Keeling Travel Blog

Sunday, April 28, 2019

We got up around 7:45 am today. We had decided to go to the Pantheon early today. It opens at 9 am. Since it is right next door almost, we figured that it would be an easy thing to do. We got there about 8:50 am. A line had already formed. They opened on time and we went in.

It is amazing the building is over 1,800 years old and in such great condition inside. It has a huge dome that is open at the top to the air and elements. It has 22 holes in the center floor to drain water. The inside is marble. It is still a functioning church and they were preparing services for Sunday. The building was completed in 186. The dome was the largest dome in the world for centuries. We took many pictures. We saw the crypt where Raphael is buried. The first two kings of Italy in the late 1800’s are also buried here. We stayed here a while then returned to the apartment.

We left the apartment around 10:30 am. We had no specific thing to do. We headed to the ancient sites and thought we might go to a museum. As we rounded the corner near the Piazza Venezia and the huge white building of the Monumento a Vittario Emanuela II, large crowds were present. All sorts of people were about. Police were directing and diverting traffic from the area. We took pictures of this huge palacial buidling. We walked to the left of the building and we could see the coliseum in the background.

We continued walking and saw the ruins of many old buildings and the excavations that had been done. The Forum was to the right and we took pictures of that. Palatine hill was above and not to far away. Sandy did not want to climb up to the hill and go down into the Forum. we could see well from the area we were. Again, we took pictures.

It was a cold day today, windy and very overcast. The high got to 64 but it was around 60 or 61 when we were at the ancient site area. I had my hat and my hood up. Sandy, as usual, is hot natured and did not button up her coat but she had a coat. The wind was strong at times.

We walked to the coliseum metro but decided not to take it as so many stations are closed right now. They began “revamping” several stations that the tourists use such as the one at the Spanish Steps and here at the coliseum. Our guide on the night we came said it was to take a month to six weeks but now six months into the project the work has not been completed. The remaining stations are not convenient to us as tourists.

Sandy wanted to go to Eataly south of the coliseum area, about 2 to 2 1/2 miles away. We got a cab and went there. Meredith had recommended it to her. It is an area with all sorts of food and food products, fresh meats, fresh fish, fresh vegetables and also food for cooking and in the household. I got a cannoli at a bakery while Sandy pursued her looking at all the products. She got a pistachio donut that Meredith had recommended. There was a small IKEA there and we looked at that.

There are four floors of food and food related products here plus restaurants. We ate lunch at one of them which featured a local brewery craft beer. I got a beer and a sandwich. The beer was good. Sandy go a pizza. We walked around the area some more and then went to find a taxi. After a while, a taxi appeared and took us back to the apartment.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

We got up late today and had a leisurely time in the apartment. I used the washer. It takes about two to three hours to run a load, the European appliances have much to be said how inefficient in time they are. The load cannot be more than 5 kg which limits the amount of clothes per wash.

We walked to the Pantheon around lunch but the line was very, very long. We will go there tomorrow most likely. We walked to the Trevi Fountain which was about a 25 to 30 minute slow walk from the apartment. Saturday many people were about the streets. The fountain area was no exception. We ate some lunch and then went to the Fountain and took pictures.

Then we decided to walk to the Spanish Steps area. It did not take long to get there. We took pictures. Many people were about there as well. The weather was sunny and temperatures were 69 to 70. We slowly strolled back to the apartment getting back around 4 pm. We took naps.

Then we went to the restaurant we had visited the first full day near the apartment and ordered the lasagna. Their lasagna noodles are thin, the sauce is seasoned very well. It is excellent lasagna which we both enjoyed. We each got an order. I am making a note of this as we have been splitting most meals since Australia. It was that good. I also got a salad and a glass of wine.

We got back to the apartment around 9:45 pm or so. We watched an episode of Midsomers Mysteries I had downloaded of the 20th season then we went to bed.

We took pictures today, but the internet is so slow I have great difficulty in uploading any pictures at this time. Sorry about that. The pictures do add greatly to the narrative.

Wayne

I did not enjoy Prague. I have no desire to return.

It was a nice city, the people were nice but it just had something I did not like and it is hard to describe. I enjoyed our trip to see the Bone Church, but being an orthopaedist that may bias me. The other sights were just sights. There is no memorable place in Prague. The food was good and prices were reasonable. I liked the hotel. If we had not seen Vienna, perhaps we would have liked Prague more. I would go back to Vienna, not Prague.

Gas was 33.9 Czech Krona a liter.

Sandy

There was too much walking and the transportation system was not designed for tourists. You had to know in advance where you were going and exactly what buses to take. The subway did not have stops where tourists wanted to go. I wanted to see a penguin sculpture on the river but could not get there without doing excessive walking. I chose not to go.

We found an English speaking Methodist Church to go to for Easter, but it would take two separate buses and considerable walking to get there. We had to know the exact buses and the times so we could make the transfers. It was too complicated to do and we did not do it.

Friday, April 26, 2019

We got up at 4:15 am. We had to be at the main door of the Vatican Museum by 5:45 am. We left the apartment at 5:10 am. I had a number for the taxi but it did not work. I looked up Uber but it had us to go to a restaurant nearby but we could not locate it. A woman jogging down the street tried to help us but did not know the restaurant either. It was getting close to 5:30 am and we were getting very anxious.

Then, out of no where, a white taxi appeared as if heaven sent. I flagged him down and he said he would happily take us to the Vatican Museum. In about 10 minutes we were there. Our fee was 11 Euro which we happily paid. While we were getting out of the taxi, a van drove up and another taxi appeared. Other people were getting out to go on the same tour. It is limited to about 20 people.

We gathered at the main door and talked. There was a group from Michigan of six people, a couple from Washington, DC; a family of seven, grandmother, parents, three children from ages 10 to 5 and an infant from the Midwest; and four other people (and us of course). Becky, our tour guide arrived at 5:50 am and checked us in. She was vivacious and very knowledgeable.

The main door creaked and slowly opened at 6 am. We were met by the Keeper of the Keys of the Vatican and his chief deputy. The Keeper of the Keys literally has a key to every door, window, exhibit in the Vatican Museum. Everyday he and his assistants systematically open the doors to all the wings and all the exhibits in the museum. They open the various windows that need to be opened (depending on weather). They cut on all the various lights that illuminate the paintings and exhibits plus the main lights to each hallway.

The other distinction that the Keeper of the Keys has is one of extreme importance in the selection of a Pope. All the Cardinals are secluded in the Sistine Chapel during the election of the next Pope. The Keeper of the Keys and his chief deputy are the only two people allowed in the chapel other than the Cardinals. The Keeper of the Keys locks the room and keeps the only set of keys. If a Cardinal needs to use the bathroom, only one at at time is allowed to leave. The Keeper of the Keys unlocks the door, either he or his assistant accompanies the cleric to the bathroom and then back to the chapel, locking the door again. No two Cardinals may be together out of the room (avoids backroom dealing). The Keeper of the Keys inspects the food and brings it in the room. The Keeper of the Keys is sworn to secrecy as are the Cardinals on the actual deliberations. If any object, book, paper or supplies are needed, the Keeper of the Keys obtains them and inspects them before they come into the room.

I am jumping ahead a little here, but when we left the Sistine Chapel, the Keeper of the Keys had us exit through a special door used by the Cardinals when selecting the next Pope. It has an elaborate area, restrooms, other rooms and most importantly for us, very few steps as we went further into the museum. As you can imagine, there are many corridors in the museum. The large ones are used by the public, but there are smaller ones used by the staff and high ranking members of the church. While opening the various doors and windows, the Keeper of the Keys also unlocked these special corridors and we were able to see them, too.

Now we had been in the Vatican Museum the day before with thousands of other people and all the noise and confusion that exists with so many people crowded into the spaces. Today, it was just the Keeper of the Keys, his chief deputy, the tour guide and twenty of us. You could hear our footsteps at times echoing off the vast room ceilings and walls. We all took turns using the various keys to open huge doors to the various rooms or corridors. Some rooms were small, special exhibits that we opened. We opened areas that are off limits normally and we were allowed to enter these rooms and take pictures. We had no area that pictures were not allowed. These rooms have a small wooden gate or ornate partial door allowing you to see in the room but not enter. We unlocked the main door and the smaller gate doors and entered these rooms. The guide would discuss as we went the significance of each room and why it was designed this way. Becky would say what the most important object or objects were in each room. We were given time to take pictures as we desired.

I cannot express how impressive, how exhilarating it was to open the door say to the Corridor of Maps and have complete darkness before you. Then a member of the group would cut on the light switch or switches and the room illuminated before you. We did this multiple times as we entered each major corridor and area of the museum.

Having gone the day before and having the guide explain so much to us really helped today. Where the day before we could see the work of art but not get a good picture or get up to the railing or rope to see it better because of the crowds, today we could see everything and anything we wanted. Often the Keeper of the Keys would remove the rope to allow us to get up next to the object (no touching allowed, of course) and take pictures or he would open the gate of the railing to allow us better access. But there is no way to really see everything in such a short time or to fully appreciate and take the “proper picture”. We had to move on but we did not feel rushed.

Many of the keys are very heavy and old, but over the last few years, the Vatican Museum has been switching to electronic keys and locks. This makes it easier to avoid duplication and also allows the ability to know when the lock was opened, the time and so forth. The process takes a while to do as the new locks have to be the same size as the old ones and cannot damage the door. Special curators and locksmiths are doing the project.

The main feature of the tour other than what I have already described was going to the Sistine Chapel. The Keeper of the Keys had a game for us to play. The person who correctly picked out the key to the chapel would open the door to the chapel. He has hundreds of keys on multiple rings. As people chose incorrectly, he would remove a ring of keys. One of the ladies from Michigan correctly found the key and she opened the door to the Sistine Chapel.

The Keeper of the Keys had a flashlight and so did his deputy. We entered the room in the dark. They made sure we entered safely and had us stand near the center. After he was satisfied we were positioned correctly, then Hallelujah!, the room was illuminated and the magnificence of the Sistine Chapel was before us in all its grandeur. Yes, we had seen it yesterday and yes, I had felt a little disappointed in the area with all the crowds and noise, but today, at this moment, with the quietness of the room and hearing the gasps of the other people in the room and seeing what was before us sent goosebumps over my body. Sandy said she had a similar experience. Awesome may not be an adequate description. It was an unbelievable experience.

We were allowed to talk normally and allowed to take pictures with no limits both usually strictly prohibited. And take pictures we did. Our internet connection in the apartment is very slow and I cannot post much on here but I will try to put some up. We have many pictures. Sandy who often limits what pictures she takes did not hold back. The group took pictures and we just enjoyed the room also. Our guide explained the sequence of how the ceiling was painted. After a good while, Becky said it was time to leave. We exited as I stated earlier through the Cardinals doorway.

We walked through the other areas of the museum after the chapel and saw areas we did not see the day before. Each room is special in its own way. We continued to unlock doors and cut on lights. As we got near the end of the last corridor, employees were entering and setting up their areas. The Keeper of the Keys is also the person in charge of all the guards and staff.

We were taken to the Cone Courtyard and had breakfast at the same area we had it the day before. We sat with the couple from Washington, DC, Mike and Wendy. He is in the Air Force stationed at the Pentagon. We all agreed how this was an amazing experience. They had been there a couple of days before and said they enjoyed it today so much more.

After breakfast, Sandy and I wanted to see and view better the last corridor of the museum. However, we found out you cannot see it alone, you have to go back through the Sistine Chapel and do the loop as it is one way. We did that but along the way we went to other areas we wanted to see more again. Unfortunately, there are many, many steps to take. We visited the Egyptian exhibit, the contemporary exhibits of art work, the African Christianity exhibits. We took our time. We went to the Sistine Chapel a third time in the last two days but this was mainly a walk through. It was full, people everywhere and the guard yelling “Silencio” over and over. We exited through the regular public door and eventually made it to the last corridor we wanted to see. In retrospect, it may have been better to have just skipped it as Sandy’s knee was bothering her more with all the steps. We took our time on the last corridor and took pictures.

Getting out of the museum and not going to St. Peter’s Basilica is not an easy task but we did it. We were at the entrance, this time full of people trying to get in and all the hustle and bustle of the crowd. We got a taxi and came back to the apartment, costing us 10 Euros (no extra charge for the time of the day). We were tired. We took a long nap. It was around 11:20 am.

Meredith contacted us via What’s App and said they were having a good time in Munich. The weather was rainy and cold but they had found great food and really liked it. Jenny had sent a text during our night and said she was home as she had termite damage again and the workman was there. I FaceTimed her and Sandy joined in as well. It was around 5:30 pm here and we talked about dinner. We waited until around 7 pm and went past the Pantheon to a restaurant we had seen the night before. We got a large pizza with prosciutto, artichokes, olives, mushrooms and mozzarella plus a bottle of Chianti. It hit the spot. We walked slowly back to the room stopping and getting some more gelato, this time strawberry and lemon. It was so good. We went to bed early around 9 pm passed out from exhaustion. We had had an amazing and memorable day.

Thursday, April 25, 2019

We had to get up early to meet our driver and tour guide to go to the Vatican Museum. We got up around 5:45 am. They were to be here at 7:15 am. Breakfast was to be provided. We checked the washing machine. It did wash our clothes but the dryer function is much to be desired. They did provide a very large drying rack and we used it. We put some clothes in to wash while we were gone.

The driver was outside waiting on time and our tour guide arrived just a minute or two later. We got the Vatican Museum by around 7:30 am. We had 8 am tickets. He took the time in line to explain what we would be doing inside the museum. He went over the history of the Vatican and the history of the museum and particularly the Sistine Chapel. He had pictures and maps in a binder which really helped visualize what he was saying.

We went in at 8 am. A number of people were there waiting and many were already inside. He told us about 25,000 people visit every day this time of year with up to 35,000 to 40,000 in the summer months. Many people wait in line for hours to be admitted. Tickets are sold not to wait but they cost more.

We took some pictures of St. Peter’s Basilica from a balcony. He said then was a good time as it got very crowded later. We had breakfast in the Cone Area Courtyard. Then he took us on a tour of the museum. It was crowded and he weaved in and out of the people stopping every so often and telling us facts and history. We walked up and down all sorts of flights of stairs which was taxing on Sandy somewhat.

He took us to the Raphael’s Tapestry Room, which he considers the jewel of the museum, not the Sistine Chapel. We spent some time in the room. The tapestries were woven in Brussels based on Raphael’s designs and specifications. They used real gold and real silver thread in areas plus other metal threads. A 3-D effect is apparent. The colors have faded some over time. He said they were brilliant when hung on the walls of the Sistine Chapel. They were used to keep the cold out in the winter and the heat out in the summer. They were hung on the area closest to the floor.

The tapestries are huge and require five to six men minimum at a time to move them and a crew of people to properly hang them. They are impressive even now. Fortunately not many people were in this area when we were there.

We then joined the masses and went up and down stairs to the Sistine Chapel. We were herded in to the room. It is not all that big as I had expected. People cannot take any pictures inside the room. You are supposed to be quiet and reflective but people still talked, most in reduced tones but not everyone. A guard would get on the loud speaker every couple of minutes and yell out “Silencio” or “Silence”! That did not add to the effect of the room. Other guards were having people either move to the center of the room and kept the outer ring moving with people.

Sandy was able to find a seat on the edge of the room and stayed there a while. I moved to the very center. We were all looking up at the fantastically gorgeous ceiling painted by Michelangelo so long ago. I was glad our guide had told us what to expect and the layout of the ceiling and what each section meant. Hearing “Silencio and Silence” so loudly every so often diminished the mood. I would guess at least 800 to 1,000 people were in the room with us, at least it felt like that as it was so crowded.

I found a seat near Sandy after a while and we waited for our guide to return. He did and then we walked over to St. Peter’s Basilica which is immense. It was also very crowded but the hugeness of the room overcame the crowd. Our guide took us around slowly and explained many things to us. The church was built over St. Peter’s tomb. The floor below us is where the popes are buried and the floor below that is the tomb of St. Peter. Only two popes are currently entombed on the main level of the basilica, Pope John XXIII (who died in 1963) and Pope John Paul II.

We saw the area where the Pope addresses the people on special services, like the one this past weekend for Easter. We took pictures.

We went outside and saw the area where the Pope also addresses people in services outside. The workers were removing thousands of flowers in pots that had been surrounding the pontiff’s stand for his Easter Service. We saw the papal apartment where the Pope lives and waves at times from the window while we were walking in the square. The square at St. Peter’s holds 250,000 people. The arched columns on either side give the area a nice border.

The weather was great, 72-75 degrees and a slight breeze. We left the square and the tour guide had contacted the driver and we were driven back to our apartment in no time. We were tired. We took the clothes from the washing machine, put them on the drying rack and then took a nap.

After awakening, we went on a walk of our neighborhood looking for a grocery store. There was one about a block away, a small one but had all the basics. We looked on line and there was a larger store of the same company just another two blocks away. We walked there through the narrow cobblestone streets. This grocery store was larger and had good selections. We got some salad and tomatoes and cereal. The milk was almost all sold out so we went back to the other store and got milk and a ready made salad with chicken on it. We came back to the room and had the salad and tea.

We left the apartment again and went to our left instead of straight ahead as before. To our surprise the backside of the Pantheon was just a half block away. It is an impressive, huge brick and stone building which had the largest dome of the Roman buildings from ancient times and it is still standing in its glory. We got some great gelato at a store just a block from the apartment. We walked to the square of the Pantheon and looked at it from the front. Many small restaurants are surrounding the area. Many, many people were milling about. We found out today is a National Holiday for Families. We walked around the area and looked at the stores, most of which were open. We took our time looking and watching people.

We came back to the apartment and then went out for supper. I had noticed a very nice restaurant on our walk to the second grocery store. We went there and had a very nice supper. We got lasagna and a beef filet cooked in a pepper corn sauce. Both were great. While there we were seated next to 30 high school students from America taking a tour during Easter. They left and another group of high school students came and occupied the tables. We walked back to the apartment and got ready for bed. We have to be at the Vatican Museum no later than 5:45 am for the tour in the morning. We decided to get up around 4:15 am.

The internet here is very slow in the apartment. We have not been able to upload the pictures to the cloud thus I am not able to show much on here. It takes a while for each picture to appear on here. I may have to forgo many pictures during this part of the trip. We took over 400 pictures today and only a few have uploaded. Tomorrow we will take more.

April 24, 2019 Wednesday

We got up around 8 am and had the breakfast buffet in the hotel. It is our last morning here. It was good as usual. We went to the room and finished packing and getting ready. Sandy weighed her bags. We left the room and checked out about 10:30 am. Our driver was to be at the hotel by 11:30 am. We stayed in the lobby area and waited. The driver arrived on time with his Mercedes Van, nicely appointed. He drove us to the airport, about a 45 minute ride.

We checked in at Swiss Air with no problem. We took care of some VAT taxes and then went through security with me being “randomly selected” to test my carry on for explosives. They were negative.

We walked through duty free and got a few items to get rid of our change. It is difficult to get money for loose coins anywhere. We went to the lounge upstairs which multiple airlines share. It was fine. It had lunch meats, breads, beverages and so forth. Nothing real fancy but all the basics. We ate a sandwich and waited in the comfortable chairs. Our flight had been delayed 30 minutes but we were told of that before leaving the hotel.

The plane was small, business class area was what I would call utilitarian — just the basics and that is all. We had extra leg room but there were three seats on each side like in the rest of the plane. The seats were firm, hard and had little cushion support. They only reclined about an inch, not much. The only thing that made it business class is that no one sat in the middle seat and of course, the service.

We were offered bottle water before take off. Then we were given small chocolate bars. After we had been up in the air, we were served a snack of quiche, salmon patee, and a fruit dessert. All were good. We got to Zurich a little later than they had hoped as we had to stay on the tarmac a while before we took off.

In Zurich, we walked through duty free area and tried to find some good chocolates. They had some reduced chocolates from Easter and Sandy latched on to them. We had to walk a ways to get to the “A” gates. I was lucky to find a luggage cart and used that. We found a sign to the airline lounge on the second floor and went there.

The Swiss Air Lounge is actually two lounges. One for First Class, well marked, and a second smaller entrance not labeled well for Business Class. I have one word for the Business Class Lounge for Swiss Air at the “A” gate area: TERRIBLE!.

First it is not well marked. Second, after getting entrance and getting past the hostesses, you then have to climb a small flight of stairs to get to the lounge. Sandy had a roll bag with her duffle bag full. I had my duffle bag and my small carry on bag. Sandy had a hard time getting her luggage up. She refused my help at first but I prevailed and got her stuff up to the top.

The lounge is SMALL and not well laid out. There was one employee wearing a chef hat and one other employee helping out. It was FULL of people and we were able to find ONE seat. All the seats, the bar chairs, side benches were occupied by people. And their carry on luggage made it even more difficult to maneuver. They had little assortment of any food. The bar and wine area was serve yourself, pour your own drink and find your mixer and a glass if you could. The snack food area was just a few Ritz crackers and two different cheeses, most of which were gone. The section for glasses were almost gone of any glass wear. It was just too small, inadequate totally. We stayed just long enough to see it was poor.

Sandy made it down the steps and we went to the gate area. The accommodations there were good. They were busy and seats were full but they were nice. We had a full plane according to the check in people. We boarded on time. The plane was similar to the other one, utilitarian, just the basics. We got water and chocolate again. We had a 35 minute delay on the ground secondary to high winds. After we got up in the air, we were served a snack again, this time a Caprese salad with capers, bread and a dessert. It was good. I got a red wine. The flight was smooth, especially the landing.

We made it to Rome OK. We had to walk quite a distance from the plane to the luggage retrieval area. Our tour guide was in the area with a sign with our name. We talked to her and I got the luggage after a brief wait.

We met our driver then we had to walk a ways to get to the car. She told us things about Rome. Tomorrow we are scheduled to take a tour of the Vatican Museum, the Sistene Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. He will pick us up at 7:15 am.

It took about 40 minutes from the airport to the apartment. I had told the apartment manager by email about the delay at the airport. The pilot was only 20 minutes later than scheduled, he made up time on the way. I got a call in the car on the way to the apartment from the man who was to check us in. He told me to call once we were on the street near the apartment. I did but he said he had another person he had to check in and he was headed to that apartment. That was not a good sign.

We got to the apartment around 8:30 pm. I called the gentleman again and he said he would be at our apartment in about 30 minutes. Our tour guide stayed with us. The driver left. We were outside the apartment building on the threshold area. A nice gentlemen from New York saw us standing there and engaged us in a conversation. He was staying in the building and he let us in the vestibule area.

At 8:55 pm our tour guide called the fellow and was told “just another 30 minutes”. We talked to her. She is from the Ukraine. Her son lives in Toronto, Canada and her mother moved there also recently. She met her husband who was from Rome and she moved to Rome. She has been a tour guide about 5 years and really enjoys it. She has two children. We told her about some of our adventures on this trip. This helped pass the time away.

Around 9:40 pm the young man showed up. We thanked our tour guide for staying with us over an hour and helping us pass the time away and taking some of our anxiety away. He let us in to the apartment and gave a quick, very quick tour of the apartment going over where the fuse box was, how to use the toilet and not put any toilet paper in it, the kitchen area and the washer/dryer, etc. It is a large apartment with the kitchen upstairs. It was about 10:15 when he left. I had to sign another contract and pay 56 Euro in tax. I knew about the tax beforehand.

The Kitchen is on the second floor with a staircase going up from both sides. On each wall of the staircase is a huge picture of a nude woman. I did not include in these pictures as Jackson may be viewing. There is a huge skylight in the center of the living room which has remote control to open and close the windows. There is another skylight over the front door area.

We put some clothes in the washing machine and went to bed. We were both tired. We have to get up early in the am.

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

We woke up around 8 am today and went to breakfast for our usual buffet. We discussed what to do today. I am tired of seeing castles and churches. The Prague Castle is one if not the largest castles in Europe but it has no great unusual displays inside. It is on a hill. It would involve considerable walking and we were not up for that. We checked the weather and it was to be a high of 64 with strong winds. It was 47 when we checked it at 9 am. A cold and windy day did not speak well of going up on a hill.

We took our time getting ready and about 11 am we left to walk around the Old Town part of the city. It was windy, temperatures had risen to about 55 or so as we left. We were surprised as to the number of people up and about. It was more than on Saturday. We walked slowly to the older part of town stopping in many small shops and seeing their wares.

We made a few purchases on the way. Once again I am sworn to secrecy as to purchases. We have to have a little suspense here and some surprises when we get home. We were particularly looking at Czech made items, not something from China you can find at home. We did find some. We took a few pictures along the way.

When we got to the main inner city square at the Municipal Building and the Astronomical Clock, we noticed many Easter Market stalls had been set up since Saturday. Hundreds and hundreds of people were milling about and shopping the stalls and filling the area. Again, there were more people here today than Saturday. Many were young adults. Several large tour groups of Chinese were about also. It made for a festive atmosphere.

Sandy loves these types of markets. I would say half to 60% featured some food item, from sausages and hams to candy to the round dough hollow item (called Trdelnik here) we had found in Vienna. Here, however, they also filled it with cream or custard or ice cream for additional charges. They had skewers of chicken or beef kabobs cooked over charcoal. The other stalls had hand painted Easter Eggs, either real eggs or wooden eggs. They had stalls with handmade items. Several blacksmiths were in the area hammering objects they were marking and displaying. We took our time walking around.

We got a chicken kabob which was very good and I got a beer to go along with it.

We walked toward the river and the Charles Bridge. On the way we saw windows on the second and third floor stating “NC State University”. I guess they have something going on here.

The wind would pick up now and then making it feel colder than the 62 degrees it was. I put up my hood doing parts of the walk. We just took our time and looked into all sorts of shops.

By 2:30 pm we were getting tired and headed back to the hotel. I suggested to Sandy we find something to eat for tea. I remembered an Italian place in the mall which sold Italian cookies and cannolis. I suggested we get some cannolis. They had a sign up the other day if you bought three you would get one free.

We got to the mall and ordered the cannolis. There were two young men serving us. We chatted with them. They are from Sicily. We told them about Carmella’s Pizza in Reidsville run by a family from Sicily. We bantered back and forth while they filled each cannoli shell. They want to visit the USA one day. They gave us two free Italian cookies when we left saying most customers do not talk to them and they are not very friendly. We thanked them and wished them well.

We got back to the room shortly after 3:15pm. We had tea and the cannolis. They were delicious. I had downloaded some NCIS shows and we watched several of them laying in the bed and relaxing. The wind had picked up before we got back here and we decided to just stay in for the afternoon. I checked us in on line for the airlines tomorrow. We head to Rome, flying out here at 2:30 pm. We will be picked up at the hotel around 11:30 am.

Monday, April 22, 2019

We got up at 7 am and got ready then went downstairs for the breakfast buffet. It was good as usual. We took our time eating. We left the hotel around 9 am and walked around the corner to the pick-up area for the tour to Kutna Hora today. We got there in plenty of time and we left at 9:30 am with an English speaking tour guide. Twelve people were on the tour including us. It took about an hour and a half to get to the bone church. Today is Easter Monday, an official state holiday and most large stores are closed.

The church in Kutna Hora is called the All Saint’s Church. In 1258 a monk was sent to the Holy Land by the king of Bohemia. He returned with some Holy Dirt, Holy Soil. He sprinkled it on the land next to the All Saint’s Church and this then became a desired spot to be buried.

The Black Death of the mid and late 1300’s claimed many, many people. This was followed in the early 1400’s by the Hussite Wars claiming more lives. Huge graves were dug to mass bury all these thousands of people, estimated at between 40,000 to 70,000 people. They were buried next to the church in the desired patch of land.

In 1511 a monk was given the task of unearthing the skeletal remains and build an ossuary as a new church was being built on the holy ground. He designed the ossuary as it is today. He artistically designed the chapel area with the human bones in all sorts of patterns and designs. The central chandelier area has all of the human body bones incorporating the design. Huge mounds of bones are within the chamber going about 20 feet high and 40 feet on each side at least. The bones are carefully stacked one on the other. All the bones had been cleaned and bleached before use and do not carry disease.

He designed the coat of arms of the House of Schwarenberg in bones. The family were the royal residents of the area and patron of the church.

We got back in the bus and drove over to St. Barbara’s Cathedral. Work began on it in 1388, but due to the Black Death and the Hussite War, it was delayed for 60 years. It is a very large Gothic cathedral. It was built outside the city walls as it was too big to be done inside the walls. It was felt any invading army would spare the religious structure. We went inside and took pictures.

We then walked into the town from the cathedral. A monastery was built next to the church and of course, they built a winery on the hill.

Royal Residence of the area dating back to 1450.

A much older church, the HIGH CHURCH, was around the corner. It was built in 1230, or at least started then. It is also Gothic and medieval but the local royalty wasnted the other St. Barbara’s church built and then started building it.

We walked around the small town and then had time for a quick lunch. It was then back on the bus to Prague.

We had an interesting talk with our tour guide. She talked about the communist period. She was born in 1951. Her parents lived through the period between the wars, Hitler and then communism. Her grandfather made a bad joke about a communist official in 1951 and was jailed for six months for the one remark plus fined a year’s salary for an entire family. Her family was labeled as “non-cooperative and rebellious” which limited her educational opportunities. Her grandfather died in 1952 but her parents and her siblings and herself continued to carry that label.

She said during the communist period, the churches were closed, the monastery buildings were shuttered. The monks and sisters were allowed to leave the country. Some of the hospitals that the sisters ran were closed or partially closed.

She only had the opportunity to go to two schools until high school as she was “rebellious” and not allowed to go to further education. She was told what job to take.

Housing was built by the communists in large tracts with each building looking the same as the one next to it. All were painted gray, the only accepted color. The apartments were small, two bedrooms large enough for two twin beds. The kitchen was very small as was the living room. TVs were in the common area, not large and had a rotation to watch but there was not much to watch if you got the chance.

There was a store for every so many apartment buildings but they had minimal supplies and were usually short of bread and the essentials. People survived of course, but their lively hood was poor.

She said she did not appreciate how little she had, how little choices she had until the Velvet Revolution of 1989. She was amazed about the “world out there” and all the possible opportunities that suddenly came available.

The communist leaders were disposed but the managers of the plants, the industry, the buildings suddenly took charge of them and then became the owners and immediately rich. People were given the right to move around and find jobs. Money flowed into the country from the West, particularly Germany and the USA. Churches were reopened. They were given back to the Church. The monastery buildings were reopened and if the monks or sisters were not able to take it back, then they were converted to shops, apartments or other useful structures.

She had always been interested in history. She was also very interested in travel but did not have the opportunity. She went to Italy for a very brief time and then back to Czech. Her father had met an Italian in the war and he was from Venice. He always talked about going there one day. She saved her money to take him there in the summer of 1991 and they planned the trip but he died shortly before they were to go. She went on the trip to honor him. She studied hard and became a tour guide and learned English and some other languages. She was able to provide for her family, to get a house, to go visit people, to talk to other people and so forth.

A study was done two years ago. 82% of the people said they had no religion. It surprised the government. The people said that they had been suppressed by the Habsburg, then the Germans, then the Russians. “Where was God?” They felt He deserted them. The older people who had gone to church were dying off, the younger people did not want to go to church. The study showed the people respected the Church and the places of worship, but more as a historical note than a religious purpose.

We got back around 3pm. We came back to the room. I did part of the blog until the internet really slowed down. Sandy took a nap.

We went out for supper around 7:30 pm. Many businesses were closed including restaurants for Easter Monday. We went to the food court at the mall, It was partially opened. We went to our first Mexican-Indian restaurant. Yes, it featured Mexican food and Indian food on the same menu. I got a margarita and chicken fajitas and Sandy shared them. They were good. I tried to talk her into Dal but she declined. We got back to the room by 9 pm. We watched the remaining few episodes of the Good Fight and have caught up now to the current episode.

We debated what to do tomorrow. We will decide in the morning.

Sunday, April 21, 2019

We got up around 9:30 am today and quickly went downstairs to the breakfast buffet. It was good. We had a very pleasant breakfast. We talked about what to do or not do today. We decided to just rest and do very little.

Sandy wanted some more bottled water. She likes Evian and we got some at a store yesterday. It was a good walk from the hotel so we decided to go there. But first we decided to find out exactly where we would take the tour tomorrow to the Bone Church and what time. The ticket had no time listed and neither did the web site. We had the front desk call for us. The pick-up point is just around the corner from the hotel in front of the mall we have been going. That is very convenient for us. We got a text from Meredith wishing us a Happy Easter. We sent her a text of the same.

We started walking to the market to get the water. As we entered the main square where the shopping mall is located we noticed a small shop we had not seen the other day. They sell Evian bottled water. We got three bottles and saved ourselves much walking.

The spot for the pick-up to the tour was right across the street. We confirmed with them the time to leave tomorrow, 9:30 am. Our tickets had originally stated a pick-up point a distance away. So within a few minutes we had what we wanted and did not have to walk far at all.

We strolled back to the hotel. Sandy really enjoyed the foot massage yesterday. I suggested we do it again today and she readily agreed. They had told us they were not busy on the weekends so just come down to their area in the basement. We did. We both got foot massages. We had different young ladies today and they each did it a little different but it was very good.

Sandy floated out again smiling. We stopped by the bar upstairs and got some cocktails. This time I looked at the long list and made sure we each got a 99 Krona drink. Sandy got a White Russian and I got a Mojito. After we talked a while in the bar area and had finished our drinks, Sandy decided she would also get a back massage. Her back has been bothering her greatly for about two weeks.

We came up to the room, it was 3pm. We video called Blaire, Seth and Jackson as they were leaving for Easter Service at church. Jackson got a really nice science book plus other assorted candies and items in his Easter Basket from the Easter Bunny. Blaire forwarded to us some videos to watch. Jackson liked the pictures of the cakes I had made, especially the MindCraft one. Sandy changed clothes and then went down stairs for an hour massage. I did my blog and hand washed some clothes. On return, she was relaxed and then we took a nap for a short while.

Sandy send Meredith a summary of her massage and how much she enjoyed it. They chatted by text for a few minutes.

We went out for dinner to a restaurant in the mall area. Sandy got beef cheeks and I got a burger with avocado and cheese. Both were good. They presented the menu on an iPad with the ability to change languages easily by the touch of a finger. We had planned on getting dessert but we were full and did not. We walked back to the hotel.

It was around 9 pm here and Sandy called Georgianna Green in Reidsville using my phone. Georgianna had called Blaire asking how we were doing. Eddie had a small stroke recently and he is doing well now, no problems. They chatted a while. All is well in Reidsville.

We watched two more episodes of the Good Fight and then went to bed. We have to be up by 7 tomorrow to take the bus on our tour.

Wayne

I liked Vienna. It is a robust town, easy to get around, loaded with history and the people are very pleasant. They speak German but English was not a problem for us. Several times on the public transportation we were offered help and advice without having to ask for help.

We found this was the first city we have been to that has some consideration for disabled and handicapped people. All the subways have lifts with good signage to them. You may have to walk a ways but you avoid many flights of stairs. Sandy was very appreciative of this. Meredith and Jesse also were helpful in pointing out signs around the city to us. Considering many buildings are 500 years and older, having some ramps in them to avoid the stairs was very appreciated.

The prices in Vienna were reasonable. Gas was 1.38 Euros a liter (so you can compare with the other countries).

We had an excellent location for our apartment. It was only a block from the subway and tram stop, a block from the post office, a block from a grocery store and just a few blocks from a great pastry shop and the Gummy Bear Store. Many restaurants of good quality were near by. We had a lift to our room, although small and could fit only 3 people, 2 comfortable. Our room was spacious and a little hot but that helped dry our clothes. We had only a washer but we used it several times a day and Meredith and Jesse used it also.

The weather was very good. It was an adjustment for us going from 103 degree days to 42 degrees that first morning and highs of 60 to 66. The last day it got almost 70. We only had rain one day, a Sunday and most things were closed then anyway. We did pack for the very hot and the cold weather so we were comfortable. We are using all the clothes we brought somewhere. But I have told Sandy I might just “retire” them when we get home. They have been used and used but they have held up and done their job. Sandy says we should wait two weeks after we get home before making that decision.

We really enjoyed seeing Meredith and Jesse here. We enjoyed being able to celebrate her birthday and caught up with them about their experiences and challenges to date and their listening to ours as well.

The sites were amazing. We have several other places we could visit. We did not get out to Slovakia like they did and that would be something to do next time as well as some of the museums.

Sandy and I would like to come here again. We thought the same about Singapore. India was nice the one time and our only time. Australia was fine but we liked New Zealand better.