Budapest, Vienna, Prague 2024

October 1st, 2024

August 29 – 30, 2024

I joined a private tour group to visit three beautiful cities in Eastern Europe: Budapest, Vienna, and Prague. After an overnight flight from JFK, we arrived early in the morning in Budapest, Hungary. We met our tour leader, Jurgen, at the airport, boarded a bus, and drove to the center of “Pesht.”

Art Nouveau Architecture

The capital city of Hungary was created by combining three smaller cities: Pest, Buda, and Obuda. Our group of 20 strolled along Vaci Utca which is a pedestrian street lined with many shops, restaurants, and bars.

The Great Market Hall

The temperature was 91 degrees when we stopped for lunch and iced tea at Anna’s Cafe. Afterwards, I crossed the street to see the famous Great Central Market Hall which was built in 1897. It had changed since 2005 when I last visited Budapest. A new Aldi’s supermarket was installed in the basement and a large food court filled most of the balcony of the market.

Interior of the Market Hall

Saturday, August 31, 2024

After a tasty buffet breakfast at our hotel, we went on a tour of the Buda Castle District. Our local guide, Belaj, led us around Buda Hill.

Belaj Explaining the Buda Castle District

Holy Trinity Square, outside St. Matthias Church, is the heart of the Buda Castle District. We admired the view across the Danube River from Fisherman’s Bastion and enjoyed a casual outdoor lunch.

St. Matthias Church

The Church of Our Lady of Buda Castle, also known as St. Matthias Church, was originally built in 1015 but the current structure was built in the late 14th century.The building had been used as the main mosque of Buda during the Ottoman occupation from 1541 to 1686.

Gorgeous Interior of St. Matthias Church

St. Matthias Church is historically important because two Austro-Hungarian Habsburg monarchs were crowned there: Franz Joseph I in 1848 and Charles IV in 1916.

Buda Castle

Buda Castle is the palace complex of the former Hungarian kings. The oldest part of the building was first completed in 1265 but the current structure was completed in 1769. The palace was extensively damaged during World War II and rebuilt during the communist era.

Buda Castle Museum

Today, the huge building houses several museums, the national library, and offices. We entered Buda Castle museum to see St. Stephen’s Hall which is a replica of a room used during the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph in 1897. It was meticulously recreated and opened to the public in 2021.

St. Stephen’s Hall

On Jurgen’s recommendation, we had a traditional Hungarian dinner at the Klauzal Cafe which was a short walk from the hotel. Of course, I had delicious homestyle beef goulash with small dumplings.

Klauzal Cafe & Restaurant

Sunday September 1, 2024

Today we toured the old Jewish District of Budapest which is located on the Pest (pronounced “pesht”) side of the Danube. We met our lovely local tour guide, Niki, and followed her along the ancient streets as she described the history of the Jews in Budapest.

Dohany Street Synagogue

Eventually we came upon the Dohany Street Synagogue which is the largest synagogue in Europe. The Moorish Revival style building was completed in 1859. The complex includes the Hungarian Jewish Museum and Archives, the Heroes Temple, a Jewish cemetery, the Wallenberg Holocaust Memorial Park, as well as the magnificent Synagogue.

Interior of Dohany Street Synagogue
Niki Explaining a Monument

Afterwards, we visited the Hungarian National Museum where there was an exhibit of Ancient Roman silver. Later in the afternoon our coach drove us to the Hungarian State Opera.

Hungarian State Opera House

The Opera House, located on the famous Andrassy Avenue, opened to the public in 1884. It was funded by the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph I.

Main Stairway in the Opera

The neo-Renaissance style building holds 1,261 people and has the third best acoustics in Europe. We enjoyed a guided tour of the magnificent building and we were also treated to a short performance.

Concert Hall of the Opera House

Monday September 2, 2024

The Hungarian Parliament Building

The most impressive structure in Budapest is the Parliament Building which is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary.

Parliament Building

Construction was planned after the unification of the three cities of Buda, Obuda, and Pest. The building was completed in 1904 to symbolize the sovereignty of Hungary.

Center Stairway

With 691 rooms, it is the third largest Parliament Building in the world.

National Assembly Room

We also saw the 11th century Hungarian Crown of St. Stephen which was heavily guarded under and kept under the great cupola in the center of the impressive building.

Hero’s Square

We made a quick stop at Heroes’ Square which was built as a tribute to the ancient founders of Hungary and also to honor the country’s historic people.

New York Cafe

For our last night in Budapest, we had dinner in “the most beautiful cafe in the world,” the New York Cafe. We enjoyed a delicious Hungarian dinner in a magnificent setting.

New York Cafe

Tuesday September 3, 2024

We traveled from Budapest, Hungary to Vienna, Austria with a stop in Bratislava, Slovak Republic.

Bratislava Castle

Bratislava is the capital city of the Slovak Republic which was formed in 1989 following the end of Communist rule in the region.

Old Town Square

The Old Town of Bratislava is the historic medieval center of the city and houses many monuments, churches, and government institutions. We enjoyed lunch and explored the scenic old town.

The Slovak National Theater

We reached Vienna in the late afternoon and stopped at Schonbrunn Castle to see the garden. Built in 1642, the castle is the largest palace in Vienna and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Schonbrunn Castle

Wednesday September 4, 2024

This morning, our coach drove us to the lovely town of Durnstein where we boarded a riverboat for a 3-hour cruise on the Danube River to Melk Abbey.

Durnstein, Austria

The castle of Durnstein was the place where King Richard the Lionheart of England was imprisoned on his way home during the Crusades. A huge ransom was paid and he was released in 1194.

Durnstein River Boat

The Wachau Valley is the picturesque area along the Danube River between the towns of Melk and Krems. The riverboat cruise was lovely as we glided past lovely villages, medieval fortresses, wineries, and rolling farmland.

Schonbuhel Castle Along the Danube

Unfortunately, photography was prohibited in Melk Abbey. The abbey was founded in 1089 as a monastic school. Today’s impressive Baroque building was completed in 1736, and extensive restoration was completed in 1995 after a fire. The ornate library contains over 100,000 books.

Thursday September 5, 2024

Vienna is the capital city of Austria and is known as the “City of Music” due to all the classical musicians who lived and worked there. The city center is designated a UNESCO World heritage Site.

Hofburg Palace

Hoffburg Palace located in the center of Vienna was the residence of the royal family of the Habsburgs as well as their place of governance up to the twentieth century.

Cafe Landtmann

Cafe Landtmann is an upscale restaurant serving coffee and pastries in the traditional manner of Viennese coffee houses dating back to 1873. Of course, I had to have the famous Sacher Torte. Delicious!!

Viennese Sachertorte

Vienna is a liberal city which is accepting and open to everyone. Uni-sex traffic lights reflect the city’s openness.

Unisex Crossing Light

The Viennese Giant Ferris Wheel is a historical landmark with breathtaking views over the roofs of Vienna. The large “wagons” hold up to 15 people and are available to rent for lunch or dinner.

Giant Ferris Wheel

Called the “Wiener Riesenrad” in German, the Ferris Wheel was built in 1897 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Emperor Franz Josef I.

On the Ferris Wheel

A “Heuriger” is the Viennese word for a wine tavern. It is a small rustic family-owned restaurant designed for people to enjoy traditional Viennese comfort food and fresh wine direct from local vineyards. We had a delicious dinner at the Schreiberhaus Heurigen in the suburbs of Vienna.

Das Schreiberhaus Heurigen

Friday September 6, 2024

Today we visited the famous Vienna Museum of Art History – the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Emperor Franz Joseph I of the Austro-Hungarian Empire opened the building in 1891 to house the Habsburgs’ extensive art collection and also to make it available to the general public.

Interior of The Museum of Art History

The interiors of the museum are lavishly decorated with marble, gold leaf, and murals. The grand stairway features paintings by Gustav Klimt and other famous European artists.

Later, I stopped in at the Hofzuckerbackerei Demel – pastry shop – and tasted a Kaiserschmarrn.

Cooking Kaiserschmarrn at Demel

The Hofburg Palace complex houses three museums which are open to the public. We visited the Sisi Museum to see the personal effects of Empress Elizabeth, who was a popular monarch in the late 19th century.

Sisi Apartments in the Hofburg Palace

We had a guided tour of Vienna’s Spanish Riding School which included visiting the stables of the famous Lipizzaner stallions. We learned a lot about the beautiful white horses.

Spanish Riding School Stables
Lipizzaner Stallion

Saturday September 7, 2024

We left Vienna and were on our way to Prague. On the way, we stopped at the town of Lednice, Czech Republic to visit the castle. The Liechtenstein family had owned the entire region since the 13th century.

Castle Lednice

The current castle was rebuilt in 1858 in English Gothic style architecture. The Lednice-Valtice area is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dining Room

After our tour of Lednice Castle, we were taken to the lovely town of Valtice. We found a local pizzeria and sat outside for a pizza lunch.

Town Hall of Valtice

Afterwards, we went to the Chateau Valtice Winery and had a very interesting guided tour of their cellars.

Barrels on a Winery Tour

Sunday, September 8, 2024

Prague, Czech Republic

The Prague Jewish Museum consists of six historic monuments. We visited the Old-New Synagogue which is the oldest synagogue in Europe. It was built in 1270 and is still in use today.

The Old-New Synagogue

The interior of the Pinkas Synagogue is simple with the names of victims of the Holocaust carved on the walls. In the center is the raised reader’s platform where the Torah scroll is placed to be read.

Holocaust Memorials in the Synagogue

The Old Jewish Cemetery is one of the most important Jewish historical monuments in Prague. It was used from the early 15th century until 1786. Many famous religious people are buried there.

The Old Jewish Cemetery

The Maisel Synagogue dates from 1592 and rebuilt in 1893 in Neo-Gothic style. It is currently used as a performance space and a museum with exhibits of Hebrew manuscripts, historical maps, and artifacts.

Maisel Synagogue

The Old Town Square of Prague was founded in the 12th century and served as the central marketplace of Prague. Over the centuries, wealthy merchants built impressive buildings around the square.

Old Town Square of Prague

The Old Town Hall today houses a tourist information center and a magnificent tower. On one side of the tower is the famous 15th century Astronomical Clock which activates as the clock strikes the hour.

Old Town Hall Clock Tower

In the evening, we attended an excellent performance of Nabucco written by Giuseppe Verdi at The State Opera which is one of three opera houses in Prague. It was built in 1883 as the New German Theatre during the Austro-Hungarian era.

Prague State Opera House

Monday September 9, 2024

The Prague Castle complex is the official residence and offices of the president of the Czech Republic. The huge complex is made up of several churches, palaces, halls, towers, and gardens most of which are open to the public. A highlight for most tourists is the magnificent St. Vitus Cathedral.

Vladislav Hall

The guide led our group through much of the complex including St. George’s Basilica which was founded in 921AD and is the oldest church building within Prague Castle.

View of Prague From the Castle

The weather today was cool and rainy in the morning so the famous Charles Bridge was not crowded with tourists. Construction of the bridge over the Vltava River began in 1357 by King Charles IV.

Crossing Charles Bridge in the Rain

Tuesday September 10, 2024

Today we rode the bus about an hour away from Prague to the town of Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad in English). The city has numerous hot springs and is the largest spa complex in Europe.

City of Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary is a lovely town with pastel painted buildings. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name of “Great Spa Towns of Europe.”

A Natural Geyser of Mineral Water

Over the centuries many internationally famous people have visited Karlovy Vary. Our group enjoyed Viennese coffee and pastries at the luxurious Grandhotel Pupp.

Our Group

Tourists collected and drank mineral water from several natural springs in the Mill Colonnade below.

Mineral Water

Wednesday September 11, 2024

We started the dayt at the National Museum located on Wenceslas Square. Founded in 1818, the museum houses natural scientific and historical collections of the Czech Republic.

Art Nouveau Building

After several hours exploring the National Museum, we walked the length of Wenceslas Boulevard and admired the Art Nouveau buildings on both sides of the street.

The National Museum on Wenceslas Square

The Municipal House, a striking example of Art Nouveau architecture, was built from 1905 to 1912. Smetana Hall, named after the Czech composer, serves as a concert venue and ballroom.

Municipal House

We had a wonderful tour of the building and admired the beautiful murals painted by Alfons Mucha and other artists.

Smetana Hall of the Municipal House

In the evening, our group enjoyed a festive farewell dinner at Strahov Abbey. We flew home on September 12th from Prague to JFK with a stopover in Frankfurt Germany.

Frankfurt, Germany Airport

The statement below was written on a wall in Vienna. I think it is wonderful and good advice for everyone.

Morocco: March 2024

April 1st, 2024

I traveled to the North-African country of Morocco and joined a Road Scholar tour group to see the country and learn about Moroccan history and culture. I flew into the capital city of Rabat on February 29th.

Avenue Mohammed V

Rabat is the governmental center of Morocco and the primary residence of King Mohammed VI. The city was very clean, quite modern, and walkable. The Onomo Hotel is located in the center of Rabat.

Mohammed VI Museum of Modern Art

The Modern Art Museum had an interesting exhibit featuring the contemporary poet and artist, Abdellatif Laabi. I also visited the Museum of History and Civilizations and the beautiful Villa des Arts.

A Guard at the Mausoleum of Mohammed V

The 12th century Hassan Tower complex was also the location of the tombs of King Hassan II and King Mohammed V, the present king’s father and grandfather. The mausoleum is decorated with beautiful colorful geometric mosaic tiles.

Pouring Moroccan Mint Tea

The tour was created by the Center for Cross Cultural Learning which is located in the Medina or “old city” of Rabat. The Road Scholar group heard several excellent lectures on Moroccan culture and we enjoyed several delicious traditional meals prepared at the center.

Dar Shaan Riad

The Cultural Center was housed in a “riad” which is a classic town house set around an interior courtyard. We also enjoyed lunch at Dar Shaan Riad which has been converted to a lovely small hotel.

Rabat’s Kasbah des Oudaias

A “kasbah” is a fort or citadel. Rabat’s kasbah was built by Muslim refugees from Spain in the 15th century. Inside the walls are residential buildings which had been recently repainted in white. Also, the narrow alleyways were neatly repaved giving the district a clean almost modern appearance.

The group left Rabat on March 6 and we drove north by bus to Tangier. We stopped for lunch in the lovely town of Asilah.

Wall of the Medina of Asilah

Since 1978, Asilah has hosted the annual International Cultural Moussem of Asilah. Every year artists are invited to decorate the whitewashed walls of the city. The murals stay up until the following year for everyone to enjoy.

Artistic Entrance
Some Asilah Murals

Asilah is located on the Atlantic Ocean so we enjoyed a delicious seafood lunch.

Friendly Locals

Many signs in Asilah were in Spanish reflecting its Iberian history.

Colorful Carpets Look Like Murals

We continued to Tangier, which is an international city located on the Strait of Gibraltar at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea.

Cape Spartel

Cape Spartel is the northwest corner of the African Continent. We spent an interesting evening in Tangier and stayed at a lovely modern hotel overlooking the beach, the Barcelo Tanger.

Tangier Farmer’s Market

The group visited the newer neighborhoods of Tangier and then we explored the Medina within the walls of the Kasbah.

Metalwork Shop in the Medina
Our Local Guide
A Weaver
Tagines for Sale

We continued traveling, but it was raining when we arrived in the “Blue City,” known as Chefchaouen. The city, located in northern Morocco, was built in the Rif Mountains.

Chefchaouen, Morocco

Muslims and Jews from Spain settled in Chefchaouen during the “Reconquista” from 1492 to 1610. The Road Scholar group stayed at a lovely hotel built on the side of a steep hill.

Dar Echchaouen Maison d’Hôtes

It was fun walking around, exploring the Medina, and taking photos of the “Blue City” in spite of the rain.

Rainy Day

Chefchaouen must be a photographer’s paradise on sunny days….

Blue Nap

The rain subsided by the time we reached the Uta Hammam Square. The original citadel was founded in the late 15th century and today it is a museum exhibiting archeological objects.

15th Century Kasbah

On our way to the city of Fes, the motor coach stopped at a gas station/rest stop. We watched a woman prepare two large tagines for people who would later stop for lunch. She was very pleased to show us her work.

Commercial Cook at a Rest Stop

Later, we stopped at the city of Ouazzane for lunch at the home of the directors of the Cultural Center. It was still raining when arrived. We all noticed that the walls of the Medina were painted bright green.

Entrance Gate into the Medina
Rainbow Stairs
Tourist Sign in English
Curious Local
One of Many Shops Selling Djellabas

Fes vies with Marrakesh as one of Morocco’s most visited cities. Fes was founded in 808 AD and was once the ancient capital of Morocco. The city is considered the most spiritual of all the imperial cities.

Gate of the King Mohammed VI’s Royal Palace in Fes
Woman Painting Pottery
One of Fes’ 9,600 Alleyways
Baking Pastries
An Alleyway in the 1200 year old Medina
A Coppersmith
Weaver’s Shop
The Famous Fes Tannery

We stayed in Fes for three nights. One day we went on a field trip to the Roman ruins of Volubilis. The ancient city had been an active metropolis from approximately 24AD to 285AD.

Volubilis
One of the Ancient Gates Into the City
The Forum of Volubilis
A Boy and His Donkey

The group also went to Meknes, which was another Imperial city which became the ruling capital in the 17th century. We visited the Dar Jamai Museum which is a museum of musical instruments housed in a beautiful 19th century palace.

Courtyard
Fountain
Doorway in the Palace
Impressive Ceiling

It was a long drive to the Moroccan city of Erfoud. The scenery became more barren as the motor coach drove east. Green fertile farmland gradually gave way to brown sand.

Photo From the Bus
Crossing the Middle Atlas Mountains
A Town Along the Way
Former Kasbah in Erfoud
Our Hotel near Erfoud – the Chergui Kasbah
A Local Band Played Malhoun Music at Night

The next day, we drove to a small village in southeastern Morocco called Merzouga, located about 30 miles from Erfoud. We saw the ruins of the medieval city of Sijilmassa. By late afternoon we went to the northern edge of the Sahara Desert to meet our camels.

Camels Resting
Camel Herders
Me Riding a Large Camel

We rode our camels out of town and into the desert. So much fun!!! We were met by 4X4 vehicles and were driven over the huge sand dunes to our desert camp.

4X4 Caravan
Desert Camp
Musical Performance: Gnawa of Khamlia Band

We were assigned to our individual tents which had private bathrooms and showers. We had dinner in the main tent and afterwards enjoyed live music outside under the stars. It was lovely.

Young Camel by the Side of the Road

We spent one night in the desert camp. In the morning we watched the sun rise over Algeria. After breakfast, we continued westward across the High Atlas Mountains toward the city of Marrakech.

Towns Along an Oasis
Atlas Mountain Pass: 7,415 Feet
High Atlas Mountains

Known as the “Red City” with a population of over one million people, Marrakech lies at the western foothills of the Atlas Mountains. The city is the most visited city in Morocco. There were many foreign tourists everywhere. We walked to a modern mall from our hotel, the Kenzi Rose Garden.

The Menara Mall with American Fast Food
One of the Pools at the Kenzi Rose Garden Hotel
The Koutoubia Mosque
Grinding Argan Oil at the Medina
In the Medina
Shopping
Yves St. Laurent’s House in Majorelles Gardens

One day we drove to the village of Aghmat to meet several Moroccan women who had developed a cooperative. We were invited to have lunch with them and watch a demonstration of making couscous.

Couscous
Serving Lunch in a Large Tagine
Beautiful Live Music

We had a lovely “Farewell Dinner” at The Red House – Palais d’Hotes Restaurant in Marrakech – with live traditional music. The next day, the group rode the motor coach to Casablanca. This was the last day of the tour. Casablanca is a large metropolis with almost four million people.

Hassan II Mosque

We toured the Hassan II Mosque, which is the only mosque in Morocco open to non-Muslims. It was completed in 1993 by the former king of Morocco. It is the 14th largest mosque in the world with a capacity of 105,000 worshippers inside and outside.

Beautiful Impressive Prayer Hall
Lower Level Ablution Area

Most of the Road Scholar participants left Morocco on March 19th. I wanted to see more of Casablanca so I extended my stay two more days. I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the center of the city.

View of Casablanca From My Room

Casablanca is a romantic and exciting city to many Americans because of the 1942 movie with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. However, it is really not a tourist city and there are very few attractions for tourists. Casablanca is crowded and noisy with a lot of chaotic traffic.

The Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum
Art Deco Style Church of Sacre Coeur – today it is a cultural center
Villa des Arts
Interior of the Villa des Arts
Hassan II Mosque at Night

An American, Kathy Kriger, created Rick’s Cafe Restaurant near the old Medina in Casablanca for tourists and film buffs. The facts are: the movie was completely filmed in Hollywood and the story had nothing to do with the city of Casablanca, except the name. But I had to go!! It was a fun experience!

Rick’s Cafe
First Floor Dining Room of Rick’s
Center Courtyard of Rick’s
Enjoying a Delicious Lunch at Rick’s Cafe
Pouring Mint Tea
Casablanca Medina

I took a red “Petit Taxi” to a market called the Souq Habous. It was a small shopping district which was built in the 1930s. I found a wonderful bakery called Patisserie Bennis and bought delicious cookies.

Shop in the Center of Habous
Beautiful Shoes
An Alleyway
Many Choices of Olives
The Mosque at Dawn

My Air France flight left very early in the morning. I had a wonderful and amazing time in Morocco. It is a dynamic country with great potential. Morocco is in the process of integrating its rich cultural heritage with the modern 21st century world and a true “Melting Pot of Cultures.”

N. Y. Botanical Garden – The Bronx

February 16th, 2024

This year, the Botanical Garden held their annual Orchid Show “Florals in Fashion” from February 17th through April 22nd. The Garden is one of my favorite place in the entire world – I love it!!

Unusual Orchid
Love the Sneakers!
Tunnel Light-Show
More Unusual Orchids

New York City Lunch

January 30th, 2024
Patience With Snow

It had snowed in “The City” leaving a light dusting on surfaces for a brief time. I took the train to Manhattan to have lunch with my son, Chris, at one of my favorite restaurants.

The Columbus Monument

Recently, the NYC Subways have earned a reputation for being “dangerous.” I’ve traveled the subways for my entire life and they were never warm & cozy places, but always very interesting….

42nd Street Shuttle

When Chris and I arrived at 38th Street, I was surprised to see a public art display on every corner along Park Avenue. Carole A. Feuerman’s lifelike statues graced each cross street.

Quan

What a treat on a chilly winter’s day in Murray Hill! Hyper-realistic sculptures warmed the day!

Pisces
Pisces Up Close

The statues were incredible! They looked like real flesh ‘n’ blood people who were going to move in the next second!

Justice

The grande finale on 34th Street was Carole Feuerman’s Golden Mean. The statue is a 1,500 pound bronze of a male diver. Feuerman described her sculpture as “An icon for achieving the impossible, for the struggle of survival and strength, and the resilience of the human spirit.” Wonderful…..

The Golden Mean

The Bruce Museum

January 12th, 2024

In early January 2024, I visited the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut with my wonderful adventurous niece, Jenn. It had been many decades since I went to “The Bruce.”

Scene at the David Hockney Exhibit

As a frequent museum-visiter, I was surprised to see a dog in the museum. It was a “first” for me!

Looking Out Across Long Island Sound

The Bruce Museum has grown from a small private gallery to a beautiful impressive modern museum.

Taking Wings to Fly….

There was an excellent Rock and Mineral Collection, as well as modern and contemporary art exhibits.

On the Stairwell

A permanent exhibit about the natural resources and environment of the Connecticut coastal area was created for local schools. It was well done and very interesting. We had a fun time!

Tang Dynasty Sculpture