Travel
elegant historical coffee houses
rubbing elbows with “ruin “ bars.
You can easily spend an afternoon at
the historic Central Market, built in
1897 and still one of the grandest
European food halls, watching
housewives haggle over prices as
they sniff the piles of paprika, sample
a smoky sausage or stock up at the
strudel stand on poppy-seed and
cabbage strudels. Head down to the
basement level to find an amazing
pickle parlor, AKA the Smily shop.
End the day with a tasty break
at one of the many famous coffee
houses, such as Auguszt cukrászda
(opened in 1870) for a slice of
their famed Dobos — a seven-layer
Hungarian sponge cake layered with
chocolate butter-cream and topped
with caramel.
The second night, after a wonderful,
traditional Hungarian dinner
onboard, there was an announcement
inviting all guests to the top deck
as the ship left port. We quickly
discovered why Budapest has earned
the nickname as “Paris of the East”
as we gazed, awestruck, at the
beautiful evening lights, which
magically illuminated the stunning
Art Nouveau buildings overlooking
the Danube River. With typical
Viking generosity, flutes of
champagne were passed which
added to our viewing pleasure.
Inside tip:
There are two appealing optional
excursions offered at the same time,
so you’ll have to choose between
a rejuvenating Budapest Spa
experience or a fascinating walking
tour of the old Jewish Quarter,
which includes a visit to the Dohany
Street Synagogue, arguably the
largest synagogue in the world. If
you are feeling jet-lagged from the
flight, I’d suggest doing the spa so
that you’re refreshed for the active
week ahead.
As we wove our way back to the
ship, we passed a lively looking
restaurant and decided to pop in to
try their national dish, bryndzové
halušky, airy potato gnocchi topped
with sheep cheese and bacon, that
puts our mac and cheese to shame.
Bratislava, Slovakia
Vienna, Austria
We had zero expectations about
Bratislava since about the only
thing we kept hearing about it
was: “Bratislava is the only national
capital that borders two other
countries, Austria and Hungary” -to which I thought, “Big whoop!”
Surprise! We adored this appealing
town, with its medieval Town Hall,
picturesque Gothic cathedrals and
towers and lovingly restored baroque
city palaces. The Old Town main
street, Michalska Ulica, was bustling
with both tourists and locals taking
advantage of the many art galleries,
antique stores and eateries.
After taking us to the major sites,
our guide led us to an intersection
to point out his favorite bit of local
color, Rubberneck, a bronze statue
sticking out of a manhole!
Rubberneck has already lost his
head twice due to careless drivers,
so city officials decided to help him
by putting up a warning sign.
Inside Tip:
We jumped ship for an enlightening
wine tasting at the Grand Cru Wine
Gallery. If you’re like us and know
next to nothing about Slovakian
wines, let Martin Pagac, the
knowledgeable young owner, assist
you. He poured us one amazing wine
after another, many sourced from
local wineries that sell only to him.
Vienna, once the centre of the
powerful Habsburg monarchy, still
exudes imperial glamour. On our city
tour we drove by some outrageously
opulent buildings, including the
world-famous Opera House, St.
Stephan’s Cathedral and Hofburg
Palace, as well as the Ringstrasse,
which encircles the medieval Inner
City. On your own you can explore the
eclectic museums clustered in The
Museums Quartier or peek into the
stables of the 440-year-old Spanish
Riding School, famous for their snowy
white Lipizzaner stallion ballet.
Definitely sign up for the evening
Mozart and Strauss Concert, where
the illustrious Vienna Residence
Orchestra (Rudolf Nureyev was once
a guest director here) performs
selections by Mozart and Strauss,
accompanied by singers and dancers
in period costumes.
Inside tip:
If you’re here on a Sunday, as we
were, note that ALL shops (except
restaurants and cafes) are closed on
Sunday. So it’s a good idea to sign up
for the optional tour to Schönbrunn
Palace, designated a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Experience the life
of a Habsburg as you tour the
sumptuous “Versailles of Vienna,”
erected in 1778 and graced by a
number of formal gardens, Grecian
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