Category Archives: Sightseeing

Accommodation, Architecture, Art, Germany, Mushrooms, Sightseeing

Bamberg – A World Heritage Site in Germany

October 8, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 7 Comments

My Australian friend Jane first told me about Bamberg a couple of years ago but although it’s still in Bavaria, it’s a lot further north than the Danube. However, my iPhone says that the shortest route from Melk to Blois is via Nuremberg and Bamberg is only 40 minutes further north which makes it a good stopover on our way home. The weather forecast is also reasonable for visiting although it is not warm enough for cycling especially now that Jean Michel has a sinus infection.

The Altes Rathaus, Bamberg's most well-known building — The Altes Rathaus, Bamberg’s most well-known building

I find an apartment through booking.com that’s close to the historical centre and appears to be spacious. We haven’t been doing so well with out accommodation recently so I’m keeping my fingers crossed. As soon as we arrive in Bamsberg, we know we’re going to love it. The check-in for the apartment is at the Weierich Hotel. We can park in front of the apartment which is just opposite the hotel to drop off our luggage then park in a public car park about 10 minutes on foot for 8 euro per 24 hours which is very reasonable, especially after Hungary.

Our living room in Bamberg Apartments on the second floor, Lugbank 5

Jean Michel loves the apartment which is in a building constructed in 1510 (even older than our house in Blois) and has a bedroom, a large living room with 5 windows and a properly equipped kitchen at one end, a sort of sitting room and a bathroom, not to mention a small terrace with two gnomes. I’m relieved since I’m the one who chose it!

The frescoes on the wall of the Altes Rathaus. Have a close look on the right bottom.

The historical centre of Bamberg was added to the Unesco World Heritage list in 1993 because of its beautifully preserved mediaeval architectural ensemble. The first thing we see is the Altes Rathaus, or old town hall, Bamberg’s most emblematic construction built in the 14th century and rebuilt by the people of Bamburg after a fire in 1440. It is just a stone’s throw from our apartment. It was given a Baroque and Rococco conversion in the mid-18th century and frescoes were added on both sides. We photograph it from every possible angle.

The Cathedral, showing two of its four steeples

We then walk up to the Imperial Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint George on one of Bamberg’s seven hills. The second and present-day building was completed in 1237 and combines both late Romanesque and Gothic elements.

It fronts onto a large square with the turn of the 18th century New Residence on one side and the Old Court on the other.

The lovely inner courtyard of the Old Court

We walk through to the splendid inner courtyard of the Old Court with its half-timbered buildings decorated with red geraniums. Now why can’t I grow geraniums like that?

The fishermens' quarter with its quaint houses — The fishermens’ quarter with its quaint houses

We walk back down to Bamberg’s Little Venice with its quaint fishermen’s houses along the towpath of the Regnitz River.

From there, we go back to the Altes Rathaus and walk through the arch and over the bridge from which we can see the frescoes on the other side.

Wild mushrooms in the green market – the ones we don’t know are on the bottom right in the top corner of the box

The Green Market is next with its many fruit and vegetable stalls, including wild mushrooms we’ve never seen before.

From there we go to Maximiliansplatz, the largest square in the town centre, dominated by the present-day town hall with its Baroque façade built from 1732 to 1737.

We work our way back to the apartment via Harmony Garden where we stop for a drink. My feet are starting to burn – we’ve walked 10 kilometers in about 2 ½ hours, mostly on paving stones, but every corner reveals another beautiful or quaint building and we want to make the most of the sun. We know that it’s going to be partly overcast next day.

Back in our apartment, we have dinner (it’s an intermittent fast day) and I discover there is no hot water to wash up. Jean Michel checks the radiators and tells me two of them are not working, including the one in the bedroom. We go across to the hotel and explain the problem to the night watchman who only has very basic English but is very helpful. He finds the solution to the hot water (it has to be turned on under the sink) but it’s too late to do anything about the heating. He offers us a room in the hotel instead so at bedtime, we take what we need for the night across the street to the hotel.

Breakfast at Hotel Weierich - best yet! — Breakfast at Hotel Weierich – best yet!

Next morning the girl at the desk tells us someone will look after our heating during the day. She asks if we’d like to have breakfast in the hotel (no extra charge). We accept and have the best breakfast we’ve had since we left home nearly a month ago! The brioche loaf is exceptionally delicious.

Back in the apartment we find the heating is working again and wonder whether the renovation work next door has anything to do with the problem. As we leave the apartment, the sun comes out and we cross a different bridge over the river and get another superb view of the very photogenic Altes Rathaus.

The broom and brush vendor on Maximilienplatz

We head for Maximiliansplatz to find a bookshop to buy a guidebook in French as our tourist brochure isn’t very adequate. On the way, we come across a brush and broom vendor, very similar to the one we found in Dresden last year. We buy a new broom for our hearth in Blois and put it in Jean Michel’s backpack.

The building we used to find the gardens

The sky clouds over and we decide to head for Bamberg’s market garden district owned by a dozen or so families on the other side of the river and which was responsible for Bamberg’s considerable commercial development in the middle ages. However, we have trouble finding it because of the poor indications but by studying one of the photos in the guide book, we are finally able to locate it. We climb up a leaning metal platform to get a bird’s eye view.

The view of Saint Otto's and the surrounding gardens from the viewing platform — The view of Saint Otto’s and the surrounding gardens from the viewing platform

Unfortunately the little market gardeners’ museum is not open on Tuesdays so we eventually work our way back to the island in the middle of the city, having a cappuccino on the way to give my feet a rest.

The market garden museum closed on Tuesdays

We follow the suggested itinerary in the guide book which includes several of the places we visited yesterday, but only from the outside. Near a lock and an old watermill, we come across a little ferry and cross the river . We are reminded of all the little ferries along the Danube and Rhine. Throughout the day we see lots of local cyclists and regret that the weather is not warmer.

The ferry crossing the river from the old watermill

Our path takes us to the Imperial Cathedral and this time we go inside. Jean Michel starts reading the guidebook out loud but it is so detailed that I can’t take in any more. I gather there are three main things to see : a statue of an unknown horseman, circa 1250, the tomb of the imperial couple, Heinrich II and Kunigunde (1513), and the Marienaltar (1523).

The incredibly detailed and finely sculptured bas reliefs depicting Kunegonde

The Bamberg horseman is a little high up to appreciate the details but the Kunigunde carvings are quite fascinating. I consult the guidebook to find out more.

We’re now ready for lunch so walk down a flight of steps to the centre and find ourselves in a street with several possibilities. We choose Scheiner’s Gaststuben with its typical wooden benches and find ourselves a seat next to a German couple. We have a mixed sausage grill (gemischter bratwurstteller), sauerkraut and fried potatoes for 8.90 euro, very good value for money, and have a glass of local white wine to go with it.

Back up the stairs to the cathedral square after lunch to visit the New Residence whose Baroque wings were built under Prince Lothar Franz von Schönborn at the end of the 17th century. Unfortunately, we have to follow a guided tour in German and it is not until the second half that our tour guide realises that we need the brief guides in French!

The white room with its white enamel stove — The white room with its beautiful stucco work and white enamel stove

We are able to admire the beautiful painted ceilings and ceramic stoves though – there isn’t much furniture.

The rose garden behind the New Residence offers a wonderful view of the city but, more especially, takes us down a tree-lined path that gives us a superb view of the cathedral. with its four spires.

You can see the four spires on the cathedral

We follow our guidebook itinerary until we reach the 12th century Carmelite monastery converted, like everything else it seems, to the Baroque style at the end of the 17th century. Its late Romanesque cloisters from the 13th century remain unchanged.

The cloisters of the Carmelite Monastery with their finely carved capitals and painted sundial

The Upper Parish church (Obere Pfarre) with its Tintoretti painting and white Baroque interior is the only purely Gothic church in Bamberg. The high chancel is supported with flying buttresses which make it very impressive from the outside.

We debate about whether to climb another hill to see Saint Michael’s Monastery founded in 1015. The photos in the guidebook showing the painted ceiling with its 578 flowers and medicinal herbs convince us and we make a final effort. It’s closed for renovation. Sigh.

The view as we go down the hill along a small pathway to the historical centre makes up for the disappointment.

The view pf Saint Michael's Monastry and vineyard from the path — The view pf Saint Michael’s Monastry and vineyard from the path

An ice-cream in front of the Altes Rathaus gives us enough stamina to call in at Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas decoration store where we buy a little set of bells for the Christmas tree. We usually buy something for the tree in each new country we visit but we totally forgot to do so when we were in Serbia and Romania.What a pity!

An inviting cafe along the canal in Bamberg

Back at our apartment, after having walked 15 kilometers (according to the health app on my iPhone), we check the weather and the map for a last one-night stopover on the way hope. We decide on Colmar, another Little Venice with its pretty canals and Alsatian decor. Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to find some vin nouveau and harvest bread like we did last time !

Architecture, Art, Austria, Cycling, Sightseeing, Uncategorized

Maria Taferl Basilica overlooking the Danube in Austria

October 4, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 6 Comments

On Saturday morning, the weather forecast for Sunday promised bright sun, blue skies and 19°C (even better than Saturday) so we intended to cycle from our Radlerpension in Hagsdorf to Melk for lunch then drive up to the Maria Taferl basilica to save our knees – it’s at the end of 4 km of winding road.

Saturday's blue sky and blue Danube — Saturday’s blue sky and blue Danube

However, by Saturday evening, the forecast has changed – a maximum of 15°C with fog all day. I guess yesterday was our last day of cycling for the year. We go to the local village for bread and other supplies but soon discover that even in the bigger towns around us, Sunday is a day of rest. We manage to buy some bread though at a place that has a breakfast café attached to it. Each time we go past a church, we see families in their traditional Sunday best which we remember from the last time we were here.

The dining room at Pichler's — The dining room at Pichler’s

After spending some time looking for a hotel in our next location, Bamberg, we drive towards Melk for lunch but stop on the way at a likely-looking hotel/restaurant called Pichler’s in Emmersdorf. Inside, the waitresses and some of the patrons are also in traditional dress – certainly a far cry from the ultra-tight highly revealing apparel we have seen in other parts of Europe recently.

The konditorei where we have coffee and cake

By the time we finish lunch, the sky has cleared to a pale blue and the temperature is 14°C, certainly not cycling weather but we should get a good view from Maria Taferl, which is the second most important place of pilgrimage in Austria. We’re a little bit worried about the crowds, but it’s not very busy and we are able to park very close to the basilica just opposite a Konditorei.

Maria Taferl Basilica built from 1660 to 1710

The current baroque church was built from 1660 to 1710 on the site of a shrine to the Virgin Mary celebrating several miraculous recoveries. Its construction also gave the local inhabitants renewed courage after the bubonic plague.

The Danube from the panoramic terrace in front of Maria Taferl Basilica

We go onto the panoramic terrace first. The view of the Danube and surrounding countryside is quite superb despite the lack of blue sky.

The Inside of the church is standard gilt baroque and beautifully painted pastel ceilings.

The holy picture collection at Maria Taferl Basilica

We notice a side door and wander into an exhibition of holy pictures that covers the walls of three flights of stairs. I’m surprised there aren’t more people.

After visiting the basilica, we have coffee and some sort of cream cake in the Konditorei. Like the restaurant at lunchtime, there is a lot of beautiful polished wood everywhere. It also has an unsual porcelain coffee grinder.

On the way back, Jean Michel chooses a different route and we find ourselves opposite a stunning view of the basilica which looks very romantic through the slight haze.

The rest of the day is given over to R&R and finding an apartment in Bamberg in Germany, whose historical centre is on the Unesco World Heritage list. It is one of the few places we haven’t visited in Bavaria. It will be a good place to finish off our holiday.

Accommodation, Austria, Cycling, Sightseeing

Cycling along the Danube – from Ybbs to Grein in Austria

October 3, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 3 Comments

We know we’re in Austria because the host at our Radlerpension (radler = cyclist) greets us with Grüss Gott which literally means “may God greet you”. The first time we heard it was in Bavaria as we climbed the hill to the stunning Baroque church of Wies. Every person we passed said Grüss Got to us. When we got back to the hotel, I asked what it meant and was told “it’s just a thing they say here”. Hmm.

It’s already October and the days are getting shorter and cooler. We’re having trouble finding places along the Danube to cycle but the Eurovelo 6 bike route to the west of Melk, famous for its Benedictine Abbey built in the early 18th century and affording a stunning view of Wachau Valley and the Danube, seems promising.

Our Radlerpension Leebs is right on the Eurovelo 6 path and well situated. The only problem is that the wifi cuts out at about 8 pm and doesn’t return until midnight by which it’s too late of course. I mention it next morning to our hostess and she is surprised. We hope it won’t happen again. This evening, it’s working perfectly so everything seems in order.

By 10 am, it’s warm enough (15°C and promising to be sunny) to set out on our bikes. We are happy to be on a real bike path such as those we have always experienced in Germany and Austria, usually right on the edge of the Danube.

The view from the bridge between Persenbeug and Ybbs

However, the signs are not that clear and we cross the bridge at Persenbeug on the road instead of the bike path! After that, we follow a small sealed road along the Danube for about 10 kilometers. It’s not a bike path but the occasional car is not a problem.

We go past a number of fishermen evenly spaced along the riverside and Jean Michel says that with such sophisticated equipment, it has to be a competition.

When we get to Willersbach we’re ready for a cappuccino and Gasthof Zur Ruine Freyenstein has a terrace overlooking the Danube.

The scenery is not as stunning as it is on the S-bend and the Wachau but it’s still very pleasant and the temperature is gradually getting warmer.

We reach the bike ferry that goes to Grein after about 20 K but unfortunately, it stopped running at the end of September so we continue for a couple more kilometres to the bridge.

The little town of Grein has a very attractive historical centre, including Austria’s oldest theatre.

Austria's oldest theatre, built in 1791 in the former granary of the town hall built in 1563 — Austria’s oldest theatre, built in 1791 in the former granary of the town hall built in 1563

We find an excellent place to eat with a terrace overlooking the main square. We order the schnitzel of the day – breaded with almonds – and have a buffet salad and a glass of wine for less than 30 euro. More expensive than Hungary of course, but less expensive than France.

We decide to go back along the way we came rather than stay on the Grein side and do a loop because although there is a bike path, it is mostly along the main road. The light has changed and gives us another view of the Danube.

On the way back, we see that the Radlerstation we noticed earlier also has a bar – an imbiss. I think it’s great that so much is done for cyclists here.

The fishermen are still fishing and we still don’t see any fish but friends have joined them in some places and there are a lot of barbecues and beer around.

We cycle into Ybbs but are somewhat disappointed. It’s not nearly as pretty as Grein and everything is closed. We were hoping for an ice-cream. On the edge of the Danube, however, we see some older buildings, including what appears to be a mediaeval construction (the tourist office is closed and we seem to have forgotten our guide book to Austria) – but still no ice-creams.

We manage to find the bike path to cross the river this time and cycle down into the centre of Persenbeug. I immediately see a café with Italian ice-cream so we are rewarded for our 59 K in 4 hours. At least this time we weren’t stressed about nightfall. We got back to our Radlerpension in Hagsdorf at an unprecedented 4.30 pm.

The view from the bike path into Hagsdorf

The weather forecast for tomorrow was supposed to be sunny and 19°C but all those Grüss Gotts don’t seem to be working. It’s now going to be overcast and 15°C. We may have to move on instead of staying another night. Sigh.

Architecture, Hungary, Restaurants, Sightseeing

A Lunch Stop at Gyor, Hungary

October 3, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 4 Comments

We’re on our way to Ybbs an der Donau in Austria and Gyor seems like a good halfway point. We arrive at 12.30 just in time for lunch. We find an indoor parking lot so we won’t be restricted with regard to time (we still have our two parking tickets from Szeged) and set out to discover the historical centre of Gyor which is Hungary’s third largest industrial town.

We are immediately attracted by the centre. It’s spacious, clean and bright with many typical baroque buildings – the blue sky and sun help of course. We debate about whether to eat at what looks like the largest tourist restaurant in town – Palffy’s – on the main square, Szechenyi Ter, and wander down to the Danube, taking photos on the way.

Matroz Czarda with its vaulted ceiling and open door beckons to us (the temperature is not quite high enough to eat outside comfortably) and we are given a table for six as it’s the only one left. We both choose Hungarian ribs which turn out to be some sort of pork (no sign of ribs) with a tomato, onion and paprika sauce, served with French fries. I’m happy with it but Jean Michel regrets the ribs.

I see there are three different red house wines by the glass so I ask the waiter the difference. On is a wine and soda mix, one a cola and soda mix and the other straight wine. I later learn soda water was invented in Gyor.

Next stop, the cathedral, Bazilika Szent Laszlo Herma, nearly a thousand years old, consecrated in 1033. Its neoclassic façade dates from 1823 and its baroque interior including a marble pulpit from 1743. What a mixture!

I am keen to see the Xantus Janos Museum, which is said to house a good ethnic collection. Unfortunately it’s closed but we can’t find out why.

We have a cup of coffee at Palffy’s for the view then return to the car park by which time it’s 3.30 pm. Next stop, Ybbs.

Accommodation, Architecture, Cycling, Eastern Europe, Hungary, Sightseeing, Travelling

Baja and Pecs – a few surprises

October 1, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 8 Comments

After our wonderful visit to Szeged with its beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, we arrive in Baja, our Danube destination for the next three nights. We follow the Tom-Tom and arrive at Hotel Kaiser Panzio (pension) where we’ve booked an apartment as we would like a bit more space and the possiblity of doing a little microwave cooking for a couple of days. We are barely greeted by a sulky-looking woman at reception. She finds our booking and takes us to our ground-floor apartment. It looks like the photos on booking.com (including the strange bed) so we tell her it’s fine.

Before unpacking, I check the kitchen cupboards to see what we need to bring in from the car. They are completely empty. No crockery, no cutlery, no saucepans. Yet there is a stove, a sink, a refrigerator and an electric jug (no micro-wave). How very odd. We go back to reception and I explain in clear basic English that we won’t be able to cook. The woman brings us two plates, two cups and one set of cutlery. She disappears again and brings back a greasy frying pan, two large flat saucepans and a soup ladle.

Still mystified, we unpack quickly and go shopping because it’s nearly 5 pm. We arrive at a bus station and are totally disconcerted. This is NOT what we were expecting. We manage to buy some white bread and yoghurt but can’t find anything resembling a supermarket. Then I spy an information panel. “Ah”, says Jean Michel, after examining it, “we went the wrong way.”

We head in the other direction and find the centre of the town which is much more reassuring. We catch a fruit and vegetable store just as they’re closing and a bakery that has wholemeal bread. I ask where we’ll find cheese. The lady says CBA as though it’s given and points the way. It turns out to be a supermarket where we find some Danish and Dutch cheese and a few other things to sustain us until tomorrow.

Back in our apartment, we find a few other annoying things such as the lack of space (there is furniture everywhere and you have to pull out the table to sit down). There are only three chairs although the apartment can sleep four. You have to have gorilla arms to reach the toilet paper and be over 2 metres not to drown in the shower. The dark red frayed towels are non-absorbent and there is nowhere close to the shower to hang them.

Because we carry out own wine glasses, corkscrew, plates, kitchen knives, bread knife, cutting board, salt & pepper, oil & vinegar, tea towels and washing up liquid we are able to have our aperitif and dinner and wash up afterwards. On the positive side, the bed is comfortable (not the pillow, but I always bring my own) and the apartment is clean and quiet.

The Eurovelo 6 bike route along the main square of Baja

Next morning, we go back into the centre of the town and are able to appreciate it more. It’s only 11°C but it’s not rainy and should be 15°C and sunny in the afternoon. It’s 10 am and I am amazed to hear the chimes of the local church playing the Seekers’ Pierrot and Columbine song . I check it out later.

Tom Springfield wrote it for the Seekers in 1953 based the melody on the Russian folk song Stenka Razin (or Stenka Rasin). Stenka Razin was a Cossack rebel leader who led a major Cossack and peasant rebellion on Russia’s southeastern frontier in 1670-71. You can listen to the Seekers singing it here if you’re not familiar with the tune.

Our first destination is the tourist office as the Hotel Kaiser Panzio does not provide any maps or brochures. A sign indicates it’s the main square. We can’t find it. I ask at the Wellness Hotel and am sent to the other side of the square. After a long search we find a door that says “closed” and indicates that the Tour nform is on the other side of the bridge, 500 metres away.

This calls for a cappuccino. Jean Michel takes me back to the street on the other side of the square where he has a seen a likely-looking café with local ladies eating cakes. I have a mille feuilles that isn’t bad while he has a rocher. The cappuccino isn’t exactly Italian but it’s better that what you usually get in France and we pay a total of 4 euro.

View of the Danube from the bridge – you can see we’re off season

We set off over the bridge to the tourist office. The girl is very friendly and helpful and gives me a brochure and map that she explains in English although she has a little difficulty in explaining anything I say. I think she might be more used to foreign English!

As we are walking back to the main square to buy more fruit and vegetables I see a man with parsnips sticking out of his shopping bag which makes me suspect a fresh produce market. Sure enough, over to the left, we find a large market with a lot of local producers. We do the rounds and finally buy tomatoes, capsicum, coleslaw eggs and grapes.

Fruit and vegetable stalls at the market

We also find a cheese stall. The vendor helpfully says “sheep” in English, which I don’t understand at first because I think she’s saying cheese. She tells me the other cheeses are cow.

Our communication is a little rudimentary but all the prices are displayed and I demonstrate how much I want. Everyone gives us a little bit extra produce after telling us the total amount. We smile a lot and try and manage to get our tongues around thank you (koszonom) and goodbye (isten veled). Unlike all the other European languages, Hungarian, along with Finnish and Basque, is not an Indo-European language which means it’s out on its own and doesn’t ressemble anything else.

We also buy a white lace doily for the chest of drawers in our guest room. I’m sure that 4000 florint (13 euro) is far too much but the lady and her husband look as though they need a bit of extra money so I don’t mind. She throws in a small doily as well.

A sculpteur seen from the road on the way to Pecs

Delighted with our purchases we walk back to our hotel to put them away before driving to Pecs, about an hour away from Baja. But first, I need an external hard drive because my excessive number of photos (past and present) is clogging up my laptop. We go into a little out-of-the-way computer shop and are offered a hard case for the equivalent of 10 euro into which we are to insert a 70 euro hard drive. I can’t believe the prices and the fact that he doesn’t have one that’s already mounted. We decide to try somewhere else.

According to the Routard, Pecs is a “little jewel of a city”. We are rather disappointed after Szeged although we there are lots of Austro-Hungarian buildings and the sun comes out which helps.

We start with lunch at Matyas Kiraly Vendeglo, which offers a set daily menu at 990 florints (3.30 euro). We have a very palatable egg soup and pork schnitzel with coleslaw and a sort of fried rice.

Tourinform in Pecs - hidden in an arcade as usual — Tourinform in Pecs – hidden in an arcade as usual

We eventually find the Tourinform, which is just as difficult to locate as anywhere else! A young girl rattles off the list of things to do in English but doesn’t really understand what I say to her.

Pecs’ main claim to fame is the Cella Septichora, which contains the remains of a 4th century early Christian burial ground. Apart from Pompei and Herculaneum I’m afraid I find it difficult to relate to ruins, especially when you can’t get an idea of the building as a whole.

There is also Hungary’s first university founded by Louis the Great in 1367.

The history of the cathedral, of impressive size, also dates back to the 4th century. Its present form is a Neo-Romanesque reconstruction that took place at the end of the 19th century.

The statue of Liszt commemorating a concert he gave in Pecs in 1846

By the time our parking metre runs out, my feet are killing me so we decide to forego a visit to Zsolnay Museum’s porcelain collection which I later learn is definitely worth a visit.

Before taking the motorway (we didn’t take it on the way to Pecs), we stop to buy our obligatory vignette in a Shell service station. A Gestapo-like lady gets quite annoyed with our dithering, especially when we don’t know our car registration number . I dash out and take a photo. The 10-day vignette costs 10 euro and allows us to go on all of Hungary’s motorways.

The only Art Nouveau building we saw in Pecs

We also stop off at the Tesco hypermarket in the hope of finding a hard drive. We come across the same problem as before although they do have an all-in-one hard drive for 80 euro. I buy a 10 euro memory stick instead. We kill two birds with one stone and stock up on yoghurt and local wine as we’ve come to the end of our Italian stock.

Tomorrow, we’re cycling on the Danube at last because the temperature will be 18°C in the afternoon.

Architecture, Cycling, Eastern Europe, Hungary, Restaurants, Sightseeing, Travelling

Szeged, Hungary – Art Nouveau at its Finest

September 29, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 12 Comments

We have Andrea from Rear View Mirror to thank for our unique visit to the Hungarian city of Szeged today. She was lucky enough to enjoy it with both snow and sunshine! In 1879, the town was flooded and only 300 out of 5,500 houses remained. Most of the European countries contributed to its reconstruction resulting in one of the first examples of total town planning. Practically every style from the end of the 19th century is represented.

The town hall is the first building we see in Szedeg

We arrived around midday and left at 3 pm with two parking tickets on our windscreen! The very nice girl in the excessively difficult-to-find tourist office said they she has been told that foreigners are not pursued for parking fines. Let’s hope so! There are different zones and you need to buy a parking permit from a newsagency. One day costs around 7 euro and you can park in any zone. That was the only negative point about Szeged!

Unger-Mayer house - you can just make out the dancing ladies on the cupola — Unger-Mayer house – you can just make out the dancing ladies on the cupola

We had an excellent “business lunch” in a restaurant called Alabardos Etterem es Borozo just near the Cathedral. We had a three-course meal, a glass of wine and coffee for 4000 florints for 13 euros for the two of us. I don’t think we have ever paid so little for a meal anywhere in the world!

The tourist office is hidden away in a courtyard

The Reok Palace commissioned by hydraulic engineer Ivzn Reok, which explains its many water motifs. It reminds me of one of Gaudi's creations in Barcelona — The Reok Palace commissioned by hydraulic engineer Ivzn Reok, which explains its many water motifs. It reminds me of one of Gaudi’s creations in Barcelona

The corner of the Reok Palace, my favourite

One of the town’s main attractions – the mosaics in the New Synogogue was not open due to a special ceremony so we were not able to see them.

The war memorial with its vaulted fresques

The cathedral, whose construction started in 1913, to commemorate the great flood, was finally consacrated in 1930

Another thing we noticed is that Szeged is a cyclist’s paradise. There are bike paths everywhere and bikes – along with horse-drawn carriages – are not allowed on many large streets. Unfortunately we weren’t able to try them out due to the low temperature – 11°C – and overcast sky. It even started to rain just as we got to the end of our visit. However, you can see lots of cyclists in the photos.

A musical clock built in 1936. Colourful figures representing students and academics come out at 12.15 and 5.45 pm every day.

A palatial-like building near the cathedral

One of the buildings along the riverbank

I did wonder why none of the main buildings are along the Tesza River but I guess it’s still subject to flooding.

The neoclassic culture museum built in 1896

The neo-baroque opera house built in 1893

I don’t know whether we’ll ever come back to this part of the world, but if we do, I hope we’ll catch Szeged on a warm sunny day so we can appreciate it even more. But despite the overcast sky, light and open spaces are synonymous with Szeged.

Accommodation, Architecture, Cycling, Eastern Europe, Romania, Sightseeing, Travelling

Timisoara in Romania – A great R&R stop

September 28, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 3 Comments

We leave Serbia without regret and pass the border into Romania on the other side of Derdap dam. It’s raining and we thank our lucky stars for yesterday’s perfect weather for visiting the Iron Gate gorges.

There is an immediate change in the built environment. Although many of the constructions are still delapidated, the impression as a whole is much brighter, particularly the gaily decorated houses. Each village also has a sparkling white church in the middle.

Our lunch stop is Lugoj, a pretty little town built on a river with the usual contrast of old and new. We eat our picnic in the car because the temperature is only 12°C then have coffee in a café where we use our Romanian lei for the first time. A cappuccino costs the equivalent of 80 eurocents.

View from the river during our lunch stop in Lugoj

We arrive at the Savoy Hotel, a 4-star in the Mariott group where we have a large bright room which also has a small table and chairs. Sheer luxury after our recent accommodation. We book for a second night which costs a bit more (65 euro as opposed to 52) because it’s no longer last minute.

We leave again almost immediately to discover the town centre which is just across a bridge over the canal only a few minutes from the hotel. It is no longer raining, just overcast and a bit warmer. We start with the Orthodox Cathedral, where a wedding is just finishing and a baptism starting. Built between 1936 and 1946, this impressive building can hold 5,000 people.

We wander down to Piata Victorei which is full of Sunday crowds. At the Opera House end there are eight brass bands performing to loud applause. The whole place has a nice feel to it.

Piata Libiritii - my first attempt at a panoramic photo — Piata Liberitii – my first attempt at a panoramic photo

A little further on we come to Piata Liberatii, currently being renovated. I’m very impressed with the efforts being made to give the town a facelift. It’s a European Capital of Culture candidate city for 2021. I hope that it is chosen.

Piata Unirii is the heart of the old town with more lovely buildings under reconstruction. After a glass of wine and Black Forest cake (Jean Michel found a cake menu but only one type was available) we go down to the edge of the canal to look for a restaurant.

We regret that it’s not warm enough to cycle. Timisoara has a very impressive network of cycle paths. There are also many green spaces and parks which we discover the next day.

We have a mixed grill and vegetables with a glass of house red at the Rivière restaurant for 100 lei (about 23 euro). The chips are luke warm and the meat – chicken, chicken and pork – is a bit tough. Although a lot of words in Romanian are recognisable because it is a Romance language (it originated from Latin, along with French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese), we couldn’t recognise much on the menu and my phone app dictionary didn’t contain most of them, as usual. Next time we might have better luck.

A wayside cross in the city on the way to Trajan Square

After a good night’s sleep, we set off for coffee (it’s an intermittent fast day) and walk for some time through numerous university buildings, finally ending up in a café which is obviously the local haunt for well-heeled students.

We’re heading for the Trajan quarter but none of the streets seems to be on the map. Jean Michel asks an elderly man standing on the pavement for help. We’re surprised when he is able to converse in French. He points us in the right direction and we eventually find our way. It is very sad to see what must once have been beautiful buildings in a sad state of decay but maybe once day, the city will be able to finance their renovation.

The unrenovated side of Trajan Square — An unrenovated building near Trajan Square

We manage to buy tomatoes , yoghurt and grapes from a little “mixt market” and ham from a stall on the square.

As we walk back along the canal, we come to a large outside entertainment area, a rose garden and a small botanic garden. There are also lots of areas set up for children.

After a well-deserved nap, we set off again, this time to the tourist office for a brochure to illustrate the travel diary and to find a barber for Jean Michel. The tourist office is easy but the barber is a different story. There are pharmacies everywhere but no hairdressers’. We didn’t see any this morning either despite our very long walk.

We leave the old town to try the area on the other side of the hotel. It’s raining. All we see are a large number of second hand clothes shops, mini-markets and cafés. Not a single hairdresser.

The church opposite the café that we can't identify — The church opposite the café that we can’t identify

We stop for tea at a café opposite another impressive-looking church, but there is only green tea and herbal tea so we settle for a Coca Zero. I ask the waitress about a hairdresser for Jean Michel. She tells us there is one three streets away with a sign outside and another in the street next to the café, but she doesn’t know exactly where it is, which seems a little strange. I elect to go to the other one. “I’m not sure of the programme”, she adds, “but it should be open”. It’s 5.30 pm and I’ve noticed that opening hours here are often 8 to 3 pm.

The very non-descript hairdressers from the outside

The only indication of the presence of a hairdresser is the word frizzerie on the bottom left-hand side of the window. We walk in and see two hairdressers, one of whom is sitting dispondently next to her barber’s chair. Jean Michel asks if she can cut his hair. “Yes”, she says, and sits him down.

She doesn’t smile once the whole time but gives him a very professional-looking cut. She is a whizz with the razor. It is only when Jean Michel hands over the 20 lei (4.50 euro) that she finally smiles. “Thank you. Have a good day”, she says as we leave.

Our next task is to find an immersion heater to boil eggs and water in our hotel rooms which very rarely have an electric jug. I have seen a store that sells electric goods. We go in and I describe with ample gestures what I am looking for. “Yes”, says the lady, and goes to get one. She then hears me speak to Jean Michel in French and says “bonjour.” She tells us she learnt French at school. She speaks well enough for us to make our purchase – we even buy two.

There is work going on next door to our hotel. The house on the right is obviously being renovated to rival the one on the left

Back in our hotel room, we’re feeling rested after our easy day and start checking the weather forecast again for the next part of our trip. We finally decide to go to Baja, on the Danube in Hungary, about 190 K south of Budapest and 250 K from Timisoara. It’s going to be sunny with temperatures rising from a maximum of 15 to 19°C during the three days we intend to stay there. We’ll be able to cycle again!

We haven’t spent much time in Romania, and only in one small area, but we know we will come back though not with our bikes. We’ll come by plane and hire a car so we can visit the northern part of the country, particularly Transylvania.

Accommodation, Cycling, Eastern Europe, Serbia, Sightseeing, Travelling

The Iron Gates on the Danube in Serbia – Why we didn’t cycle!

September 27, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 5 Comments

We finally leave Zemun near Belgrade around 11 am. The weather is better than we expected but still only 15°C and somewhat overcast. We’re heading for Donji Milanovac in the middle of the Iron Gate gorges (Djerdap) which are the deepest and narrowest on the Danube and the largest and longest in Europe.

After leaving the Belgrade-Nis motorway, the Tom-Tom takes us on a small road to the Danube at Golubac and its famous fortress at the entrance to the gorges. At one stage we cross a rather dicey bridge. “Take a photo”, says Jean Michel, “so that if it collapses, there is something for posterity.”

One of the many 1950s Massy Ferguson tractors

We pass numerous 1950-model Massy Ferguson tractors, to Jean Michel’s amusement – he learnt to drive on one when he was about 10 years old.

We park in Golubac and look for a restaurant. At the only one with any sign of life the owner tells us the kitchen is closed because it’s Saturday. I ask where we’ll find something to eat and he sends us to the castle 3 k away. I assume he means the fortress.

Golubac Fortress, at the entrance to the Iron Gates

Sure enough, after the fortress which is being restored with EU funding, we do indeed find a small restaurant where I have a mixed pork grill and Jean Michel grilled cat fish. My grill is served practically cold with very warm French fries and is so copious that I only eat half of it. I’m looking forward to tomato , cucumber and grapes in our room tonight!

The view of the Danube opposite our restaurant

After lunch, the sun comes out and we begin driving through the series of 16 tunnels along the gorges and we are glad that we decided NOT to cycle today despite the increasing amount of sun. There is no way I would feel comfortable going through one of these tunnels at the same time as a car, let alone a truck. There is no separate cycling path and no cyclists, what’s more.

The scenary, however, is quite stunning and there are lots of places you can stop the car (all on the Danube side of the road) to take photos.

We arrive in Donji Milanovac where we would thought we would take a cruise down the Danube through the gorges but there is not a boat or a soul in sight. I guess we are out of season.

We drive up the hill to the Lepenski Vir Hotel to see if they have a room. It reminds me of a place where we once stayed in Saint Petersbourg, only a little more upmarket – very eastern European and quite lugubrious. We check out the room and discover there is no wifi. I don’t have the reflex to take a photo of the wonderful view from the balcony though. We hand back our keys and leave.

The view coming down the hill from the Lepenski Vir hotel

Our only possibility is to continue to Kladovo, 10 K after the enormous dam built across the Danube in 1972, a joint project between Romania and Serbia.

On the way, we see the narrowest part of the gorges.

We also see the Orthodox church built on the Romanian side of the Danube.

The church on the edge of the Danube below, on the Romanian side

However, the very bright sun means we can hardly make out the portrait of Decebalus sculpted into the rock face and certainly can’t photograph it.

You can vaguely see the scupture of Decebalus on the left side

There is a hotel called Aquastar Danube that seems to have good reviews on booking.com so we give it a try. The room is spacious, with a small table and chairs as well as a large bed and is quite recent. We’re also paying for an outdoor spa we won’t be using. We have a panoramic view of the industrial harbour in Romania on the other bank of the river.

The panoramic view from the Aquastar Danube Hotel

We walk into the centre which is a series of cafés with comfortable chairs. We choose one and have a glass of wine. As usual there are no nibbles to go with it.

The main street in Kalovo with the casino on the left and cafes on the right

After a picnic dinner in our room, we spend the next three hours trying to decide where to go next because rain and low temperatures are forecast for most of the region for the next week. In the end we opt for Timisoara in Romania, not because it’s on the Danube, but because it’s midway to Gyor in Hungary which might possibly offer cycling possibilities if the weather improves just a little bit.

Accommodation, Architecture, Cycling, Serbia, Sightseeing, Travelling

Cycling around Belgrade

September 26, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 6 Comments

We leave Zagreb with overcast skies and slight rain. We have lunch in a rest stop on the motorway in the car because it’s not warm enough to sit outside – not to mention there are no picnic tables.

Trucks on the Croatian side of the border

We’re a bit worried about the border between Croatia and Serbia because Croatia is stopping lorries from entering the country in order to put pressure on the Serbian government to take more migrants (mostly from Syria). Apart from an accident between a car and a lorry in the queue, there is no problem about cars entering Serbia. However, at border control, three cars enter Serbia for every car that enters Croatia.

Trucks on the Serbian side of the border, banked up for 11 kilometers

After we leave the border, we see lorries waiting in line for 11 kilometers on the Serbian side. The rest of the journey to Belgrade is uneventful.

We’ve reserved a hotel just outside the centre of Belgrade along the Danube in Zemun. We are able to park just in front (the hotel looks after the parking). It’s a bit spartan and the room is minute, but what can you expect for 33 euros a night including breakfast?

View of the Danube in front of the hotel

We drop our things and take off on our bikes to explore Belgrade. However, it’s already nearly 4 pm and we know it will be dark by 6.30 pm. We don’t have a lot of time. The centre is 7 k away.

Belgrade from the bike path along the Danube with its many restaurant boats

The ride along the Danube is pleasant. As usual in the former Eastern block countries, there is a constant contrast between old and new which a lot of very dilapidated buildings.

We go past numerous house boats, many of which are restaurants or cafés. There are very few cyclists on the Eurovelo 6 route which then takes us through a park along the river.

Belgrade is built on a hill overlooking the Danube on the other side so we have to cross a busy bridge.

Three-quarters of the way across the bridge, we see there is a special bike lift to take us down to the bank below. Pedestrians are not allowed to use the lift and there is a lift man at the bottom keeping an eye on things.

The Danube from the bike path on the Belgrade centre side

The Eurovelo 6 route continues along the edge of the Danube. After a couple of kilometers, we see an arrow pointing right to Belgrade centrar. And that is the end of any concession whatsoever to bikes. In fact we only ever see one other bike …

We go through an underpass then have to go up a hill on a road iwith trams. The pavement is very narrow and Jean Michel has already warned me about the danger of getting my wheel stuck in a tram line. We decide to wheel our bikes up the hill.

The first impression when we reach the centre of Belgrade is the number of people and general animation. There are people and cafés everywhere but very few buildings of any architectural interest except a few throwbacks to the Austro-Hungarian era.

One of the buildings of Austro-Hungarian influence

We realise we’ve forgotten our Petit Futé guide book to Serbia so we look for the tourist office. Jean Michel minds the bikes while I go in. I ask for a brochure in French, but they only have one in English. I then ask if there is a cycling itinerary but my request is not understood. I am given a brochure on guided tours to Belgrade instead.

We check out the main attractions but there are very few except for museums and we don’t have either the time or inclination. There are a lot of buskers around and a large group of people in front of the national museum n Republic Square. A woman is speaking. I go closer and it seems that she is interpreting a man using sign language. I wish I could understand more.

The museum in the fortress park — The Cvijeta Zuzoric Art Pavilion in the fortress park

It’s getting late and I don’t want to ride home along the Danube in the dark so we decide to go and quickly visit the 14th century fortress reconstructed in the 18th century on the way back. We meet a lot of other visitors all going to the Torture Museum and to see the old army tanks, it seems.

Belgrade Fortress, built in the14th century and reconstructed in the 18th century

We get back to the hotel just as night is falling to Jean Michel’s surprise by which time we are also a little cold. The temperature is about 14 or 15°C and we’re in three-quarter pants and sandals.

A thatched roof house boat on the Danube

It’s an intermittent fast day so we have dinner in our little room. I manage to stub my toe very badly on the leg of the bed but at least it isn’t broken. We spend over two hours trying to find a place to stay next day so that we can cycle along the Danube in the area called the Iron Gates. We would like an apartment for 3 nights but I can’t find anything that looks even halfway decent. There seem to be few hotels either. In the end, we go to bed. Whenever I wake up, my toe hurts which is very worrying if we are going to cycle tomorrow.

However, next morning, I am able to walk in my sandals without pain. Breakfast is surprising. Everything is cold – the sausages, fried eggs, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, French toast. They have some tasty brioche though.

After checking out from the hotel, we go looking for a bancomat and see a local market which is great fun. We buy tomatoes for less than 50 euro cents a kilo, cucumbers and purple grapes called Hamburg which is a relief because we’ve been eating the strangest grapes since Lake Garda. Everyone is very friendly and helpful despite our lack of Serbian. The only things I know how to say is Hvala (thank you) and zdravo (hello). I forgot to mention that they use the Cyrillic alphabet here which is highly confusing.

We leave Belgrade without regret. We both find it quite depressing. The people are friendly, but nothing really works properly and there is a lot of poverty. Next stop, the Iron Gates which are the narrowest and deepest gorges in Europe.

Accommodation, Architecture, Croatia, Cycling, Sightseeing, Travelling

Zagreb – a City of Contrasts

September 24, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 9 Comments

We’ve been to Croatia before – in 2011 – but didn’t get as far as Zagreb so it’s been on my list for a while. We mainly visited the coast: Split, Dubrovnik (with an excursion into Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina), Zadar, Sibenik and Plitvice Lakes (which is one of my top sites in the world) and Pula and Porec in Istria. We then went to Ljubljana, which I loved so it’s a bit frustrating to be whizzing through Slovenia on the motorway without stopping especially as the sun’s come out.

Whizzing past typical Slovenian countryside on the motorway

We’re staying two nights in an apartment in Zagreb because there are practically no hotels in the centre. Parking also seems to be a problem but there is a cheap covered parking lot less than 10 minutes walk from the apartment which is another 10 minute walk in the other direction from the historical centre.

Our view from the little balcony of our apartment

This is not Italy as far as apartments go, but it’s not the same price either. In Arqua Petrarca, we paid 100 euro a night against 66 euro here. Our Aba Zagreb apartment is spacious and clean (except for the windows), the bed is comfortable, the shower head needs soaking in vinegar to unplug the clogged holes, the floor between the bedroom and bathroom is warped and cracks at night when you walk on it and there is only two or three of everything (cups, plates, etc.) but otherwise it’s fine because we have our own vegetable peeler, kitchen knives and bread knife. I’m not quite sure how the apartment got it’s 9+ rating on booking.com!

By the time we get settled, it’s dusk so we make for the old town. I always find that a bit of an adjustment is needed when we enter a former eastern block country because of the many contrasts between old and new, delapidated and renovated. Zagreb is no exception The historical centre is appealing though and we have a glass of wine near the market. – the glasses are 0.10 l and there are no nibbles to go with them. Next to us, a dozen or so young women are obviously celebrating something and have a photographer with them.

Maybe a hens' party? — Maybe a hens’ party?

We make a mistake about dinner and end up paying 60 euro in a restaurant recommended by Le Routard (Balthazar) as being “medium priced” and serving local dishes. My entrée is frankly awful but Jean Michel has delicious pasta and freshly picked boletus mushrooms. We then have a small entrecôte with grilled vegetables accompanied by a house wine.

It’s next morning and we start with a cappuccino in the “café” street , Tklaciceva, which was once a river separating the Kaptol and Gradec quarters.

The first female journalist in Croatia, Marija Juric Zagorka, 1887-1957

I love this little café which seems to have grown out of the wall

A house and chapel just next to the cathedral hidden behind an iron fence

We go back to Zagreb Cathedral to visit the inside. It has led a chequered existence and was once at the mercy of the Ottaman invaders, which explains the towers on each side which are part of a fortified wall , the front part of which has been demolished.

The buildings on the other side of the cathedral square

Comparison of renovation and non-renovation

We return to Dolac market and are surprised to see so many local producers selling their own fruit and vegetables, We buy some figs, grapes and green beans from three different vendors.

We find a place for lunch called Nokturno that costs a quarter of last night’s meal and is just as satisfactory. It’s certainly “local” in any case.

We walk up the hill to Saint Mark’s with Parliament House on one side and Ban Palace on the other. Something is going on. There is a TV reporter and a small group of demonstrators. I hear the word “discrimination”. We go in search of a wrought-iron gate mentioned in our guide book and designed by Herman Bollé. Just then a downpour begins and we duck under a porch. The weather forecast said overcast but no rain so we don’t have an umbrella. Sigh.

The wrought iron gate designed by Herman Bollé

Sweet corn sellers at the end of Tkalciceva street

We make a dash for a café and have an espresso while waiting for the rain to stop. We talk about our next destination. This morning we had decided to drive to Split on the Adriatic and take the ferry across to Ancona in Italy, because of the current immigrant problems and the large number of border controls being restored in this part of the world but we now think we should go to Serbia anyway and resume our cycling itinerary along the Danube.

We go home and check the weather forecast. We learn that the temperatures are going down in most places along the Danube in this area over the next few days, then going up again next week. So we book a hotel for a night on the Danube in Belgrade for an astonishing 31.50 euro. The Serbian capital is only about 3 hours away so we’ll be able to cycle along the river and visit Belgrade by bike in the afternoon then move on further the next day, perhaps to Vidin where it’s supposed to be warm and sunny. Keep tuned!

Aussie in France