“Just flew in from Cleveland and boy my arms are tired.” That’s a Henny Youngman joke I always think of when I fly back home from somewhere. I know, I know it doesn’t take much to amuse me.
Pam and I travelled with several family and close friends to Budapest, Hungary, where we jumped on a Viking boat and cruised down (up?) the Danube to Passau, Germany. We then bussed over to Prague, Czech Republic for a couple days.
On the boat along the way we also stopped in Vienna, Austria and Bratislava, Slovakia. (Our tour guide claimed that these two cities are the closest of National Capitols in that they are only 34 miles apart. Turns out she may have been a little off in that because I found this explanation that places them at only #3 on the closest list. (The Vatican and Rome are the closest followed by the Congo and what used to be Zaire.)
 |
| Famous Chain Bridge with Buda Castle in Background |
Highlights of the trip for me were Budapest (above) and Cesky Krumlov (photo and video below.)
Budapest is actually two cities with Buda on one side of the river and Pest on the other. Our boat was docked on the Pest side right next to the famous Chain Bridge. One sunny morning I was able to walk over and make my way back across the Chain Bridge before the weather turned cold and cloudy. I can now check off another famous Bridge that I have walked across along with the London Bridge, San Francisco Bridge and the Cornfield Harbor Bridge, (Not too many world travelers can claim the Cornfield Harbor Bridge in their “Bridges Crossed” backgrounds.)
Unlike Budapest with all of its glitz and activity, Cesky Krumlov is a nice little town that, despite having been discovered by tourists, is still a cool place to visit. (What’d Yogi say about it being so crowded that nobody goes there anymore?!) Well, Cesky Krumlov is such a happening place that even with all the tourist crapola going down, it’s still a very nice place. Here’s my man Rick telling us about it:
As always, my thanks to Jenn, Anna, Pam, Lisa, Terri, Pat and Kayla for taking care of things at the Store while I was away. Always seems like things happen when I am away and this time was no different as the beer case acted up. However, Jenn contacted Robbie McKay and got it taken care of. I am very fortunate to have such a great group to help me out not only when I am away but also every day week in and week out.
Like Buzzy always said after one of our trips away, “It’s good to get away, but it’s great to come home.”
One of the nicer things folks greet me with in the Store when I return is “Welcome back.” I always smile and when I do so this song runs thru my head. Who would ever have thought that Vinny Barbarino would go on from high school to become such a big movie star?
.