Sobering sites

For the most part, I have written this blog for entertainment.  I love the history of Europe and did not know much about Eastern Europe and what the people there have been through.  So I will share a few observations and then will probably write one or two more posts with highlights and food.  My attempt here is to be respectful to the history of the countries we visited.  When I talked to a German guide about how she felt about what happened in Germany, she said "I was not part of it."  I told her I was from the South so we also have a shameful past.

TEREZIN
We took a half day trip while in Prague to Terezin which is about an hour from Prague.  This structure was originally built in the 1780's as a fortification.  It was built to keep the Germans out but later used by the Germans to keep the Jews in.  In 1941, the Nazis removed everyone from the village and brought 60,000 Jews which created a concentration camp.

This was the Nazi's model "Jewish town" for propaganda purposes.  To outsiders it appeared to be self-governed with concerts, operas and plays.  The intent was to convince the Red Cross inspectors that the Jews were being treated well.  We even saw the propaganda film that was shown. Ultimately almost all of the Jews who came to Terezin were exterminated.

As we saw numerous times, the Nazi's went to great lengths to put on a facade that what they were doing what was right.  Our guide told us that the children were trained that when there was a visitor, they were to run up to the commandant and say, "Uncle, can you play with me.?"  The typical reply was, "Not today, maybe tomorrow."  One thing that rose some suspicion was the observation that the toys that were brought out on those days were new and did not appear to be played with.

What struck me when we entered the front of Terezin, was the cross.  I really expected to see the Star of David.  You can see it in the left hand side of the picture.

The Star of David is made out of railroad tracks that  led directly into the concentration camp.  Red roses are at each grave in remembrance of the blood that was shed.  Stones we are placed on the graves in keeping with the Jewish tradition.

Around the fortress, there is a dry moat where the starving Jews were required to grow plots of vegetables for the well-fed SS officers.  There was a washroom built solely for the purpose of fooling the Red Cross inspectors.  The sinks were not even hooked up to water.  There were heaters in some of the barracks; however, these were not used for anything but show.   With all of this evidence of what the Nazis did, remember the message: "Never again."

NUREMBURG

The ghosts of the Nazi monsters can be felt in Nuremberg.  This was the "most German" of cities for Hitler and he built it to demonstrate his emperor-like power and god-like status.  It is now the crumbled remains and pathetic leftovers of a regime that the psychopathic leader claimed would last for 1000 years.  

We all have images of Hitler and millions of Nazi Party supporters gathered for mass rallies where they would salute Hitler and he would deliver his fanatical speeches as he prepared Germany for war.  Our German guide said that she has studied those speeches and and about half of what he shouted made no sense.  

When you are standing on the parade grounds, you can turn around and see a massive structure that looks like the colosseum in Rome.  Hitler wanted to build one greater than Rome.  The interesting fact is that it is only a facade and was never used for anything but storage.  Part of the structure is now used as a museum.  After visiting Terezin and then Hitler's "showplace", I could not help but think about how much energy he wasted with the extermination camps and "putting on shows" to elevate himself in people's minds.

As you can see, the swatztika is not on the top of the building.  The Russians blew it up.

Nuremburg Trials

The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals held by Allied forces to prosecute prominent members of the Nazi party who participated in the Holocaust and other war crimes.  Nuremberg was selected as the city for the trials since this was Hitler's chosen place of leadership and the ceremonial birthplace of the Nazi party.  It also had a prison attached to the courthouse which made security easier.  In the picture below, the room with the  top four windows were where the trial was held.

I ran across a fact that interested me as a psychologist.  They administered the Rorschach test and an IQ test to the defendants in the trial.  The IQ's ranged from 113-143 with most of them over 120.  (An IQ of 100 is average so most of these are well above average and would be considered in the gifted range).  I found this chilling.

Our guide told us that Germany now has an Auschwitz Law which punishes any German for denying that the Holocaust happened.  While we were at the concentration camp, there was a group of German students visiting also.  I asked her about her parents experience during the war.  She said her father was in the military and never said a word about the war.  Her mother was living in a remote place in Poland and was unaware of any of the atrocities.  When her daughter was grown (our guide), she told her mother what happened. 

Atheism in the Czech Republic

Our guide in Cesky Krumlov told us that there were 65-70% of the Czech population were atheist.  He said he was an atheist as did all of our guides in this country.  I was shocked at the statistics but after their explanations and a little research I understand it a little better.  In 1948 the majority of the country was religious, primarily Roman Catholics.  The Communist government immediately repressed religion using brutal techniques. People born after 1950 were likely never to have been given a religious upbringing because it would have been too risky.

I hope you don't mind that I got a little historical here.  One of the reasons that I am passionate about travel is to learn about history, cultures and people.  It's not always about drinking beer and eating fattening food!

Heated up in Budapest

This is our last day in Budapest and it is boiling hot.  Bill and I did the tourist thing this morning.  We had not realized how far we walked when he said, "Let's get a cab."  It took us forever to find the cab.  We are now in our hotel room in nothing but our underwear with the air turned as high as it can go.  Good visual for you!

Despite the heat, I think we have seen everything that we need to in Budapest.  We did the Hop on and Off (unairconditioned) bus around yesterday so we got the general lay of the land.  Our ship line had a walking tour of the Buda side and we walked the Pest side today.  We wanted to see the second largest church in Hungary and walked there this morning which was very impressive.  I wanted to see the shriveled hand that is one of the relics there.  Supposedly, when St. Istavan died his hand instantly mummified and it was declared a miracle and he received sainthood.  It is in the picture below in the little shrine.  I thought is looked like a flat piece of beef jerky.

From all of the food, walking and frivolity, Bill and I are just about broke down.  I feel like I may need a hip replacement from my groin injury and his bad knee is on it's last leg (get it?).  Anyway, we have hobbled around and have been determined to make the best of the situation.  We have a friend who is from Hungarian Jewish descent and she had some relatives who died in the Holocaust.  We wanted to visit the synagogue where they have a tree with leaves for all of the Jews from Hungary who died.  After following a map and asking multiple stinky people where it was, we found the synagogue.  However, we did not realize it was Saturday which is the Sabbath and everything was closed.  I have added a picture of the tree.

I have not been very faithful in writing my blog.  I will probably write a post mortem when I get home that will tell a little more about the trip.  I just looked at my statistics and I have had over 1,000 views of my blog so thanks for that.

 Shriveled hand is in this case.  Right after I looked at it all of the lights went out.

 Holocaust Memorial Tree - Budapest

 Dome of St. Istavan's church

 One of the beautiful statues in the church.

My precious Bill

Stinky Men

We spent yesterday in the cultured city of Vienna where I actually met Mozart.  As proof I have his picture below.  Today we arrived in Budapest and took a three hour tour of the city.  Beautiful city but HOT!  It is even supposed to be hotter the next few days.

In the afternoon we went to the Grand Market which I was looking forward to.  I have attached some pictures of some of the food.  They had quite a few types of meat that you wouldn't find at Kroger, one of which is attached to a bull.  People were lined up for it - no thanks.  The market was very clean but the male vendors were stinky.  I almost gagged when the last one handed me my bag.  He appeared proud that he had that one intact tooth.  They needed a booth that sold deodorant.

At dinner tonight they had fish.  I decided to overcome my bad experience with fish in Europe and I would taste it.  Charlene was so kind as to read the description of the fish as I was deciding to eat it.  I remember her saying something about it's teeth grew back.  I went ahead and took a bite because it was wrapped and bacon and I thought, "How bad can it be with bacon."  Oh my gosh -  I had no place to spit it so I blew it under a pepper on the plate and covered it up.  Unfortunately the waiter witnessed it.  I will not come back a a pescatarian

Delicacy at the Grand Market

 My friend Mozart.

Highlight so Far

I know that I have been a bit silly on my blog so far.  I like to make fun of some of the stuff we see and do and it seems to entertain some people.  However, this is such a great experience I want to share a little bit of what we are seeing.  Travel is not  just about going somewhere - it is about culture, people and history.  You can choose to take a vacation at a theme park and have fun or go some where awe inspiring place that will change you as a person in some way.  That is why I love Europe so much.  We have studied the names and places, but it is so different to experience it.

Bill and I have discussed what has been our favorite place so far and both of us agreed that it has been Cesky Krumlov.  This was not a part of our cruise but somewhere that I read about and wanted to go.   It was a bit of adventure to get there, because we drove ourselves.  We had difficulty reading the names of towns and had to resort to making up our own names.  For example, we couldn't pronounce Ceske Budejovice which is the city before Cesky Krumlov so we had to keep trying to say it.  Since I was navigator and Bill can't hear, I finally started calling it "Bootyjuice."  That he understood!  So we all tried to find our way to Bootyjuice and made it to Cesky Krumlov.

Cesky Krumlov is an enchanting town with an awe-inspiring castle, cobbled streets, little shops, and quaint restaurants.  The town itself is a peninsula on the Vltava River.  I will add a picture at the bottom of Bill and I putting our toes (no those are not sausages) in the river.  Bill really needed a pedi before the trip - his toes had bear claws.

We enjoyed walking the streets and drinking beer on the square.  Everything was cheap.  A meal for four with two beers typically ran around $35.  The city was easy to navigate on foot.  However, climbing to the castle was very difficult - hence my pulled groin.

Danube cruises are becoming very popular; hence, the river is busy.  When the ship ties up at the port, sometimes there may be another ship tied next to you.  This morning, I woke up and thought I want to see my beautiful view.  I had on my nightshirt which had ridden up to my waist and flung the curtains open to see the wonderful Danube.  Instead I was eye-to-eye with the man in a cabin of the ship tied next to us.  He was the one with the wonderful view.

I Know Not Where I Am

I can't remember where I was the last time I wrote the blog.  I have tried to update on my Facebook page but fans are clamoring for more stories.  I would love to tell you the history of all the places that we have been but my son, Kevin, says that is boring.  He said people only want to read funny stuff.

We have been in Regensberg, Germany today and are now cruising somewhere down some river that I have been informed is not the Danube - yet.  We sure have been going a long way not to be on the Danube, which I may add is the cruise that I paid for.  But, the views are great.  We are passing through 24 locks to get to the Danube, wherever that may be.  Going in these locks is like being in a tomb - all concrete walls and you can't see the top if you are on the ship.  Creepy, but the men seem to be quite fascinated with them.  They even had a lecture about the engineering of the locks.  That was the best nap I have had yet.

As you know, Bill has been on travel probation for years.  I am happy to report that he is doing extremely well.  He eats sausage for almost every meal and each time he has a beer, he says it is the best he has ever had.  One problem I anticipated with my spouse was sleeping arrangements.  We have a variety of sleeping options in our house so if there is a disturbance of any kind, I can order him to another part of the house - the extra bedroom, one of two couches or his big chair.  I was concerned about where he could possibly go if we were stuck in the little cabin of the boat.  He was particularly tired last night and started snoring or some similar type noise before I had arranged my pillows.  I immediately corrected the problem.  As usual, he said he was not even asleep yet.  I anticipated quite a struggle during the night.  I poked him several times to turn over.  One time I jabbed him pretty hard and told him he was shaking the whole room.  Little did I know that the boat was slowing down to go into a lock which was causing it to shake and make noise.  My bad.

I fear lack of sleep on vacation with Bill and plan carefully that we don't end up in a double bed.  I am not sure we could both fit if we slept on our backs.  When I was booking a room with our travel agent for our last hotel, I told her we had to have a big bed.  She got a little huffy with me and told me I knew enough about European hotels to know that large beds are a rare find.  I said, "Do what ever you have to do to get us a king size bed."  She mistakenly sent me an e-mail that she had sent to the hotel stating the room preference noting that we were "very large people."  I can't wait to see their expressions when we check in!

I have found that you can in fact live for five days on sausage, beer and sauerkraut.  I have never in my life had sauerkraut and it has caused me to speak with a German accent.  I have suddenly lost my Czech accent and tomorrow will have to have an Austrian accent.  I am getting tired of learning how to say "I need to make wee wee" in different languages.  I am just going to start holding myself and jumping around like a two year old.  And sometimes they make you pay to make wee wee!  I had to actually sneak in one bathroom because Daddy Warlocks wasn't with me and I didn't have my purse.

Since we are the subject of toilets, Europe has many different ways to flush a toilet.  I have always been very good at it in the USA but here you may have to pull a chain, punch a button, pull a button, or walk off and act like you didn't do anything.  I noticed in the Czech Republic that there are two buttons to push to flush (I have also seen this in other countries).  I always go for the big button just to make sure.  Finally one toilet had instructions, "Full Flush" or "1/2 Flush".  I finally get it.  I have wasted a lot of water apparently.  If you don't understand this let me know - O heck I will tell you now.  Full flush is for making poo poo, 1/2 flush is for making pee pee.

I talked about how unfriendly the Czech people were in general.  They seem a bit friendlier in Germany which makes me feel good since I am of some German decent.  However, they are not all beautiful (see photo of woman below.)  That is a real mustache on the man - he goosed me when they took the picture much to my delight.

Keep those comments coming!

Prague mishaps

Finally, I am able to use my Czech language skills in Prague.  I know “Good day” and “thank you” and I use them interchangeably if necessary.  Czech people have the nerve to smile at my noble attempts to speak their language which has very few vowels.  Speaking of Czech people, they are not the friendliest in the world.  We have noticed that they don’t look at you when they walk past or respond to our friendly nods and smiles.  There are a number of Asian tourists here who have selfie sticks about the size of a golf club.  In order to entertain myself I have tried to photo bomb as many as I can.  One guy even took a video of Bill and I.  Wouldn’t you love to see his vacation pictures!

We arrived in Prague at a very nice hotel and got settled in only to find out it wasn’t the right one – mistake by travel company.  Anyway, we enjoyed our stay there.  We walked around and looked at the beautiful architecture and stumbled onto a great restaurant.  In keeping with my goal to only eat native foods, I had schnitzel which would be like a flattened fried pork chop.  I eyed a man with a big smoked piece of meat on his plate and asked what it was.  It was a pig knuckle which would now become my next quest.  Below is a picture of the pig knuckle I had.

I had scheduled a tour of Jewish town with a lady that I can’t pronounce her name so we called her Henrietta.  She had clown-red/orange hair and walked about 30 miles per hour.  I am a little gimpy and was practically running behind her to keep up.  The tour was very interesting and humbling.  The picture of Bill does not mean that he has converted – he had to have his head covered to go through the Jewish cemetery.  Although the tour was interesting, I was glad to see Henrietta’s back walking away from us.  I was in froth from sweat.

As a surprise for Ronnie and Charlene, Bill and I had booked an antique car to take us around the city.  This could have possibly been one of the greatest plans that I made.  Our little man picked us up in a car which had about 2 inch wheels and we zipped around the city.  It is still very hot here but the breeze was wonderful.  We went around the castle district and signed the John Lennon wall which satisfied my inner hippie.  The driver had difficulty getting across the river because all of the bridges had traffic jams which he said was unusual.  When we finally got on the other side of the river traffic stopped dead.  That cute little antique convertible car was very hot sitting out in the sun.  I literally stuck to the black seats.  The taxis had all decided to have a strike and stop their cars at the ends of the bridges coming into the city and honk their horns.  I guess not every visitor gets to experience that but it sure sucked and the top of my head got sunburned.

From this day of adventure in extreme heat I needed a way to cool off.  They do not believe in extremely cold air conditioning so sitting naked in my room was not working.  I had washed all of our sweaty clothes in the bath tub and it looked like a Chinese laundry so we couldn’t take a shower.  I was hot from the inside out and talked Bill into going swimming with me.  You enter the male or female side – we got that part right.  Bill would have appreciated by side because in the “locker room” I saw quite a few naked women.  I raced passed them in my swimming attire (sorry no pictures) and jumped in the pool.  It was extremely deep and I couldn’t stand up in it.  I did the best I could to swim to the side (remember I have an injured groin so one leg isn’t moving too well).  At last, I am cooling down which is the first time since June 15^th.  When I came up out of the pool I looked at the people standing around and almost puked.  The man closest too me was covered in thick hair, and I mean everywhere.  Then I looked over and saw a man in a speedo.  I closed my eyes and went under and told myself how refreshing the water was feeling.  Bill swims over to me and threw something out of the pool. I said, “What was that?” and he said he didn’t know.  We took one look at it and almost screamed.  It was about a twelve-inch hairball that was in the pool.  I told Bill he mustn’t play with floating objects in the pool.

We have moved to our new hotel which is very nice but apparently bargain priced because it is not near anything.  We have been very lucky with food except for last night.  We had directions to an “authentic” Czech restaurant down the street in an alley.  Prior to this time Charlene had befriended a single lady, Peggy, and we asked her if she wanted to come with us.  Oh what frivolity was had.  We drank and laughed and completely grossed out Peggy with our stories of our youth.  As you know, I have been eating heavy Czech cuisine and when it came to order I was last.  Everyone had ordered fairly dainty meals and I thought I want Peggy to think that I too eat healthy – I didn’t think that she would notice from my size that I was not an athlete.  They ordered fish and grilled vegetables so I thought I would too.  The waitress brought the saddest looking cooked fish to our table.  She had some English skills but when I asked her what kind of fish it was as if sshe suddenly lost her abilities.  From what I understood she kept saying “wolf fish.”  Mine had one glassy eye staring at me and I thought this looks like crap, it may have been carp.  I accidently touched it’s mouth and it had teeth, so then I guessed it must be a piranha.  The others had started eating it and said how good it was.  I told them my piranha was apparently a bottom eater because it didn’t taste so good.  Well one out of three fish were apparently good and I got the bad one.  So now, not only do I have a pulled groin, but food poisoning.  I love my husband so much after last night.  It was worse than childbirth.  I saw the cleaning lady coming to our room and ran down the hall away from her.  I did not know how to say “Sorry” in Czech. 

After we had consumed quite a bit of beer at the diseased fish eatery, we decided to stop at a little grocery and get the national beverage, which is made of herbs and supposed to help with digestion (NOT!!!!!) and act as an aphrodisiac (NOT!!!!).  Remember, we still are dragging Peggy around with us.  So we stood outside of the store swigging on the bottle like a bunch of drunks.  Bill said it tasted like Aqua Velva.  For some reason during this time Charlene said that Bill needed his eyebrows and moustache trimmed and a haircut.  So here all five of us come to our room.  Charlene is playing beautician with Bill, Ronnie is taking a little nap, and Peggy was unable to escape. 

Ronnie is like the bad brother that you never wanted.  When he left our room he took all of the toilet paper and put it outside our door.  Remember, I was just beginning to feel the effects of food poisoning.  Fortunately, Charlene had texted Bill to tell him what Ronnie had done because it was disastrous enough as it was.

Thank you for letting me share my physical ailments with you.  I appreciate all the well wishes for my pulled groin and hope to continue to improve after the crappy carp incident.

P.S.  Charlene and Peggy were going to a concert tonight while the boys and I go to Rick Steve’s favorite pub.  Surprisingly, we haven’t heard from Peggy.