-
·
🌍 River Cruise Wrap-up, Part II: The Challenges and Rewards of Traveling in Eastern Europe
Last year we traveled through nine Eastern European countries – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in the spring, followed by Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania on our recent Danube River cruise. And the one thing that unites all of them is a chapter that Western Europe simply doesn’t have: the Soviet Occupation Chapter. But…
-
·
📸 🇭🇺 Photo Essay: Budapest & Hungary
We spent four days in Budapest in advance of our Danube River Cruise. And as much as the photographer in me wants to be using my Leica or my Nikon, you cannot beat the iPhone camera for convenience. It has become my go-to travel camera – it fits in my pocket (or purse), weighs next…
-
·
🇸🇰 Slovakia: Mission Accomplished
Budapest is only about an hour from the Slovakian border. So, I’m on a mission to visit Slovakia today. I’m a compulsive country collector. If I’m within an hour of a country I haven’t been to before, take it to the bank – I’m going to try to get there. I’m not sure when or…
-
·
🇭🇺 A Food Tour of Budapest: You Only Think You’re Full
Today’s activity: A food tour of Budapest with our charming local guide, Dorá. If you’ve been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know I’m a firm believer that one of the best ways to get to know a country is by experiencing its food and (especially) drinks. Whenever we visit a new-to-us…
-
·
🇹🇷 🇭🇺 Istanbul to Budapest: A Security Surprise, Bullet Holes & Wine Tasting
Phone. Wallet. Passport. On the move today. New experience unlocked: in Istanbul, you have to go through a full security check just to enter the airport. They aren’t messing around. But they are also not especially organized. A massive crowd, and total confusion about which line you’re supposed to be standing in. Good times. So, heads up…