Poland - People on our trip 2010

There were about 21 or 22 people on our bus during the trip to Europe.

Jeanie, Wanda, Francis, Teresa, Teresa (Stephanie) and Walter, Sylvia and Chester, Connie and Tony, Stan and Joyce, Dolores and Ted, Andy, Jean and Robert, Diane, Frank and Jane (Janina), and of course John Gora made the trip a delight.

All these folks were from Canada except Stan and I.

Prague - Ceske Krumlov - Ceske Budejovice - Vienna



Vienna and Apelton Winnery Austria

I never though that we could wear out an umbrella on a trip, but with gusty winds the frame such give way.




Bratisalva Solvaki - Budapest Hungary

Bratisalva was the rainy and windiest. Several stayed on the bus instead of braving the driving rains and winds. Budapest was really fun and interesting especially the large indoor market.




Zakopane and Krakow Poland




Doorways in Zakopane and Krakow

Poland 2010 Hotels and food

Doorways in Europe are intriguing. Some tattered from years of use and some inviting and upscale.




Here is a sampling of food. I usually ate it before I remembered to take a photo.



We stayed at many lovely hotels.


Prague


The first one in Prague was the best.

HOTEL CENTURY OLD TOWN ( 4 * )
Na Porici 7
Prague 1
11000 Prague, Czech Republic
Tel : (420) 2 180 0800
Fax : (420) 2 180 0801

The ceilings were at least 15 foot high. The rooms were spotless. Beds had those fluffy mattresses and soft down (or down like) comforters. WIFI (Internet service for laptops) worked great to connect in the room and was lightening fast to upload videos and photos.

We really like to have a cup of tea or coffee in the room. There was a boiler handy. There were fluffy soft towels and a wash cloth. The bathroom included a makeup mirror. There was a hair blower at a desk. Living the dream of luxury.








If you like to use a wash cloth be sure to take one with you. The first hotel was the one that had washcloths.

Ceske Budejovie Czech Republic


HOTEL GOMEL ( 4 * )
Prazska Trida 2306/14
37004 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Tel : (420) 389 102 111
Fax : (420) 389 102 333

After a long day riding on the bus and driving through beautiful country side. We stopped in the charming village of Ceska Krumlov and then on to Ceska Budajovice where were toured the Budweiser plant. Replete with good food and fresh beer we were ready for an evening's rest.





Hotel Gomel is nothing to write home about. Rooms were typical European- - small size where you just don't know where to lay out your luggage. No wash cloth, but that's OK after all you are in Europe and the sights are spectacular. The mattresses are not quite as soft and puffy, but more like camping in a tent with a bed roll on the ground. Just missing the tent flap. Breakfasts with tasty dark breads and lovely meats, cheeses and fruits that get you started on your day. The view of the city from our room was delightful. The windows open so you can get some refreshing outside air.

Many in the group walked to the near-by square to attend Sunday Mass.


Vienna

AUSTRIA TREND HOTEL ANANAS ( 4 * )
Rechte Wienzeile 93-95/ Sonnenhofgasse 8-10
1050 Vienna, Austria
Tel : (43) 1 546 20
Fax : (43) 1 545 4242






The room was cozy and had a little desk under the window looking out to the charming courtyard of other buildings. Stan and I had tea and pastry over looking that view siting on coral leather chairs and a stool. There was a refrigerator, but no boiler for tea. I got used to hot water from the facet - kind of like warm tea. We drank the water from the facets in all the places, however still bought some bottled water to carry around during the day.


Budapest Hungary

HOTEL MERCURE BUDAPEST CITY CENTER ( 4* )
20 Vaci utca
1052 Budapest, Hungary
Tel : (36) 1 485 3100
Fax : (36) 1 485 3111








This is a very nice Hotel in the main part of the city. We walked about 2-3 blocks from where the bus dropped us off to this hotel. It was close to lovely restaurants and shopping along the streets. Most streets were for walking and shopping as traffic from cars were on other streets. No washcloth. Breakfast was a delight.

There was easy access to three computers by sitting on bar stools in the inviting bar area. You slide in your room key ( or any other credit card sized card) and you could use the internet for free. There was no way to upload photos from USB ports or the like as you only had access to the screen and key board. The font was set so large that you could read it across the room.

Rooms did not have free WIFI. This is where you were required to pay for the service in Euros (6 for two hours - 9 for 24 hours). We walked back to our hotel from the main covered market on afternoon. Very handy.

Zakopane Poland


HOTEL MERCURE KASPROWY ( 4 * )
ul. Szymaszkowa
34-500 Zakopane, Poland
Tel : (48) 18 202 4022
Fax : (48) 18 202 4024



This hotel was a delight. The view across the meadows to the snowed covered peaks of the Tetras mountains was a sight to remember. Stepping out onto the balcony even on a rainy day was refreshing.

The internet was easily connected by the red cable that was provided. Uploading videos was a sluggish process and I finally gave up on that. I uploaded a few pictures which seemed to go smoother. I don't remember seeing any computers or a business center for the rest of the travelers.

The place was roomy at least enough for lay out the luggage.

Stan and I ate breakfast early around 7 one day and had time to visit the swimming pool before our departure for a tour. I'm glad we did. Always take your swim suit just in case although I think they rented them also. The pool was about 3 times the size of most indoor hotel pools. It was about 4-5 feet deep so plenty of space and depth to swim. The locker rooms were co-ed, however there was a changing room for privacy. The pool was included. There were also other amenities for a small charge. If you stay here, plan to use the pool.

Krakow


We stayed at the Novotel .

Hotel Novotel Kraków Centrum
www.accorhotels.com
Ul. T. Kościuszki 5, Kraków - 12 299 29 00










The rooms are spacious, still no wash cloth. The breakfasts a delight as usual.

The hotel is within walking distance from the main square. We stayed at this same hotel last year and did walk from place to place. This time it was so rainy that we ordered golf carts with plastic to shelter us for a ride down to the square. On the way back, still too rainy so we rented a cab for 15 zoltys for 4 of us.


There are a variety of covers on the beds. Some beds are thick pads over hard boards or so it seems. Others are like clouds of soft down that you can just melt into after a long day.

Most places have internet services in their complimentary business centers. I bring along a notebook computer as I found in years past there were not always business centers, but generally some WIFI was available if you had your own computer. You can also unload your photos if you are using up lots of space on a flash card. The flip camera I use holds 60 minutes of video, which is quite a bit when more songs I record are about 2 - 5 minutes. But it is nice to know I have a place to save them through out the trip as this camera doesn't have a place to use and extra flash card like cameras do. I always carry extra batteries, flash cards, battery chargers and plug adapters. Over the years you learn by traveling to just bring along extra stuff.

Some Rooms had free WIFI in the rooms or with use of connection cord as in Zakopane and Krakow. Budapest I was mostly internet less for uploading photos / videos as it cost 6 Euros for a couple of hours or 9 Euro (~$15) for 24 hours. After all I am on vacation and internet can wait. I was able to make a quick note on facebook about every day.

Local Currency is always a problem when you arrive in a country. US dollars and coins are worthless unless converted to local currency and coins. Even euros are not such friendly coins. People you might want to buy a postcard, cup of coffee or use of the WC (water closet - bathroom) usually about 50 cents worth want their coins or currency. Often I found the tours started in the mornings, guides get busy telling you about this and that about the community you are visiting and you are coinless with it is time to use the WC. Yikes.!. It if really hard to plan around this one traveling across borders with limit time for finding places to exchange money. The tours don't really wait for you to get with the program and many hotels didn't have facilities for exchange. There are ATMs around, hopefully you have the right card. We used one in Budapest and requested 19,000 forint, which I think is about $90. Vacation minds don't always think in mathematical term. You can always buy some local currency at larger banks in US metro cities. be sure to get small denominations as those large bills look great, but are not so easy to bargain with in the markets. We didn't use visa at all in the open market shops. Visa / Mastercard works for upscale shops. Stan bought a really nice belt. That shop took visa, but really wanted local currency so be obliged due to the cost of using credit card services for the shop.