Captain Grumpy: We woke up at 6am for an early breakfast and taxi to the Budapest Airport. Extremely quick through security and we waited for an hour at the gate. The good news is that the WIFI signal from the First Class Lounge was strong enough to be picked up at our gate. The bad news is that we weren't in the lounge enjoying the bourgeois life. Oh well. Princess and Monkey Hat were excited to get on the planes, and watch all the movies that Mother Superior doesn't let them watch at home. I was anxious to get on the plane and get all of our bags in overhead compartments before they were used by others. Mother Superior was excited for the no-leg room and airplane food. Right.
We landed into Newark about 10 minutes late. We lucked out at passport control, as there were virtually no lines. We further lucked out because Cousin was waiting at the curb in our car to pick us up. After dropping him off in beautiful down-town Newark so he could NJ Transit home to Manhattan, we went and picked up the other car at Mother Superior's school. Mother Superior gave me my to-do list: including groceries, gas, and other like errands, while she drove the kids straight home. They got stuck in traffic and took a scenic detour, while I ran the errands and made it home ahead of them. At home, Abuelo had prepared dinner for us and was happy to see us all. We went straight to bed and woke up the next mornign around 3:00 am. I got ready for work, Monkey Hat got ready to go to Abuelo's house. And Mother Superior got ready to drive Princess to Ohio, where they could be re-united with Diablito.
But the saga of Mother Superior, Princess, and Diablito is another story. One involving snow, flat tires, and a wife upset at their husband.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Day Ten: Return to the Budapest Opera
Captain Grumpy: We took the earliest train to Budapest, leaving at 0539 and arriving at 1235. No sweat. We slept a good portion of it, which helped it seem to go faster. We travelled through Bratislava, Slovakia, so we have passed through that country now as well. When we arrived in Budapest, we dropped off our bags at the hotel and went to the Schenzny Medicinal Bath to see what it was like. Afterwards, we stopped and got Opera tickets for the night's show. Tickets range from $1.50 to $65, so it's affordable. Before the Opera would start, we had time for dinner, so we had a leisurely meal at TG Italiano's as a farewell to Budapest. The Opera started at 1900, Norma by Belllini. Princess lasted through Act One, Scene Two. She slept the remainder of the performance. We have had a good trip, now it's time to go to bed prior to an early plane ride home.
Day Nine: Stroll on the Sabbath
Mother Superior: It started out cloudy but not a drop of rain came down, so we were very thankful. We worked our way over to Josefov, the Jewish Town, right before 9h00. The streets were deserted except those going to Sabbath services and sanitary workers cleaning the streets. On our agenda were the Spanish Synagogue, The New Old Synagogue, St Agnes Convent, and a few other sights. Our early arrival allowed us to stroll around with Monkey Hat and Princess. The kids were wide awake and although they had enjoyed a full breakfast, they capitalized on every opportunity to stop at a bakery or pastry shop. Mansson’s provided us with pain au chocolat. While nibbling on the sweet treats, we saw a most amusing advertisement. A cartoon-like black teddy bear with a bandolier around his chest and an AK-47 in his hands. The propaganda was for the Museum of Communism. Eerie and amusing at the same time. It was unexpected in what can best be described as a boheme bourgeoisie district of haute designers. We were early birds and as a result, ended up at a café waiting for the Convent to open. Once inside the convent, we spoke to Princess about the vow of silence, but alas, she was not interested. The convent was founded by King Wenceslas and his sister Agnes, in 1233. It currently houses the National Gallery’s Collection on Bohemian Gothic Art. The highlights are nine paintings depicting the life of Jesus. Captain Grumpy, for fun, read them out of order and Monkey Hat got to re-organize, using his CCD knowledge. The second piece of the collection that caught my eye was two wooden statues of the Madonna pregnant. The statues were from the 1430’s. I’ve only seen one other work of art depicting the Virgin Mary pregnant and it is a painting in Venice. The final piece worth mentioning was a statue of Jesus tortured with his crown of thorns and real hair from a horse’s tail – a haunting image. By the time we were done with the salvation of our souls, it was time to indulge our bodies. We scouted out a wonderful little restaurant at the Hastal Hotel in Old Town. We enjoyed classic Czech dishes, like pork loin, pork shoulder, and smoked sausages served with potato and bread dumplings. The three little pigs were exceptionally tasty, but not as tasty as our next stop – Café Gourmand – for desserts. True decadence was achieved at this piece of heaven on earth. Its pastries are perfect. Little magical combinations of butter, sugar, flour, chocolate, strawberries, and pears that are perfectly blended to delight the palate. I would have sat down at one of its tiled tables, nestled away in a corner reading Hemingway or Kafka, but our fearless leader had other plans for us. Step by step, we explored Old Town Square albeit stopping at numerous shops along the way. For example, Princess found a leprechaun and insisted on a photo with the little guy. By a handmade paper shop, we found a plaque in honor of the first woman Nobel Prize Winner, Bertha Von Suttner. Then there was the Chocolate Museum with its cocoa fairy which entertained the children. The best though, was the sign we spotted: Talking is my Primary Function. Captain Grumpy hoisted Princess and we snapped a few shots with her next to this sign.
Captain Grumpy: There we were, cold, hungry and tired. Nine days into our travels in the old world. Supplies were low, morale was lower…that is until we came across Café Gourmand. Then life got a little better…Mother Superior was happy and as a result, so were we. We had spent the morning strolling around Jewish Town. It was early on the Sabbath, so not much was happening. We ended up in the St Agnes Convent. It was a trial run for Princess. Unfortunately, she has not shown any proclivity for silence, and the nuns would not have her. The most interesting work of art in the collection residing in this former convent was by Master Theodoric. He painted in three-dimensions, often using the frames of the paintings as extra canvas and also using textures. We walked from here back to the hotel through old town, new town, and middle-aged town (if it existed). Along the way we saw a few of the sights: Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, Powder Gate, the house of the Black Madonna, the chocolate museum, the torture museum (side by side no less), and some of the several theaters in the city. The kids have been amazing on this trip, as has Mother Superior – she of the three inch heels. Which, by the way, have worn out on this trip, and are due for a service at the cobbler upon returning. Which we can only get to if the floods have subsided in Denville. Back in Prague, we planned our return to Budapest and had an early dinner before retiring.
Monkey Hat: Today, I woke up first and then Dad woke up. He used his computer. Mom woke up next, she also used the computer, and finally I used it. I had breakfast and we left. We walked in a few minutes to the place we went to, called the Convent of St. Agnes. When we were done, we went to eat at the hotel. Yum! We finished. We walked nowhere for an hour. We didn’t see anything except Princess go to hold a sword. At last, we went back to the hotel, played, had dinner, and went to bed. We ate chicken, pizza and pasta. While we waited, I played with Legos. That day we went to three pastry shops.
Princess: We woke up today. I got dressed with help from Mommy. Then we ate breakfast. Breakfast was yogurt and apple juice. Then went out the hotel and walked. Then I saw the guy with the sword. Dad said, I loved swords. The guy let me hold the sword.
Captain Grumpy: There we were, cold, hungry and tired. Nine days into our travels in the old world. Supplies were low, morale was lower…that is until we came across Café Gourmand. Then life got a little better…Mother Superior was happy and as a result, so were we. We had spent the morning strolling around Jewish Town. It was early on the Sabbath, so not much was happening. We ended up in the St Agnes Convent. It was a trial run for Princess. Unfortunately, she has not shown any proclivity for silence, and the nuns would not have her. The most interesting work of art in the collection residing in this former convent was by Master Theodoric. He painted in three-dimensions, often using the frames of the paintings as extra canvas and also using textures. We walked from here back to the hotel through old town, new town, and middle-aged town (if it existed). Along the way we saw a few of the sights: Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, Powder Gate, the house of the Black Madonna, the chocolate museum, the torture museum (side by side no less), and some of the several theaters in the city. The kids have been amazing on this trip, as has Mother Superior – she of the three inch heels. Which, by the way, have worn out on this trip, and are due for a service at the cobbler upon returning. Which we can only get to if the floods have subsided in Denville. Back in Prague, we planned our return to Budapest and had an early dinner before retiring.
Monkey Hat: Today, I woke up first and then Dad woke up. He used his computer. Mom woke up next, she also used the computer, and finally I used it. I had breakfast and we left. We walked in a few minutes to the place we went to, called the Convent of St. Agnes. When we were done, we went to eat at the hotel. Yum! We finished. We walked nowhere for an hour. We didn’t see anything except Princess go to hold a sword. At last, we went back to the hotel, played, had dinner, and went to bed. We ate chicken, pizza and pasta. While we waited, I played with Legos. That day we went to three pastry shops.
Princess: We woke up today. I got dressed with help from Mommy. Then we ate breakfast. Breakfast was yogurt and apple juice. Then went out the hotel and walked. Then I saw the guy with the sword. Dad said, I loved swords. The guy let me hold the sword.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Day Eight: Bohemian Rhapsody
Princess: Today I woke up and played in my new hotel. We had apples and crackers with nutella. We walked in the rain and my feet hurt. I got a puppet. I ate tomatoes and mozzarella.
Monkey Hat: Today, I woke up third and started reading my book. I read 1 hour and 30 minutes and then woke Princess up. Princess and I had breakfast. It was apple slices with crackers and nutella, yoghurt, and milk. We left and went to the Prague Castle in the rain. We bought an umbrella that was blue. In the castle we saw the royal palace, St. George Basilica, and St. Vitus Cathedral. Because Princess got wet, we went back to the hotel. At the hotel and we watched a little TV. Then we went to the restaurant that we went to yesterday. Next we went back to the hotel for a little. My family and I left and went to go to the Charles Bridge. On the way, we bought a puppet. We crossed the bridge and went back home in the metro. When we went to the hotel, we watched TV and left to eat at Mona Lisa. Mom bought us ice cream and then went back to the hotel.
Mother Superior: We were stuck out in the rain following a medieval wall up to the Prague Castle. With no end in sight to the rain, we took cover under our umbrellas until we reached the castle. Unfortunately, I had made a wardrobe miscalculation. Not realizing it would down pour, I dressed Princess in a cute brown dress, stockings, and suede boots; an error of monumental proportions. When we entered the Castle, I tried to dry her feet and stockings with paper towels. Didn’t work and Captain Grumpy ended up carrying Princess through the rest of the grounds. St Vitus Cathedral was overwhelming. There were tourists everywhere and nowhere to take respite. Unable to sit down and reflect on the opulence around us, we decided to return to the hotel, dry off, and regroup for the afternoon.
Captain Grumpy: What miserable weather, at least in the morning. It was wet and cold. We had to buy an umbrella, because it rained so hard, I was afraid Monkey Hat, despite having a monkey hat, would get soaked and sick. We walked 600 meters up a hill to the Prague Castle in the rain. There weren’t many options in that regard. The metro takes you as close as you can get before having to walk. A street trolley could take you one block closer I suppose. To everyone’s credit, nobody complained. A taxi may have gotten us even closer had we went that option. We were soaking wet even with the umbrellas. On top of the rain, the temperature continued to drop. We even saw a little bit of wet snow coming down (later this was confirmed by a car driving through the city with snow on it). In the castle, we saw the crowns and scepters of past Bohemian Rulers. There were so brilliant, the jewels looked like candy. I carried Princess back to the hotel because her feet were wet. We changed her stockings and shoes and grabbed some lunch at the trusty Italian restaurant across the street. We then took back off to see the sights. Luckily, it had stopped raining by then, but the temperature had dropped a little more. After getting off at the wrong subway stop, we corrected our course and arrived at the Charles Bridge. This probably the tourist center of Prague. We weren’t real sure at when it was built, but we do know that it was closed for repairs around 980 AD, and has a lot of history involving wars and murders. We rubbed St John’s sculpture for safety crossing bridges…(he is the patron saint for safely crossing bridges and the wrongly accused)…and continued across. On the other side, we decided to go to the Kafka museum. He is probably the best known Czech, along with King Wenceslas of Christmas Carole fame. We walked around this part of the city, where John Lennon’s Wall, St Nicholas Church, Parliament and several embassies are located before heading back to the hotel and dinner.
Monkey Hat: Today, I woke up third and started reading my book. I read 1 hour and 30 minutes and then woke Princess up. Princess and I had breakfast. It was apple slices with crackers and nutella, yoghurt, and milk. We left and went to the Prague Castle in the rain. We bought an umbrella that was blue. In the castle we saw the royal palace, St. George Basilica, and St. Vitus Cathedral. Because Princess got wet, we went back to the hotel. At the hotel and we watched a little TV. Then we went to the restaurant that we went to yesterday. Next we went back to the hotel for a little. My family and I left and went to go to the Charles Bridge. On the way, we bought a puppet. We crossed the bridge and went back home in the metro. When we went to the hotel, we watched TV and left to eat at Mona Lisa. Mom bought us ice cream and then went back to the hotel.
Mother Superior: We were stuck out in the rain following a medieval wall up to the Prague Castle. With no end in sight to the rain, we took cover under our umbrellas until we reached the castle. Unfortunately, I had made a wardrobe miscalculation. Not realizing it would down pour, I dressed Princess in a cute brown dress, stockings, and suede boots; an error of monumental proportions. When we entered the Castle, I tried to dry her feet and stockings with paper towels. Didn’t work and Captain Grumpy ended up carrying Princess through the rest of the grounds. St Vitus Cathedral was overwhelming. There were tourists everywhere and nowhere to take respite. Unable to sit down and reflect on the opulence around us, we decided to return to the hotel, dry off, and regroup for the afternoon.
Re-energized by our almuerzo and short siesta, we headed out to the Charles Bridge. First order of business was to purchase the first souvenir of our trip. We were lured into a shop that was playing Enrique Iglesias and had marionettes of the FC Barcelona team. I told the shop keeper that we preferred Real Madrid. The kids loved the puppets and after 20 minutes of indecision, we settled on a Pinocchio so all of the kids could use it during their shows. My guess is that their show will premier on Easter Sunday. Anyhow, we finally joined the precession of endless troupes of tourists to cross Charles River. A quarter of the way across, Princess began to boogie to the tunes being belted out by the Bridge Band. Moved by the melody, we rubbed the bronze Lorraine Cross that the Dalai Lama supposedly identified as the center of the universe during his visit to Prague. For good luck and a chance to return to Praha care of St John Nepomuk, we rubbed the right and left side of his monument. Overwhelmed by the tragic sentiment of life that had led to St John Nepomuk being sacked and dropped into the Vltava River, we headed to the Franz Hafka Museum. The best part of the collection were the two bronze statues that are urinating at the entrance. You are encouraged to grab them and help redirect them. The temperatures dropped again so we found a little café and warmed up with a round of rich hot chocolates with a touch of Bailey’s for the adults. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to pin down the exact day. A few moments later, we decided to retreat for the day. We located the nearest metro that delivered us within 3 blocks of our hotel. Dobry vecer…
Day Seven: Trains in the Rain
Captain Grumpy: For those waiting on a baseball reference…it was “get away” day for us in Vienna. We had a 1430 train ride to Praha. So after breakfast, we hustled over to Schonbrunn Palace to visit the Habsburgs Summer house and gardens. It was damp and rain threatened to ruin our visit. Luckily, the inside of the palace had a roof, so we stayed dry. Part of the tour was under restoration -- the ballroom was one year into a two year project. We were able to watch as the workers were applying the gold leaf, which signaled they were finishing up with that portion of the room. The kids were well behaved, so was Mother Superior. The way I figured it, she was due to be the one in trouble. The kids and I have been hogging that role. There were a couple other places that I would have liked to see in Vienna, but we now have a feel for the city and if possible, will return to see more. We decided to try another restaurant out of the guidebook for lunch, so we traipsed across the city to try to locate it. Unfortunately, it had closed a few years prior and so, without much option, we ate in the restaurant that now occupies that space. Nothing to write home about (I suppose that I had better stop typing about it). We went back to the hotel, gathered our bags and headed to the train station. We boarded our train and occupied a cabin to ourselves, taking up 4 of the 6 seats. I quickly coached the kids on misbehaving in case someone else tried to sit with us. We even rehearsed it once before Mother Superior realized what I was doing. Nevertheless, they were ready. We arrived on time and took the metro to the hotel. Then it was off to a restaurant for some food. Mother Superior read that they raise their own fish – trout, pike and carp – so fish was off limits (she was afraid that she would get the carp).
Mother Superior: We are half way through our train ride to Prague. On this gray, rainy and overcast day, we toured the Habsburg summer palace at Schonbrunn. A this magnificent residence, that the Empress Maria Theresia completed, we had our first sighting of tour buses and gangs of tourists. Afraid of anything that looks or smells of mobs, we quickened our pace and raced past a group of schoolchildren to discover the grounds before the crowds had a chance to organize themselves. Maria Theresia was a great tour de force of political and personal ambition. She loved her husband Franz Stephan greatly, yet ironically only allowed her favorite daughter, Maria Christina to marry for love. The rest all suffered arranged marriages. Most notably, Maria Antionette who once wrote, “I love the Queen, but fear my mother.” Interesting fact I learned today while speaking to one of the curators. In the old days, women in Austria used to have a little sack in which they would place raw meat. They would carry it around their waist so that fleas and other critters would be attracted to the beef, rather than the human’s filthy body. Horrifying. Maybe I can use this to stir up conversation at the next Halloween party?
Princess: Today I woke up and played. I went on a train. It was raining.
Monkey Hat: Today I woke up early and played Angry Birds on dad’s iphone until mom woke up. While mom showered, dad and I got dressed. We decided to go down to eat first after Princess woke up. So we went downstairs to have breakfast. We had the same food as yesterday. We both went back upstairs and let the girls have their breakfast. While the ate, I charged mom’s camera batteries and played more Angry Birds. When the girls came back up, we left to go to the Schonbrunn Palace. At the palace, I saw where Sisi stayed for the summer. When we were done, we went to have lunch at Milo and then went back to the hotel to get our bags. Then we went to the train station. When it was time, we got on the train and we went into our cabin. Princess and I played while mom and dad read their books. Princess stopped playing with me so I read book #10 of Horror Land. I finished the book and started number 11, but I didn’t finish it. At last we got to Prague and took a subway to our Marriott Hotel. We left our hotel and went to eat. We ate across the street and had pizza, pasta and tomatoes. After we finished, we went back to the hotel and wrote our journals to go to bed. Princess and I built a spaceship to sleep in. PS. On the train, we ate gummy bears.
Mother Superior: We are half way through our train ride to Prague. On this gray, rainy and overcast day, we toured the Habsburg summer palace at Schonbrunn. A this magnificent residence, that the Empress Maria Theresia completed, we had our first sighting of tour buses and gangs of tourists. Afraid of anything that looks or smells of mobs, we quickened our pace and raced past a group of schoolchildren to discover the grounds before the crowds had a chance to organize themselves. Maria Theresia was a great tour de force of political and personal ambition. She loved her husband Franz Stephan greatly, yet ironically only allowed her favorite daughter, Maria Christina to marry for love. The rest all suffered arranged marriages. Most notably, Maria Antionette who once wrote, “I love the Queen, but fear my mother.” Interesting fact I learned today while speaking to one of the curators. In the old days, women in Austria used to have a little sack in which they would place raw meat. They would carry it around their waist so that fleas and other critters would be attracted to the beef, rather than the human’s filthy body. Horrifying. Maybe I can use this to stir up conversation at the next Halloween party?
Princess: Today I woke up and played. I went on a train. It was raining.
Monkey Hat: Today I woke up early and played Angry Birds on dad’s iphone until mom woke up. While mom showered, dad and I got dressed. We decided to go down to eat first after Princess woke up. So we went downstairs to have breakfast. We had the same food as yesterday. We both went back upstairs and let the girls have their breakfast. While the ate, I charged mom’s camera batteries and played more Angry Birds. When the girls came back up, we left to go to the Schonbrunn Palace. At the palace, I saw where Sisi stayed for the summer. When we were done, we went to have lunch at Milo and then went back to the hotel to get our bags. Then we went to the train station. When it was time, we got on the train and we went into our cabin. Princess and I played while mom and dad read their books. Princess stopped playing with me so I read book #10 of Horror Land. I finished the book and started number 11, but I didn’t finish it. At last we got to Prague and took a subway to our Marriott Hotel. We left our hotel and went to eat. We ate across the street and had pizza, pasta and tomatoes. After we finished, we went back to the hotel and wrote our journals to go to bed. Princess and I built a spaceship to sleep in. PS. On the train, we ate gummy bears.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Day Six: Which hurts more?
Mother Superior: Rain drops keep falling on my head….argh!! The weather man was wrong. I wanted the 60 deg and sunny weather that was in the forecast. No matter, I’ve come prepared. Princess and I could share the umbrella. The boys – well, they won’t melt. We were on and off the U-Bahn (that’s the metro for the monolinguists) in no-time. We arrived at the Hofburg Imperial Palace right as it opened. It was great that there were no crowds. In most cases, we had entire exhibits all to ourselves. The first room we walked into had entire walls filled with copper molds to make pastries for the Viennesse Court. It’s a miracle they weren’t all diabetic. Anyhow, as we made our way through the maze we were stunned to see entire rooms of sliver and vermeil dining service set – each weighed a ton! Apparently they only had their soup and dessert in porcelain, everything else was served and plated on silver or vermeil. After a short game of hide and go seek for our tickets, we perused the Empress Sissi’s Imperial Apartment. This royal’s life and death cold make someone in Hollywood rich. Married at 15, dead at 60. Murdered by an Italian Anarchist. In between, death of a daughter, suicide of her son the crown prince, anorexia, and lots of drama. Role model or not, she is a legend. Maybe Disney will make a movie. On our way to lunch, we stopped at the Austrian National Library. A beautiful baroque piece of architecture where books are treated with respect and surrounded by allegorical frescoes and protected by marble gods and goddesses. A true hidden treasure. Speaking of hidden treats, the Nationalbibliothek’s Canteen is such a well kept secret that the government employees refused to help us find it. Unwilling to give in and raise the white flag (i.e. pay big bucks) we circled back until we spotted a small menu board by an unmarked door. Jack Pot! The menu was simple. Two choices: Weiner Schnitzel or Rice with Vegetable Curry. The communal tables were great, the price was a bargain, and the British décor was priceless. I’m not sure what happened next. The papyrus museum seems like it was several life times ago. Tired and cold, we retreated to a café for some comforting treats. Disappointment struck once again – the chocolate cake was horrible and I had to send it back. The waiter looked shocked. I asked him for a recommendation and he brought apple strudel – better, but not great. The Albertina was our next stop on the museum marathon. Monkey Hat spotted an ad for one of its exhibits – Roy Lichtensteins black and white “I know how you must feel Captain Grumpy!” Right on cue, Grumpy came running up the stairs from saving our umbrella and my scarf from the lost and found closet at the café. The Albertina had a humorous collection of money statues that Princess talked to in monkey language – she is still waiting on their responses. The imperial apartments were decorated marvelously. We even got to see the section where Maria Cristina and her son would stay on their vacations in Vienna – The Spanish Crown’s official residence. The highlight of the collection was The Blue Rider exhibit, specifically, the numerous pieces the museum holds by Kadinsky. Monkey Hat and I stared at his use of colors and bold black lines for an hour. I attempted to take a few photos, but alas, the guards were too alert and I only managed to annoy them. As we tried to get away from the zealous guards, we wandered into another exhibit and found a small collection of extremely morbid, yet enlightening drawings by Kurin. We loved his dark humor. Speaking of humor, I brought Captain Grumpy a small gift with the witty words of wisdom from Groucho Marx: “I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.” On that note, let me set the stage for our next tale. My adoring husband knowing how much I love the opera, decided to treat us to La Sonnambula at the Vienna Opera House. In order to get the tickets, we waited in line for 40 minutes. The pros had little folding chairs, newspapers, and thermos filled with coffee. They were an intimidating crowd who were on a first name basis with the ushers. Meanwhile, we were armed with our trusty, Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chip Chewy Coated Granola Bars and our two kids. Once we purchased our tickets, we zipped by the old timers and secured our spots in the front row of the standing room only section. We used our two scarves and tied them to the monitors. Then we were free to wander around the Opera House. We broke up in to two teams. Princess and I worked our way up to the opulent salons where the crowd ranged from jeans with t-shirt to black tie and ballroom gowns. The view inside and out was spectacular. We ran into some Canadians from Toronto, who were very friendly. Princess asked them if they knew Cousin. They responded with a maybe, so Princess launched into a full description of him, his girlfriend and dog without coming up for air. Amazed and amused, they asked us to join them. Princess told them no thanks because she wasn’t allowed to sit with strange people. When it was time to go to our places (I forgot we didn’t have actual seats), we heard a chime. We headed into the main auditorium which lacks much of the orginal flamboyance and stood waiting for the Maestro. The Canadians were right behind us – we greeted each other and Princess said “Mommy, mommy, the strange people are following us.” The music started and the opera soon began. Princess lasted about 15 minutes, Monkey Hat another 15 minutes, and within 45 minutes, our Viennese Opera was over. Not bad for 16 Euros. Plus, Brad can now actually say that he took me to the opera and did not fall asleep.
Captain Grumpy: Mother Superior has finally found a way to keep me from falling asleep in my seat at the Opera…which is…not having a seat to fall asleep in. Our handsome and smart vacation planner/researcher, uncovered two great nuggets for Vienna. For those who know me, you know that when I say something is great, it usually means it was inexpensive. The first great tip has to do with the world-famous Vienna Opera House. If you are a tourist and want to see it, you can pay 20 Euros (each) for a guided tour that lasts approximately 30 minutes. Or you can do what we did…pay 3 or 4 Euros each for Standing Room Opera Tickets. Tonight’s performance was Vicenzo Bellini’s “La Sonnombula”. Basically the standing room tickets open at 6 pm with the Opera starting at 7:30. It doesn’t matter what you wear, as long as it’s appropriate (i.e. you can wear jeans, but not shorts or short skirts.) You stand in line and buy the tickets and hurry over to where you enter into the standing room only area. Once there, you can mark your spot, claiming it for the performance. We claimed our spots centered on the front row. Then for the next 45 minutes, you have free reign inside the Opera House to take pictures and tour. Then you go back for the start of the performance. Whether you stay for the entire show or only the first act or at all, really depend on how badly/how long you want to stand. Princess made it about 10 minutes before I had to pick her up and another 20 minutes before we had to leave. Mother Superior and Monkey Hat followed us about 10 minutes later, and we made our way back to the hotel. The upside is that the children now know what an Opera is like; the downside is that they know what an Opera is like (HA!) The other great tip deals with a restaurant. Vienna can be pricy. However, hidden (and I mean hidden) in the National Library is a Canteen for the students and staff of the National Library. It has a Tages Menu (daily menu with a main dish, side dish and dessert) with two choices for fewer than 5 Euros. Today it was Wiener Schnitzel (of course) and Curried Vegetables with Rice. Needless to say, we searched for this place until we found it. Not even all of the staff at the Library knew about this place. (For future reference it is called ________ and it’s on the back side of the ______________________ in a tiny _________...you have to find it yourselves…sorry) Earlier in the day, we went to the Hofburg Palace and toured the apartments of Franz and Sisi, who are turning out to be a theme on this trip. Sisi is like Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, Princess Di, and Rapunzel rolled into one person. Additionally, we saw a really cool part of the National Library and went to the Albertina Museum (boring). One more day in Vienna and then it’s on to Prague. We’re having fun, getting a lot of exercise, and not getting into too much trouble. One more thing…The question of the day from Princess was when she asked Mother Superior, “Which hurts more? Being dead or having a baby?” I’m not qualified to answer that question, but who is? Sorry. More tomorrow.
Monkey Hat: Today I woke up last, got dressed quickly and had breakfast. For breakfast, I had 1 hardboiled egg, apple juice, 2 yoghurts, cereal, and toast. All together, we left to go the Hofburg Palace. There I saw where Empress Sisi slept and went poo. We left to go to all the libraries. At the second one, we had lunch and went to an exhibit. At the exhibit, I saw papyrus sheets. Also at the third, I saw painting and rooms. I got a postcard in its gift shop, called “snake in the office.” We went to see an Opera. It was boring to me, but not to mom. So we came home, ordered a ham pizza, ate it and went to sleep.
Princess: Today I went to an Opera. It was about a wedding. I bought a funny postcard. I am tired.
Captain Grumpy: Mother Superior has finally found a way to keep me from falling asleep in my seat at the Opera…which is…not having a seat to fall asleep in. Our handsome and smart vacation planner/researcher, uncovered two great nuggets for Vienna. For those who know me, you know that when I say something is great, it usually means it was inexpensive. The first great tip has to do with the world-famous Vienna Opera House. If you are a tourist and want to see it, you can pay 20 Euros (each) for a guided tour that lasts approximately 30 minutes. Or you can do what we did…pay 3 or 4 Euros each for Standing Room Opera Tickets. Tonight’s performance was Vicenzo Bellini’s “La Sonnombula”. Basically the standing room tickets open at 6 pm with the Opera starting at 7:30. It doesn’t matter what you wear, as long as it’s appropriate (i.e. you can wear jeans, but not shorts or short skirts.) You stand in line and buy the tickets and hurry over to where you enter into the standing room only area. Once there, you can mark your spot, claiming it for the performance. We claimed our spots centered on the front row. Then for the next 45 minutes, you have free reign inside the Opera House to take pictures and tour. Then you go back for the start of the performance. Whether you stay for the entire show or only the first act or at all, really depend on how badly/how long you want to stand. Princess made it about 10 minutes before I had to pick her up and another 20 minutes before we had to leave. Mother Superior and Monkey Hat followed us about 10 minutes later, and we made our way back to the hotel. The upside is that the children now know what an Opera is like; the downside is that they know what an Opera is like (HA!) The other great tip deals with a restaurant. Vienna can be pricy. However, hidden (and I mean hidden) in the National Library is a Canteen for the students and staff of the National Library. It has a Tages Menu (daily menu with a main dish, side dish and dessert) with two choices for fewer than 5 Euros. Today it was Wiener Schnitzel (of course) and Curried Vegetables with Rice. Needless to say, we searched for this place until we found it. Not even all of the staff at the Library knew about this place. (For future reference it is called ________ and it’s on the back side of the ______________________ in a tiny _________...you have to find it yourselves…sorry) Earlier in the day, we went to the Hofburg Palace and toured the apartments of Franz and Sisi, who are turning out to be a theme on this trip. Sisi is like Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, Princess Di, and Rapunzel rolled into one person. Additionally, we saw a really cool part of the National Library and went to the Albertina Museum (boring). One more day in Vienna and then it’s on to Prague. We’re having fun, getting a lot of exercise, and not getting into too much trouble. One more thing…The question of the day from Princess was when she asked Mother Superior, “Which hurts more? Being dead or having a baby?” I’m not qualified to answer that question, but who is? Sorry. More tomorrow.
Monkey Hat: Today I woke up last, got dressed quickly and had breakfast. For breakfast, I had 1 hardboiled egg, apple juice, 2 yoghurts, cereal, and toast. All together, we left to go the Hofburg Palace. There I saw where Empress Sisi slept and went poo. We left to go to all the libraries. At the second one, we had lunch and went to an exhibit. At the exhibit, I saw papyrus sheets. Also at the third, I saw painting and rooms. I got a postcard in its gift shop, called “snake in the office.” We went to see an Opera. It was boring to me, but not to mom. So we came home, ordered a ham pizza, ate it and went to sleep.
Princess: Today I went to an Opera. It was about a wedding. I bought a funny postcard. I am tired.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Day Five: Who Dunnit?
Princess: Today we took the train to Vienna. I am staying in a hotel. We ate churros and gummies.
Captain Grumpy: Yes, Princess you CAN talk to me. She only said that to Mother Superior and me about 300 times today. At least she isn’t saying she’s hungry. Speaking of Tengo Hambre, we departed Budapest today and took RailJet 66 to Vienna (or Wien for the locals). For those who didn’t know… including everyone else in my family…Austrians sprechen sie deutsch and use the Euros. Damn! I had just figured out the conversion rate from USD to Forint and knew a few words in Magyar. Now it’s all for naught. I had also forgotten how linked Austria and Hungary were throughout history (i.e. Austro-Hungary Monarchy and the metric system…okay…I’m out). Yesterday, we were hearing stories about Franz and Sisi being snubbed in the Budapest Opera. Today we saw the Imperial Crypts in Vienna where Franz and Sisi and their Kronprinz Rudolfo are laid to rest. Some of the crypts were pretty cool, with skulls, crowns, and armor on them. Mother Superior was unimpressed, “This is the best that the mighty Hapsburgs could do?” Truth in lending, Princess was unimpressed too. She set off the alarm by leaning on a railing…More truth in lending…I don’t think it was Princess, I think it was Mother Superior who set the alarm off and then blamed it on Princess. Afterwards, we headed to Figarohaus, one of Mozart’s former residences in Vienna. On the way, Princess peppered me with questions on death. She wanted to know how and why people died. For one stretch she talked continuously for 4 minutes and 18 seconds. She may have paused for a breath once or twice…maybe. Once at Mozarthaus, only Monkey Hat took the tour to see his sheet music and love letters. Afterwards, Monkey Hat and I raced to the top of St. Stephens Church (déjà vu from yesterday???). 437 or so (who can really count that high?) steps later we were at the top with great views of Vienna. All the way down, Monkey Hat encouraged fellow climbers… “You are almost there”, “not far now”, etc…even to the American couple that were only 7 steps into the climb. They laughed and replied “you’re almost there too.” We found a Tapas place to eat and had a nice dinner. We made it back to the hotel in time to type of these journals and get to sleep. Oh yeah, in Vienna, the internet actually works in the hotel room. But I’m going to bed. Mother Superior slept on the train, while I watched the kids.
Monkey Hat: Today, I woke up by the sound of typing from dad’s computer. I helped dad with typing the blog. When Princess woke up, I stopped helping dad and played with her. Mom woke up around7:30, after Princess and I stopped playing. My family and I soon got dressed and packed. Then we went downstairs and had breakfast. I had eggs, sausage, cereal, and toast. After we ate breakfast, we left our hotel and went to the train station. We all got on the train and settled down. There was a little TV, so Princess and I watched it. I had a granola bar and sandwich and played with cards. When we got to Vienna, we went to our hotel and left ten minutes later. We left to see the Imperial Crypts. There we saw crypts of famous people with skulls on them. Mom set off an alarm. At the gift shop, we got a post card. Next we went to Mozart’s house and I saw interesting things at a gift shop. I got a cool pencil with Mozart on it. Dad and I went to climb the St Stephen’s church and came down 439 steps in all. Where were Mom and Princess? We could not find them. I told dad that they were in a book store, but he said “no”. After waiting 1 hour, we found them, and where were they? In a book store. We all went to Marques to eat dinner. We had tapas and churros. Next we walked home and talked. When we got there, we wrote our journals and went to bed.
Mother Superior: I slept in today. Captain Grumpy entertained the kids on his PC and I lay in bed until 7h30. My dreams of breakfast in bed were dashed away by two little voices who demanded to be fed. Breakfast was uneventful and afterwards we wrestled with our luggage until everything had been properly flattened and fit into the suitcases. It was on to the train station and time for our first train ride. The scene was almost perfect. As we started to walk down the track, a porter appeared, greeted us, grabbed our bags, and tried to pat Princess on the head. She was so startled that she squealed and almost ran into the train. The porter must have felt bad, because instead of leading us to our ticketed seats, he sat us next to a TV section for the kids. I thought to myself, “Give this man the Nobel Prize.” Our favorite babysitter took well care of Monkey Hat and Princess, and we were able to get some well deserved downtime. More or less, that’s how it worked out – that is more for Captain Grumpy as he self-medicated on his Nook, while less for me who monitored the kids for the three hour ride to Vienna. Once we settled into our hotel, we decided to visit the Royals and then mix it up with the Commoners. Our first stop was an official visit to the Hapsburgs of yesteryear. We remembered from our guides in Budapest that Emperor Franz Josef was a stickler for proper attire and protocol, so we wore our Sunday best and Princess announced our entrance into the Imperial Burial Vault by setting off the alarm system. We were so proud of her – all eyes and cameras were on her and yet she remained poised as if mingling among the Hapsburgs was an everyday occurrence. I guess that's what happens when you are used to spending at least one day every summer visiting the Pantheon in El Escorial, Spain. Now there is an eternal resting place, exquisitely designed and decorated to celebrate the Imperial families of the Spanish Crown. Already grounded in reality, we decided to walk down the KarntnerStrasse where every major global brand has set up shop. The boys decided to climb up the tower of Stephansdom Cathedral. Princess and I decided to stay grounded and worked our way around Haas Haus aromatic tea shop. Once we took refuge in a lovely bookstore with a kids section that captivated Princess’s full attention for over an hour. She was hypnotized by the myriad of Easter eggs that suddenly surrounded her. She now had her own scavenger hunt: little eggs, big eggs, paper mache eggs, porcelain eggs, and edible eggs that were chocolate or candied. After a half hour of inspecting the eggs she turned to the bunnies. By the end, she had handled every decoration in the store and to everyone’s delight had put every last one back in its proper place. I ended up buying her a large Easter egg and a book about Easter in German. The shopkeepers were enamored by Princess and gave her a beautifully colorful bouncing ball. They encouraged her to play with it and so she did. After carefully placing it in the Easter egg, she danced around the bookstore with her home-made maraca. Her one-girl / one-instrument performance received a standing ovation. When we rendezvoused with the boys, they were crabby. Apparently, they had been looking for us in all the wrong places. Captain Grumpy’s fault for not listening to us and Monkey Hat. While we have been enjoying our culinary tour of Central Europe, it was time for some home cooking. Se we tracked down a cool Spanish restaurant in the back streets of Vienna. We secured a spacious table in Bodega Marques. Our little toritos loved sitting in the vaulted cellar pointing at all the memorabilia from the Iberian Peninsula. We ordered a few rounds of finger-licking good tapas – they had pimientos pardon. The menu was authentic and so was the atmosphere. Could have, should have skipped the churros!
Captain Grumpy: Yes, Princess you CAN talk to me. She only said that to Mother Superior and me about 300 times today. At least she isn’t saying she’s hungry. Speaking of Tengo Hambre, we departed Budapest today and took RailJet 66 to Vienna (or Wien for the locals). For those who didn’t know… including everyone else in my family…Austrians sprechen sie deutsch and use the Euros. Damn! I had just figured out the conversion rate from USD to Forint and knew a few words in Magyar. Now it’s all for naught. I had also forgotten how linked Austria and Hungary were throughout history (i.e. Austro-Hungary Monarchy and the metric system…okay…I’m out). Yesterday, we were hearing stories about Franz and Sisi being snubbed in the Budapest Opera. Today we saw the Imperial Crypts in Vienna where Franz and Sisi and their Kronprinz Rudolfo are laid to rest. Some of the crypts were pretty cool, with skulls, crowns, and armor on them. Mother Superior was unimpressed, “This is the best that the mighty Hapsburgs could do?” Truth in lending, Princess was unimpressed too. She set off the alarm by leaning on a railing…More truth in lending…I don’t think it was Princess, I think it was Mother Superior who set the alarm off and then blamed it on Princess. Afterwards, we headed to Figarohaus, one of Mozart’s former residences in Vienna. On the way, Princess peppered me with questions on death. She wanted to know how and why people died. For one stretch she talked continuously for 4 minutes and 18 seconds. She may have paused for a breath once or twice…maybe. Once at Mozarthaus, only Monkey Hat took the tour to see his sheet music and love letters. Afterwards, Monkey Hat and I raced to the top of St. Stephens Church (déjà vu from yesterday???). 437 or so (who can really count that high?) steps later we were at the top with great views of Vienna. All the way down, Monkey Hat encouraged fellow climbers… “You are almost there”, “not far now”, etc…even to the American couple that were only 7 steps into the climb. They laughed and replied “you’re almost there too.” We found a Tapas place to eat and had a nice dinner. We made it back to the hotel in time to type of these journals and get to sleep. Oh yeah, in Vienna, the internet actually works in the hotel room. But I’m going to bed. Mother Superior slept on the train, while I watched the kids.
Monkey Hat: Today, I woke up by the sound of typing from dad’s computer. I helped dad with typing the blog. When Princess woke up, I stopped helping dad and played with her. Mom woke up around7:30, after Princess and I stopped playing. My family and I soon got dressed and packed. Then we went downstairs and had breakfast. I had eggs, sausage, cereal, and toast. After we ate breakfast, we left our hotel and went to the train station. We all got on the train and settled down. There was a little TV, so Princess and I watched it. I had a granola bar and sandwich and played with cards. When we got to Vienna, we went to our hotel and left ten minutes later. We left to see the Imperial Crypts. There we saw crypts of famous people with skulls on them. Mom set off an alarm. At the gift shop, we got a post card. Next we went to Mozart’s house and I saw interesting things at a gift shop. I got a cool pencil with Mozart on it. Dad and I went to climb the St Stephen’s church and came down 439 steps in all. Where were Mom and Princess? We could not find them. I told dad that they were in a book store, but he said “no”. After waiting 1 hour, we found them, and where were they? In a book store. We all went to Marques to eat dinner. We had tapas and churros. Next we walked home and talked. When we got there, we wrote our journals and went to bed.
Mother Superior: I slept in today. Captain Grumpy entertained the kids on his PC and I lay in bed until 7h30. My dreams of breakfast in bed were dashed away by two little voices who demanded to be fed. Breakfast was uneventful and afterwards we wrestled with our luggage until everything had been properly flattened and fit into the suitcases. It was on to the train station and time for our first train ride. The scene was almost perfect. As we started to walk down the track, a porter appeared, greeted us, grabbed our bags, and tried to pat Princess on the head. She was so startled that she squealed and almost ran into the train. The porter must have felt bad, because instead of leading us to our ticketed seats, he sat us next to a TV section for the kids. I thought to myself, “Give this man the Nobel Prize.” Our favorite babysitter took well care of Monkey Hat and Princess, and we were able to get some well deserved downtime. More or less, that’s how it worked out – that is more for Captain Grumpy as he self-medicated on his Nook, while less for me who monitored the kids for the three hour ride to Vienna. Once we settled into our hotel, we decided to visit the Royals and then mix it up with the Commoners. Our first stop was an official visit to the Hapsburgs of yesteryear. We remembered from our guides in Budapest that Emperor Franz Josef was a stickler for proper attire and protocol, so we wore our Sunday best and Princess announced our entrance into the Imperial Burial Vault by setting off the alarm system. We were so proud of her – all eyes and cameras were on her and yet she remained poised as if mingling among the Hapsburgs was an everyday occurrence. I guess that's what happens when you are used to spending at least one day every summer visiting the Pantheon in El Escorial, Spain. Now there is an eternal resting place, exquisitely designed and decorated to celebrate the Imperial families of the Spanish Crown. Already grounded in reality, we decided to walk down the KarntnerStrasse where every major global brand has set up shop. The boys decided to climb up the tower of Stephansdom Cathedral. Princess and I decided to stay grounded and worked our way around Haas Haus aromatic tea shop. Once we took refuge in a lovely bookstore with a kids section that captivated Princess’s full attention for over an hour. She was hypnotized by the myriad of Easter eggs that suddenly surrounded her. She now had her own scavenger hunt: little eggs, big eggs, paper mache eggs, porcelain eggs, and edible eggs that were chocolate or candied. After a half hour of inspecting the eggs she turned to the bunnies. By the end, she had handled every decoration in the store and to everyone’s delight had put every last one back in its proper place. I ended up buying her a large Easter egg and a book about Easter in German. The shopkeepers were enamored by Princess and gave her a beautifully colorful bouncing ball. They encouraged her to play with it and so she did. After carefully placing it in the Easter egg, she danced around the bookstore with her home-made maraca. Her one-girl / one-instrument performance received a standing ovation. When we rendezvoused with the boys, they were crabby. Apparently, they had been looking for us in all the wrong places. Captain Grumpy’s fault for not listening to us and Monkey Hat. While we have been enjoying our culinary tour of Central Europe, it was time for some home cooking. Se we tracked down a cool Spanish restaurant in the back streets of Vienna. We secured a spacious table in Bodega Marques. Our little toritos loved sitting in the vaulted cellar pointing at all the memorabilia from the Iberian Peninsula. We ordered a few rounds of finger-licking good tapas – they had pimientos pardon. The menu was authentic and so was the atmosphere. Could have, should have skipped the churros!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Day Four: The Fat Lady Sung Already
Monkey Hat: Today I woke up first and got dressed and had breakfast. The day started when we went to the Parliament and took a tour of it. I saw a replica of the Parliament Building made out of matches. A Hungarian Family made it. We also visited a large room with a lot of desks called the “House of Lords”. I got Hungry (get it?). We went to TG Italiano and ate a healthy lunch of vegetables, pizza, pasta and fish. Dad and I climbed St Stephens Church and came back down in less than 20 minutes. Mom said we took the elevator, but we didn’t. It was time to go to the Opera House. We took a tour in Spanish and learned a bit about its past. It has a lot of gold decorations. Before electricity they lit the lights with gas. They kept the lights on during the opera so boys didn’t kiss girls. After that we went back to the hotel and had dinner and took a shower.
Mother Superior: Tengo Hambre! Tengo Hambre! This has been Princess’s unofficial motto since arriving in Hungary. The irony doesn’t escape us and we always end up laughing. This morning, she was especially vocal until we sat down for breakfast. A plate of scrambled eggs, a croissant with strawberry jam, and a bowl of cereal did the trick – for a while at least. We were off to the races! After hustling in and out of the metro, we waited on line to get tickets to visit Parliament. The line which looked more like a wedge, seemed to get longer thanks to the arbitrary system of advancing that the gate keeper employed. As the rain started to come down, we made it to the ticket window. The kids and I got in free as EU members, although Captain Grumpy had to pay. Somewhere along the line, we figured out that there was a Spanish tour at 11h30 and opted for the sounds of the mother land instead of waiting for the English tour at 13h00. With an hour to spend, we took cover at the Parliament Café. The hot chocolate and espresso warmed our spirits and we casually wandered about the area. We marveled at the magnificent 19th Century buildings that were all around us until we slowly started to realize that several of them were abandoned or in need of extensive repair. We quickly ran out of time and headed back for our tour. While waiting to pass security, our tour guide decided to ask if any of us were carrying knifes, rifles, or explosives. He quickly got more that he bargained for. “Tengo el cuchillo de jamon, pero ese no cuenta.” (I have the knife for the Ham, but this doesn’t count.) Everyone laughed. Captain Grumpy pointed out that he looked like Ricky Martin – personally, I didn’t see it. Once inside the symmetrical compound we saw a model of the building made of 30,000 matchsticks.; supposedly made by a Hungarian family. If you think about it, it’s a creative way to teach your kids how to play with matches and/or a therapeutic way to give up smoking. The size and attention to design details was magnificent. The House of Lords, which is not longer in use can be rented for 4.000 Euros. Some lady asked, “Eso incluye el uso de los banos?” (Does this include the use of the bathrooms”) Everyone laughed. The foolish guide stated that he didn’t know. As if not to miss a beat, the voice shouted back, “Lo podrias averiguar!” (Go find out!) Laughter once more. The tour turned out to be very enjoyable and we were only admonished twice for taking photos in restricted areas. In good health and spirits, we pulled out our handy tour books and picked a moderately priced French restaurant named La Fontaine. We located it on our maps and followed our fearless leader to the location only to find out when we got there it had already gone out of business. Unable to recover from the shock that our guide book had failed us, we meandered toward St Stephen’s Basilica until a stylishly fitted out Italian restaurant caught our eyes and lured us into TG Italiano. Seduced by the rich aromas eminating from the kitchen and the sharply dressed staff, we followed our waiter to the patio. The menu was extensive and our inability to decide became a 30 minute comedy show starring us and the unsuspecting waiter. On his fourth visit we gave him our order: grilled sole and shrimp, cavitelli in a cream sauce with peas and prosciutto, pizza margherita, and grilled vegetables. He asked if we were sure. I replied “no…but if I have a glass of Prosseco it will all be good.” He laughed and made some comment about women that despite the language barrier clearly conveyed the universal truth that all men should learn…”happy wife, happy life”. Lunch was delicious and the Prosseco was perfectly chilled. We should have quit after our entrées, but instead we decided to order dessert. I’m sad to report that the Tiramisu and the Profiteroles were unfortunate. Feeling guilty about the calories consumed, Captain Grumpy and Monkey Hat jogged over to the Basilica and raced to its duomo while Princess and I people watched from our strategically located table at TG Italiano. Twenty minutes later, our two sweaty boys returned to us. Our final stop of the day required us to stroll on the Andrassy. It’s a grand boulevard in the style of the Gran Via or Champ-Elysees. The neo-Renaissance architectures that line both sides of the avenue are spectacular specimens of engineering – rich in detail, uniformly sized, and uniquely personalized. They demand your attention block after block. When we arrived at the State Opera House we once again had to choose between a Spanish or English tour. Our earlier experience was so entertaining that we decided to join the Spaniards. The Opera is a precious jewel exquisitely designed and decorated. As you walk on the white and black mosaic floor you stare at the ceilings that are covered with majestic murals and allegories. According to our guide, it seats approximately 1,300 people. Prices range from 2 to 50 Euros. Extremely affordable if you compare it to the Met at Lincoln Center. Supposedly, Emporer Francis Joseph and his wife Sissi attended the grand opening of the Opera. Both loved it but only Sissi ever returned because Joseph did not appreciate that although smaller, it surpassed the Opera House in Vienna. Unfortunately, without her husband, Sissi was not allowed to use the royal box. Princess asked why, I replied “Sexism.” Hopefully we will be able to attend a performance before we depart back to the USA.
Captain Grumpy: Today we slept in until 7am. By the time we left the hotel, we headed directly to the Parliament building. We got in the buy a ticket line. When it was your turn, you walked across the site to a small ticket office. Mother Superior and the kids were free (we found out if you flashed an EU passport, tickets were free or discounted. I on the other hand had to pay. It was 50% off since it was a holiday (Tengo Hambre Independence day – one of several throughout the year -- another anecdote could fit in hereabout the cycle of oppressive regimes and related revolutions). By the way, the currency of Tengo Hambre is the Forint (roughly 200 Ft to the dollar). After getting the ticket, you had to wait until your allotted time for the guided tour. Since the Spanish speaking tour was before the English speaking tour, we fuimos con Los Espanoles. It turns out, the Spanish and the Tengo Hambrians are cousins because some Infanta from Aragon was married to a former Hambrian King, at least that is what I heard 14 times from the tour guide. On a side note, not that I haven’t already made a few…the tour guide looked like the Tengo Hambrian version of Ricky Martin. Supposedly the Royal Crown and Jewels were a part of the tour. Mother Superior got after the kids because they were too busy messing around to notice them during the tour. Good thing I, er, ah, saw them. Yes, sure. After this, we decided to get lunch. The best meal we had so far. An Italian Ristorante called TG Italiano, not far from St Stephens Basilica (technically only a minor basilica), but the title was transferred nonetheless. Mother Superior and Princess passed on the tour, so Monkey Hat and I raced to the top of the 340 steps and the Cupola. At 96 meters its one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest (Parliament being the other). After this, we walked to the Opera House for a tour. I can confidently say that I am not immune to the power of the Tengo Hambrian House…I was nodding off during the tour several times…Good to know its not just the Met that has that effect (or the AMC movie theater simulcast either). We retired early to write these journals.
Princess: We ate in a café. There was a picture on the ceiling. Today we went to the Opera house.
Mother Superior: Tengo Hambre! Tengo Hambre! This has been Princess’s unofficial motto since arriving in Hungary. The irony doesn’t escape us and we always end up laughing. This morning, she was especially vocal until we sat down for breakfast. A plate of scrambled eggs, a croissant with strawberry jam, and a bowl of cereal did the trick – for a while at least. We were off to the races! After hustling in and out of the metro, we waited on line to get tickets to visit Parliament. The line which looked more like a wedge, seemed to get longer thanks to the arbitrary system of advancing that the gate keeper employed. As the rain started to come down, we made it to the ticket window. The kids and I got in free as EU members, although Captain Grumpy had to pay. Somewhere along the line, we figured out that there was a Spanish tour at 11h30 and opted for the sounds of the mother land instead of waiting for the English tour at 13h00. With an hour to spend, we took cover at the Parliament Café. The hot chocolate and espresso warmed our spirits and we casually wandered about the area. We marveled at the magnificent 19th Century buildings that were all around us until we slowly started to realize that several of them were abandoned or in need of extensive repair. We quickly ran out of time and headed back for our tour. While waiting to pass security, our tour guide decided to ask if any of us were carrying knifes, rifles, or explosives. He quickly got more that he bargained for. “Tengo el cuchillo de jamon, pero ese no cuenta.” (I have the knife for the Ham, but this doesn’t count.) Everyone laughed. Captain Grumpy pointed out that he looked like Ricky Martin – personally, I didn’t see it. Once inside the symmetrical compound we saw a model of the building made of 30,000 matchsticks.; supposedly made by a Hungarian family. If you think about it, it’s a creative way to teach your kids how to play with matches and/or a therapeutic way to give up smoking. The size and attention to design details was magnificent. The House of Lords, which is not longer in use can be rented for 4.000 Euros. Some lady asked, “Eso incluye el uso de los banos?” (Does this include the use of the bathrooms”) Everyone laughed. The foolish guide stated that he didn’t know. As if not to miss a beat, the voice shouted back, “Lo podrias averiguar!” (Go find out!) Laughter once more. The tour turned out to be very enjoyable and we were only admonished twice for taking photos in restricted areas. In good health and spirits, we pulled out our handy tour books and picked a moderately priced French restaurant named La Fontaine. We located it on our maps and followed our fearless leader to the location only to find out when we got there it had already gone out of business. Unable to recover from the shock that our guide book had failed us, we meandered toward St Stephen’s Basilica until a stylishly fitted out Italian restaurant caught our eyes and lured us into TG Italiano. Seduced by the rich aromas eminating from the kitchen and the sharply dressed staff, we followed our waiter to the patio. The menu was extensive and our inability to decide became a 30 minute comedy show starring us and the unsuspecting waiter. On his fourth visit we gave him our order: grilled sole and shrimp, cavitelli in a cream sauce with peas and prosciutto, pizza margherita, and grilled vegetables. He asked if we were sure. I replied “no…but if I have a glass of Prosseco it will all be good.” He laughed and made some comment about women that despite the language barrier clearly conveyed the universal truth that all men should learn…”happy wife, happy life”. Lunch was delicious and the Prosseco was perfectly chilled. We should have quit after our entrées, but instead we decided to order dessert. I’m sad to report that the Tiramisu and the Profiteroles were unfortunate. Feeling guilty about the calories consumed, Captain Grumpy and Monkey Hat jogged over to the Basilica and raced to its duomo while Princess and I people watched from our strategically located table at TG Italiano. Twenty minutes later, our two sweaty boys returned to us. Our final stop of the day required us to stroll on the Andrassy. It’s a grand boulevard in the style of the Gran Via or Champ-Elysees. The neo-Renaissance architectures that line both sides of the avenue are spectacular specimens of engineering – rich in detail, uniformly sized, and uniquely personalized. They demand your attention block after block. When we arrived at the State Opera House we once again had to choose between a Spanish or English tour. Our earlier experience was so entertaining that we decided to join the Spaniards. The Opera is a precious jewel exquisitely designed and decorated. As you walk on the white and black mosaic floor you stare at the ceilings that are covered with majestic murals and allegories. According to our guide, it seats approximately 1,300 people. Prices range from 2 to 50 Euros. Extremely affordable if you compare it to the Met at Lincoln Center. Supposedly, Emporer Francis Joseph and his wife Sissi attended the grand opening of the Opera. Both loved it but only Sissi ever returned because Joseph did not appreciate that although smaller, it surpassed the Opera House in Vienna. Unfortunately, without her husband, Sissi was not allowed to use the royal box. Princess asked why, I replied “Sexism.” Hopefully we will be able to attend a performance before we depart back to the USA.
Captain Grumpy: Today we slept in until 7am. By the time we left the hotel, we headed directly to the Parliament building. We got in the buy a ticket line. When it was your turn, you walked across the site to a small ticket office. Mother Superior and the kids were free (we found out if you flashed an EU passport, tickets were free or discounted. I on the other hand had to pay. It was 50% off since it was a holiday (Tengo Hambre Independence day – one of several throughout the year -- another anecdote could fit in hereabout the cycle of oppressive regimes and related revolutions). By the way, the currency of Tengo Hambre is the Forint (roughly 200 Ft to the dollar). After getting the ticket, you had to wait until your allotted time for the guided tour. Since the Spanish speaking tour was before the English speaking tour, we fuimos con Los Espanoles. It turns out, the Spanish and the Tengo Hambrians are cousins because some Infanta from Aragon was married to a former Hambrian King, at least that is what I heard 14 times from the tour guide. On a side note, not that I haven’t already made a few…the tour guide looked like the Tengo Hambrian version of Ricky Martin. Supposedly the Royal Crown and Jewels were a part of the tour. Mother Superior got after the kids because they were too busy messing around to notice them during the tour. Good thing I, er, ah, saw them. Yes, sure. After this, we decided to get lunch. The best meal we had so far. An Italian Ristorante called TG Italiano, not far from St Stephens Basilica (technically only a minor basilica), but the title was transferred nonetheless. Mother Superior and Princess passed on the tour, so Monkey Hat and I raced to the top of the 340 steps and the Cupola. At 96 meters its one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest (Parliament being the other). After this, we walked to the Opera House for a tour. I can confidently say that I am not immune to the power of the Tengo Hambrian House…I was nodding off during the tour several times…Good to know its not just the Met that has that effect (or the AMC movie theater simulcast either). We retired early to write these journals.
Princess: We ate in a café. There was a picture on the ceiling. Today we went to the Opera house.
Day Three: No Rest for the Weary
Captain Grumpy: Princess woke us up at 6 am. She had already made her bed, so who knows how early she woke up. We ate breakfast and were on the road prior to 8 am. The plan was to walk to the Buda part of the city and hit those sites before heading back to Pest. One block into this itinerary and Monkey Hat and I were in trouble. Apparently, we were walking too fast, even though the little old lady with the walking stick passed us like we were standing still. Oh well…and away we went. We walked across the Scheznyi Bridge, a suspension bridge across the Danube and took a ride on the Castle Hill Funicular to the top. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity (4 minutes and 37 seconds to be exact) for people to clear so Mother Superior could take a tourist free photo of a gate, we then started walking around the Buda Castle/Royal Palace. We visited the Art Museum and tried to go to St Mathias Church, but Mass was in session and we didn’t want to wait. We walked down the hill to the nearest Metro. Halfway down, the other three started complaining about being tired. We then went to have lunch at a Dutch Pub. It was a cool place, but the food wasn’t all that great. Afterwards we picked up some strawberries from a local market and headed to the Museum of Fine Art. I can now cross “See the mummified remains of a crocodile” off of my life to do list. We headed back to the night life area and had dinner at Boom and Brass and dessert at the Gerbeaud Bakery. All in all, 3 miles of walking, 40 minutes of waiting, and only 8 hours of whining. Tomorrow I will throttle back.
Mother Superior: Before and after pictures of my feet would be a great way to recount our second day in Budapest. Somehow Princess managed to get up around 5h30 and jumped on Captain Grumpy – what a wake up call. An hour and a half later, we were eating breakfast and had plotted out our day on the map. From Vorosmarty Ter we strolled to the Danube and crossed over the Chain Bridge. The slow pace we kept, allowed us to relax and be hypnotized by the river and skyline of the Pest bank of the Danube. From the foot of Castle Hill, we jumped on the funicular. Monkey Hat and Princess giggled all the way to the top. The birds eye view of Pest was thrilling and we were camera ready. According to our guidebooks, the Royal Palace of Budavari Palota has been destroyed by locals, invaders from the west AND east, at least a half a dozen times and yet it continues to rise from its ashes like the mythological phoenix. We decided to visit the National Gallery that is housed in the former palace. Although we had not heard of the Hungarian artists that formed the permanent collection, it was interesting to walk through the various galleries and be the only four people in the room. The lack of security cameras and other patrons made for a ghostly experience. Maybe ghostly is not the best word – unearthly, as if some of the statues were the only ones watching us. Eventually, a few people started to show up and we listened to five minutes of a choral concert of robust women. We hastened our departure and escaped the musical purgatory. The palace gardens became our safe haven. Once outdoor, we enjoyed a small snack as we put one foot in front of the other until we arrived at St Mathias Church. Luck was not on our side. Mass was in session and would not end for another 50 minutes. Kids were crank, the parents were even crankier, so we bypassed the interior of the church and set course for Fisherman’s Bastion. As we paraded through hilly Buda, I thought to myself, “I’m outta here. The next landmark I want to visit is the bath houses for a Hungarian foot massage, body soaking, and wine drinking experience. We crawled back to Pest and decided to visit a local Hungarian eatery for lunch. At the Amstel River Café, we rested the throbbing footsies and nourished our tummies. Captain Grumpy, the Brave, ordered goulash soup. For the developed palates (aka the risk averse), we ordered spaghetti carbonara and fried calamari. The service was great, the waiter was cute, the music was retro, and the clean bathrooms were priceless. Now a reasonable man who is traveling with a 5 year old girl, a 9 year old boy and a wife wearing 3 inch heeled, leather boots would have tried to improve troop morale, but not our Captain Grumpy! Immediately upon having polished off our chow, he forced march us to Heroes Square. We assaulted the Fine Arts Museum, clearing the building floor by floor, room by room. It was evident in the Egyptian gallery that the former regime had not been allowed to rest in peace. Surely, their mummified remains and those of their pets (crocodiles, baboon, falcon, cat and ibis) had been dragged out of the resting places by unhappy foot soldiers that found the tour of the Nile too treacherous. In an effort to avoid the same fate, Captain Grumpy allowed us to take a knee, drink water, and sketch unimpressive replicas of Goya, El Greco, and Velasquez Spanish masterpieces that were on display. Sensing his totalitarian grip on power slipping away and a mutiny close at hand, Captain Grumpy launched his ‘Hearts and Mind’ campaign: “Chocolate and Ice Cream For All.” Religion might be the opium of the masses, but the Traveling By Four family answers to a higher power: Chocolate! The days maneuvers required a double dosage of chocolate. Our first stop was at the Antique Café where the kids first hugged the large ice cream cone, and then gobbled it up. The second dosage came right after dinner at the institution that was established in 1870 – The Patisserie Gerbeaud. Although the Hungarian landmark is an architectural paradise, the desserts fell short of heaven and the service staff was equally dry – but we are snobby foodies from the Tri-State area. What do we know?
Monkey Hat: Today we woke up and got dressed. We had breakfast and we set off. I crossed the Danube River on the Chain Bridge. Then we got on a funicular and went up a hill. At the top was Buda Castle. We went inside and looked at painting and watched fat ladies sing. At last we left and walked to the metro station and got on a subway. On the way, we passed the St Mathias Church. We ate and went to a museum of fine art. After the museum, we had ice cream. I jumped on the metro to get to Boom and Brass. We also had dessert at Gerbeaud. P.S. I saw cool mummies.
Princess: I woke up first and jumped on Dad. Then we went to breakfast. We went on the chain bridge. It had two lions.
Mother Superior: Before and after pictures of my feet would be a great way to recount our second day in Budapest. Somehow Princess managed to get up around 5h30 and jumped on Captain Grumpy – what a wake up call. An hour and a half later, we were eating breakfast and had plotted out our day on the map. From Vorosmarty Ter we strolled to the Danube and crossed over the Chain Bridge. The slow pace we kept, allowed us to relax and be hypnotized by the river and skyline of the Pest bank of the Danube. From the foot of Castle Hill, we jumped on the funicular. Monkey Hat and Princess giggled all the way to the top. The birds eye view of Pest was thrilling and we were camera ready. According to our guidebooks, the Royal Palace of Budavari Palota has been destroyed by locals, invaders from the west AND east, at least a half a dozen times and yet it continues to rise from its ashes like the mythological phoenix. We decided to visit the National Gallery that is housed in the former palace. Although we had not heard of the Hungarian artists that formed the permanent collection, it was interesting to walk through the various galleries and be the only four people in the room. The lack of security cameras and other patrons made for a ghostly experience. Maybe ghostly is not the best word – unearthly, as if some of the statues were the only ones watching us. Eventually, a few people started to show up and we listened to five minutes of a choral concert of robust women. We hastened our departure and escaped the musical purgatory. The palace gardens became our safe haven. Once outdoor, we enjoyed a small snack as we put one foot in front of the other until we arrived at St Mathias Church. Luck was not on our side. Mass was in session and would not end for another 50 minutes. Kids were crank, the parents were even crankier, so we bypassed the interior of the church and set course for Fisherman’s Bastion. As we paraded through hilly Buda, I thought to myself, “I’m outta here. The next landmark I want to visit is the bath houses for a Hungarian foot massage, body soaking, and wine drinking experience. We crawled back to Pest and decided to visit a local Hungarian eatery for lunch. At the Amstel River Café, we rested the throbbing footsies and nourished our tummies. Captain Grumpy, the Brave, ordered goulash soup. For the developed palates (aka the risk averse), we ordered spaghetti carbonara and fried calamari. The service was great, the waiter was cute, the music was retro, and the clean bathrooms were priceless. Now a reasonable man who is traveling with a 5 year old girl, a 9 year old boy and a wife wearing 3 inch heeled, leather boots would have tried to improve troop morale, but not our Captain Grumpy! Immediately upon having polished off our chow, he forced march us to Heroes Square. We assaulted the Fine Arts Museum, clearing the building floor by floor, room by room. It was evident in the Egyptian gallery that the former regime had not been allowed to rest in peace. Surely, their mummified remains and those of their pets (crocodiles, baboon, falcon, cat and ibis) had been dragged out of the resting places by unhappy foot soldiers that found the tour of the Nile too treacherous. In an effort to avoid the same fate, Captain Grumpy allowed us to take a knee, drink water, and sketch unimpressive replicas of Goya, El Greco, and Velasquez Spanish masterpieces that were on display. Sensing his totalitarian grip on power slipping away and a mutiny close at hand, Captain Grumpy launched his ‘Hearts and Mind’ campaign: “Chocolate and Ice Cream For All.” Religion might be the opium of the masses, but the Traveling By Four family answers to a higher power: Chocolate! The days maneuvers required a double dosage of chocolate. Our first stop was at the Antique Café where the kids first hugged the large ice cream cone, and then gobbled it up. The second dosage came right after dinner at the institution that was established in 1870 – The Patisserie Gerbeaud. Although the Hungarian landmark is an architectural paradise, the desserts fell short of heaven and the service staff was equally dry – but we are snobby foodies from the Tri-State area. What do we know?
Monkey Hat: Today we woke up and got dressed. We had breakfast and we set off. I crossed the Danube River on the Chain Bridge. Then we got on a funicular and went up a hill. At the top was Buda Castle. We went inside and looked at painting and watched fat ladies sing. At last we left and walked to the metro station and got on a subway. On the way, we passed the St Mathias Church. We ate and went to a museum of fine art. After the museum, we had ice cream. I jumped on the metro to get to Boom and Brass. We also had dessert at Gerbeaud. P.S. I saw cool mummies.
Princess: I woke up first and jumped on Dad. Then we went to breakfast. We went on the chain bridge. It had two lions.
Day Two: Planes, Planes, and Taxis
Captain Grumpy: Woke up as we landed in Germany. After taking the family on a tour of Terminal A, it was decided best for all of us to rest while we waited for the plane to Budapest. Like I said, it was decided, which means Mother Superior was mad at me…and so were the minions. Who would have known that they couldn’t accompany me into the Lufthansa Senator’s Club and we needless walked twice as far through a hot airport for nothing...oh well. The flight to Budapest was uneventful. Monkey Hat and I played “War” with his Yugiyoh cards and the other two slept. Our hotel’s driver was waiting on us and brought us to the hotel. Not the Waldorf, but not the Barcelona hotel either. We took the evening to explore the restaurant area of Pest, near the Danube River. All of us were asleep by 9 pm.
Mother Superior: We arrived in Budapest on time – Luftansa ever punctual! Our driver was waiting for us and swept us to the hotel. Checking in took almost no time and we decided to make our way to the Danube River. We found the metro and took it to Vorosmarty Ter. Now I’m aware of the globalization is causing cities to look increasingly similar, but does TGIF really need to set up shop in Budapest? We kept our distance from the global franchises and sought out local character. We were not disappointed by tiny coffee houses on the back streets. By 19h30 we were done eating and decided to frequent Patisserie Gerbaud, but they were already in the process of closing down for the night. I wonder if the early curfew is a remnant of the Communist era? A rain check will be required. The patisserie was exquisitely put together. I cannot wait to indulge my taste buds.
Monkey Hat: Today I woke up on the plane above Europe. We landed in Frankfurt and hopped on a bus to the terminal. I now have, in my passport, a stamp from Frankfurt. Then we got to our gate and had lunch. We finally got on the plane and they gave me a snack. It was cream cheese in a pretzel. At last we landed in Budapest. A taxi guy picked us up and took us to the hotel and then we went to tour Pest. At the end we had dinner.
Mother Superior: We arrived in Budapest on time – Luftansa ever punctual! Our driver was waiting for us and swept us to the hotel. Checking in took almost no time and we decided to make our way to the Danube River. We found the metro and took it to Vorosmarty Ter. Now I’m aware of the globalization is causing cities to look increasingly similar, but does TGIF really need to set up shop in Budapest? We kept our distance from the global franchises and sought out local character. We were not disappointed by tiny coffee houses on the back streets. By 19h30 we were done eating and decided to frequent Patisserie Gerbaud, but they were already in the process of closing down for the night. I wonder if the early curfew is a remnant of the Communist era? A rain check will be required. The patisserie was exquisitely put together. I cannot wait to indulge my taste buds.
Monkey Hat: Today I woke up on the plane above Europe. We landed in Frankfurt and hopped on a bus to the terminal. I now have, in my passport, a stamp from Frankfurt. Then we got to our gate and had lunch. We finally got on the plane and they gave me a snack. It was cream cheese in a pretzel. At last we landed in Budapest. A taxi guy picked us up and took us to the hotel and then we went to tour Pest. At the end we had dinner.
Day One: Pack and Go!
Captain Grumpy: Today was a day like any day...or was it? Of course it was. The kids were at school, the wife was working, I was supposed to be working...but in between teleconferences and emails and briefings, I was doing my "honey-do" list and taking care of last minute arrangements for our trip. Not to mention getting Mother Superior's car looked at by a mechanic and getting the quarterly treatment for the BMSB at our house...which is another story altogether. I had a short to do list: pick up food, drop it off at our friends' house, pick up wife's shoes from the cobbler, pick up kids, pick up wife, eat dinner, pick up cousin, go to the airport, give car to cousin, and get on a plane... Nothing to it. Except the flood in Denville; Except the extra side trips to get items we've forgotten; Except the traffic. Anyway, we made it to the airport and were on the plane. Wait...there was also the iphone left in the President's Club that we realized after we were on the plane. No worries. They let me get off the plane to fetch it. No security alarms were sounded...yet. Off to Hungary, or as we are referring to it…Tengo Hambre.
Mother Superior: Today we started our vacation to Central Europe. Our enthusiasm was dampened by the horrific Tsunami and quake that struck Japan. Will the search and rescue efforts be successful? How will they distribute drinkable water to all the victims? Will the nuclear reactor have a meltdown? Will our humanity allow us to help beyond borders and political interest? I finished teaching and we gathered in the parking lot. Captain Grumpy and I consolidated our suitcases into one car before heading to an early dinner. Kyoto was closed, so no sushi for us. We settled for Nonna's Ristorante. The airport was uneventful and the flight was very smooth. Earlier though, I spoke with Sister Superior while waiting at the President's Club. Her husband was not doing well. Once again, his fever was up. I'm worried about my sister. The weight of his medical situation is draining her emotionally and physically. I'm thankful my parents went to visit them at the hospital. I want to make my way to Ohio when we get back from Budapest, Vienna, and Prague.
Monkey Hat: Today, Dad came to our school and picked us up. Next we went to N.A. and Mom joined us and we ate at Nonna’s. We then picked up our cousin and drove to the airport. We walked to the club and got snacks. At last it was time to go. We got on our plane and took off. P.S. Mommy forgot her phone in the club and Dad went back to get it.
Princess: Dad picked me up. We picked up our cousin. I ate pasta and cucumbers. Then we went to the airport. We went to the plane. On the plane I colored. I watched TV.
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