Prague, The Czech Republic

May 18, 2011

Does Prague Really Rival Paris?

In a word…Yes! In two words…heck Yes! Don’t get me wrong, I love Paris, which in many ways is incomparable, but if you haven’t been to Prague, then it should be near the top of your list of destinations for your next trip to Europe. It’s easily accessible by train and I had the pleasure of visiting Prague for the third time on my recent circuit around Europe. Considering my great appreciation for this fabulous city, it should be no surprise that I chose a shot of the Charles Bridge and the Old Town for one of the lead pictures on my website (see above). Now you have some idea what’s in store for you when you visit Prague.

Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic — Charles Bridge, Prague

Fun on the Train

The seven hour trek from Nuremberg to Prague was a pleasant reminder of why I love traveling by train. It gave me an opportunity to view some of the most beautiful countryside of Germany and the Czech Republic from the window of the compartment which I shared with a wonderful group of fun loving Germans. Included in my new circle of friends were two young ladies (teachers) heading out for a vacation in Prague with their bicycles who kept us laughing all the way. There was an older German woman who regaled us with tales of her youth during the war years. Rounding out our traveling group was a young businessman, who, along with me, was getting quite a kick out of the ladies. When my new traveling companions found out that I spoke a little German, they insisted that we speak only German for the rest of the trip so that I could brush up on my skills. This turned out to be a great experience for me, especially with two German teachers to tutor me…and I was surprised at how well I did. When we had to switch trains at the border, they all wanted to keep our little group together, so we soon found ourselves in the same compartment again on the next train. Mingling with the locals is one of my favorite things about traveling and in my opinion there is no better way to learn about other cultures and other counties.

I remember once on another trip being on a crowded train going through the beautiful Austrian countryside. Of the six in our compartment there were two American college ‘boys’ traveling together, sitting across from one another in the window seats. I was the only other American in our group and thoroughly enjoyed chatting with the others in the compartment. I watched as one of the non-American passengers tried unsuccessfully several times to engage the American fellows in conversation. They were both reading books (probably about wizards) and not paying any attention even to the beautiful landscape passing by just outside their windows. Each time someone tried to speak to them, they removed their ear buds with a look of slight annoyance and replied, “What?” and then answered in one or two words. What a wasted opportunity!

Sensory Overload

I found a nice place to stay not far from the train station called the Hotel City Inn for $52, including breakfast. I was soon out to conquer the city that rivals Paris on a beautiful afternoon and evening. Prague has a decent metro system, but I found it fairly easy to see most of the sights on foot. The city straddles the Vltava River, a tributary of the Elbe River, with the Old Town (Stare Mesto) on the east side and Prague Castle on the west side. The picturesque Charles Bridge joins the two banks and is probably the most famous landmark, if not the symbol of Prague. Wenceslas Square on the east side near the train station is in the New Town and comprises the commercial center of Prague.

It could take forever to make the short walk cross the Charles Bridge, which is only open to pedestrians, due to the crowds of tourists taking in the stellar views and the many artisans selling their wares along the way, but most of all because you don’t want the experience to end. Once on the other side, it is a good hike up the hill to the Prague Castle, but well worth it for the view looking back down on the bridge and the Old Town. Back on the other bank, the Old Town Square is the main center of activity and the location of many of the important landmarks. A visit at night under the stars and lights is a visual delight. The Astronomical Clock draws crowds for its hourly show and the spires of the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn form an awesome backdrop. Be sure to save some time to visit the many elegant shops and bring home a piece of Bohemian crystal for which this area is known.

Prague Castle, Czech Republic — Prague Castle Across the Charles River

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Nuremberg, Germany

May 5, 2011

Nuremberg, Germany

Over the years I had passed through Nuremberg, Germany a number of times on the train, but had never stopped to check it out. On this trip I finally disembarked for an overnight visit and found out what I had been missing all those times before. Nuremberg is a historic city with a beautifully preserved, walled ‘old town’ (altstadt) that should not be missed. The main entrance to the old town is just a short walk from the train station and there are numerous hotels and pensions available there, accommodating a wide range of budgets. In a very short time I found a great little place called Pension Altstadt for the equivalent of $46 with shared bath, including a wonderful breakfast served in a quaint Fruhstuck Zimmer (breakfast room). It was great to be back in one of my favorite countries where the friendly people always make me feel at home.

An Awesome Rock Festival

As I arrived at the train station that afternoon, I was nearly trampled by hoards of young people who were leaving town after attending the ‘Rock im Park’ Festival held in Nuremberg the first week in June each year. I had noticed as the train approached the city center that every piece of open land, whether it was a park or an empty lot, seemed to have been the recent site of a makeshift campground. Abandoned tents and lawn chairs were everywhere and workers could be seen cleaning up after the revelers. It must have been an awesome rock festival! I was definitely going against the flow as I tried to get out of the train station, but I was soon at the gates of the old town, about to enter another world altogether. Situated on the Pegnitz River, Nuremberg dates back to the 11^th century. There are many interesting sights to behold in this amazing Bavarian city, but two are essential for any student of history.

Aftermath of the Nuremberg Rock Festival

Terror

A short ride on Tram #9 from the train station will take you to the infamous stadium (1) where the Nazi rallies were held in the 1930’s. You can actually stand at the podium right where Hitler stood as he spoke to the assembled masses. It was an eerie feeling to stand at that podium, which I had seen in photos and movie clips so many times before, looking down at the same place where thousands of people once stood in formation as they listened to their fist pounding leader all those years ago. But this time, the stadium was filled with the camping debris left by the German youths of a new century who had just attended the Rock Festival. It was gratifying to see that the purpose of the stadium had changed so dramatically for the good in the interim.

Congress Hall, the Nazi's Biggest Building — Congress Hall, the Nazi’s Biggest Building

And Justice

A brisk walk from the old town in the other direction will take you to the Palace of Justice (2) where, in Room 600 during the Nuremberg trials, justice was meted out to the high ranking Nazis who had delivered their diatribes from the nearby stadium and who had wreaked havoc on Europe before and during World War II. At the time of my visit the court room was not open to visitors while it was being readied for the 65^th anniversary of the Nuremberg trials. You can be sure it will be at the top of my list on my next visit to this area. Someday I would also love to come for the annual Toy Fair held in February and for the Christmas Market held in the old town each December. And who knows, maybe I’ll come back just for the ‘Rock im Park’ festival one of these years!

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Innsbruck, Austria

April 21, 2011

Innsbruck, Austria, Nestled in the Tyrolean Alps

After a breathtakingly beautiful train ride through the Dolomites of Northern Italy, I crossed the border into Austria and arrived in Innsbruck on a late Sunday afternoon in June. Innsbruck, site of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics, is a lovely small city nestled in the Tyrolean Alps on the Inn River. ‘Brucke’ means bridge in German, thus Innsbruck means ‘bridge over the Inn River’. In no time I found a nice pension (Pension Stoi) not far from the train station for the equivalent of $58, including private bath. Innsbruck is an easily walkable ‘town’ and after a quick rest, I was on my way to the Altstadt or Old Town along the river where I would soon be treated to a surprise.

Tyrolean Alps Surrounding Innsbruck on the Inn River

The Old Town

The colorful Baroque architecture of Innsbruck dates back to the Hapsburg Dynasty and includes two special churches, Dom St. Jakob and the Hofkirche, as well as the Hofburg or summer home of the Hapsburgs. Perhaps the most famous sight in the Altstadt is the Golden Roof, a gold balcony honoring Hapsburg Emperor, Maximilian I. The Ambras Castle in the hills above Innsbruck will have to wait until my next visit. Built by Archduke Ferdinand II, it houses many valuable collections of art and other memorabilia from the Hapsburg Dynasty.

A Special Treat

As I was taking in the splendor of these surroundings, mingling with the friendly, local people and not knowing where to look next, I heard the faint sound of a large brass band off in the distance. It suddenly grew louder as the parade rounded a corner and entered the main street of the Altstadt, heading right in my direction. Soon the main square was filled with a marching band and dancers of all ages, each in traditional folk dress, regaling the delighted tourists with about 45 minutes of entertainment before marching off again into the distance. It was one of those treats that all travelers hope for, a glimpse of local culture, and it will forever be one of the highlights of my world travels. Innsbruck was like being at Disneyland, except it was the real thing!

You’ll Enjoy This Video of a Tyrolean Marching Band and Dancers

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The Dolomites, Northern Italy

March 30, 2011

A Train Ride From Bologna, Italy to Innsbruck, Austria

The train ride from Bologna, Italy to Innsbruck, Austria goes through the Adige River Valley, giving travelers a spectacular view of the Dolomites as you travel through the Italian Alps into Austria. This stretch of rail line rivals some of the great train trips of Europe such as the thrilling ride ‘over the roof of Norway’ from Oslo to Bergen and the stunningly beautiful trip through the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland. I left Bologna at 10 AM and arrived in Innsbruck, Austria at 4:30 PM, passing through Trento and Balzano with one stop in Verona. One need only check out the brief video clip below to understand why I love train travel, especially in Europe!

A Beautiful Train Ride Through the Adige River Valley of Northern Italy

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Washday in Bologna

March 23, 2011

Washday in Bologna, Italy

Washing my clothes while traveling has to be one of my least favorite things to do! Perhaps that’s why I’m willing to carry around the extra weight in my pack in order to have enough clothing to only have to find a laundromat once during a three week trip. So it was that I happened to run out of clean underwear in Bologna, Italy around the half way point in my circuitous train trek through Europe. After arriving from Naples in the late afternoon and settling into a very nice hotel, The Hotel Europa, I set out with my bag of dirty clothes in search of a laundromat, a jaunt that would also have to serve as my walking tour of the city of Bologna.

Hand Gestures

After about an hour of looking around without any luck, I decided to ask directions of several people passing by. Although I don’t know much Italian, I fit right in by using a lot of hand motions and sign language. Like they say, “When in Bologna, do as the Bolognans”, or is that Rome? Anyway, looking back, I guess I shouldn’t have opened up my bag and shown them my dirty underwear, hoping they would understand what I was looking for. After getting a couple of funny looks, I finally found someone who knew exactly what I was after and gave me excellent directions to a nearby laundromat. It was a clean, reasonable, state of the art facility and in the end it turned out to be another interesting travel experience mingling with some of the local folks.

Fat, Learned and Red City

Bologna is best known for its cuisine, its universities and its red rooftops and communist leanings, thus its nickname as the ‘fat, learned and red city’. Europe’s oldest university dating back to 1088 is located in Bologna and the city is also home to a world class medical school which has trained many talented physicians. Bologna has enough beautiful plazas, palaces and basilicas to give Rome a good run for its money and its friendly, industrious citizens make it a worthwhile stop on your visit to Italy. After a wonderful breakfast in the hotel’s elegant dining room the next morning, I was off to catch the train for a beautiful ride through the Adige River Valley with its stunning views of the Dolomites, on my way to Innsbruck, Austria.

Breakfast in the Elegant Dining Room of the Hotel Europa

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Naples, Positano and the Amalfi Coast

March 16, 2011

Naples, Positano and the Amalfi Coast of Italy

Naples is not usually at the top of the list of destinations for most visitors to Italy. Lying farther south than its more famous sister cities, Rome (118 miles), Florence and Venice, it is a bit off the beaten path, but a path well worth taking in my opinion. Of course Napoli is famous for food (pizza, spaghetti and ice cream come to mind), but it also has many beautiful plazas, great shopping and a number of interesting sights, including museums, catacombs and architecturally significant buildings. Perched on a hillside overlooking its namesake bay, Naples is not only a beautiful city in its own right, but it is a jumping off place for several nearby ‘must see’ locations.

Mt. Vesuvius

Just across the Bay of Naples the eerie silhouette of Mt. Vesuvius looms over the scene like a sleeping giant. The only active volcano on the European mainland, it makes its presence known from time to time by blowing off steam or actually erupting, the last major occurrence having been in 1944. In days gone by, visitors could take a funicular (1880 to 1944) or chair lift (1953 to 1984) to the top and peer down into the smoking cone. Eruptions or the threat thereof have permanently closed both modes of ascent and now adventurous visitors must hike to the top. It is interesting to note that the well known song “Funiculi-funicula” was inspired by the opening of the Vesuvius funicular in 1880. Some years ago, I had the opportunity to take the chair lift to the top while it was still in operation and that is an experience I will never forget!

Pompeii

The nearby ruins of Pompeii serve as a reminder of the destructive power of volcanoes and the danger they pose to those in their path. It was a two day siege in 79 AD that killed 2000 people and buried Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum until they were accidentally rediscovered in 1599. Victims of this horrific eruption were engulfed by ash and pumice and as the years passed their decomposed bodies left hollowed out spaces. By injecting plaster into these voids, archeologists were able to produce lifelike recreations of some of the citizens of Pompeii in their final moments. Strolling through this ancient city gives one a glimpse into life at the height of the Roman Empire through an instant ‘frozen’ in time and is another reason why Naples should be on your itinerary.

Seaside Village of Positano on the Amalfi Coast of Italy

Capri, Positano and the Amalfi Drive

A short 80 minute ferry ride will take you to the fabulously beautiful Isle of Capri with its Blue Grotto and stunning Mediterranean views. If all that isn’t enough to get you to Naples, there’s the beautiful drive along the Amalfi Coast, covering about 30 miles of the world’s most beautiful scenery and an equal distance of the world’s most harrowing roads. Your end point should be the picturesque village of Positano, literally clinging to the side of the steep, rugged hillsides overlooking the water. It is best reached by taking the local commuter train leaving from the Circumvesuviana Train Station in Naples and arriving about an hour later in Sorrento. You can then board a bus right outside the train station for the rest of the trip. Thrill seekers will definitely find their thirst for excitement satiated after this bus ride and I definitely do not recommend that visitors attempt this drive in their own cars. My enthusiasm for Naples and the surrounding points of interest must be pretty obvious and I hope I have convinced you to include this exciting region on your next visit to Italy. After all, you wouldn’t want to miss the birthplace of pizza now, would you!

Check Out This Wild Ride!

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