CZECH REPUBLIC, VIENNA AND BUDAPEST

APRIL 2009

4/4/09

I woke at 4.45 and I had a shower. Hannah was late up at 5.20. We caught the 5.45 number 16 bus to the bus station. The feeder coach came early and we left Normanton by 7.30. I left my best coat on the feeder bus so I was annoyed with myself.

We stopped at Cambridge services where we had a coffee and rang home. We also had an extra stop at Maidstone services where a load of teenagers were on their way to Salou. We arrived at Hythe and after having a Starbucks we left at 14.15. On the ferry Hannah had our usual Chicken tikka curry with cheesecake, cheese and biscuits and a latte.

We arrived in France local time 18.00.

On the drive through Belgium I had a hot chocolate and watched Mama Mia on the coach TV.

We arrived in Liege at the Ramada plaza at 21.45. I caught up with my diary then bed.

5/4/09

We were supposed to have an early morning phone call but we didn't get one, we woke at 6.30, got dressed and packed. Leaving the cases outside at 7.15 we went down for breakfast. After breakfast we took a short walk along the river ????? Before getting on the coach and leaving Liege.

We travelled through Germany stopping at services at 11.30 for lunch. I had goulash soup and Hannah had a sandwich. We stopped again later Hannah had a muffin and hot chocolate but I didn't have anything as I felt a bit ill.

We arrived in Prague at 7pm in time for dinner at 8pm.

At dinner the starter was something wrapped in ham, it was ok. Main course was chicken stuffed with ham and cheese (I was a bit worried it was goats cheese) with chips and green beans. Pudding was cake with cream and coffee. After dinner we had a walk to the monastery which wasn't too far away. We didn't stay out too long.

6/4/09

I woke at 6.30 went to the window to look at Prague and the sun was just rising, it was so beautiful. We went to breakfast at 8.30 then we had a walk into town on our own even though the tour of Prague was free. First we walked to the monastery where we had visited last night. We then found the graffiti wall which was dedicated to John Lennon. We walked on to the Fred and Ginger building to take photos. We found a cafe which was lovely. I had a latte and a slice of walnut cake, Hannah had maple and walnut ice cream and a hot chocolate. We then tried to find Wenceslas square where the revolution took place but we couldn't find it so we went to Starbucks instead. We went to the main square where the church Our Lady of Tyn was and the astronomical clock which chimes at 2pm. The twelve apostles come out and parade past. After a KFC we then made our way to Petin hill where we took the funicular to the top. We then walked down the hill to the castle which was very nice with the guards and St Vitus cathedral within the walls. Unfortunately it cost a lot to go into the golden lane and as we didn't have much time it wasn't worth it. We had to be back at the hotel at 6pm for dinner. Hannah and I sat next to the queer family for dinner. For dinner I had duck with salad then pork with chips, leeks and peppers. I was so full I didn't want any tiramisu and they didn't bring milk for the coffee so Hannah had mine. After dinner we went back to the main square and had a Starbucks, I also bought a travel mug with Czech Republic on it. We walked back to the hotel quite tired, posted our Czech postcards and went to bed.

7/4/09

I woke before the alarm, had a shower then woke Hannah. We left the cases outside at 8.30 then went down for breakfast. The coach left Prague at 9.30 and we were sorry to leave. We drove to Telc (telch) which is a UNESCO site. It was very quaint and beautiful with all the houses brightly coloured and decorated. We had lunch in a restaurant, I had chicken with asparagus (it came with lots of cheese on top I had to scrape it off in case it was goat's cheese).

We had a walk around the square with an ice cream before getting back on the coach. On the road out of Czech Republic we saw lots of scantily clad women standing by the road, as we came to a hotel at the roadside it advertised in neon signs girls for sale, all the cars were honking as they drove past. Once over the border into Austria it was only an hour before we were in Vienna.

At the hotel we had a quick change then down to dinner. At dinner we sat with a couple, Mike and Jean (she looked a bit like Caroline Ainslie) who came from Oxford. We also sat with Alicia (a talkative woman from Birmingham, who had been to Leeds university) and John and Sheila (an Australian, this wasn't her real name). The starter was leek soup (delicious) then meatloaf with mash and fried onion, then a fruit sponge for dessert. After dinner we had a short walk around then we watched some BBC primetime on TV before be

8/4/09

Breakfast was at 8am, by half past Hannah and I were making our way to the underground for a day in Vienna. A 24 hour travel ticket for the underground cost us 5.60 euros each. We had a walk around Vienna first stopping at Starbucks opposite the Hofburg. Vienna was beautiful and exquisite. We had coffee and cake at the gloriette after walking up a very steep hill. It was worth it as the view was marvalus.

We rushed around a bit as there was a lot to see although we didn't get to visit the Belvedere. We only just made it back to the hotel in time for dinner at 7pm.

Dinner was consommé soup with dumplings followed by beef stew with a gnocchi type side dish; dessert was chocolate cake with cream. Hannah went on the internet for 15 minutes then to McDonalds to get me a coke. We then had a nice quiet night in the hotel room.

9/4/09

We woke at 6.30 had breakfast and were on our way to Budapest by 7.30. We stopped about an hour from Budapest for a toilet stop. Once in Budapest Mark, the driver, picked up Andrea the guide. We were taken up Gellert hill so that we could take photos. The view was stunning. Once back down on Elizabeth Bridge we got out as we were not doing the tour. First we found a Coffee shop co. cafe and had a latte and a piece of cake. We then started to walk towards Heroes square but it was a very long way so we caught the underground. The guards on the underground were friendly but quite scary. At the square we took photos then got back on the underground and went to Freedom square. We then walked to the river across the chain bridge to go up the funicular. The funicular was closed for repair and we couldn't be bothered to walk up so we walked back towards the shops.

We had lunch at McDonalds where we saw our drivers. We had a walk around trying to spend our ? Before going for another coffee in the Coffee shop co. cafe. We caught the coach on time and arrived back at our hotel at 6pm. Dinner was at 7pm. Cauliflower soup followed by fish and potatoes with salad and crème caramel and coffee for dessert. We went to our room after dinner and packed.

10/4/09

GOOD FRIDAY

We were up early with our suitcases outside and breakfast at 7.30.

The coach set off at 8.30 across Austria towards Germany. We stopped in Germany for lunch, goulash soup. We stopped again at Wurzburg where the views were wonderful. We got stuck in some traffic and arrived at our hotel in Wiesbaden at 7.30. Dinner in the hotel was a buffet which was very nice. I had salad then chicken and veg followed by strawberries and custard with cherries on. After a nice bath we both went to bed.

11/4/09

We woke at 7am then after breakfast we set off at 8.30. We drove to Koblenz where we went on a little road train. It was such a laugh as there wasn't much to see and everybody was making fun. Hannah and I didn't have much money left so we walked along the Rhine and shared a hot dog. I bought a latte from a drinks machine and we sat on the coach and ate a packet of M + S biscuits. We travelled through Germany to Belgium where we stopped at services. It didn't have an ATM so we couldn't buy anything. Once we crossed the border into France we were very near our hotel at Neuville en ferrain. Hannah and I went for a walk before dinner. Dinner was delicious, soup then pork with potatoes and veg, followed by apple pie and custard. Hannah and I went to our room to watch TV. We could get BBC 1 and ITV. The screen on the TV was the wrong way so any writing had to be read through a mirror.