Good night, goodbye and thanks for your comments ...

After five weeks, six countries, four high speed train rides, a Rhine River cruise and two internal flights, we're heading home. By the time you read this we'll hopefully be on our way from Paris to Hong Kong and then home.

Today we saw some more of Prague and spent a fascinating hour at the Museum of Communism. I can remember seeing news of the events of November, 1989 as Czechoslovakia went through the Velvet Revolution just months after the Berlin Wall fell. It only took 10 days for the old Communist regime to tumble here, compared to many months in other former Soviet countries in Central Europe.

The Czech Republic is now making its mark on the world with Prague, the 6th most visited city in Europe. After almost three days, we can see why.

It's as if all the residents of Prague have been to marketing school - everyone from the airport shuttle driver to the waiter at a restaurant is keen to promote their city and give you helpful advice.

Bust of Stalin at the Museum of Communism

Recreated interrogation room from the Communist era 

Lenin - who together with Engels, started it all with his Communist Manifesto

St Wenceslas Square - scene of the Velvet Revolution

A cross marks the spot where two Czech nationals took their own lives by self-immolation in protest against the Communist government

These guys are everywhere, although the top one is a girl

Prague's 'dancing building'. 

Notes from 5 weeks in Europe

After five weeks in Europe, here are some random thoughts and comments:

1. Things that were hard to get used to

* Paying to go to the toilet

* Having to search out toilets, particularly in Paris and Rome

* Standing there using the toilet while cleaning ladies mopped around your feet

* Smelling cigarette smoke everywhere 

* Walking on cobbled streets (Janine)

* Luke warm capucino's in Rome

* Working out hotel room bedding when you just want a full width top sheet and a blanket

2. Things we loved

* The sense of energy and entrepreneurship very evident in Prague

* Free toilets in Prague (OK, I know a theme is developing)

* Seeing the beauty of European cities, villages and landscapes. (Alsace region, Venice, Murano and Burano)

* Not having to pack and unpack during our 7 day boat cruise

* Lying in bed as the Rhine landscape sailed by.

* Meeting people from all over the world and with so many Aussies over here, wondering who is running the country

* Food shopping in Paris, Rome and Venice to stock the larder

* Spritz drink made with Proseco, Campari, etc

* Listening to French children speak French

* The dress sense of French women

* Trying and loving new foods

* Repaying a 53 year old debt to the toilet attendant at the top of the Eiffel Tower

Walking tour of Prague ...

Today we went on a six hour guided walking tour of Prague, which included a short boat ride and a traditional Czech lunch. We were driven by bus to the Prague Castle and then over six hours made our way down the hill to the old city across the Charles Bridge.

It was a great way to see the city and hear about its history.

Janine and friend at the Prague Castle

The church inside the castle grounds

Old parking meters in the shape of the severed heads of those who would not renounce their Protestant faith

The John Lennon memorial wall

The Horological clock and main square

Forget everything ... Prague is stunning

Today we left Zurich on a beautiful sunny day and arrived in Prague just after lunch. We didn't know what to expect, but good friends (Karl and Jane) suggested we had to stay there for a few days. It's gorgeous and we instantly fell in love with the city. That combined with a fantastic boutique hotel I discovered on-line which turned out to be even better than the web site images. (Hotel Residence Agnes) A distinct contrast to our Zurich hotel and for less than half the price!

It's a lovely mix of Paris and the best parts of Rome plus something else. We walked for about two hours after we arrived - see  the pics below of the things we came across. The weather was beautiful - warm and sunny. 

Tomorrow we head off on a six hour walking tour starting at the Castle and then working our way down into the old city.

Jazz on the Charles Bridge

Here's how to get your daughter to sit still while her portrait is drawn. Read her a story.

 

Our street as we walked home tonight from a beautiful dinner .... 

A rainy day in Zurich

We had a great dinner last night in Zurich, celebrating 40 years of marriage. We found a traditional Swiss Restaurant that served wonderful traditional Swiss food, veal and venison. It's apparently deer season and so it was on the menu. Zurich has a wonderful 'old town' with lots of great restaurants - like most European cities really. It's not hard to find what you're looking for in menus. 

Today was overcast with rain threatening. 

We took a 90 minute cruise on Lake Zurich which did a circuit down the lake, stopping along the way at small wharves. Not many on board but the rain held off. Back on shore we headed for a number of churches including the Grossmunster and the Fraumunster. (Big abbey and woman's abbey) Quite different architecture to what we had seen and I think both has been converted to Protestant places of worship following the reformation. The Fraumunster has stained glass by Marc Chagall!

We made a few stops for coffee and lunch and tomorrow we head off for Prague and the last leg of our journey.

We landed in Basel and headed for Zurich

After seven days on board the 'Felicity', we docked this morning at Basel and then caught the bus to the airport and the train into town. We're here for two nights and spent this afternoon doing what the Swiss seemed to be doing, taking in the lake air and enjoying walking in the sun.

Our last night on the boat (must speak to my focus puller about this shot!)

After a week of pretty much overcast weather, today was sunny and around 21deg. In the square in front of the Opera House we came across 20 or so Alpen Horn players playing for the crowds. There were lots of other buskers, but you can't get more Swiss than an Alpen Horn ensemble.

On the shore of the Lake at Zurich

Tonight we're heading out for a Swiss dinner - lots of great restaurants in the old town, right near the hotel - to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. Will let you know tomorrow what we have.

Seven days cruising was enough - even over just one week, one day tended to merge into the next. We'll have to look at our notes to check where we went.

Koblinz ... The convergence of the Rhine and the Moselle

We moored this morning at Koblinz, where two rivers meet. The Rhine and the Moselle rivers are two of the major rivers in this part of Europe. After we left Koblinz, we headed upstream and travelled through the Rhine Gorge. It's considered to be the most beautiful part of the Rhine with many castles - both ruined and rebuilt along the way. 

Rhine Gorge castle

It was a mainly overcast day, but it was still very relaxing sailing up the river. 

We moored at Rudesheim last night and visited a museum that collects pre-electronic musical instruments. Not single instruments, but huge mechanical cabinets that use a paper or cardboard roll with holes punched in it to activate each instrument and note. There was even one that played eight violins mechanically. 

Mechanical musical instrument museum

After dinner we set sail for Mainz - the home of Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the movable type printing press. We saw two complete volumes of the original 190 Gutenberg Bibles and had the concept of hot lead printing press explained and demonstrated. It was a fascinating morning.

A model of the original Gutenberg press

An example of making letters from hot lead. This is a 'G'

Mainz Cathedral

These blogs are not coming as regularly as I would like - posting them via the ships satellite data connection is a bit 'iffy' at times. (Technical term).