawyer Glacier, Special Events Travel Deals, Special travel deals, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Sweden, Tallin, The Fjords, Tracy Arn Fjord, Travel, Travel the World, Uncategorized, Viking Cruises, Vikings, Volcano Island, Warnemunde
Monday was our day in Juneau and we arrived about 11:30am…..and disembarked about noon to find our excursion which is to the Tracy Arn Fjord and on to the South Sawyer Glacier and then back to the Sawyer Glacier. These are historic Glaciers that have become popular as they are not so massive that you cannot get up close to them but can actually get up to within a mile as we did. Tracy Arn Fjord runs south from Juneau and is about a 3 hour jet boat trip to the Glacier itself. Enroute we saw a couple of whales but nothing like our return where a couple of them decided to out on a show. At one pint in the return we just stopped, turned off the engines and watched. The boats are about 40 passenger tri hull style that sits about 2 feet in the water so as to go over the small ice patches easily. There is the captain in front in a small cabin then a covered and uncovered upper level and an enclosed seated area with small toilet and crew area for snacks Etc on the main level. These are older boats but quite safe and very functional for this kind of trip, and they have been doing this for years. All 3 crew members talk and explain what we are going through and one of the crew members, Ryan, really put on a show that the end. Very funny…talented guys. Very cute and a story in itself as I woke up laughing about them.
The Glaciers are so hard to describe as they are combinations of ancient ice, sediment, new rain that turns to snow and ice, and the natural elements. The result is the most unusual colors and configuration that one could imagine…see to believe kind of thing. At South Sawyer we got fairly close but the at Sawyer we got up real close and that is where Ryan went out on the side rail and scooped up ice that we then got a photo with. It was here that we went up to the captains area and spent about 30 minutes as he held the boat steady and we watched for the ice to calve, or fall, from the main Glacier. Small pieces kept falling off and all of the photographers were up on the top with their big cameras waiting for that big moment when the big piece would fall off. Well, finally it did…quite an event, as the guide told us that this was a rare occasion….and we were there.
The trip back was interrupted 3 or 4 times by stopping to watch the whales. At one point a whale was swimming with us about 1/4 mile from the boat…..doing his dives, etc and putting on quite a show.
Got back to the dock at 9 and caught the shuttle bus back the short distance to the ship area and back on the ship and to our room….a great day
by Ron Largent | Aug 12, 2016 | Alaska, Alborg, Asian Travel, Bergen, Copenhagen, Cruise Line Deals, Denmark, Eidfjord, European Travel, Finland, Fjords, Gdansk, Germany, Glacier Bay, Glaciers, Helsinki, Holland America Cruise Lines, Iceland, Iceland Hiking, Iceland Tours, Icelandair, International Travel, Latvia, Northern Europe Cruise, Norway, Poland, Russia, Special Events Travel Deals, Special travel deals, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Sweden, Tallin, The Fjords, Travel, Travel the World, Uncategorized, Viking Cruises, Vikings, Volcano Island, Warnemunde
We had a relaxing morning with the buffet breakfast as we overslept the earlier breakfast….or rather took too long in the room…..and as we ate we started to see the glaciers in Glacier Bay….eventually ending up in the front observation areas, going between the inside comfy seats and outside along the outside viewing area. We spent the next 4 hours looking at either the John Hopkins Glacier or the Margorie Glacier. Both are magnificent to see…and again a very major part of the Cruise…and a must to see if you have never seen them. A great day of Glacier viewing.
At 5 pm we went to see the movie in the Big theater style Vista Lounge “Bears. A Disney production…it is outstanding….photos and scenes are absolutely magnificent…and really told the story of the Alaskan Brown Bear….just great.
We then went to seated dining, which we really preferred versus the Buffet…and sat with 5 couples which turned out to be another story that can be to,d when we are home. Suffice it to say the retired IBM guy, the younger Mormon couple where the woman was a teacher and LDS missionary to Russia…the big talking and funny Alabama coupe, and the software guy and his indescribable wife from Maryland. It was a dinner that was characterized by delicious food, loud talking about football and other talking, and absolute bizarre by the Maryland couple. I asked the question of the Alabama guy who was a USAF vet as well as had been in a mission trip to Georgia in Eastern Europe…and had home schooled their kids ” what was the mood of the folks in Alabama about Trump.”…the rest must be told in person so remind us of the couple from Maryland when we get home.
Well, a very full and fun day….as we left the dining room as the last couples to finish as they cleaned the tables at 9 pm….what else is new?
