Poppies were in bloom along the roadside as we drove into Antwerp, Belgium. The city was bustling with visitors enjoying the beautiful day. Grote Market square was huge, with impressive, beautiful buildings in every direction. A food tour started with some interesting options (did somebody say ‘horse meat’?!). It evolved into a walking history tour, and eventually ended at a bar where we enjoyed a … Continue reading Belgium

The final stops from our river cruise were in Hungary. We traveled into the Puszta countryside to the Bakidpuszta Horse Farm. Here, we watched traditional Hungarian cowboys and their highly trained horses put on a lively demonstration. It was an amazing show of skill and horsemanship. In Kalocsa, we visited the Cathedral of the Assumption and were treated to an organ recital. Our final cruise … Continue reading Hungary

Croatia has a wine region along the Danube that we were curious to explore. Reaching Ilok, we were taken to a museum to learn the history of this part of the beautiful Croatian countryside. Overlooking the region was the Ilok Castle. We were told that wine cellars of the castle are among the most famous in Croatia, but we were not invited inside (sigh!). As … Continue reading CROATIA

The path the Danube takes between Romania and Serbia is stunning. The Iron Gates are an impressive series of gorges where the Danube flows between the Carpathian and Balkan mountains. The path is tranquil today, but there are signs of past conflicts in this area. The words engraved under the rock sculpture of King Decebalus (Dacian king, 87-106AD) say he was “made by dragons,” as … Continue reading Serbia

We are getting a better understanding of the history of the countries of Eastern Europe. Today, the cities that had been under Communist rule are still depressed. Rural areas between cities, however, have beautiful, flourishing farms. Between Rousse and Arbanasi, we saw beautiful sights including fields of canola, steep cliffs, stone bridges and a few goats. In Arbanasi we walked through the Konstantsalieva House, a … Continue reading Bulgaria

We flew from Amsterdam to Bucharest, Romania to join a river cruise on the eastern portion of the Danube River. Bucharest is the farthest east we have ever traveled. Bucharest seems to have a split personality. Sometimes it is “Micul Paris” (Little Paris). Other times, “Bucureștiul este o fetiță veche, obosită, într-o haină cam zdrențuită,” (Bucharest is a faded old gal in a raggedy coat). … Continue reading Romania

Once again, we had the urge to travel. Fortunately, we were able to fly to Amsterdam in the springtime. We checked into the lovely Clayton Hotel in the city center. Unfortunately, the weather was cooler than our thin blood could handle. We had to wear long pants, jackets and real shoes (no flip flops!). Fortunately, Amsterdam is fun, no matter the weather. We explored the … Continue reading Fortunately, Unfortunately!