September 6, 2013

After a restful month or so in our motor home in Oshkosh, we took off for yet another lifetime adventure.  A trip to Eastern Europe with our good friends Bill & Judy Hesser,  cruising the Danube river from Budapest, Hungary to the Black Sea, Constanta, Romania, covering some seven countries.  We began with a 4 day optional tour of Prague, Czech Republic, before boarding our boat, the MS River Aria in Budapest, Hungary.  Total trip was 15 days, with 11 days on the boat cruising the Danube. Our final day we were bused from our ship in Constanta, Romania to Bucharest for our trip home. We booked through Grand Circle Cruise Line.

The trip was awesome, and we can certainly recommend to any interest parties.  There are way too many things to detail here, but I will attempt to outline the highlights of the trip.  Suffice to say this was much more than a “cruise”, it was a “learning and discovery” experience, with excellent program directors and arranged tours.

Prague, Czech Republic

Boat Ride Prague

Prague Castle

A beautiful city, lots to do and see.  Easy to get around with a good transit system either trolley/train, subway, or bus, a single ticket can use all.  We took in the Prague Castle, St. Vitus’s  Cathedral, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Petrin Hill, and the Old Jewish Ghetto.  We also took a boat ride on the Vltava River, which separates the city.  Marvelous City.

Budapest, Hungary

Our Boat MS River Aria

Beautiful Budapest

Here is where we boarded our boat, the MS River Aria.  A beautiful, well maintained river boat, with wonderful amenities.  Our cabin was comfortable, with a small two chair balcony.  We got two days to tour the city.  The river was illuminated nightly highlighting the palaces, cathedrals, and parliaments. After a very nice guided tour, we walked to the famous “covered market”.

Kalocsa, Hungary

Local Village

Our first river stop for an overnight.  A shuttle bus to town to explore on our own. A local taste of Hungarian culture.  Our tour guide gave us a local challenge, giving us 10 units of local money with a slip in their language to purchase a local item, and told to get as much personal information from the vendor as possible, ie; name, children, spouse, etc.  Language a barrier and challenge, but fun.

Local lunch Hosts

Vukovar / Osijek, Croatia

The highlight of our second stop was a lunch hosted by a local family in their home.  While our family did not speak English well, they were very gracious and provided a lovely meal.

Belgrade, Serbia

Tito Memorial

A wonderful tour of the city highlighted by a visit to the Josip Broz Tito memorial, the leader of Yugoslavia before its fall.  Lots of history relative to the break up of Yugoslavia from Communism to a socialistic capital system.

Danube Gorge and Iron Gate Lock

Danube Gorge

Iron Gate lock

A full days sail through the Danube Gorge, followed by entering the Iron Gate Lock, a double lock some 90 feet of water level change.

Baba Vida Fortress

Vidin and Ruse, Bulgaria

Village Ruse

The next two stops were very historic cities, visiting the Baba Vida Fortress.  This was a medieval fortress very important to Bulgaria.

Constanta, Romania

Constanta Port

Our final river stop covering a 40 mile canal constructed from 1949 and not fully completed until 1987.  Much of the labor performed by prison camp prisoners.  Constanta is the largest port on the Black Sea.

Bucharest, Romania

Largest Gov't Bldg

Our final stop before our return home.  This is the capital of Romania serving since 1659.  A drive along Victory Avenue to Revolution Square to a local sharing his story of the bloody war freeing Bucharest from dictator Ceausescu in 1989.

Fun Trip

Morning boarded our fight to London Heathrow, Chicago and then drive home, total travel time 24 hrs.  Jet lag!

In summary, the trip was awesome.  This area is filled with so much history and persecution of people it is truly amazing.  The change from Communism to a socialistic capital system is still fresh in many people’s minds.  They have gained tremendous freedom, but many are hurting economically, so the capitalistic system has not yet been embraced by all.

July 23, 2013

July 15, 2013

Moab was an absolutely beautiful area and very worth the stop.  Hot, yes, but still great.

Deer in Cedar Breaks Hike

We departed right after the 4^th of July heading to Cedar City, Ut.  Thought this would be a good central area to park the coach and do the area parks by car.  It was, but the distances were a little greater than we observed from the map.  Zion was 52 miles while Bryce canyon was 79 miles, so we made day trips for each.  Close by, 14 miles, was Cedar Breaks, another superb National Monument Park. The flowers were spectacular.  Spotted a deer on our hike.

Zion Nat'l  Park

At this point in my life, I have lost total confidence in our government and political system.  Maybe it is senility?  Anyway, I have concluded that one thing our government has done right is the “National Park System”. It is awesome.  Do not miss any of these parks if traveling southwest.

On the way to Cedar City we did stop at Lake Powell to observe this fabulous reservoir and the Glen Canyon Dam.  Very similar to the Hoover Dam near Las Vegas.  Spectacular!

Glen Canyon Dam

Zion, Bryce, and Cedar were all incredible in their own way.  Our favorite was Bryce, but that is totally a personal preference.  Zion we hit at a bad time, Sunday and part of the 4^th of July celebration week, so was very busy, no parking, and full shuttles (the only way to see the amphitheater of the park, no personal vehicles allowed).  Again, more pictures on canyons than we know what to do with.

Bryce Canyon Park

Leaving the Cedar City area we headed toward Salt Lake City, actually staying at Mountain Shadows RV park in Draper, Ut.  This proved to be a pretty easy drive into the city and an opportunity to visit friends Charlie & Clairi Clapp.  They treated us like Royalty in their home and gave us a personal tour of Salt Lake City.  Temple Square, the University, Olympic Stadium, fabulous Library,

Temple Square Salt Lake City

and more.  Ended the day with dinner and cards.  Very nice.

The following day we made contact with Karrie Galloway, a sibling of the Galloway Boys at Galloway Company.  Ted had arranged to meet with her.  Gracious she was upon receiving our call.  She insisted on picking us up at our RV park, gave us a marvelous tour of the famous Utah ski areas ie;  Alta and Snowbird.  Prior to that she had arranged a tour of a new Brewery, (EPIC Beers), started by her cousin, and  an acquaintance of mine from a prior investment

Karie & Peter EPIC Beer

relationship.  Fun to meet him and see the glow on his face from another successful venture.

Olympic Park Ski Jump

The next two days we met with Charlie & Clari, and again they treated us like royalty with plans to show us the 2002 Winter Olympic Park in Park City and a leisurely day at Silver Lake Park.  The highlight was the Olympic Park and we purchased tour tickets and an aerobatic ski jump show.  Yes, ski jumping in the summer.  They have a well designed hydrated plastic surface with jumps landing in a bubbled pool of water.  Impressive!  And exciting!  These are very talented athletes from all over the world training for the next world Olympics.  We also were taken to the top of the Bob sled track and 120 meter jump.  Toured the museum.  What a day!

Bob & Shari Bob Sled Team

Bidding our farewells to Charlie and Clari we prepared for our journey home.  They still had one more treat for us directing us to Jordanelle State Park Reservoir for our last Utah camp.  As usual it was beautiful!  Our trip home would be 1,500 miles, but we plan on taking our time, arriving somewhere around July 20^th.

Parked at Bill & Jody's

Bill & Jody

Golf Group

On our way home we stopped in Dodgeville, Wi to visit friends Bill & Jody Reese.  Turns out Bill's birthday.  So a little celebration with he and his family, Bill putting on a marvelous fish fry.  Really nice.  What a lovely place they have in the middle of paradise.  They hosted us to parking our coach there for a couple of days.  Arrived in Oshkosh on Sat 7/20, just in time for couples golf Sunday at Irish Wasters.  Nice to see everyone!

July 5, 2013

Happy July 4^th, 2013

We got a late start out of the FMCA  Motor Home Rally in Gillette, Wo due to scheduling a weighing for our coach.  All four wheels weighed separately to determine an accurate load distribution.  All turned out good and on the road around 2pm to Shari’s cousin Tom & Char Sholes in Larkspur, Co.  Overnighted at a KOA in Fort Collins to make our arrival more timely on Mon 6/24.

Coach in Tom / Char Drive

Shari's Cousin Tom / Char Sholes

Spent four days with Tom & Char and enjoyed getting caught up on family memories and a wonderful dinner with grand-kids.   Their place is nestled in a beautiful valley overlooking a country club golf course and with a red rock backdrop.  A view to die for.   Enjoyed some hiking and side trips to Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs and dinner in Monument.  We parked our coach in their drive and were guests in their home.  Some interesting maneuvering getting in and out, lots of trees, but all worked out.  Tom was kind enough to cut some branches.

Monarch Pass Continental Divide

 We left Sholes on 6/28 heading for Gunnison, Co. , crossing the continental divide at Monarch Pass, 11,312 ft.  Tom spent some valuable time with us planning a very scenic route, with our ultimate destination being Moab, Utah,  followed by the Zion and Bryce Canyon area.  Spent two days in Gunnison at a very nice RV park called the Tall Texan.  This is a huge rafting and biking area.  Spent a day in Crested Butte, a very big tourist area and ski resort.  Could easily spend a week here.  On the way to Moab, stopped at a famous “John Wayne” café in Ridgeway called “ True Grit”.  Fun and good food!

Arches Nat'l Park

Dead Horse State Park

Canyonlands

We arrived in Moab, Utah on Sun 6/30.  Wow, what beautiful country.  Magnificent scenery.  We booked thru July 4^th out of concern for conflicting with July 4^th Holiday outings.  Our five day stay was filled with mostly road tours because daytime highs were 105 degrees.  A near record for the number of days over 100 in a row. This left hiking and biking out for the “old farts”. 

 We enjoyed  the Arches Nat' Park, Dead Horse State Park, Canyonlands Nat'l Park, and the Needles.

  More pictures than we know what to do with.

Needles

Stopped at a very interesting unique tourist home, 5,000 square feet carved out of the rock by a married couple, now a museum.   World famous “Hole N The Rock”.   Twelve years to build and excavated some 50,000 cu ft of sandstone.

Closed our tour stuff with a music / light boat show on the Colorado river after a Dutch Oven dinner buffet. Beautiful lights shining the canyon walls to music and narrated history / legend,  finishing at 10:30pm.  Very Nice.

 July 4^th spent the day in Moab, morning parade, park activities followed by fireworks display in the evening.  Great family / kids day in Moab.

July 5^th we will be heading towards Zion and Bryce Canyon.