Danube River Cruise Recap

Our Danube river cruise is coming to an end. We embarked in Vienna, Austria, then made our way south 1,200 miles all the way to the Black Sea.  I never thought I’d visit Eastern European countries like Bulgaria and Romania, but I’m glad we had the chance to. Here’s a recap. Continue reading “Danube River Cruise Recap”

Roamin’ Around Romania

The average westerner doesn’t know a lot about Romania. It hasn’t been in the news much since the communist break-up in 1989. When westerners think of Romania, maybe gypsies come to mind. If you’re into tennis, Ilie Nastase and Simona Halep for sure. And for off-beat history buffs, maybe Vlad the Impaler? Continue reading “Roamin’ Around Romania”

Cyril and Methodius

We’re in Bulgaria, the first place I’ve been where Cyrillic script is used extensively. It looked so strange to me, like something out of a Tolkien book. I wanted to know more. It turns out that two brothers, Cyril and Methodius, invented it to solve a tough problem. Here’s the story… Continue reading “Cyril and Methodius”

Budapest – Just Scratching the Surface

Yesterday we were in Slovakia.  Today, Hungary. That’s how it goes when you’re cruisin’ down the Danube. Budapest, with its massive parliament building dominating the view, is an impressive destination when arriving by boat. Continue reading “Budapest – Just Scratching the Surface”

Beautiful Downtown Bratislava

The first stop on our Danube river cruise is Bratislava, Slovakia. We disembarked here this morning, hopped on a big tour bus, and toured Bratislava Castle. Now we’re headed back down Castle Hill, on our way to see beautiful downtown Bratislava. Continue reading “Beautiful Downtown Bratislava”