We are home now. We spent our last three days in Central Europe in three of the four country capitals situated on the Danube – Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest – and rode our last train bound for the fourth capital – Belgrade. The Danube, beautiful although not blue, is the second longest river in Europe, stretching from the Black Forest […]

As a child, I loved fairy tales. Now I find myself in the land where fairy tales were created. I’m surrounded by castles with turrets and moats, walled medieval towns, lush green forests, snow-capped mountains, blue-green lakes, windowbox flowers showcasing white lace curtains, and neat stacks of wood outside quaint cottages. The pure, clean air […]

It’s been well over a week since we were in Auschwitz. I’ve needed time to process and couldn’t write about what I saw there until now. This was my second visit. This time, green grass and tour buses seemed incongruous with death. But once we stepped out of our shuttle, we could sense the spirit of […]

I am posting this from Berlin. We have been learning tons about history, especially 20th century history, and Berliners make it fun to learn. The pretend guards at the old Checkpoint Charlie pose for photos with tourists; entrepreneurs at “Rent a Trabi” lease old Trabant cars painted like safari animals; a guy at Brandenburg Gate gives […]

Our whirlwind train tour of Central Europe has brought us to Prague, the jeweled capital of the Czech Republic. I fell in love with Prague at first sight, back in 1991. Its labyrinth of winding cobblestone alleys and medieval spires cast a magical allure. We are staying in New Town, which is old by American […]