Budapest – Pictures of Pest

June 29, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 11 Comments

Once our accommodation and washing were sorted out, we were able to forget the hassles and get on with our holiday. Szentendre, the village where we are staying, is only a half an hour’s drive from Budapest – not a very scenic route admittedly, but a very convenient location if you don’t want to stay in the city.

Margit Bridge or the yellow bridge as i prefer to call it — Margit Bridge or the yellow bridge as I dubbed it

Parking in Budapest is more problematic as we have only found one underground parking lot so far and our GPS had a hard time finding the entrance. However, street parking is quite easy to find, mainly because it’s relatively expensive at 440 florints (1.50 euros) an hour and limited to 3 hours.

Budapest, as you may know, is the unification of two towns, one on either side of the Danube – Buda on the west bank and Pest on the east – connected by Széchenyi Chain Bridge. Not that I know how to pronounce it. In fact, the Hungarian language is a great difficulty for me. I can’t remember simple things such as hello, goodbye, please and thank you because they won’t stay in my head. So I nod and smile a lot.

Interior of Saint Stephen's Basilica — Interior of Saint Stephen’s Basilica

We started our visit of Budapest in Pest, simply because that is where the guide book began. We walked halfway across the yellow bridge (actually the Margit Bridge) and looked across at the iconic Gothic Revival Parliament building which, like a lot of Budapest, is undergoing renovation.

We visited Saint Stephen’s Basilica (also called Cathedral), the largest church in the city which can hold up to 8,500 people and was completed in 1906.

This was the saddest thing we saw in Budapest. The Shoes on the Danube Promenade is a memorial concept by film director Can Togay and was created by him and the sculptor Gyula Pauer on the bank of the Danube River in Budapest. It honors the Jews who were killed by fascist Arrow Cross militiamen in Budapest during World War II. They were ordered to take off their shoes, and were shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies fell into the river and were carried away.

Another Jewish memorial in front of the main synogogue decicated to the 600,000 Hungarian Jews who perished under the Nazis.

One of the many large ornate buildings in Budapest that have been renovated, on Szabadsag Ter, the largest and most representative square in downtown Budapest.

I thought this was a wonderful example of recycling in the Jewish quarter of Budapest which still has many dilapidated buildings.

The Michael Jackson tree in Vorosmarty Ter just behind Saint Stephen’s Basilica

An example of art deco architecture — Gresham Palace

Gresham Palace, a beautiful example of art nouveau architecture in the manner of the Vienna Seessionists, now the Four Seasons Hotel.

The Széchenyi Chain Bridge, inaugurated in 1849 and the first bridge to connect up Buda and Pest. The architect is said to have committed suicide when he discovered the two lions had no tongues.

An amazing security check on vehicles entering the Bank of Hungary. The security guard walked around the car with a large mirror on a stick so he could look underneath!

2013 is not the only time that the Danube has overflowed its banks and flooded the city. This plaque commemorates a previous flood in 1838!

Accommodation, Cycling, Home exchange, Hungary

Budapest – more accommodation problems

June 27, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 10 Comments

We’re driving along the motorway to Budapest pleased to have our Aschach and Bratislava accommodation experiences behind us.

This time, there should be no problems. We have organised a home exchange with an American couple who have a well-located apartment in the centre of Budapest which they let and exchange. They have kindly agreed to our arriving ahead of schedule because of the bad weather in Aschach. We can arrive on Wednesday around noon and L. will be there to give us the key.

We leave Aschach on Tuesday and stay overnight in Bratislava which is a two-hour drive from Budapest. We arrive about fifteen minutes ahead of time, park right in front of the appartment, get some florints out the bankomat, buy a couple of things for lunch and feed the surprisingly expensive parking meter.

L. arrives on cue, very apologetic. There is no electricity. His father has been looking after the apartment for A. but is now in hospital after major brain surgery and the last electricity bill has not been paid. He takes us up to the apartment, which is spacious and has everything we need, in particular a washing machine which is starting to become a major preoccupation.

Jean Michel goes into panic mode, much worse than in Bratislava and is looking furious. Neither L. nor I has A’s phone number unfortunately but L has sent her an email. Apologising profusely, L. goes off to look after the electricity problem saying he’ll be back in an hour or so.

We decide to have lunch in the meantime. Jean Michel is very pessimistic but I try to stay calm and be as nice to L as I can be. It isn’t his fault, after all! He soon returns with bad news. Even if he pays the electricity bill in cash, the electricity company will not put the power back on unless the owner of the apartment is present. L’s father has an official proxy but he doesn’t and A. is in the US. We’re in Hungary, he says.

Jean Michel wants to get out of Budapest as soon as he can. He looks up the Routard and finds an appartment to rent in Esztergon, a small town on the Danube an hour’s drive away, where we will be able to do our washing*. I have a look but am not convinced. I suggest Szentendre which is closer to Budapest and seems more promising but no apartments are listed. Jean Michel is adament, particularly after he discovers he has left his photo-grey sunglasses behind in the appartment.

Basilica in Eztergon — Primatial Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Esztergon

About a half an hour out of town, we enter a forest and the road starts winding up a small mountain. We finally come down the other side and into the very dismal little town of Esztergon. We pull up at the address in the Routard and I have another look at the description. I quote, “We don’t know why anyone would possibly want to stay in Esztergon, but if you do, here are a few addresses.” Jean Michel had not read that bit.

I start laughing and Jean Michel at last joins me. We park the car near Hungary’s biggest building, the Primatial Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary, so we can visit it before going to Szentendre. It is certainly huge but not particularly attractive.

We drive along the Danube to Szentendre, stopping off on the way at Visigrad and driving up a hill behind it from which there is a breathtaking view of the Danube.

The main pedestrian street in Szentender

Szentendre turns out to be a pretty little town with a pedestrian area in the middle and no fewer than five churches. After calling in at the tourist office for local bike maps just before it closes, we go to Roz Panzio the first of two hotels listed in the Routard under the prix moyens et plus chics category. We are shown two rooms and choose the largest. Then I ask about washing. The lady takes us to the hotel laundry, then phones someone on her cell. “No, I’m sorry”, she says, “not possible”.

We try the second address, Mathias Rex Panzio, which I actually prefer. Yes, there’s a double room for 50 euros including breakfast. Wifi? Yes. Parking? Yes. Washing? No. So I explain about the apartment falling through and our 10 days’ washing. “OK”, she says. “You can use our private washing machine.” I thank her profusely. The room isn’t very big, but it’s clean, it has a comfortable bed and a very interesting bathroom, that appears to be all moulded in one piece. We take it. Dinner? At Movies (actually Muvesz) down the road.

We change, take the bikes off the back of the car and off we go. It’s amazing how quickly the annoyances of the day disappear. From the height of the water in the Danube, we are lucky to be cycling at all. The whole area was obviously badly flooded.

Muvesz turns out to be an excellent address and for the equivalent of 30 euros for the two of us, we have two courses and a glass of red and white wine each. Tomorrow, we’ll visit Budapest.

*We have been unable to find a laundromat in either Germany or Austria despite a lot of time spent following up non-existent addresses.

Mathias Rex Panzio, Kossuth Lajos utca 16, Szentendre 2000, Hungary. www.mathiasrexhotel.hu info@mathiasrexhotel.hu

Accommodation, Slovakia, Travelling

Bratislava, a Memorable Experience

June 26, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 4 Comments

We leave Aschach for Bratislava in pouring rain, shortening our stay by 3 days. After a picnic in the car in a desolate rest-stop about 20 minutes out of Bratislava in what must be the windiest part of Austria, in the middle of an immense field of wind turbines, we follow the GPS instructions to our hotel, that we reserved with booking.com the night before and which is supposed to be ten minutes from the historical centre.

“I don’t like this at all”, says Jean Michel. “We’re not even remotely near the centre”. “Vous êtes arrivé”, says the GPS with not a hotel in sight, just sad-looking low-income high-rise buildings. I get out and go to Zadunasjska cesta 12, after checking it’s the right address, and a helpful lady speaks to me in Slovak. I show her the address on my iPhone and she tells me in rudimentary English that it’s on the other side of a flyover.

The high-rise buildings where our GPS took us

I get back in the car, doing my best to calm down Jean Michel. He’s convinced we’re the victims of an Eastern European con trick. We try to follow her instructions. At last, we spot the name of the hotel and eventually arrive in a parking lot in what seems to be a small shopping centre. We park the car and follow the signs, up a pedestrian footbridge and into the hotel.

I explain to the hostess that we thought the hotel was close to the historical centre and that we want to cancel. The manager comes out and says that we just have to walk across the bridge over the Danube and we’ll be in the centre – 10 minutes. She explains that with booking.com we have to cancel 24 hours in advance.

Jean Michel is looking furious so I smile and say that we’ll take the room. The hostess says there is a bus that takes 5 minutes, just two stops, to get to the historical centre. I hear a groan next to me. She gives us the key to the room. The interior is fine, if a little dark and taupe. It has good soundproofing and a decent shower. Unfortunately, I don’t recognise the stale smoke smell straight away. We go down and bring up our small overnight bag and other necessities.

In the meantime, the hostess has written out the bus instructions and shows us out the back way, where we have to negotiate a couple of broken planks at the bottom of the stairs. Thankfully, Jean Michel has now decided to make the most of the experience.

We arrive at the bus stop almost immediately, get tickets out the machine as instructed and wait for the n° 88 which pulls up within a couple of minutes. We go under and over a couple of flyovers, then across the Danube and down into a grotty terminus under the bridge.

Tree-lined pedestrian street at the entrance to the old town of Bratislava

Within two minutes, we are in the pretty though small historical centre of Bratislava. We wander around admiring the various buildings reminiscent of Austria and eventually have hot chocolate and cream cakes at Kaffee Meyer one of the city’s most reputed establishments. I figure we can give dinner a miss!

It doesn’t take long to exhaust the historical centre so we go further afield and are struck by the general grime and dereliction. We follow some people into a large church and are introduced to Slovak baroque, much darker than its Austrian and German counterpart.

Bazilika Kincstar baroque church in Bratislava

We choose Le Monde opposite the Carlton for a glass of local wine. The waiter who takes our order for a dry local white is very off-hand, almost insolent, but the waitress who brings our wine is friendly and professional. The xxx is enjoyable.

After walking along the Danube to the bridge (and incidentally not regretting that it is too chilly to cycle, as there is nothing much to see apart from the high-rise buildings opposite), we decide to walk back to the hotel since it is only supposed to be 10 minutes from the historical centre.

A half an hour later, after walking through a shopping centre full of the same middle-of-the-range shops you find in French shopping centres such as Camaieu and C&A, going over a footbridge, up and down as few staircases, under a couple of flyovers and along an overgrown path, we finally arrive at our hotel.

Jean Michel on the path back to the hotel

That is when the stale cigarette smell hits me. We keep the window open until we go to bed despite the cold outside and the noise of the expressway but I feel slightly nauseous and headachy all night. Two women talk in piercing voices somewhere until about 3 am. A sort of whining noise is repeated at regular intervals, probably due to the wind on the pedestrian walkway.

By 7.30 am, doors are banging, showers are running and toilets flushing. After breakfast, where there is only herbal tea but very good bread, we leave the Hotel Esprit and Bratislava without regret!

Accommodation, Austria, Cycling, Germany

Rain on the Danube in Austria

June 25, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 7 Comments

When we leave Andelfingen after six wonderful days of cycling along the Danube, the weather forecast for our next stop – Aschach in Austria – is not promising. As we’ve never been to Munich, we decide to stop for a couple of hours on the way.

Marienplatz in Munich during the Stadtlaufmüncher marathon

Unfortunately, there is a big annual sports event on – 10,000 people running a marathon or semi-marathon – and the main square, Marienplatz, is chock-a-block which somewhat detracts from the historical ambiance. We see the main sights beneath an overcast sky, have a picnic lunch on a bench (it’s a fast day) and continue on our way.

After leaving the motorway at Passau at the juncture between Austria and Germany, which we visited on another occasion, we drive along the Danube, much wider and navigable here, seeing the aftermath of the recent floods. The river looks muddy and there is silt on the edge of the pavements and piles of debris everywhere. Nothing like the bucolic scenery we have left behind in Germany.

At the turnoff to Aschach, large production installations loom on the right and I begin to worry about what we’ll find. From the internet photos, our hotel, Gastof zür Sonne, seemed to be right on the water but, in fact, it is across the road. A not-very-friendly young man gives us a key card and sends us up to room 4 on the second floor.

Gasthaus Sonne in Aschach — Gasthof zür Sonne in Aschach

As we walk into the room, I see the wash basin is in an open area on the left ; the shower and toilet are behind a frosted glass door on the right. The room is small with dark furniture including an open wardrobe and a view of the Danube. I go into complaint mode and Jean Michel says I have to make up my mind whether we are staying or going. By then it is 6 pm and looking for another place to stay seems a bit daunting. I go down to the desk and ask if there is another room that doesn’t have a wash basin in the entrance. It seems they are all the same.

An iron door inside the Gasthaus Sonne — An iron door inside the Gasthof zür Sonne

We bring up our luggage and bits and pieces and I empty our small case into the wardrobe so we can change into our cycling clothes, pointing out all the negative aspects of the room as I go. Jean Michel understandably starts to get annoyed so I stop complaining. It is then that I realise that an automatic light comes on over the wash basin/entrance each time you go past which means that when I get up in the night, the whole room will be flooded with light.

Even Jean Michel sees the impossibility of that! We go back down and I put on my best smile to ask how to stop the light coming on automatically. The young man comes up reluctantly to have a look. However, he immediately understands the problem and says that unfortunately all the new rooms are like that but we can have the “old” room next door. Not only is the washbasin inside the bathroom this time; the open wardrobe is hidden behind the door, the room is much bigger and we have a sofa from which we can comfortably see the Danube.

An enormous cruise ship on the Danube at Aschach

This time my smile is not forced. “Perfect”, I say. “And look, the washbasin is not in the entrance”. The young man then explains that he thought I was objecting to the bathroom being on the left, not about the washbasin being in the entrance (he didn’t know the word in English). We rapidly change into our cycling clothes and get in an hour’s cycling before dinner.

Swans on the Danube at Aschach am der Donau

That, however, proves to be the last time we cycle for several days. It rains all night and next morning, it’s 12°. Change of programme.

Architecture, Cycling, Germany

Cycling along the Danube – Ehingen to Ulm

June 24, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 39 Comments

It’s funny how you can go to the same place twice and have a totally different experience each time. When we saw Ulm the first time, it didn’t seem at all attractive. Its famous Minster might be the tallest church in the world but it was dark and ugly in my books, particularly after all the beautiful rococco churches we’ve been seeing.

The minster in Ulm, the tallest church in the world

We couldn’t visit the inside because there was a concert on. Jean Michel was ready to leave without seeing anything else but I encouraged him to at least take a walk through the pedestrian streets nearby. There were a few old houses but nothing outstanding so we drove to Erlingen to start cycling.

Next day, which was Saturday, we drove to Ehingen and took the train to Ulm. It was as though we were in a completely different town! There was a fresh produce market in front of the cathedral, which was open this time. Then we went to the Fishermen’s Quarter along the Danube and discovered the real soul of Ulm.

Fishermens' quarter in Ulm — Fishermens’ quarter in Ulm

We had lunch at an old mill with a water wheel and cycled through quaint little streets with pretty little houses.

Ulm minster from the other side of the Danube

We then rode along the old ramparts overlooking the Danube and went across the bridge to the other side where the Minister looked much more attractive! What a pity it would have been had we not gone back.

Baroque library in Wiblinger Abbey — Baroque library in Wiblingen Abbey

Not far from Ulm, we visited Wiblingen Abbey, another astonishing piece of baroque architecture including the abbey church, where a wedding was taking place, and a very beautiful library completed in 1744.

The balcony of the baroque church in Erbach

Another baroque church awaited us at Erbach, built on the top of a hill and commanding an extensive view of the surrounding area. Since Jean Michel has the map, I had no idea how steep the climb was and started too fast, spurred on by a car waiting at the top. To my dismay, we turned a corner and the road kept going. My legs were like jelly by the time I finally reached the church.

French cyclists carrying 40 kilos on their bikes, including a tent

We stopped at a roadside Gasthaus in the little village of Ersingen for a cold drink and were surprised to hear the couple at the next table speaking French. It turned out they were camping at the Gasthaus that night and had just ridden 90 kilometers lugging 40 kilos on their bikes. Not really my scene, I must say!

The spring in Erbach — The asure spring in Blaubeuren

On another circuit along the Blau River north of the Danube, we visited the delightful little of town of Blaubeuren where the river comes out from under the ground in an azure blue pool.

Ceiling of the abbey church in Blaubeuren

It was no surprise that the Cistercian monks built a very large abbey there including a baroque church with a beautiful painted ceiling and a cloister.

On the way back, Jean Michel spied another storks nest.

One of our last views of the Danube near Andelfingen in Germany

The weather on both days was not as hot as the first three days, often cloudy and overcast, but we didn’t get any rain. The weather forecast for the next stage of our trip near Linz in Austria does not look promising though.

Cycling along the Danube – from its source to Ehingen

June 23, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp

A total of 110 km, but it actually took two days. We’ve definitively adopted the train-in-one-direction system which means we can see more and not have to cycle up all those hills again on the way back. Jean Michel thought we should start with the source in Donau-Eshingen so we began day 2 by driving an hour to Tuttlingen and getting the train to Donau-Eshingen.

Donau-Eschingen, where the Danube begins

Although it was as sunny and hot as the day before (over 30°C in the afternoon), it was not nearly as pretty. Our first disappointment was that the source is undergoing renovation so is not open to the public. So after having lunch in Donau-Eshingen, we set out for Tuttlingen.

The cycle route doesn’t always run along the Danube and we often rode through hay fields interspersed with flowers, which did, of course, have the advantage of mostly being flat. There were lots of irrigation canals, water irises, storks and covered bridges, but I missed the wonderful surprises of the day before. We didn’t see a single rococco church.

One of the many wooden bridges over the Danube — One of the many covewooden bridges over the Danube

On the way home from Tuttlingen, whose main attraction is its modern covered bridges, Jean Michel suggested we go to the lookout at Knopfmacherfelsen which is about 750 metres above the Danube.

View of Beuron Monastery from Knopfmacherfelsen

The view is absolutely breathtaking with the monastery in Beuron in the distance. We then drove down to Beuron to see the monastery up close. Access was through a covered bridge. It was a truly wonderful way to finish off the day.

Fortunately, day 3 was not as hot (only 23° at 9 am), because was lucky because it was VERY hilly (and also an intermittent fast day). We drove to nearby Riedlingen and parked at the train station since we intended taking the train back from Ehingen. It’s a pretty little town, with lots of colourful half-timbered houses and painted façades.

Before cycling along the Danube, we looped back to Altheim which our Gasthof owner had told us about. We found another beautiful rococco church with a painted balcony featuring bas-relief musical instruments. There was also a stunning vase of peonies which are very prevalent here and grow taller than they do in the Loire Valley.

Back on the Danube we crossed a couple more wooden bridges and stopped for coffee in Riedlingen. We then passed several fields full of storks which obviously explains why there are so many shop signs and sculptures of storks in the villages.

Obermarchtal Abbey Church from the Danube

Our next stop was the Monastery Cathedral of Obermarchtel with more wonderful rococco and a balcony, but not as rich as Zwiefalter. As we came out, it was starting to spit which was a bit annoying as I had taken the rain capes out of the paniers. Fortunately, there were a few rumbles of thunder and nothing more.

The balcony at Obermarchtal Abbey Church

More hills and dales before we stopped at Munderkingen for a surprisingly good coffee. The sky was not looking very encouraging and we feared the worse. By the time we got to Rottenacker, about 7 or 8 K from our destination of Ehingen, fat drops were started to fall. We got a bit wet, but not soaked, and just made the train station in time.

Obermarchtal Abbey Church from the outside

When we got back to Andelfingen, where we’re not staying at Gasthof Sonne (that’s the next one!) but at Gasthof Swanen, Frau Smidt told us they had had golf-ball size hailstones! That was a lucky miss. Tomorrow I’m putting the rain capes back in the paniers.

And just for the record, despite our fast day (500 calories for me, 600 for Jean Michel), we cycled 61 kilometers including lots of hills. Tomorrow, we can have ice-cream and riesling again.

Cycling on the Danube – Sigmaringen to Beuron

June 20, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp

We wake up to another brilliant blue sky and by the time we’ve finished breakfast, it’s already 25°C. We decide to drive to Sigmaringen, about 20 K away and get ourselves a proper cycling map since ours isn’t detailed enough.

After paying 20 centimes for one hour’s parking (you wonder why they bother!) we wander through the quaint animated streets looking for the tourist bureau. The only thing they have is a not-very-detailed map of all the cycling routes in this part of Germany (Baden Württemberg). We regret not having ordered the Eurovelo 6 on the internet but we didn’t get our act together in time.

We find ourselves a place to park near the cycle path and set out for Beuron, only to discover, after taking a multitude of photos of the schloss (castle), with and without swans, that a flower festival is temporarily occupying the banks of the Danube in Sigmaringen. So we ride along the main road for a while.

Typical scenery along the Danube with a church bulb in the distance

We finally catch up with the bike path on the outskirts and start to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the river. The temperature keeps rising but we don’t notice it while the path is flat because you always stir up your own little breeze when cycling.

When the road begins to climb however, we start noticing it! As cliffs start to form on either side, the path gets steeper and steeper. By the end, we are walking our bikes up and dripping with sweat. At the top, in the little village of Enzigkofun, we see a church with a white bulb and go inside to get cool off. We are rewarded with an amazing baroque gallery with the twelve apostles on either side of a crucifixion.

Fortunately, the path then leads into a forest otherwise we might melt altogether. Suddenly it starts descending and I can’t even enjoy it because I keep thinking about having to ride back up again on the way back. At the bottom, when I catch up with Jean Michel (I’m always reluctant to go down too fast in case I skid or something), I tell him that I really don’t think I’m up to the return journey.

Lunch in the shade at Gasthaus Mühle in Dietfurt

“I have a proposal”, he says. “We can take the train back from Beuron.” I shout with glee. After lunch at Gasthaus Mühle in Dietfurt, where we cool off under the shade for an hour and eat enormous salads, we’ve only done 15 kilometers out of 38 but Jean Michel reassures me that there are no more hills.

Werenwag Schloss that I don't want to cycle to — Werenwag Schloss that I don’t want to cycle to

Well, he’s wrong. Most of the path from Dietfurt to Beuron is up hill and down dale in the boiling sun, with a few shady stretches to save the day. We round a corner at one stage and Jean Michel points out a shloss on a high hill towering above us. “That is one schloss I do not want to see”, I say. “Then I’ll take it off the list.” “Don’t let me stop you see it; I’m happy to stay down here and rest while you go up.” He very kindly says he’ll relinquish it for my sake.

Eventually we find somewhere to have coffee – Gasthof Neumühle in Tiergarten – and I suddenly remember the word eis so we have an ice-cream Sunday each. After all those hills – and the ones to come – I reckon we deserve it. The enterprising chef, Walter, looks up the train timetable for us and behind him, I see a plasticised Radweg brochure with all the Danube cycling maps we need. Bingo !

The ice-cream seems to give me new strength and I somehow get ahead during the next stretch. Jean Michel’s probably taking photos. I round a corner after another climb and see a large building on the right. It turns out to be Sant Maurus Kapelle and has painted scenes both inside and out. We buy a booklet but it’s all in German. I think it was built in 1861.

At that point we see a signpost saying 6 K to Beuron. I thought it was only 3 which is a bit disappointing. I’m getting tired by this stage. We see the 5 o’clock train speed past so know we’ve got plenty of time to catch the 6.09.

After a glass of riesling to cool off (a little early maybe but they don’t have any diet coke) at a local café opposite a crucifixion, we cycle down to the station which shows no sign of selling tickets. However, a lady indicates a little haus further along the platform which turns out to be a ticket machine – all in German, of course. However, after four tries we manage to buy one ticket and then another second.

The train arrives and we see there is a bike compartment. Yes, inside there is a large area to put our bikes and even seat belts to attach them. But there is no special system for hoisting the bikes up the steep steeps into the train. Fortunately, another passenger helps me.

It’s rather fun going past the places we cycled along, taking 20 minutes instead of 3 hours! Jean Michel amazingly knows how to get from the bahnhof to the car. He always surprises me with his sense of direction. Looks as thought it’s going to be hot and fine tomorrow again. But it’s going to be hard to beat today!

Cycling on the Danube in Germany – Binzwangen to Mengen including Zwiefalten

June 19, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 40 Comments

There’s thunder and lightning and pouring rain when we leave Paris at 9 am but after 3 hours driving east, the weather improves immensely and by the time we reach Germany, it’s an incredible 31°C and the sky is an intense blue. Now, that’s what I call holiday weather!

We come round a bend and see a shining white bulb that turns out to be the cathdral of Zwiefalten completed in 1750. We have a cold drink at the bar opposite and visit the beautiful baroque interior just before it closes at 6 pm. It reminds us of the first time we saw a rococco interior in Germany. It was the Pilgrimage Church of Wies at the foothill of the Alps and we walked for hours up a hill. It was very plain from the outside, but the inside was extraordinary.

Baroque interior of Zwiefalden cathedral

The village itself is very pretty and peaceful, especially with its little stream.

Little stream running through Zwiefalden

After checking into Gasthof Sonne (sonne means sun) in Andelfingen, we change into cycling clothes and head for the Danube by car. We picnic before setting off on our bikes. We’re delighted to be in holiday mode so soon.

We pass several villages with their clean white houses and church spires along the path.

We’re amazed at the number of crosses along the way as well, often next to picnic tables.

Fifteen kilometers later, we arrive at Mengen, a quaint little town with a tall spire, many colourful half-timbered houses, one of which was built in 1596.

They have a number of very large storks on the buildings which intrigues us. Many of the shop windows also have dummies dressed as soldiers in traditional garb, including a a surprising Beefeater but I stupidly forget to take a photo.

By the time we start on our way back, the light is waning and we reach the car just before it gets dark. As soon as we open the door to Gastof Sonne, we are greeted by welcome coolness. One thing I did not worry about when booking our accommodation was air conditioning and I was afraid we were in for a sleepless night! We need to be fit for tomorrow’s 40 K!

On-line restaurant bookings and museum tickets Paris

June 18, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 2 Comments

There’s nothing worse than waiting in long queues outside museums or missing out on a restaurant because it’s full when you get there, particularly when you’ve only got a few days in the City of Light.

The wisest thing is to buy museum tickets on-line and book restaurants ahead of time.

RESTAURANTS – mytable.com

A number of websites can be used to book restaurants. I recently tested www.mytable.com. It has a smart phone app and features Trip Advisor reviews. It also has a selection of the week, the latest promotions and latest reviews.

You can key in the country, restaurant name or location. In Advanced Search, you can indicate price range, region and type of cuisine, special cuisine such as gluten-free or vegetarian, and amenities such as free wifi, terrace, air-conditioning, handicapped accessible and so on.

A map is displayed with red pins to indicate restaurants. Click on the pin and the type of cuisine and price range will be shown. If you click on the name, you’ll be given more detailed information and any reviews on Trip Advisor.

Simply select your date, time and number of people and click on Make Free Reservation. Enter your details and you’ll receive confirmation by email. Nothing could be easier!

MUSEUMS

Many English websites exist where you can book on-line museum tickets but you often pay a hefty commission. I’ve chosen FNAC because it is the most popular and trustworthy French site, often chosen by the museums themselves. There is also digitik.com but I find it very confusing.

All public museums in Paris are free on the first Sunday of the month.

FNAC

FNAC is a chain of media stores across France. They also have an on-line booking service with an English translation: http://www.fnactickets.com/. The commission is usually one or two euros. Simply key in the name of the museum in the search box.

Once you have paid with your credit card, you can either print the ticket (which might be a problem if you’re already travelling), have it sent to you if you have an address in France (an extra 3.55 euro), abroad (an extra 13.50 euro!) or pick it up at one of the stores on the list.

In Paris itself, you will need to go to one of the FNAC stores listed. In the suburbs and provinces, many of the larger supermarkets offer a pick-up service: Hyper U, Casino, Intermarché, Carrefour, etc. and some tourist offices.

PARIS TOURIST OFFICE (CONVENTION AND VISITORS’ BUREAU)

The main “welcome” centre of the Paris Tourist Office is at 25 rue des Pyramides (between Louvre and Opéra just near Monoprix). It’s perfect for tickets that don’t have a time restriction since there is no price mark-up. You can pick them up at one of their six “welcome” centres including the Gare de Lyon, Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est train stations.

However, not all museums or combined tickets are available. They also handle tickets and bookings for Eurodisney and the main cabarets. http://booking.parisinfo.com for more details. You may have to queue for 20 minutes or so. Choose opening time (10 am) or lunchtime (12 to 2 pm). Open from 10 am to 7 pm every day.

Musée du Louvre (11 euro at museum)

FNAC: 12.60 euro, valid one year, no restriction on days or times. MUST DE COLLECTED. You don’t have to go through the security queue, which is the main advantage. Direct entry under the arch opposite the pyramid or using the fast queue above the pyramid.

Musée d’Orsay (9 euro at museum)

FNAC: 10.70 euro, valid one year, no restriction on days or times. CAN BE PRINTED OR COLLECTED. Direct entry C.

Combined ticket with Musée de l’Orangerie (Monet’s waterlilies): 17.70 euro

Combined ticket with Musée Rodin: 16.70 euro

Musée de l’Orangerie (7.50 euro at museum)

FNAC: 9.10 euro, valid one year, no restriction on days or times. CAN BE PRINTED OR COLLECTED. Direct entry.

Combined ticket with Musée d’Orsay: 17.70

Musée de Rodin (10.80 euro at museum)

Single tickets for the museum, currently valid until 01/09/2013, are only available on-line at http://www.digitick.com/index-css5-museerodin-lgen-pg1.html. TO BE DOWNLOADED ON MOBILE.

FNAC: Combined with Musée d’Orsay only: 16.70. CAN BE PRINTED OR COLLECTED.

Palais de Versailles (15 euro at palace)

FNAC: 16.80 CAN BE PRINTED OR COLLECTED. You must choose a specific day and time slot.

Eiffel Tower (14.50 at tower)

Not sold by FNAC, but on the official website of the Eiffel Tower: http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/en/preparing-your-visit/buying-your-tickets.html

Specific date and time (book at least 48 hours ahead of time). CAN BE PRINTED OR DOWNLOADED ON YOUR PHONE.

MUSEUM PASS http://en.parismuseumpass.com/.

You can book on-line or buy the pass at Charles de Gaulle and other outlets including the Paris Tourist Office: 2 days for 39 euro, 4 days for 54 euro, 6 days for 69 euro.

The full list includes Sainte Chapelle, Arc de Triomphe, Cluny, etc. It does not include the Eiffel Tower.

A brief calculation shows that it is worth buying a pass if you intend to go to at least 4 museums in 2 days, 5 museums in 4 days or 7 museums in 6 days.

Paris, Travel photos

Monday’s Travel Photos – Everyday Paris

June 17, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 7 Comments

We’re about to leave on a one-month holiday, cycling along the Danube from Ulm to Budapest. Fortunately, the floods have subsided and most of the bike paths should be open again. So this Monday’s photos are of Paris – just shots I’ve taken over the last few days, mainly in my neighbourhood, the sort of “everyday” Paris that is a part of my life.

A neighbourhood spread at Place Malraux, opposite the Louvre

East European buskers who are often in the metro

French children on a school excursion drawing the law courts opposite

The conciergerie which has now been completely renovated.

My Sunday morning market at Sainte Eustache

A café in rue Montorgueil on a Sunday morning

Aussie in France

Budapest – Pictures of Pest

Budapest – more accommodation problems

Bratislava, a Memorable Experience

Rain on the Danube in Austria

Cycling along the Danube – Ehingen to Ulm

OTHER POSTS ABOUT CYCLING IN GERMANY

Cycling along the Danube – from its source to Ehingen

OTHER POSTS ABOUT CYCLING IN GERMANY

Cycling on the Danube – Sigmaringen to Beuron

OTHER POSTS ABOUT CYCLING IN GERMANY

Cycling on the Danube in Germany – Binzwangen to Mengen including Zwiefalten

OTHER POSTS ABOUT CYCLING IN GERMANY

On-line restaurant bookings and museum tickets Paris

RESTAURANTS – mytable.com

MUSEUMS

FNAC

PARIS TOURIST OFFICE (CONVENTION AND VISITORS’ BUREAU)

Musée du Louvre (11 euro at museum)

Musée d’Orsay (9 euro at museum)

Musée de l’Orangerie (7.50 euro at museum)

Musée de Rodin (10.80 euro at museum)

Palais de Versailles (15 euro at palace)

Eiffel Tower (14.50 at tower)

Monday’s Travel Photos – Everyday Paris

from the Tropics to the City of Light