Category Archives: Czech Republic

IN WITH THE NEW IN BERLIN AND PRAGUE

By Chris Meyer

Berlin and Prague, two cities we visited prior to our Danube River Cruise, are exciting, optimistic places at the forefront of forging modern Europe. It’s clear that European Union drama that makes headlines these days is mild compared to the tortuous 20th Century.

Prague

Prague’s Old Town feels like the backdrop of a fairy tale.

Alicia, our excellent Berlin bike tour guide, told us at the outset that we would explore multiple layers of the fascinating city’s history. And layers there were.  The Brandenburg Gate, Humboldt University and the gathering of the German state with Prussia as driving force. Two cataclysmic world wars and the atrocities of the Nazis captured by the unmarked site of Hitler’s bunker and the nearby Memorial to Murdered Jews.  A remnant of the wall that once divided the city and symbolized the Cold War. And today’s Berlin, once again capital of a unified Germany with  Potsdamer Platz gleaming in an area that was bombed out and then a Berlin Wall no-man’s land, and The Reichstag (parliament) building crowned with a glass dome portraying government openness.

Awesome Alicia explains it all.

Awesome Alicia explains it all.

Our Fat Tire Bike Tour seemed the perfect way to get a good overview of Berlin. You can cover more territory than by walking, but you still get a ground-level, not a drive-by, experience. Fat Tire is highly rated and Alicia, from Alberta, Canada, lived up to my expectations. We cruised the streets of the flat, bike-friendly city to visit key markers of the layers.

The tour began at the TV Tower, a clumsy Communist concrete icon meant to project power and propaganda. Checkpoint Charlie, once a key gateway between East and West Berlin,  is a tourist trap with faux American and Soviet soldiers posing for photos for a fee.  Neither is named Charlie, which was derived from military ordering, as in alpha, bravo, Charlie for A, B, C. McDonalds and KFC loom here, as if to emphasize which side won the Cold War.

A Berlin Wall remnant and accompanying guard tower seem almost quaint until

Berlin's somber Holocaust memorial is not far from Hitler's unmarked bunker.

Berlin’s stark, somber Holocaust memorial is not far from Hitler’s unmarked bunker.

Alicia described the kill zone of barbed wire, glass shards and raked sand. Plus, the tower was surely more intimidating when manned by guards pointing their weapons. It is interesting where the wall was constructed, in some places right alongside a street.

Time out in Tiergarten.

Time out in Tiergarten.

 

 

 

We stopped in the lovely Tiergarten urban park for, what else, schnitzel and beer. Hey, we were burning calories pedaling around. Alicia pointed out some “authentic German sausage,” locals sunbathing on the grass, al natural.

Potsdamer Platz, a gleaming hotel-office-shopping-entertainment complex that was home to our hotel, the Grand Hyatt, is a post-wall creation that demonstrates the victory of capitalism and promise of a new unified Germany and post-communist Europe.  An abundance of stores and eateries offer everything from schnitzel to Starbucks. And the centerpiece entertainment complex displays its requisite corporate sponsor, Sony.

This theme was repeated throughout our trip, which meandered around the former Iron Curtain. Several local guides were quick to report that their countries are thriving with entrepreneurship and freedom. One in Prague went so far as to relate his mother’s colorful description of the communists as like “wasps in my ass.”

Standing there in Prague’s centuries-old main square, it is hard to imagine Soviet tanks crowding in to quash the Prague Spring liberalization of 1968. It’s just not that big a place. Martin, our excellent guide, described the elation when the Spring’s architect, Alexander Dubcek, emerged there after two decades under house arrest with Velvet Revolution leader Vaclav Havel to proclaim a free Czechoslovakia.

Martin in front of the group as wet set off on Taste of Prague.

Martin and the group as we set off on Taste of Prague.

Of course, our trip was about much more than the political backdrop and Prague’s history goes back much further than communists and World War II. Our Taste of Prague walking tour touched on all of it with food as a central theme – from traditional Czech to today’s trends.  I highly recommend this tour for the learning, the eating and the drinking. Over 4 1/2 hours you consume the equivalent of two excellent meals delivered in smallish portions as you meander through Old Town and learn fascinating facts about its history.

Martin started us at the trendy butcher shop where he works for traditional Czech open-face sandwiches and steak tartare.

Czechs drink a lot of beer, so Lokal served dark and light steins.

Czechs drink a lot of beer, so Lokal served dark and light steins.

We also visited Lokal, a traditional beer hall, for schnitzel, sauerkraut, sausage and beer. We each were served a full stein of light and another of dark Czech beer, which seemed like a lot until Martin described the Czech Republic’s world-leading beer consumption. More than 140 liters a year. Well, it is cheaper than bottled water or Coca Cola. And it is like cereal, right?

Other Taste stops included the restaurant of a 5-star hotel for roast duck with trimmings, a wine shop for tasting and Cafe Savoy for delicious traditional pastries and coffee. We bid farewell to Martin with tastebuds ecstatic, stomachs full and minds stimulated with insight on what makes this charming city and beautiful country tick. 

Old Town is a real life example of what Walt Disney was trying to recreate with his castle and Fantasyland. And its antiquity is completely intact as it escaped major World War II damage. These significant allures draw big crowds, so be prepared. But it is definitely worth it and is now one of my favorite cities.

prague

The iconic Charles Bridge (top photo) is decorated with religious statues, though today’s Czech Republic is overwhelmingly agnostic or atheist in contrast to its heavily Catholic neighbor Poland. The pastries at Cafe Savoy (lower left) were the perfect capstone to the delicious Taste of Prague Tour. Prague’s massive castle complex is home to palaces, cathedrals and this garden and gallery (lower right).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The four-hour drive from Prague to Nuremberg, from where our Viking River Cruise was to embark, was through the lovely Bohemian countryside. We stopped midway in Pilsen for a tour of its fascinating ancient underground tunnels and History of Beer Museum. Plus a traditional lunch of goulash.

The ingenuity of how the underground tunnels were used and how beer was brewed in pre-mechanized eras were impressive. From there it was on to the river.

Key takeaways:

  1. Our key role at Expedia CruiseShipCenters is to provide unbeatable value in experience and price. So our custom pre-cruise experience had the tours described, which are not included in Viking’s pre-cruise package, but still had a price tag significantly lower.
  2. It’s all about the people. Cultural exploration is fun, but it’s even better when shared with great. people. We struck gold on all counts. Our “Joyful Group” was filled with great traveling companions plus guides Alicia and Martin, and later cruise directory Anthony, brought many smiles to our faces and isights to our minds.
  3. We are planning more group trips in the future. If you are interested in getting in on one, give me a call at 800-745-4015.

 

 

 

 

THE JOYS OF A VIKING RIVER CRUISE

Hungary's Waterfront Parliament sparkles

Hungary’s Waterfront Parliament sparkles

By Chris Meyer

What a finale!

Budapest’s ancient buildings sparkled as the Viking Egil took a victory lap along the Danube River waterfront. We oohed and awed atop the ship and reviewed the spectacular week, taking occasional breaks from conversation to capture that perfect angle on the castle, parliament building or some other illuminated structure basking in the limelight.

The week had sped by, but at the same time the start of our journey seemed sort of distant. We had packed so much in since setting foot on this beautiful river ship seven days earlier outside of Nuremberg, Germany.

The whirlwind of sights and sounds seemed a kaleidoscope as Program Director Anthony Papandrea wound down his week of witty narration.  Our group of 22, and every other passenger I talked with, agreed that Viking exceeded even our lofty expectations.

Enjoying the scenery atop the Viking Egil.

Enjoying the scenery atop the Viking Egil.

EXPLORING IN COMFORT

Once we settled in on embarkation day, the advantage of a floating hotel was immediately evident. We hadn’t unpacked our suitcases in Berlin and Prague because of our short stays there and need to move along to the next hotel. We were able to get organized on the river cruise ship and make ourselves at home.  Our French balcony cabin was quite compact, but highly functional with a place for everything. Just don’t drop anything in the shower or you will have to open the door to retrieve it. Open the floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass door and the outside floods the room. Watch the river float by from the bed or peer over the rail to watch a lock raise or lower the vessel.

The beautiful restaurant is just down the hall, with the convivial lounge just a deck above and the 360-degree-view top deck just one more flight of stairs. Floor-to-ceiling windows everywhere mean the magnificent scenery is always in full view.

Viking ships double parked in Budapest.

Beautiful  Viking ships double parked in Budapest.

The ship is marvelously engineered to function at a high level in space constrained by the size of river locks. Similar precision is demonstrated by a crew that constantly keep the hardware polished and passengers well served. The compact galley consistently produces 5-star meals including perfectly prepared chateaubriand, surf and turf (medium rare filet mignon and lobster), and authentic wiener schnitzel on German Night.

Chateaubriand as tasty as it looks.

Steak and lobster as tasty as it looks.

The Ukrainian captain guides the vessel expertly though locks so snug there are just an inch or two to spare. When Anthony is not explaining what’s upcoming, sprinkling quips befitting the stand-up comic he is in the off season, he’s troubleshooting, quickly appearing in central Vienna after our local guide made an SOS call about a malfunctioning unit broadcasting her voice to our earpieces. He pulled a spare from his messenger bag of tricks and, viola, all is well.

INSIGHTS ASHORE

Vienna, Austria was typical of our stops along the river. After the guided walking tour, we returned to the ship for lunch and ventured out on our own for more exploration in the afternoon. In the evening, we took in a classical concert because that’s what you do in Vienna. In Nuremberg, Germany our guide reviewed the city’s long history from medieval times through its role in the rise of the Nazis and its destruction by bombing during World War II. And finally the rebuilding. One interesting fact we learned is that the ramp over the moat and to the castle gate makes a left-hand turn so right-handed hostiles’ shields would be rendered ineffective.

Picturesque Passau receives the largest chunks of tourists from river cruises.

Picturesque Passau receives the largest chunks of tourists from river cruises.

In Passau, Wolf expertly explained how the charming baroque architecture – in churches and throughout town – reflects the optimism that accompanied improving lives after the dark gothic period. For me, this was the hidden gem of the itinerary, though every stop had its delightful discoveries. In places once behind the Iron Curtain, we heard and saw again and again how the people have recovered since freedom was regained.

Austria's Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Austria’s Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Although this was a cruise, it was quite different than a large ocean ship – and not only in size. There is no casino or glitzy entertainment. An excellent piano player provided a delightful nightly soundtrack and on German Night, a combo with accordion and guitar offered rousing traditional tunes. But the true entertainment was the river. And the places. Each has its own magic. And especially the people.

The Danube winds 1,785 miles from Germany’s Black Forest to the Black Sea. I contemplate the great mass of water flowing. Constantly. It seems calm compared to the upper Arkansas River we went whitewater rafting on last year in Colorado. But its power is documented by lines on buildings marking epic floods that, over hundreds of years have periodically swamped buildings in towns along its shores .

The Egil’s top deck offers360-degree panoramas of pristine valleys, terraced vineyards, picturesque villages, colorful sunsets and constellations. It is a wonderful place to sit, mingle over drinks or move about and take pictures. That’s entertainment!

The captain in his sophisticated wheelhouse.

The captain in his sophisticated wheelhouse.

It’s no wonder people take one Viking cruise after another. We all were talking about becoming repeat customers. I even purchased discount certificates to give to customers of my travel agency.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • River cruises are a great value and a wonderful, hassle-free way to experience Europe. The value is enhanced by Viking’s air specials for early booking. $500 round-trip air from Los Angeles in this case.
  • Viking offers a high-quality luxury experience in all aspects. I look forward to sampling the ocean product and plan to redouble efforts to market this product to our customers.

    Dinner is delicious and joyful aboard the Egil.

    Dinner is delicious and joyful aboard the Egil.

  • Traveling in a group enhances your travel experience. As with anything, it’s the people that make the difference. That includes your fellow travelers, the crew and local guides. We struck gold on all counts. Program directory Anthony called us a “joyful group” in a note me. So that’s my new nickname for us as we truly enjoyed sharing the adventure with each other. Friendships were deepened and new ones made along the way. We’re already planning post-trip get-togethers including possibly a trip to Pasadena to see Anthony’s comedy act.

Want to learn more about river cruises and how our relationship with Viking and Expedia Extras can deliver the best value and make the entire process seamless?  Check out our co-branded Viking web site OCViking, email me at cmeyer@ocglobetrotter.com or give us a call at 949-201-4246. For a comparison of the various river cruise lines we book, check out Avid Cruiser.

I will review highlights of our pre-cruise activities in Berlin and Prague in a separate post.

Sunset on the Danube.

Sunset on the Danube.