Two weeks, almost 2000 kilometers, five countries, three major cities, three more of their little sisters, an agreeable array of country villages, and an assortment of amazing hikes: this was the Euro-version of a late summer road trip, right on the heels of the U.S excursion I’d taken alone just weeks before.
We chose our route to cover some places I’d been before, a few husband J had visited on a post-college rail trip, and a number that were new to both of us. Arrival and departure points were determined solely by airfares; in between, we attempted an itinerary that gave us city days interspersed with hiking time in the mountains. This arrangement was ideal, keeping us stimulated both mentally and physically as we bounced from historical tours to rocky trails throughout the trip.
We started in fair-haired, sophisticated Vienna. Warm in temperature and topped by a pale blue sky that matched her palace ceilings, Austria’s capital exuded a cool grace and refinement. She was the well-groomed, grown-up sister of her fellow Central European siblings. Perhaps a little prissy at times, she nevertheless offered a courteous and easy entrée to the region: familiar enough, yet fancily and intriguingly European in her costume of ornate facades. We found ourselves putting on nicer clothes for dinner here, and we strolled along elegant tree-shaded avenues all day long, from Schönbrunn Palace to Stephansplatz to the charmingly retro Prater park and amusement area.
Brilliant Budapest offered a pleasing contrast in many ways. More flamboyantly (and invitingly) overdone in her architecture, this more spread-out metropolis captured our imaginations in a different way than pristine and picture perfect Vienna. Budapest sprawled and lounged, her elegance ravaged at times by her history. The ruin bars, the Jewish quarter overall, the enormous thermal baths, and the outrageously large and magnificent buildings – from Parliament to the Buda hill complex, from concert venues to monuments – all bore a patina of faded beauty. Budapest felt larger-than-life and brainy in almost a mad scientist kind of way; she was the gorgeous but messy kid who forgot to comb her hair each day. Its glut of high culture notwithstanding, Budapest was a blue jeans kind of place for us, a grungier, looser city, and I think I enjoyed our time here more than in any of the other Big Three of the trip.
Prague was the last big city we visited. Everyone we talked to said it was their favorite, but for me, it suffered a bit for its place in the itinerary and the gray, bone-chilling dampness that hovered over the river and the town during our stay. Certainly clad in a similar – really, even grander – wardrobe of extravagant vestments, Prague impressed with its opulence, but wearing those pretty pastel fronts was a dark-haired, more serious girl, with a touch of masculine sensibility thrown in. Here we distinctly felt the presence of our former lives in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Chicago in the dark bars down a few steps from the street, with their heavy beer mugs and pretzels dangling on wooden stands. Dumplings like anchors in the stomach, soot-darkened stone, wood carvings and benches, leaden skies – the overarching feeling of Prague was a heaviness that might have been lightened by softer weather … but maybe not, I decided by the end.
Which brings me to beer. And bread. The Czech Republic won back all the points lost to the climate with those two beloved carbs. We drank beer, nearly all of it dark, in every place we sat down, no matter the time of day. We consumed baskets of bread meant for a family – no petite baguette rounds here; no, these were dense, earthy slabs, and there were times I think we ate a whole loaf between the two of us. We made good, solid Prague as good and solid as we could, and we came to appreciate her Baroque charms. Our final dinner was a cozy repast in a monastery outside of town; unlike the night before when we had desperately sought out lighter fare at a vegetarian place, this evening we filled our bellies with rich, warm barley, dumplings, and of course, more beer and bread.
Our time in the countryside was a fresh air counterpoint (and badly needed exercise opportunity) to these three lovely, cultured ladies. We ventured into the High Tatras mountains of northern Slovakia for some jaw-dropping scenery and hardcore hiking prospects. We circled alpine lakes on foot in Slovenia and elsewhere, climbed high above picturesque little towns in Austria, and ambled on a quiet Sunday morning through a village nearly untouched by tourists deep in the woods of Slovakia.
Every few days, we popped into the baby sisters of the bigger cities: Bratislava, with its unnecessary inferiority complex; Ljubljana, the quirky, bubbly little sibling; and Salzburg, a lovely riverside city unfortunately overrun with conspicuous consumption. We checked out a few travel darling locales and were surprised at our reactions; we adored Hallstatt, Austria, early one morning before the crowds arrived, but we were left feeling pretty ambivalent about Český Krumlov as we took a break on our drive north through the Czech Republic into Prague.
Random observations: Smoking is alive and well in this part of the world, as is flamingly fake maroonish-red hair. Europe does manhole covers better than anywhere else. I was freezing for much of the trip, but the locals were often in t-shirts and higher heels than I could have managed on old stony streets (and trails, but that’s for another post).
The driving was easy and fun; although I hated the long tunnels under the Alps, I appreciated as always the proper use of left lanes for passing only throughout Europe. The back roads, as they are everywhere, were a window into the true soul of these countries, and we rarely minded when we got stuck behind tractors, belching local buses, and the occasional horse cart.
We were chagrined to find that tourist behavior has continued a downward spiral, with selfie sticks at peak density even in smaller cities, young girls and couples posing with ridiculous pouts and/or cringe-worthy, exaggerated emotion, boorish elbowing in crowds, and blatant disregard for property. There were many times I felt sorry for the local people with all of the tourist ruckus in many of our destinations.
We interacted with both kind and gruff residents and shopkeepers throughout the region. As in many countries outside the U.S., service people seem to have a different idea of helpfulness; a vague answer or a shrug were often the only responses to a question or problem. It is what it is, they imply, and as always, we learn to adapt and eventually embrace the whatever attitude many other cultures possess.
The languages made for some fun deciphering, especially those that were closely related, and we built on our scant knowledge as the days went by. Perhaps it was manufactured in our minds, but we seemed to feel a tangible difference in the vibes of the countries we traversed. From proper to rugged to intellectual to laid-back to outdoorsy to blue collar to cultural (in that order, if you want to peruse the map again!), we followed a trail of central European personalities in a roughly clockwise loop. We wouldn’t have skipped a thing, but we both agreed that we wished for a lot more time in the mountain towns of our hiking bases. More on all of our destinations in upcoming posts!
Liesbet said:
You do love road trips, Lexie! What a wonderful summary of your two weeks in Europe. I like and snickered about your descriptions of all the ladies, and recognized everything you showed and said about Budapest, which is still fresh in our minds. That trail in Slovakia was very rough, based on that one photo I spotted!
The scenery is attractive and I can see why you wish you had more time in the mountains and the surrounding villages. The mentality there must have been different than in the “metropolises” and tourism more manageable. Your descriptions of European “service” people is pretty much right on as well. One of the things I like about Americans is their friendliness. And, their helpfulness (in many cases) in stores and restaurants.
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Liesbet! It was such a great trip – really one of the easiest and most relaxing we’ve had in some time. The Slovakian hike had long sections of those stony paths; I panted crankily climbing up them, and winced going down! But as you can see, the vistas were well worth the effort!
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AndysWorldJourneys said:
lots of big cities on the way – i remember the Tatras well though, they are just a wonderful spot in Europe not everyone knows about. Good on you for driving all that way, I dont think I could stand driving in the big cities. 🙂
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lexklein said:
The Tatras were simply amazing! I was lucky to read about them (and one specific hike) on another blog few years ago, and then and there, I put this place on my mental map.
We only had to really drive in two bigger cities, Budapest and Prague, and in the former we parked the car and never moved it for the time we were there, and in Prague, we just drove in and returned the car at the end. So, no big worries on the city driving, which doesn’t really faze me anyway having driven in big cities for much of my life!
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estelea said:
What journey ! you re giving such a vibrant tribute to those places,I feel like visiting now .. Europe for me is becoming so exotic 😉 Those hikes seems so peaceful and such a bless for the lungs.
You really deserved those beers and breads!
Thanks for helping in filling my bucket list. I had to share your post with my husband and his Swiss heart totally validated it too. We’ll litteralu follow your trails next summer X
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lexklein said:
I laughed when you said Europe now seems exotic to you! Of course, I totally get it – for us, it feels different enough but so easy to handle. A great place for a road trip, something I would not attempt on my own in most of Asia! And thank you – YES, I did deserve all that beer and bread – haha! The funny thing is that I actually lost weight over the two weeks with so much hiking and city walking!
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estelea said:
I ve always said it: anything you eat with pleasure has no calorie ! (OK, add a little treck or 2 😉
Have a lovely week X
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Green Global Trek said:
What a wonderful trip with such a lovely balance of activities and sights. I do love to combine seeing a city with being in nature! Your photos are glorious and as we head towards Paris, making our way back to Sri Lanka particularly enjoyed this post and am getting excited for time in Europe after so long!
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Peta – the itinerary worked out really well – even better than I’d hoped. As Estelea said above, even good old Europe can seem exotic after a lot of time in farther-away and more different lands. Hope you have a great time in Paris before continuing on!
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J.D. Riso said:
Back home already! You sure fit in a lot of places in two weeks. Even from this introductory post, I can tell that you felt the personality of each place. Looking forward to more posts.
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J.D. Riso said:
p.s. so you get what I mean about the tourist overload…so obnoxious!
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lexklein said:
I felt inclined to push whole groups into the Vltava, the Danube, or the Ljubljanica at times. Or at least the engagement photo couples with their hands under their chins, gazing into the sky. Or the girls pushing their lips out and cocking their arms on their hips. Or …. !!
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lexklein said:
Yeah, those pesky jobs get in the way of a longer stay! Two weeks seems short for a long drive, but we found this extremely relaxing. We never got up super early, never drove more than 4.5 hours in any day (and even on that one, we stopped halfway, walked around, ate lunch, etc.) It was very chill. From the outside, it may seem like we crammed a lot in, but we both felt it was the most laid back trip we’ve taken in a long time. We only had one major argument – and that’s evidence that there was little stress in our two solid weeks of togetherness! 🙂
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leggypeggy said:
What a wonderful trip and the photos are sensational.
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Peggy. It was a blast – surprisingly relaxing and very easy. As always, I feel my photos didn’t capture all the beauty and complexities, but I’m glad they looked good to you!
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leggypeggy said:
Your photos are more than enough to tempt me.
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lexklein said:
🙂
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badfish said:
This piece made me want to start writing again. Love the personality traits!! Love the photo of ?? with the dark water, bridge, and bright sun on the building. Quite a trip in 2 weeks! When I was in Bled, it was in Yugoslavia. I wanted to return to Prague to get that classic photo of the bridge at sunrise (or is it sunset?). I don’t remember Vienna much (I was there in 1969) and it didn’t impress me then (I think I was chasing girls, not architecture in those days…now it’s all architecture), but if it was good enough for Mozart, I’d like to return. I’m off to Ireland at 0230 tomorrow morning. And oddly enough, it’s also a road trip. But scarier–driving on the left. I ordered an automatic so I didn’t have to deal with shifting with my left hand while driving on the wrong side of the road. An auto shift car rents for twice the stick shift in Ireland, but it’s the dark Guinness that we care about most, eh? Oh, and this…they blocked all personal blogs where I live.
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lexklein said:
That last thing … whaaat? So you can only read or write on WordPress when you’re out of the country? Now you really do need to retire! I think the photo you like is of Ljubljana – you’ve been there, right? Didn’t we have a WP “argument” several years ago about whether the castle was there when you went?
Ireland will be such a change for you – so green and chilly! Is it fall break already? You’d be surprised how quickly the body adapts to left-side driving and even shifting. We did a road trip around Ireland in 1987 and I had to do all the driving since my husband can’t drive a stick. That’s probably when our driving roles solidified; he hasn’t been behind the wheel in a foreign country ever since! Finally, enjoy that sweet, creamy, wonderful Guinness. I’m not a huge brewery tour fan, but the Guinness storehouse was pretty fun (maybe it was the giant stout at the end).
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Manja Mexi Movie said:
He’s alive!! *celebrates* And it seems he has tried to convince everybody that there was no castle in Ljubljana. Hahaha.
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lexklein said:
Haha – remember that?!
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Manja Mexi Movie said:
I didn’t know he did it to you too! He certainly tried it with me several times. 😀
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lexklein said:
You simply must look at the latest comment on another post (https://lexklein.wordpress.com/2017/11/07/the-little-sisters/comment-page-1/#comment-11029) to see that our friend BF is STILL talking about the castle (and whether or not it has existed very long) in Ljubljana! I think he’s messing with us now.
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Manja Mexi Movie said:
Bahaha, I think he is messing with us since the start. But we love him anyway. And thanks for alerting me to the post, I have it bookmarked somewhere, I know that, but better safe.
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Mabel Kwong said:
Like your US trip, this sounds like you packed as much as you can in two weeks. Amazing and loved how you described each city like it each was a person. It sounded in and out of the cities. Maybe it was just the weather the day you went to Prague, or maybe the time of they year when things didn’t seem too exciting over there. That is some jaw dropping hiking scenery indeed and it must have been distracting walking over those uneven rocks 😀 Ah, smoking. Not something I do but I have nothing against it. From what I’ve heard from my friends who smoke, some of the best things to smoke socially – or to soothe stressed nerves – come out of Europe.
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lexklein said:
It’s funny, Mabel, but somehow this trip didn’t really feel packed with activities or driving. Everything is so close in Europe, and we never felt rushed or stressed about anything. The hike was indeed challenging; those rock fields lasted forever, and they were often quite steep, which meant a lot of work going up and a lot of balancing going down! I’m an ex-smoker, so smoking now seems really unpleasant me (mostly indoors). If I were ever going to start back up again, though, it would be in Europe where I have so many good memories of sitting in cafes with my coffee or a drink and a cigarette!
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Mabel Kwong said:
It’s always good when a trip is not rushed – you get to admire what’s around you at your own pace. Going downhill is always the harder for me – my knees hurt if I go too fast lol.
Hehe. Maybe do go back to Europe at some stage for good coffee, smokes and Cokes and a good hike after that 😀
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Anna said:
It looks like you had some sun in Slovenia, lucky you! We were rained out this time last year. I loved reading about your road trip, great stuff!
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lexklein said:
We did get a smidgen of sun in Ljubljana one afternoon. Our host there said it had rained for the previous ten days – ugh! We got lucky with sun on certain days, most especially the day of our most major hike, but overall, we saw lots of clouds, chilly temperatures, and rain throughout the region. We chose mid-September because it’s often so nice then – bad luck for us and them!
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The Snow Melts Somewhere said:
What a delightful read, loved especially your description of Budapest (it’s been on my list forever)
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lexklein said:
Thanks! I had also been itching to visit Budapest, and it surpassed my expectations. I definitely want go back and spend more time. Hope you get to go soon!
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Bama said:
Your description of Vienna makes me really miss that city. It is by far my favorite place in Europe! However, what you said about Budapest intrigues me. Even though I love Vienna, in general I usually enjoy cities with rough edges, and Budapest sounds like that kind of place. Overall, looks like you had a really great time exploring five countries in Central Europe, Lex! Oh and if you’re into manhole cover art, I think you would love Japan too. NHK even has a program about the country’s manhole covers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DGn8XDJzmI
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lexklein said:
I’ll have to check out that Japan link! I love when places make their mundane infrastructure artful and attractive.
I like rough edges also, and I think that’s what endeared Budapest to me. Vienna was gorgeous, as was Prague, but Budapest had all that grandeur along with a certain shabbiness that played it up even more somehow. It had grabbed my attention in recent years after two of my kids (and even my parents) visited, so I knew I had to get there. I’m so glad I did, and now I want to go back and spend more time digging deeper!
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Sue Slaght said:
You are the road trip queen! What an amazing trip in relatively short period of time. I’m sorry to hear about the poor behavior you found both from the tourists and the locals. Here in Ireland perhaps we are just hitting it lucky but all seems to be good on both ends.
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lexklein said:
Ireland is such a cheery little place! I’m loving all your updates from there.
The locals on our trip were just fine – many very nice and accommodating – we just always have to laugh at how incredibly unhelpful they can be, even as they smile and act like they are trying to solve a problem. As an example, we asked the front desk staff at our hotel if there was any water on a certain trail nearby and they looked utterly blank. (There not only was water; there was a whole snack bar 1.5 hours into the hike!) OK, we said, can we buy some water here at the hotel? Oh, no, we just have glass bottles, but try the store down the street. We walk there. Oh, the store is closed on Mondays? We didn’t know, they say. This is a hotel in the midst of multiple hiking trails! C’mon, concierges – get some info together! 🙂
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Manja Mexi Movie said:
This is a fascinating recap of your Middle-European tour. I lived in Ljubljana well into my 40’s and visited all these countries and cities, and yet couldn’t hand out the traits better. There is serious diversity in such a little space.
I’m sorry for the locals too, tourist-wise. i hope you felt the lightness of being in Slovenia since you entered it a few days after its basketball team won the Euro championship. There must have been such love in the air.
I’m taking this one from your observations with me: “Dumplings like anchors in the stomach.” Indeed. You never know what will flow in next.
Looking forward to your next posts.
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lexklein said:
I thought about you when we were in all of Slovenia and especially Ljubljana, but I forgot to use my knowledge of the Slovenian basketball championship to get myself a free beer! Damn! Slovenia is very warm, people-wise, and I’m afraid my comments about lackluster service in certain places must have come across as overly negative. It was really more a laugh on our part at how semi-helpful some people were. I wrote an example above in response to Sue, but it’s really just one of those cultural differences that are very minor in the scheme of things.
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Dave Ply said:
Sounds like an awesome trip! And as you hit several of the spots on my wishlist I’ll be looking forward to reading your upcoming posts (and maybe taking notes.)
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lexklein said:
It was a really great trip, Dave. It sounds aggressive and ambitious, but we found it to be very relaxing and not at all difficult to cover this much ground. Let me know if you ever have questions about any of the places; I have several more posts in mind, but if I don’t cover what you are interested in, let me know!
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awtytravels said:
I’m so familiar with the north cost of Balaton, how was the South?
And, bit of an off-topic: see the photo of that crumbly building in Budapest? It’s the only one in Kodaly Korond not yet refurbished and, last year, we were quite close to putting an offer for a flat in there. A massive flat, in facts. Well, it was the whole bloody floor. Unfortunately we never did, for we had the cash to cover the purchase – and it’d have bled us dry – but not a single penny for the refurbishment… I haven’t been near it since we let it slip. I dare not watch it lest it becomes all squeaky clean and modern overnight, its value trebled, and I realise what a chance, what an opportunity, we’ve missed.
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lexklein said:
I wish I could give you a good answer about the south end of Lake Balaton. I was so thrilled to see that our drive from Budapest to Ljubljana would ride the coast of the lake for the entire length … what I did not look closely enough to see (until we were halfway done) was that we were on a highway that did not afford us great views of all the communities that lay on the lake’s edges. 😦 And it was raining (again) that morning, so I got lazy about getting off the main road.
What a coincidence that I photographed and posted the very building that you looked at to buy a flat! I loved that circle on Andrassy – we walked the length of that street for what seemed like hours, from the Danube to Heroes Square and then the baths and the park. Why do I not remember any posts of yours about Budapest? Surely there must be some if you were serious enough about the city to consider purchasing there. I am off to search your blog!
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awtytravels said:
Good hunting! Yes, that highway is a bit of a bummer, especially in terms of views.
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lisadorenfest said:
Oh how I wish I had your talent for words. I love the way you describe the three ladies and their little sisters. Sheer poetry. And your pictures have me gasping at their beauty …even down to the pot hole covers 😍.
The local ladies navigating the trails and stone streets in their 👠 totally cracked me up. I’m experiencing a similar sense of awe here with the women a generation older than me running uphill along narrow, muddy tracks while carrying heavy loads strapped to their heads as I huff and puff my way up the hill far behind them 😬
My country for dark beer and pretzels.
Central Europe is calling to me
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lexklein said:
You are too kind. That sisters analogy came to me as I was thinking about Vienna and Budapest one day, with the former seeming so put-together and the latter just as pretty but very much the messy one!
After six months in steamy, tropical Houston, I was ready for a little chilly air, some leaf changing, and that dark beer and heavy carbs. I had enough, though, especially of the cold, and I’m soaking up the heat and sun for a while until it’s time to roam again!
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lisadorenfest said:
I think I am ‘Budapest’ from your description of her 😜
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lexklein said:
I used to be Vienna but have turned into Budapest!
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lisadorenfest said:
😆👍
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Bespoke Traveler said:
Your hiking photo and those back country lanes look so amazing! I love how the personalities of the cities affected what sort of outfits you wore.
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lexklein said:
Writing up some posts right now about our epic Slovakian hike as well as the time we spent in some small villages there. Thanks for visiting!
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restlessjo said:
What a bevy of beauty, Lexie! The scrambling around in the country appeals most but the blend is highly appealing. I have lovely memories of Hallstat gleaming in the sunlight many years ago, and of Salzburg with it’s horse and traps with umbrellas. 🙂 🙂
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lexklein said:
Austria really is an incredibly picturesque country, isn’t it? I bet it was so peaceful to be in Hallstatt before it became so popular worldwide. We were so glad we got in and out early and got to see it in as quiet a state as possible these days. My guess is that Salzburg has changed since you were there. My husband had been there years ago and remembered a less commercial place. It was still lovely-looking, though!
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restlessjo said:
We stayed at a small place called Fuschl, on the lakeside. I’ve never heard of it before or since but it was serene. Our young man used to play outdoor chess with chess pieces that were nearly as big as him. 🙂 Lovely days!
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lexklein said:
Travel brings back the best memories! 🙂
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carolinehelbig said:
What an amazing road trip. I may have to copy it! I have very fond memories of Vienna and Salzburg, but have yet to visit Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Slovakia. Great photos!
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lexklein said:
It’s wonderful easy to copy because you can start at any point and make it work! The distances in Europe are so doable; I always forget that it doesn’t take several days to get into a new region or country there! Every single place we stopped and/or stayed was memorable, and it was one of the most stress-free trips we’ve taken in a long time.
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LDG luciledegodoy said:
Lexie, no matter if sometimes I had been to the same places you did, it always feels like the first time. Your narrative is enthralling and addictive. The photos are beautifully composed as they reveal the places as you described them.
It feels like this was a perfect trip and perfect combination of city and countryside, across Europe, and yet so diverse places and cultures.
PS: and your post was so perfectly prepared, that even Badfish returned from his hideout.
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lexklein said:
Lucile, that’s such a nice comment – thank you! I laughed at your Badfish comment. I think he wandered back because he had such a good time in that part of the world last summer (I believe that’s when it was)! We were very happy with the way our road trip/city trip/hiking trip turned out!
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twobrownfeet said:
Wow! That’s quite a fantastic/ambitious trip to set on. What was the duration of your trip? Loved the mountain views and the clear roads. They look inviting and liberating. I used to get annoyed with selfie addicts. Now, I take pictures of them and it’s quite entertaining. Adds a different angle to the story. 🙂 Can’t wait to read more!
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lexklein said:
Thanks! We were there a full two weeks, and it was plenty of time to see many things on our route without feeling at all stressed or hurried (surprisingly). The roads were largely a dream – smooth and well-maintained with normal to little traffic, and the only time we hit major road work or traffic was the very last day in the Czech Republic. (Not counting our little foray onto a 7 km-long bike path in the car – oops!)
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Shelley @Travel-Stained said:
Ooooh but I am shamefully, woefully behind on my blog reading…but I vow to catch up, as soon as I recover from this next level Thai flu that has knocked me and Naia solidly on our backs! 😦 Roadtripping through these cities must’ve been absolutely wonderful – it really is the best way to see a region, and I loved your write-up of all the different “characters.” Vienna is indeed a little prissy. 😉
I swear Instagram is to blame for the total decline in tourist behaviour and people actually traveling to you know…travel. People just seem to want their IG worthy pic and then they’re out. Very, very sad and super frustrating…but I see no end in sight, unless tourist sights start outlawing selfie sticks (which they really should). They are a hazard!!!!
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lexklein said:
I think you’re right about Instagram, but I’ll go even further and say that for many selfie addicts, it’s not even the IG-worthiness; it’s the notch in the belt that they’ve been somewhere, no matter how briefly and superficially. They use IG to document their conquests … OK, how jaded am I?! I do use Instagram as a fun way to be “artistic” (in my own, very minor way – haha), so who am I to criticize?
The road trip was so fun. Every time we decide to travel this way, we love it. It’s just so hard to organize a trip like this; the logistics can be overwhelming at the beginning, and sometimes I wish someone else were just leading me somewhere, but once it all falls into place, it’s my favorite way to travel.
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cherylcapaldotraylor said:
Gorgeous photos! I don’t know how I got so far behind on your posts. I’m enjoying catching up, though!!
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lexklein said:
I think I’m behind on yours also although I did see the one today. I guess it’s just real life intruding on our blogging and reading … in my case, too many weeks out of town also!
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Madhu said:
That was a great read Lex! Brilliant descriptive writing and marvellous photos. I have always wanted to visit Vienna. Your account makes Budapest seem intriguing. Think I might prefer them both to Prague as well. Inspired by your road trip to try it out myself. We normally use trains when we travel, but our recent visit to Portugal made me realise how limiting that is in terms of being able to reach smaller towns.
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Madhu! I love train trips myself, and having a car does add lots of pre-trip planning and extra responsibility each day, but it also gives you the flexibility to stop whenever you want, which we love in places like Europe. I’m so glad we spent the time to research the route and go through the few hassles of driving ourselves because we really felt part of our environment throughout the trip. We also planned it so that we never had the car in two of the three big cities (and got lucky with a free parking spot for 3 days in Budapest!). It was a perfect road trip!
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mixedbaggweb said:
That is quite the trip, especially over such a short time span. I think it is safe to say that you got your money’s worth. Thanks for sharing your adventure.
Share your adventure with us and earn!
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lexklein said:
Thanks – I think you are right! We did a lot, but it never felt rushed – a perfect couple of weeks.
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Marina Mexploring said:
Oh, I just loved your description of three big sisters and their siblings! I’ve to all three, and I agree with your poetic vision of them all. And your route felt so close to the middle of my heart, you can’t even imagine. I spent my first 5 years in Slovakia, and my brother was born in Bratislava. Age 22 I traveled there with a camp, doing mountains. I lived close to Salzburg, Austria, for a year, from there I visited Vienna, Prague and Cesky Krumlov, and travelled home via Budapest. All those mentions and photos bring up the sweet nostalgia. Thank you for sharing!
I would love to come back and see the places again. But the selfie sticks and new tourist crowds scare me away just a tiny bit :)))
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lexklein said:
What a fascinating childhood (and later life, too) you’ve had! We loved Slovakia, both cities and countryside, thought Austria and Slovenia were drop-dead gorgeous, savored Budapest and Prague, etc, etc. It was such a great trip, and even though we covered a lot of ground, we did it quite slowly. I hope you will go back and see your early haunts again someday – just maybe not during high tourist season!
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Marina Mexploring said:
Thank you! The childhood between two countries has left a mark on me for the rest of my life, it seems 🙂
Austria is ultimate Sounds of Music, how can someone not love it?)) I was so happy there. Czech republic has left a different tone, maybe because I came from tourist-friendly Austria to Prague straight. It was a bit gloomy, not so bubbly and friendly, with a post-communist undertone. But it was 15 years ago, hey. Things have changed, I am sure. Yes, need to go back to all those treasures!
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FastPam@thelifebus said:
I love you!! Budapest is one of my favorite European cities for the very reasons you describe!!! I love the messy kid analogy, that’s exactly it…..It was authentic and has an interesting history – glad to hear in 2017, it remains authentic. I am the only person on the planet who doesn’t love Prague because it reminded me of an Epcot Center village! How do women walk on cobblestone streets in high-heels…that is definitely a talent I will never master. Loving the organization of your blog. It’s nice, clean and simple!
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lexklein said:
You made me laugh! We must be outliers because people loooove Prague. Thinking back, I liked it plenty; it just didn’t have the same charisma as Budapest! Thanks for the nice comments on the blog. I have not been tending it nicely, so I’m glad to hear it still comes off as a decent place to land for some short reads!
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FastPam@thelifebus said:
Its a great place to land – always!!
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