Month: September 2017

The day started with a tour from a British expat named Jason.  The tour was called “Hidden Mysteries.  It gave the group a good understanding of the last 100 years of political history and change in Prague.  The tour circled old town and led the group through the Jewish Quarter.  After a couple of hours, Jason told the group good-bye and left them on their own.  (He left because the tour was over not because they were difficult).  Immediately, the group headed for lunch because walking can make you hungry.  At the restaurant,  Joyce got her long awaited pig knuckle.  (Debbie continued her quest to find the best wiener schnitzel in Europe.)

In the afternoon, the Jewish Museum in Prague was visited.  History Moment:  The Jewish Museum in Prague is a museum of Jewish heritage in the Czech Republic and one of the most visited museums in Prague.  It includes six Jewish monuments:

• Maisel Synagogue – Synagogue from the 10th to 18th century.  During the Nazi occupation of the Czech lands, properties of the Czech Jewish communities were stored in Maisel Synagogue
• Pinkas Synagogue – The Pinkas Synagogue is the second oldest preserved synagogue in Prague built in 1530. In 1955-60, the Pinkas Synagogue was turned into a memorial to the nearly 80,000 Jewish victims of the Shoah from Bohemia and Moravia.
• Spanish Synagogue – The newest of the six historic Prague synagogues was built in the Spanish Moorish style in the second half of the 19th century. It has colorful stained glass, stylized Oriental motifs.  Often called the most beautiful synagogue in the Prague Jewish town.  (It is pretty nice!)
• Klaus Synagogue – The largest synagogue in the former Prague Jewish ghetto and also a single example of an early Baroque synagogue in the area.
• Ceremonial Hall – Located next to the Old Jewish Cemetery on the site of an old mortuary used by the Prague Burial Society (Hevrah Kaddisha). The first floor once housed a room for the ritual washing of the dead; on the second floor was the burial society’s club room.
• Old Jewish Cemetery – During the more than three centuries in which it was in active use, the cemetery continually struggled with the lack of space. Piety and respect for the deceased ancestors does not allow the abolish of old graves. Only occasionally the Jewish Community was allowed to purchase grounds to expand the cemetery and so many times it had to gain space in other ways; if necessary, a new layer of soil was heaped up on the available area. For this reason, there are places where as many as twelve layers now exist.
• Old-New Synagogue – The synagogue was originally called the New or Great Synagogue and later, when newer synagogues were built in the 16th century, it became known as the Old-New Synagogue

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It was an interesting afternoon but a bit overwhelming.  (Debbie says that she could not match the places to the names.)  After all that history, some shopping was done in the afternoon as a reward.

Everyone was up early to make the train for Prague.  After a 4-hour train ride, they arrived in Prague.  Just a note: English is not as prevalent in the Czech Republic.  The group ate a late lunch at the train station and then walked with bags in tow to the rental apartment check in office.  At the check in, intensive coaching was done with Joyce and Debbie on how to open the door.  (They must look lock challenged).  They practiced until Debbie had the instructions memorized and Joyce could pantomime the motions to unlock.

Once checked in, a taxi was called.  After a few minutes, Mom’s Taxi pulled up.  (We can’t make this stuff up and it did look like your Mother’s car if it is a mess).   It was a small car and did not look like it could accommodate 4 people and 4 bags.  The driver opened his trunk to show it was full of personal junk.  (We do truly mean junk).  After moving stuff around and getting an interpreter (Google translate does not work for Czech), the decision was made to call a bigger taxi.  Mom’s Taxi leaves and then the travelers were told “Not Possible” to find a bigger cab ( “Not Possible” – a favorite English phrase – It is also not possible to have butter on your bread.).  So, Joyce and Debbie take an Uber in car number 1 while Larry and Jerry wait for a taxi.  Eventually, Mom’s Taxi shows up (same taxi) with room for 2.

Joyce and Debbie arrived at the apartment and practiced opening the front door over and over.  They left one person inside in case there was an issue but became so confident that they both moved outside.  Unfortunately, things then started to go wrong and the door jammed.   Joyce flagged down people to help but they could not unlock the door either.  By the time Jerry and Larry arrived, the group was locked out of the apartment.  Luckily after a few minutes of standing pathetically on the sidewalk, someone came out of the building thus solving the lock incident of 2017.   (We had a plan just didn’t want to call check in and tell them that we failed the coaching)

Within 5 minutes of arriving in the flat, the front room curtain rod had fallen when opened.  Through a combined group effort involving a wooden spoon, the curtain was repaired.   Larry also learned how European windows can suddenly pop open causing repair people to end up from standing on the window ledge, to falling onto the sofa and rolling to the floor.  It did give Debbie a moment of fright when she rounded the corner to find Joyce and Jerry standing over Larry laying on the floor going “Are you okay?”
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We are happy to report that Larry made a fully recovery in time to go to the Czech grocery store.  This led to another round of unsuccessful Google translation. (Yes, we know how to use it). Joyce forced Debbie to go order at the meat counter which traumatized her. (Debbie is now committed to eating a pound of tasteless salami before we leaving Prague).   Jerry was not allowed to go to the store in case the door didn’t work.  (He was our BCP (business continuity plan))

Despite all this our flat was nice.  Our front window is now always open when we are in the flat.  We can hear live Czech polka music all night long.  (Again, I am not kidding – Debbie says it gives a certain ambiance.  Larry polkas around the room when “roll Out the Barrels” is played).

Today was the last day in Berlin.  Debbie was determined that the group use their museum passes to obtain full value.  She chose the German History National Museum as the first step.  Cultural Moment:  The Germany History National Museum is a chronological tour through two floors that presents Germany history in its European context.  The museum did not have English audio guides and it took a little while to figure out the flow but overall it is a good museum that the group would recommend.

There was one incident with a guard and Joyce.  Joyce made the mistake of asking a guard if she could drink water in the museum.  He said many things all of which translated to “No”.  Joyce thought this meant that she could just take the water into the museum as long as she did not open it.  Turns out that it does not mean that.  The guard followed Joyce around the entry way of the museum until she tried to check the water.  The guard instructed the bag check lady  not to check Joyce’s water.  She was instructed to put the water on the desk but she could not check it.  Joyce and the lady exchanged eye rolls.  Joyce was happy to report that the water was returned at the end of the museum visit.

Lunch was at a great restaurant that we highly recommend.  Larry and Jerry got the special boiled meat plate.  It was much better than it sounds.  (Debbie suggested the “Spiffy Meat Platter” as a name.  The restaurant needs to work on the name of their dishes.)  It was meat boiled in a broth used as a soup and then the meat was the entrée.  Debbie stuck with wiener schnitzel. (Hard to mess that up) .  Larry said that his meal was good but that he really liked Debbie’s meal.  The restaurant was Aigrier Gendarmarket.

The chocolate club had an exceptional field trip planned.  As a surpriseThey stopped at the Ritter Company store and Rausch  Debbie then planned an exceptional field trip for the chocolate club.  The

They also visited Ritter’s Chocolate flagship.  A customer is able to make their own custom made chocolate club.  Debbie wanted to make a chocolate club bar but the wine club said that it would take too much time.  Next stop Rausch Schokoladenhaus, located in the Gendarmenmarkt square in Berlin’s Mitte district, is completely devoted to chocolate enjoyment.   They have awesome chocolate sculptures.    The chocolate club was ecstatic.

Some stores charge shipping costs as well. secretworldchronicle.com cheapest viagra no prescription There are many remedies for treating loved this viagra pharmacy erectile dysfunction but most of the men continue it secretly. High blood pressure pills viagra 25 mg and anti-depressants have been especially linked to retrograde ejaculation. Men who are not even tadalafil from india suffering from the erectile dysfunction. Debbie tried to get the group back on track for another museum but they declined and headed back.  Larry had some excitement as he exited the train.  He felt a hand in his pocket.  He turned around to find a woman who was trying to steal his wallet.  He flashed his mason’s badge with the Texas star and she ran away.  Larry did not lose anything.

Down side – Les Cheap Girl failed on full value of the museum pass.

Up side –  Larry is now called the Texas Sheriff, available for hire!

 

Today was the tour field trip to Potsdam.  Debbie had studied the maps and routes.  She was able to lead the group through 3 transfers including 2  U-bahn trains, a regional train and a bus, like a well-oiled machine.  (Actually, a well-oiled squeaking machine because the others kept questioning her auth-ri-ti sometimes sending Debbie into a frenzy).

Joyce:  “How do we know when to get off the bus at the palace?

Debbie’: “When we pull up to the gate”

Joyce:  “Are you sure?”

Debbie never actually thought about it since the book said to ride the bus to the palace. She trusted the book but maybe Joyce was right.  So, Joyce with Debbie in tow quizzed the bus riders.  (Not an enthusiastic group).  Guess what?  The bus pulled up to the visitor’s center and the group stepped off. (Debbie thinks it was a test from Joyce to see if she knew what she was doing).

Cultural Moment: Sanssouci Park is a group of palaces and garden complexes built by Frederick the Great during the 18^th century and expanded under Frederick Wilhelm IV.  First stop was Sanssouci Palace – Frederick the Great’s summer residence.

It was at Sanssouci that the group would first encounter some issues.  First several stink eyes had to be administered to a bus load of tourists from China that must have had limited time to see the palace.  The tour group pushed through and were reprimanded several times by the staff for not having photography wristbands (This involved purchasing a band – Debbie knew about the band and had already outfitted Larry with the appropriate band).  This pushing was what made Joyce and Jerry receive reprimands for stepping on the wood flooring.  The group of 4 also noticed that an alarm kept going off, they were all ready to stand behind the guard and deliver additional supportive stink-eyes until the guard approached Joyce to tell her to move her coat.  (Oops!).

After the four finished the tour, they discovered how to take selfies and were quite thrilled.  Thus, the many selfie pictures our children have received.  The group then decided to visit the kitchen and winery. (This could be counted as a wine club field trip.)  Unfortunately, the wine club field trip had an incident.  Jerry got lost.  The other three split up and conducted a search.  Debbie found Jerry wandering around.  (Join the chocolate club – they do not lose members.)  Debbie is also a bit obnoxious calling herself the finder since she takes credit for finding Joyce’s bag and Jerry.

Lunch was outside in a biergarten (beer garden) by ourselves.  At this point, Joyce discovered that she has lost her ticket.  After retracing steps and going back to the ticket office, the entry people tell Joyce just to use her receipt.

Next stop was the historic windmill – Debbie’s definition – a really old looking windmill that let you  walk to the top.  It has steep stairs and you hoped that you didn’t slip and were dumped unceremoniously on the floor.  No problem showing the receipt to get into the windmill.

On to the New Palace at Sanssouci.  Joyce presented her ticket at the reception area for an assigned time.

Reception person (RP):  “This is a receipt”

Joyce:  “I don’t have a ticket, the other reception desk said we could use this”.

RP:  Nein (No), I must have a ticket.

Joyce:  “I don’t need a ticket” as she steps closer to the to the desk.

Debbie:  “Perhaps you should talk to the lady at the front reception”

RP:  “It is not right.  I must have a ticket”.  Voice is raised.

Joyce:  As she lifts her leg to go over the counter, “I don’t need a ticket”.

Debbie:  As she pushes Joyce’s leg down, “Let’s call the other office and ask to speak to the British lady”.

RP:  “You must have a ticket” as she hands the tickets to Debbie.

Joyce:  “I want to speak to a supervisor”.

RP:  To Debbie “I gave you four tickets” as Debbie drags Joyce from the room.

The group stomps back down to the New Palace and uses the ticket. Cultural Moment:   The New Palace was built by Frederick the Great for his guests.

More houses were visited.  Frederick liked to build.

• The Roman Baths – Built in the style of an ancient Italian villa but not a lot to see.
• Chinese House – Another building that shows the preference of the time for Chinoiserie (We can’t make this stuff or words up).
• Charlottenhof Palace – the place of crown prince William IV and his family. The scene extensive reprimands.

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Charlottenhof Palace  – The group mistakenly thought that the tour would have the following:

• English audio guide – Nope
• Tour guide that would know an English word other than – No
• Written handout – Yes but it was 1 page for 12 rooms.

List or reprimands received by the group during the tour

• Debbie needed to turn her backpack to the front
• Joyce touched the railing so she wouldn’t fall over putting on her shoes
• Debbie and Joyce were told to wear their jackets instead of tying around their waist
• Joyce was in trouble for carrying her jacket instead of wearing it (Stink eye only)
• Jerry and Joyce for getting off the rug on the floor.

To tour, one had to wear shoes over their regular shoes.  The only way to move was to slide.  Larry really got into it and swung his arms like a speed skater.  He recruited Joyce to the speed skating team until she quit when she almost fell.  Both got questionable looks from the guide.  Debbie was concerned that she would pass out from the heat because she was wearing a jacket.  (We know your question why didn’t they leave?)  There was no way out as the guide locked and unlocked each room as the tour group traveled from room to room.  (Debbie was going to fake fainting but was unsure that she could fall on the floor without getting off the rug or that Larry could stop when he speed-skated over to her).   We think that the guide was actually good as the German member of the tour were smiling and nodding.

After the Charlottenhof Palace, the group headed home on a crowded train.  Joyce thought that she had found the best seats ever with tables and plush chairs.

Debbie:  ”We can’t sit here”.

Joyce:  “Yes, we can”.

Debbie:  “No, we are going to be thrown out.  You don’t mess with the Germans on this”.

Joyce:  “It is fine.  They won’t throw us out”.

Conductor:  “Tickets Please.  (Deep sigh).  These are not first class tickets”

Debbie:  “I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.  I have never been kicked out of a seat.”  This is so traumatic. (Wait she only thought this).  What she said was “We are moving now ”.  Everyone got a stink eye for this.

Debbie had to buy a doner with lots of chili on it to soothe her wounded self for 4 euro.  (More intense writing here).  Meanwhile, the other three were cutting lines and throwing the Chinese food place into disarray.  There needs to be a serious discussion on obeying the rules….

Still no word on the baggage and the day begins in an unhappy state.  As everyone by now knows, if Joyce is not happy, none of us are happy.

Today will be a more cultural day with visits to museums planned.  The original plan is to visit the German History Museum but Debbie’s plans get jacked by dueling GPS systems.  She eventually sees the Neues Museum and indicates that this is what she actually meant.  Neues probably translates to German History (It doesn’t and she knows this but is trying to cover her lapse in directions.  You can’t have the tour group lose confidence in the guide. BTW: Why don’t they ever clap at the end of her tours like the other tour groups?  Shout out to my Venice tour members, Don and Greg, didn’t you want to clap for Debbie that time she had to improvise as the tour leader?).

Cultural Moment: The Neues Museum displays artifacts from Egypt and the Papyrus Collection.  Big plus for the museum –  free audio video in English.  Star attractions include the bust of Nefertiti and the Berlin Golden Hat.  You have probably seen pictures of the bust of Nefertiti.  Visitors are not allowed to take close up pictures but the guards will line you up at the door and allow you to take a long shot.  The Golden hat is this really weird looking hat.  The theory is that it tracks the lunisolar calendrical systems of up to 57 months.   The hat allowed the owner to predict the seasons which is valuable information.  (Debbie says that the hat owner must have really tiny heads and don’t see how they could hold up the hat.  Larry’s hear is too big.)  It really is an interesting museum.  Half of it is Egyptian and the other pre-German/early German history.

As the morning progresses, Joyce continues to pelt the airline / baggage companies with texts and calls to no avail.  No answer – nothing .  Joyce travels through the museum sending out waves of sadness which seems to wash over the others.  (That really sounded good, didn’t it?   Maybe Debbie should be a writer?  This is being written on a train.  How artistic is that?)  Anyway, It is with much sadness that the group breaks for lunch.

The group finds a nice shady place by the river.  The skies feel the pain of the lost baggage and begin to cry.  (It rains – still being artistic).  Seriously, though, Joyce is quite upset at this point.  Debbie and Larry suggests that the group forget the museum in the afternoon and go on a field trip to the airport.  (They have the 7 day transit pass after all). It is worth a shot.  At least, Joyce could find out the name of the baggage service.  Larry and Jerry are sent back to the flat on the off chance that the baggage is delivered.   So off Joyce and Debbie go, on bus TXL to the airport.

Once the duo arrives at the airport, they discover that the Berlin airport has a building dedicated to baggage service.  Debbie thought this is encouraging as they must have a lot of issues with bags.  Joyce is not as encouraged.  The two must have looked really professional (more likely confused tourists) as a man walks up to them and asks if they needed help immediately.  He takes the ticket and goes to check.  Debbie sits down in preparation for the wait.
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One moment Joyce is there and the next she is gone.  Debbie jumps up to try to find her.  Debbie sees Joyce talking to the guy behind a restricted area.  She could only see them through the top half windows.  There is arm waving and frantic talking.  Debbie is concerned that Joyce is going to get thrown out.  The two disappeared behind a door.  Then more shockingly, both emerge from behind the door where Joyce kisses the guy on the cheek and then burst through the door dragging her bag.

JOYCE IS HAPPY!!!!!!!  EVERYONE IS HAPPY!  The bag is found!!!  JOY ABOUNDS!!  (Cut to scene where Debbie and Joyce hug – Everyone else looks on in amazement – the room bursts into applause (not really) ).

Les Cheap Girls spring for a taxi even though, they have transportation passes.  Joyce lovingly pats her bag.

Things are back to normal.  That night Joyce, Larry and Debbie walk to the bakery and explore a different path home.  They stumble on a Chinese restaurant.  Joyce and Larry are staring so intently through the window trying to see the food that the owner comes out to check on them (Debbie is trying to be cool about it and stand away from them).  The owner invites them in to check it out – Dumplings made to order.  One of the cooks offer them a sample. (Okay, Debbie runs over when she thought that she might get a sample.  They are like “Oh, you are with them? “  Debbie said “Well, yeah, they are my security people so I should have a bigger portion of that sample than them”.)   Things are back to normal.

After the visit to Europe in 2016, Larry developed a more serious interest in wine.  He and Jerry often try out a new wine.  (Debbie and Joyce are suspicious of the reasons for these drinks).   They also hang out with Les Cheap Girls.  There is an indication that Larry might want to start a wine club.  He found wine for only 7.50 Euro in Frankfurt.  He was so impressed with the cost that he bought it to take to Berlin. (Joyce and Debbie tried to convince him that Berlin has wine even cheap wine.  We think that Jerry had given the thumbs up behind their back).  He was unmovable and brought the wine on the train in his backpack.  (Possibly, in case of another round of Amazing Race travel). Luckily, it was not needed on the Berlin train trip.   Although, he did disappear for periods of time with this backpack..

So, if you want to be an official member of Larry and Jerry’s wine club just reply here.  Debbie says that she is starting a chocolate club instead.  She bought Fedora’s chocolate today for all club members (She is the only club member thus far and has daily meetings.).  Make a choice readers – wine or chocolate?
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Joyce was still not happy.  Her baggage was day 3 in captivity.

The day started with a stop at the Reichstag building.  Debbie discovered that you could stand in line to get tickets for the Reichstag dome.  (This was a good thing because our tour guide might have dropped the ball.  Clearly, someone should have reserved ahead of time on-line but no it was not allowed once they arrived.  Instead, one had to stand beside annoying teenagers hanging off poles making squealing noises.)    The group was able to score a ticket and Debbie did not scream at mentioned teenagers (They did get the stink eye).

Berlin is a city with many sad and sobering monuments.   Because it was such a sobering and thought-provoking day, the sites visited are listed without our usual comments.

• Memorial to Politicians who opposed Hilter – This is dedicated to the 96 members of the German congress who spoke out against Hitler, but failed to stop him in 1933. They were imprisoned and then became his first victims. Each slate slab remembers one politician, with his name, political party, and the date and location of his death (generally in a concentration camp). Berlin Wall Victims Memorial
• Berlin Wall Victim Memorial – Memorial to victims killed when trying to escape from East Berlin
• Monument to the Murdered Sinti and Roma (Gypsies) of Europe 
• Brandenburg Gate – The Brandenburg Gate is an 18th-century neoclassical monument in Berlin, built on the orders of Prussian king Frederick William II after the successful restoration of order during the early Batavian Revolution. During the cold war it was in East Germany.  It is often considered the symbol of Berlin.
• American Embassy
• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe – a memorial in Berlin to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust
• Hilter’s Bunker – Hitler took up residence in the Führerbunker on 16 January 1945 and it became the center of the Nazi regime until the last week of World War II in Europe. It is now a parking lot.
• Unter den Linden – Unter den Linden is a boulevard in the central Mitte district of Berlin, the capital of Germany. Running from the City Palace to Brandenburg Gate, it is named after the lime trees that line the grassed
• Russian Embassy
• Reichstag – The Reichstag is the current home of the German parliament.

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The group did stop for lunch at the Mainhatten Bistro (should be it Manhatten Bistro?) where Larry and Jerry ordered the special meat plate.  (Debbie thinks that you should not order something called special meat.  Larry and Jerry are now off the special meat train and agree with Debbie.)

The group arrived back at the flat with no updates on the missing baggage. (Joyce is still not happy therefor the group is not happy).