One door closes and another opens.

Well here we find ourselves at Prague Airport, ready to fly to Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, France.........yep, that's right.......little ol' us are really going to visit France!!!! And so it is that at this moment, that I reflect upon my Memories of Madame Chevalier, my Mitcham High School French Teacher for 5 years.....a little French lady with Lomb black curly hair which bounced like she did wherever she walked. I wonder whether she remains alive in the year 2011? Possible, but she would most certainly be elderly that's for sure!

There is no disputing the fact that Prague has been a place of incredible beauty, architecturally inspiring, and culturally awakening for both Spike and I. Photos attached here give just a tiny insight into the wonders we have seen and experienced.

























And so, I prepare myself for yet another plane ride - just under 2 hrs of stress and fear for what promises to be another week for joy, fun, discovery and a reunion with our honorary daughter Lorene and her family.......BRING IT ON!!!!!!!!

Postscript: 5:30pm and we have finally arrived at our hotel, after catching the train and dragging cases. So hot and sweaty - and emotionally done, 'cause not only have I flown today, but so too have I gone up escalators, whilst dragging cases!!!!!!! (My kids will understand what an incredible feat that was for me).
But, hello Paris......we are here!

Jul's and Spike xxxxx

Location:Departing Prague

Pretty, Pretty Prague

Well you were certainly right Jacqui, when you told me that Prague is ever so pretty! We arrived here in the afternoon yesterday, and after a casual stroll we dined out last evening at a local place and enjoyed both food and Czech Republic Pilsner beers.
We were on the road again @ 8:30am - walking with our guide on the most amazing architectural tour of many of Prague's pride and joy buildings and facilities.










Michael and I then broke away from the group and paid a visit for Mass (a belated visit at that) to the famed Our Lady of the Snow Cathedral, with ceilings of over 100ft high.








Following Mass, we entered an iron archway at the side of the Cathedral and found ourselves in the "most beautiful of beer gardens in Prague". As you will see in photos the high and ancient walls of the Church form an integral part of this secret paradise.










This evening has been spent in dining at our hotel, enjoying the company of two couples from the States.
Tomorrow morning we go by bus to visit Castle Hill and a number of other Prague highlights; and then our final dinner on our final night of the Tauk Tour is to be held at what we are told is yet another stunning Palace.
By the end of tomorrow evening we shall bid farewell to 38 people who have spent the last 14 days with us. Some we shall be quite glad to bid goodbye, and yet others we shall miss and hope to keep contact with via the miracle of email etc.
We then have a final day in Prague for rest, laundry and preparations of our much anticipated visit of Paris and Nancy - and of course our reunion with Lorene and her family!
The number of days before heading home are getting less - and yet there are so many wonderful, exciting and incredible experiences yet to be had!!!!!

Love to all....... And go the Cats!!!!!!!!

Jul's and Spike xxxxx

You say Vienna..... I say Wiener!

Well it is beautiful here, with the most majestic of buildings and history; with hidden architectural delights around each and every corner. Our hotel suite overlooks the Opera House and last evening they performed Don Giovanni and broadcast it live on a large screen outside for all and sundry to see- especially those of us not able or prepared to spend $240E a ticket!

We had an incredibly full day yesterday; visiting the Museum of the Arts in the morning, which was incredible; and then visited the Imperial Palace Summer Residence where we learned the art of making Apple Strudel, ate Vienna Schnitzel, and toured 22 grand rooms of this incredible 148 roomed palace, before walking the streets of Vienna and eating a light tea in the evening.















Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna.









5 and a half acres of Palace Gardens.




Whilst the Wiener Schnitzel here was an oversized disappointment to us here, the Strudel was to die for!!!!!!


Today, we did not participate in official tour activities; but chose to spend the day "doing our own thing" - and so spent time wandering at our own pace, taking my first ever horse and carriage ride (and yes kids, I cried with delight - it was truly a Kenwood moment) - and visited St. Augustines Church and Pinnochio's Shop.




Me and my friend Pinnochio.





That's us traveling in back of the coach!






This evening we have an early dinner and then go by tour bus to a Viennese Palace for an instrumental Mozart performance; and tomorrow morning the wheels on the bus go round and round nice and early once more, as we leave delightful Vienna behind and make our way towards Prague, which I am told by many is yet another place of beauty.

Over and out for now; continued love, wishes, thoughts and prayers for all those back home.

P.s. Just getting to send this now upon our return from a magnificent intimate concert provided our tour group at what once was the Emperor's Palace; yet another jaw dropping beautiful building - and the most incredible performance by the Viennese Residential Orchestra (Chamber Orchestra), a Soprano, Baritone and a pair from the Vienna Ballet. Unbelievable!!!!

Jul's and Spike xxxxx

Bye, Bye, Budapest.

We have spent the last three full days in Budapest; which began in the most beautiful of ways on our first evening, spent sailing, drinking and dining upon the Danube. Glorious.




Budapest Parliament House, by night from the Danube.




Oldest Bridge in Budapest.




Me, downing back to back Vodka's. (I have never recovered from a chest infection so quickly in my life. coincidence; or have I discovered a new and wondrous medicine?????).


Two days were spent exploring the delights of Pest; including their famous synagogue.



Conversion??????



Budapest Synagogue.



Yesterday morning was spent visiting Buda.

Highlights of Budapest???? The Opera House and the special performance provided upon the marble balcony by one of Hungarians most famous soprano's - and the tour of their Parliament House was also spectacular!




Opera House of Budapest.












Porcelain Tiles on the roof of St. Matthias Church, Buda.



Spike and Jul's from The top of Fisherman's Bastion, Buda - looking down over Danube and Pest.



Parliament House of Budapest by day.




The 3 grey haired nomads. Sue from Sydney, Moi from Melbourne and Michelle from the USA.


Now here yet again, is an update for my fans.........

1. A group of us headed out the other night to eat traditional Hungarian food at a little restaurant called "Black and Gold" (Noir et l'or). Lovely evening enjoyed by all - food and drink, good - and the waiting staff excellent. One in particular, named Artrius, was particularly genetically enhanced. Picture AT&T he'd for your info.....


Jul's and Artrius......yum.


2. My day yesterday was spent educating several of our Jewish American friends from Brooklyn. These women need to be met to be believed; but if you think Nanny Fine or Valerie Harper, then triple it and you will be close to the mark!!! Anyways, they made the mistake yesterday of driving me insane at lunch and the. Dared to ask me:"what sort of meat do you eat in Australia"?..........and so, what could I do but be friendly and informative? Therefore their education in the average Aussie diet began. "At least once a week we dine on witchity grubs (alive and dropped down the gullet from a height, a bit like swallowing Oysters natural) or thrown on the BBQ with some chopped garlic. Another favorite of course is kangaroo steaks, but a personal favorite are python steaks! And then of course is the real delicacy lambs brains and crocodile penis!!!!!!!! Well I thought Michael was going to have apoplexy, and he filmed this education session until the memory stick of the video was full......which was a shame, because I was just getting warmed up when the camera died. Such fun.......and the response from these people was truly heartwarming!!!!!!!


Today marks the 8th day of our Tauk Bus Tour (6 more to go), and we are now traveling to Bratislava where we shall lunch and tour on foot; and then we travel the remaining distance to arrive in the beautiful Vienna later this afternoon........soooo excited to be visiting Vienna!!!!

Will write more later, and will post this on arrival in Vienna - so by then you will all be fast asleep. Missing you all, and so wish you could be here with us; and yet, via this blog, hopefully you are in some way.


Jul's and Spike xxxxx

Location:En route to Bratislava and then Vienna!

On the road again......

7:30am and the wheels of the bus go round, around as we leave Poland behind and head towards Budapest which we are due to arrive in around 4:30pm.

Poland was certainly a country of many emotional and educational learning experiences. In Warsaw there was the devastation of a city leveled by the deliberate bombing and attacking by the Nazi's - and the incredible number of beautiful catholic churches and cathedrals, together with the open and demonstrative faith of these locals, together with their continued adoration of Pope Paul 11, for obvious reasons of course.

And what can one say about our visit to Krackow? Simply that it was everything I had expected it to be; and then some. Yesterday was an incredibly long day, and at days end each and everyone of us were completely and utterly emotionally fatigued, following a mornings visitation of Jewish Museums, and Synagogues -



- and then an afternoon of visiting Auschwitz 1 and Auschwitz Berkineu an experience which is impossible for me to describe here in mere words; an experience that has to be physically had in order to truly appreciate in some real way the nature of the Holocaust; and an experience once had, that may never, ever be forgotten!!! An experience I might add, that both Michael and I will be forever grateful that we have had the opportunity to have and share together.













Our time in Poland conclude last evening with us dining in a traditional Polish restaurant, eating traditional Polish fare including Borsch, Cabbage rolls and Perogy's (Polish Dumplings).

Not wanting to disappoint my dedicated blog followers, I now share with you another of my notorious adventures.......... so ........ I have managed to become unwell with an URTI, which yesterday evening went to my chest, with a constant and persistent sharpened dagger like cough. By the time we arrived at the restaurant for dinner, I was feeling pretty ordinary, and there was absolutely no chance of getting to a Doctor or even a Chemist........and yet In true Jul's Baby style I discovered a new and reliable medicinal remedy. I skolled 2 iced Vodka's back to back!!!!!!!! Not only did the coughing stop, but I slept like a Polish Baby!!!!!!!!!!!! (I can see my kids rolling their eyes and shaking their heads, as they read this......just wait 'till they get to hear some of the other stories that I am too scared to publish here!!!!!!)

Time to sign off for now, and hope to post upon our arrival in Budapest. It has been incredibly difficult trying to type this as we drive in the Tatra Mountains of Slovakia......each bend in the road sees the screen turn on it's other side!!!!!!! Lol.

Love to all.

Jul's and Spike xxxxx

P.s. The scenery and vistas of this beautiful countryside is AMAZING!

PSS. Have now arrived in Budapest.....4:20pm......another beautiful hotel....Le Meridien.....and another incredible suite! We have a 2 hr break now, and then tonight's dinner is to be held as we cruise either down or up the Danube (not sure which way, but then who really cares????).

Location:Slovakia

Tauk Bus Tour

7:45am and we are on board our bus and departing the absolutely most beautiful hotel we have ever stayed in, Le Meridian or more traditionally known as the Bristol Hotel, in Warsaw. We were lucky enough to receive an upgrade to a suite of rooms; and after the shoebox we had stayed in during our time in Amsterdam, we have felt like a royal couple residing in our very own palace!










The hotel restaurant provided us with the most beautiful culinary experience last night for dinner. Mind you, as each meal was cooked to order it took us 2hrs before we had completed our main dish, and overall a 3 hr dining experience. In true Masterchef style, the flavors in each dish exploded in one's mouth and had all of us ooohing and aaahing appropriately.

Yesterday was spent exploring the new and old sections of Warsaw. Absolutely sobering to realize the extent of Warsaw's devastation during both 1st and 2nd World Wars. This city was virtually leveled to the ground; and the awe inspiring thing is that they have totally rebuilt old Warsaw as it was - using photos and paintings to ensure authenticity; and the buildings and town, look amazing.











Statue in honor of children who fought and were killed defending Warsaw.


Have stuck to water and diet coke here. the Polish do not make wine (the climate is not vine friendly), and although Michael found their beer quite ok, I found it pretty disgusting.


Last evening before dinner we experienced a wonderful private Chopin piano recital, at a classical performance "palace". Absolutely beautiful.

Another beautiful experience was had by us both when we were privately exploring the city and came across The Basilica Minor, which was situated about 5 minutes from our hotel. Apart from the glorious adornments which had our jaws gaping in wonder, it is here that the hear of Chopin lays. He died in France at the age of 39 from TB, and whilst buried there, he had requested that his heart be returned to his homeland.



Presently we are en route to Krackow, and the time is now 9:15am, and we have probably travelled a grand distance of 10kms!!!! Bumper to bumper, cm by tiny cm! I promise never to complain about Melbourne traffic again!!!! We are expected to arrive in Krackow at about 1:30pm today, so will sign off for now and will check in again later.
Love to all,

Jul's and Spike xxxxx

PS: Just pulled into McDonalds! with 194kms left to travel, this is where they have chosen as a pit stop. Me no complain, as it has free wi-fi access, so am able to post this blog for you all! Xxxxx

Location:Warsaw