Story Veta (Book 2) (complete)

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 239: Sep 22 - Regensburg, Germany​

My day off is at an end, with an exclamation point. Have no idea what precipitated the sour mood in personnel this morning, but it spread from the mess hall out. I asked Vit this evening if he had heard and he said, “Stay out of it.”

All I could do was blink at his tone. Then he scrubbed his face, carefully avoiding the eye patch the doctor says he must wear for a few days more.

“Nii Kokhana, I did not mean for it to come out …”

“Vit, I’m aware that you have a higher clearance than me. I’m also aware that you are under a lot of stress. If it is something that involves those points, then just say so.”

He sighed. “It does, but I could have communicated it better. I have no excuse except to say, the day has been … rough.”

“If you want to avoid the Mess Hall I can …”

“Nii,” he said again, only this time more gently. “I must make an appearance.”

That didn’t bode well. On the other hand, there were several officers and chiefs in attendance at dinner time that I do not remember being there all at the same time. There was a feeling in the air that they were unwelcome in some quarters. I pretended to ignore the “vibes” that were being given off. It surprised me for Chief Gunder and Polina to ask to join our table. I do not normally like to drag Peace Mission business into Vit’s and my off-duty time but that is what happened. Vit asked me silently in his particular way to not make my excuses but to allow for it. He did not explain it later, but I suppose that if it is needful someone will fill me in eventually. And I am trying not to sound sarcastic in the tone of my writing. It is simply how it must be at times and I am trying to be understanding for Vit’s sake.

It is not that the day was terrible. Far from it. But there are underlying tensions that I can find no real reason for. I will watch more closely in case it is an individual or specific diplomatic group that is “poking the bear” as it were.

Today we were in Regensburg. The city is a textile enthusiast’s dream. Angelia would have been in fabric overload for her quilting projects. In particular there is a fabric called Pepita that the city is famous for. I acquired several yards as one of my nephews is supposedly rehabbing a Porche which is what the fabric is mainly used for. For those unfamiliar with it, think of a German’s Houndstooth pattern. It is also call “Pied de poule.”

Another place we visited is knowns as the smallest wine producing region in Bavaria. I picked up some of their local wine called Baierwein. The wine is of high-quality and has a dry texture, which is unique to the region. I was in the mood for something sweeter but this was certainly nothing to turn my nose up at.

A definite must that Yegor gave me the silliest face over was to please bring him back some of the famous mustard of the area. Nobody knows its exact recipe except the owner and the person who makes it daily at Wurtkuchl. Wurtkuchl or Regensburg Sausage Kitchen is supposedly the oldest public restaurant in the world that is still in operation up until today. Part of the excursion was to have our lunch there and I’ll admit I could not find anything to suggest the age of the place was any different than they claimed.

Hmmm, speaking of sports cars, some men on the ship went to the BMW plant for a tour. A few others went to the Audi plant. The verbal competition didn’t bother me but for some it was too much. I let it roll off me about like I do when I must listen to sports rivalries when my brats get going. To be honest it wasn’t near as difficult to listen to as it was the bragging of those that were privileged to go to Munich for the day. Ugh. I would have definitely made the most of it as many were bragging … I would have just kept my bragging in our cabin. It would certainly have been in better taste.

Instead I spent my day rotating multiple Regensburg walking tours of about one and a half hours each. Four groups. By the fourth I was tired. I cannot imagine how real tour guides do the same thing day in and day out, as well as multiple times per day, as a career. It is a living I’m sure but … a potentially boring one after a season or two. Then again wasn’t I training to be a full time teacher as a career? Oh how quickly I forget. And imagine doing it for thirty years or more. Ugh. Next topic please.

Regensburg was barely touched during the WW2 bombing raids. We explored the city on foot with a local guide. We saw Roman city walls erected by Marcus Aurelius upon its founding (four times). Walked past the Old Town Hall and see the 12th-century Old Stone Bridge, a 16-arch marvel of medieval engineering that still carries traffic today (four times). Saw the famous Alte Wurstküche (Old Sausage Kitchen), Germany’s oldest restaurant, and admire its idyllic courtyards (four times). At the Gothic St. Peter’s Cathedral, gazed up at the Donkey Tower, a remnant of the former cathedral that was left to support this one (four times). And marveled at the structure’s superb stained-glass windows (four times). And four times I returned to the ship.

I do not mean to sound ungrateful, but four times is four times. Especially when each group seemed to be four times as out of sorts as they normally are. And all the while having a blizzard of cold shoulders turned my direction. Some of it is undoubtedly they’ve been reminded of the body cam. Some of it is also probably the brouhaha from the Mess Hall. However, I have a feeling neither of those are the real issue. I need to put my curiosity to bed. I hope tomorrow is better.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 240: Sep 23 - Passau, Germany​

Right before I went to bed last night I received a call from Chief Gunder. He asked me to skip the two big trips to Salzburg and Neuschwanstein Castle (both trips requiring 9.5 hours). Initially the excuse was because I am “younger” and a “better fit” with the more athletic demands of the hiking and biking tours that several others had signed up for.

At first, I was disappointed to miss the other excursions, then caught myself for having such an attitude. This is a job, only a job. I should be grateful for what I am already experiencing … and getting paid to do. In hindsight I believe the change in my schedule is for some other reason. I know a schmooze job when I see one and while this was subtle, it was still rife with schmooze. I can say that Vit was not a party to it as he was more than a little irritated at the last minute change. I am letting it ride and continue to keep my eyes open. Something is going on, I’m not sure what.

What I do know is that today was the last day in Germany on this leg of the mission and the last thing I want to do is spoil it with a spoiled attitude.

We arrived this morning in Passau, at the confluence of the Inn, Ilz and Danube Rivers. My first job was to get the two other excursion groups off the ship and onto their respective busses. I did notice the extra security getting on the bus and an extensive presence of body cams. I did also notice two or three disgruntled faces of the tour group members but I can’t say it meant anything. It reminded me of a class expecting a pushover substitute teacher and instead getting Attila the Sub.

Then it was my turn to get my first group ready to disembark. It was a hike. We took in Passau’s “sublime setting,” as our guide described it, at the confluence of the rivers from the best vantage points in the city. We began our exploration on Mariahilf Hill, named after the pilgrimage church above the Inn River. According to legend, Habsburg Emperor Leopold I prayed to St. Mary to lift the Ottoman siege of Vienna until the enemy armies withdrew. In the wake of this miracle, pilgrims flocked to the simple church, a tradition that continues today. From there we hiked down the hill and crossed the Inn to explore the ancient bishop’s see before venturing to the left bank of the Danube River, where we will climbed to Veste Oberhaus. This fortress is perched atop St. George’s Hill, a promontory between the Ilz and Danube Rivers, and affords a spectacular view over the city and its surroundings. We also took time to visit the museum inside the fortress, which chronicles its six centuries of history along with that of the city and the wider region.

Excursion two used bikes to get around rather than just our feet. I picked up group two just off the pier and we left Passau as we pedaled along the Inn River, enjoying pastoral landscapes along the water. It was a little cool, but nothing our regulation jackets couldn’t handle. Only minutes beyond Passau’s city limits, we found ourselves in farms and rural fields with towering cornstalks and waist-high wheat. The small riverside forests, refuge to a variety of birds, are where the endemic beaver is making a slow but steady comeback. I don’t think I have been as startled as I was to have to break hard when a couple of young beavers seemed to jump out in traffic to seemingly intentionally cause an accident. After sending off a family email tonight, Charlie said my story reminded him of an old television commercial for an insurance company. Derrick said my imagination was in overdrive. I’m still not convinced the furry beasts hadn’t meant to cause the havoc they did. Beastly little beasties.

With one bank in Germany and the other in Austria, the Inn provides a rare opportunity for a unique ride … with or without the beavers. We headed out from Passau in one country, then crossed the bridge in Wernstein to return through another. The small border town, which sprang up around a 12th-century fortress, changed hands between Bavaria and Austria several times throughout the centuries, and today is Austrian. Crossing the border comes with only one rule: Bicyclists must dismount and walk across the bridge. No riding is allowed. And it is strictly enforced.

The last excursion of the day was a walking tour and organ concert. Our guide showed us the Italianate-style streets of Passau via old-world streets, taking in a pastel rainbow of building facades as we strolled. We saw the impressive Bishops’ Residenz from where powerful prince-bishops ruled secular and religious life for hundreds of years. We continued past the 14th-century Rathaus, or Town Hall, built on the site of a former fish market on the Danube. Our walk concluded at the magnificent 17th-century St. Stephen’s Cathedral. This baroque wonder houses Europe’s largest pipe organ, with more than 17,770 pipes and 233 registers. It inspired Liszt to write his Hungarian Coronation Mass. I would have lingered a little longer but we were being called back to the ship a few minutes early. At which point I had to listen to complaints from some who thought they would have time to do some shopping. Where they are storing everything I have no idea. The little bit that I’ve purchased is creating a squeeze for Vit and I.

I was surprised to have Polina and Chief Gunder both want to meet with me after I returned the last group aboard.

“Any problems?” they asked.

“None. Aren’t the cameras working?”

Polina nodded. “Yes. But nuances are sometimes missed. No one has stood out as being unusually discontent?”

“I wouldn’t say unusually so. More a general sense of … to be honest I’m not sure what it is. Is something … or someone … instigating?”

“Why do you ask that?”

I admitted, “An assumption on my part.” I gave them my reasons and then said, “I am not asking to be told, just telling you what my observations appear to indicate. But if you are asking if I know who may or may not be instigating, they aren’t doing it enough in my presence to bring it to my notice directly.”

Chief Gunder said, “Goot. I believe I have found the culprit. I do not wish it to be any more widespread.” With a look at Polina who nodded he said, “Someone, as you say, is trying to instigate between socioeconomic levels on the ship.”

“Socio … good Heavens. For personal ideologies or for a particular group, if I’m allowed to ask.”

Polina groused, “Personal from what we can tell at this time. It was missed during the interview process. They will have their energies redirected but I need you to keep a watch on personnel. We have a much smaller contingent than on the Bonhoeffer but that doesn’t mean the problems may not turn out to be just as big.”

So, a few answers, a few new questions, but something continues to bother Polina … and others in authority. I’ll do my part. It’s my job. But I’ll also pray for no more violence. Also, nothing that causes Vit and I to have problems. It is not something that I want to resurrect.

 

[Mr Bill]

Somebody just trying to make trouble for troubles sake

 

[beaglemama]

Thanks, Kathy!

 

[Lake Lili]

Thanks Kathy!
Lili

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 241: Sep 24 - Melk, Austria​

Today I was told something different. It is not that I am young and more active, it is that I am more religious-tolerant and good with the older women. Chief Gunder is good, but with all my brats having given me years of practice, I am proof against The Schmooze. Of course I did not tell him that any more than I have let all of my brats in on my all to often practiced talent. It is my little secret. Not even Vit know just how good I am. Of course, he is good as well and ever so often I allow myself to believe the Dymtrus Schmooze. It is far too much fun. From Polina I heard the truth – some of the group just about drove their guides up a wall the previous day and they just refused to do back-to-back tours with them. Hmph, lucky them. They’ll owe me.

In hindsight I’m not sure what they were complaining about. The women had much better attitudes than their younger counterparts in other excursion groups and I told Polina and Chief Gunder both. The ladies might have been a little starchy during our excursion to the Abbey, but by the time the wine testing was over with they were quite … relaxed. I really don’t know what Polina was laughing about. Really. Maybe it was the look on Chief Gunder’s face.

I had my group for three separate excursions today with very few changing out. It actually made my day easier. After breakfast on board ship we first visited the abbey at Melk, a 900-year-old Benedictine monastery featuring Austria’s finest Italian baroque architecture. We came back to the ship for lunch and to cruise through the spectacular Wachau Valley before docking once again, this time to explore the town of Krems and for an excursion to a local winery to sample some local vintages from this famous wine-producing region. And then on to dinner at the Gottweig Abbey.

As I said, first came the renowned Melk Abbey, a masterwork of baroque brilliance. It was perched on cliffs high above the Danube, reminding me of some of Angelia’s gothic romances. Shiver. The building was a ochre-colored confection. At the abbey’s entrance we met our guide and he must have had experience charming otherwise cranky women because most of them wound up giggling before the end of the tour. Oh my.

Rebuilt during the 18th century after the original 12th-century building was destroyed by fire, the abbey’s library is now home to a wide range of medieval manuscripts. The interior of the abbey’s church is a blinding kaleidoscope of red, orange and gold, with a magnificent carved pulpit and colorful ceiling frescoes. I almost asked how anyone supposed to keep their minds on the sermon with all of that eye-candy on the walls. I behaved myself and gave myself a figurative pinch that Momma might have threatened. We also saw the imperial rooms, which are now home to a museum chronicling the abbey’s history from its inception to modern times. The views from the terrace were breathtaking.

The Melk Abbey was founded in 1089 as a Benedictine Abbey and monks continue in this tradition for over 900 years. From its beginning, Melk has been an important cultural and spiritual center. Since the 12th century a school has been attached to the monastery, perpetuating the library which is a treasure in and of itself. Even though the Melk Abbey Gardens are small, they are nicely maintained and have quite a few trees over 400 years old. Our guide took us for a stroll and the women appreciated that he took into account their “elder pace.” To be honest I think they were hamming it up a bit. In order to be assigned to the Peace Mission you must meet minimum physical requirements. They also seemed to make a little more of their age than I thought reasonable. One of them was Angelia’s age. I remarked on many of them being closer to my sisters’ ages than what I considered elderly. Perhaps that earned me some “brownie points.”

The Babenbergs, an important medieval ducal family that controlled a wide swath of Austria before yielding to the Habsburgs, were the first to erect a castle on the hill above Melk, which they subsequently gave to Benedictine monks. These monks, some 900 years ago, turned it into a fortified abbey and the greatest center of learning in Central Europe. Their library was the inspiration for Umberto Eco’s best-selling novel The Name of the Rose. Monks there created more than 1,200 manuscripts, sometimes spending an entire lifetime hand-lettering a single volume. A docent that was helping in the library explained that it now contains some 100,000 volumes, among them more than 80,000 works printed before 1800.

We were driven back to the ship, boarded, and I suggested they grab a bite to eat before our winery tour. I checked on Vit but could only wave to let him know that I had reboarded safely. I didn’t get to see him before disembarking once again in our new location. He and Yegor spend all of their time keeping communications and other tech running and protected from groups set against the Peace Mission. I know he does an important job, we all do, but I miss having more time with him now that we’ve settled the trouble we had aboard the Bonhoeffer.

I was surprised to get a note from him during my meal to try and persuade Polina to accompany me for the remainder of the day. She was being forced to take a day off and was at loose ends.

“C’mon Polina. It won’t be that bad.”

“Bah! The paperwork is stacked on all four corners of my desk and in the middle as well.”

“Please?”

“Did Yegor put you up to this?”

“No. I have not spoken with him at all. Vit mentioned and … save me from tipsy diplomats.”

After a moment she gave me a naughty look. “You will owe me. Or perhaps they will.”

“Naturally,” I told her trying to hold back a laugh.

Need I say that the visit to a local winery was a hit? The Wachau wine region comprises just three percent of Austrian wine, but it is an important percentage. Our guide took us for a scenic drive into the valley, whose unique combination of terraced slopes, dry stone walls, hillside castles, vineyards and rich cultural tradition has earned it a place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wine has been produced here since the time of the Celts, long before the Roman Empire introduced the Riesling grape. During our winery visit, we learned how the region’s grapes amplify the qualities of the earth in which they are grown, toured impressive cellars, and sampled wines little known to American palates. I managed to snag a couple of bottles to bring back to Vit but just barely as the women in the group had the same idea. Our hosts were very pleased.

A few of the ladies were slightly tipsy but nothing too ridiculous. Luckily we left the winery and headed straight to the Gottweig Abbey and Dinner. Gottweig is a Benedictine abbey overlooking the Wachau Valley. Our hosts welcomed us in the abbey’s apricot garden where we were then directed to a small theater to view a short film about monastic life and what it takes to run a monastery today. From there we were led through the church’s neoclassical portal into a rainbow-colored interior where we had some free time to explore the abbey’s museum, which chronicles its history as a center of religious life for more than 900 years and its role as a monastic retreat. Thankfully we could take pictures and one of my favorite of the night is of Polina standing on a riser of the three-story imperial staircase and its fresco ceiling.

After seeing other areas we returned to five minutes of silence as the bells chimed to signal the time for evening prayer. The monks went one direction and we headed to enjoy a delicious dinner with – what else – wine tasting afterwards before rejoining our ship where I learned that Vit and Yegor were still on a transatlantic call concerning some equipment. I had no doubt Dylan had something to do with it but I haven’t made a fuss. But I am missing my husband. Hmmm. Perhaps I have imbibed an excess of wine myself and should go take a shower.

 

[sssarawolf]

Thank you

 

[Siskiyoumom]

Always delightful when you add to your stories! Thank you.

 

[Kathy in FL]

I will try and get more up later today. I'm really focused on finishing this story before New Year's Day. But it is Friday and for the next couple of days I am whacked out busy with the business, and rereading what I wrote while editing? Gah! Definitely needs some close attention so that the "voice" stays accurate.

 

[SquonkHunter]

I like all the stories you have posted here but this one has a special appeal for me. It's almost like seeing the sights myself without ever leaving home.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 242: Sep 25 - Durnstein, Austria​

More of the “young and athletic” nonsense today. Not schmoozing. They really believe that. At least they believe enough to mean well. Hmm. Not that long ago I could have – and had been – compared to a squat little Russian pony. On the one hand I now have the body I once aspired to in college. On the other … Vit is threatening a call to Derrick. He is not pleased with my weight loss. I swear it is enough to give someone a complex. I suppose I do tire more easily these days. And there have been a few times that Vit worries because he says I am too pale. Well, I’m Ukrainian, I’m not going to go around looking like I spent the weekend on the beach in St. Augustine. Sigh. And I can’t lay it as the foot of age either, not yet, and not unless I want Vit and my brats be the ones with a complex. I would at least like to level off instead of losing another pound or two every week. And I never even dreamed I would ever say those words.

Thankfully I only had the one four-hour bike tour to lead. Chief Gunder arranged for another excursion to Gottweig Abbey after so many jealous complaints were made after my group returned last night in such a good mood. Mostly more diplomatic staff but I didn’t have to lead it, he took it on because he wanted to observe the interactions and make sure that the sour attitudes were being nipped in the bud. Our work is too important to exhibit so much personal (and interfering) surliness. It is counterproductive at all levels.

Speaking of eating, I am glad I had a chance at a larger than normal breakfast. I needed it. The excursion I led … or at least so far as I was the senior personnel … was called Wachau Valley by Bicycle. I think some expected e-bikes, but we used traditional bicycles and we got a work out in some locations. Straight from the pier, after a brief but reasonable safety briefing that nevertheless seemed to cause a few to feel (act) like children, we followed the flat bicycle trails along the scenic Danube to Dürnstein. The Danube Cycle Path, a revolutionary international bicycle trail, begins in Passau, Germany, and follows the course of the river all the way to the Danube Delta in Romania. We didn’t do the entire trail of course but the route through Austria is considered one of Europe’s top cycling experiences, mostly because of its views.

I will say the workout seems to have done some of the group a world of good. I can’t say it is fresh air or anything like that. I’m beginning to wonder if perhaps our people, due to the stress of their job, need more physical activity than our quarters allow for. I can bring up the possibility but there’s nothing really I can do about it. I would suggest yoga classes or perhaps calisthenics on the top deck throughout the day but I’m not sure how many would partake, or who would lead them. I certainly don’t have the time to do so.

We pedaled through a landscape of vine-clad hillsides and green meadows that I was only able to partially capture with my phone. Our guide did a really good job of carrying on commentary through the mics in our bike helmets without distracting from safety or from some needed quiet time and I’ve made a point of leaving a good review for them personally as well as the vendor who hosted our group. I always warn Polina when I do so and leave a copy with her, as well as Chief Gunder. I don’t want a good motivation on my part to turn into a problem for theirs.

I returned to the ship in time to grab our evening meal with Vit but I wasn’t up to anymore socializing than that. He needed some quiet as well to finish reviewing some schematics to see why some of the electronic systems keep crashing. I expected to find him working away but Vit surprised me when I came out of the shower by having today’s photos from my phone scrolling on our in-cabin edu-screen. Upon return to Dürnstein we’d been given time to admire the charms of what was billed as one of the Danube’s most picturesque villages and it was those pictures he seemed to focus on the most.

“You did not buy any of your cards,” he told me after pulling me to sit beside him on the end of the bed.

“Apparently they don’t really ‘do’ postcards in a lot of these small villages. Besides, it is fun taking pictures as well. I just wish you were with me.”

He sighed. “As do I Kokhana. And I would be if I could. Or at least more so than since we started this part of the mission.”

I kissed his cheek. “I know. Yegor and Polina would not be able to do their jobs if you did not act as liaison. Has Dylan been able to help at all? And I don’t need details, I’m just concerned you are being overworked or they have unrealistic expections.”

“Mmmm,” was he only real answer before deflecting. “You are the one looking overworked. I should say something but … I worry it will only make things worse.”

I shrugged and stretched like a lazy cat. “As if my life is so hard. People would give their eye teeth for the life I lead.”

Vit snorted and pulled me close once again. “Say what you will Kokhana, I am aware of the work it takes to walk between personnel and staff and not have either fall on you like a bag of bricks.”

I had to laugh. “You are picking up Polina’s bad habits. It is a pile of rocks, not bag of bricks. However I heard a saying yesterday that fits.”

“And that is?” he asked with an eyebrow cocked, knowing me too well.

“A piled of rocks ceases to be rock when somebody contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind. Someone named Antoine de Saint-Exupery said it. Rather apropos don’t you think?”

Vit snorted. “Rather full of himself from the sound.” He sighed. “I must study this schematic rather than enjoy the company of my wife. Let someone else contemplate the rocks.”

“Want a glass of wine?”

“Want yes. Have … nii. If I become too relaxed I could miss what I am looking for. If you want one?”

“Want? Yes,” I said using his own words with a smile. “Have … nii. But I will drink some of that Anijsmelk. I enjoy the flavor of the shelf-stable boxes even if I didn’t think I would.”

Vit smiled with pleasure. “You will? Excellent. I will warm it for you.”

“No you won’t. I’ll do it. You are my husband, not my servant. Besides, the sooner the puzzle is untangled with those schematics, the sooner I know you will come to bed and rest with me.”

That got me a look, and a promise. We shall see if it actually happens. Vit is beginning to look as bedraggled as I feel after a long day of leading excursions.

 

[sssarawolf]

Thank you again Kathy.

 

[Lake Lili]

Thanks Kathy!
Lili

 

[moldy]

Thank you, Kathy!

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 243: Sep 26 - Vienna, Austria (1) - Part One​

Vienna, our last port of call in Austria and a place I never thought to visit. It is every bit as romantic as all the travel guides and books promise. It is also a large, impossible noisy city at times that is nevertheless relatively easy to navigate once you get the hang of their numbering and organizational structure.

Vienna is divided into 23 districts – administrative areas of different sizes and with their own specific characteristics. Vienna districts are both numbered and have a name. Their numbers are linked to postal codes, so if an address in Vienna has a postal code 1210, it is in 21st district (middle number from postal code 1210). Another example – 1010 is a postal code from first district – 1010. Also, street names displayed on plates are numbered with district numbers, so if plate reads 4. Prinz Eugen-Straße, this means you are in the 4th district. This makes navigation through Vienna really easy. From 23 districts, the first nine are considered inner districts as they are located around city center. The remaining 14 districts (10-23) are considered outer districts as they are further away from the city center. Once you know the secrets for deciphering addresses, it seems ridiculously easy and you wonder why the system isn’t used more widely.

Today I walked … and walked and walked and walked. It felt longer than it was and was only shortened because a bus would take my group to the farthest point and then we would walk back towards their dock where the next group would meet me and the activity would repeat itself. Not the locations but being dropped off to walk back.

My first group was a shopping and general “getting to know Vienna” type of excursion. And Polina had been compelled to join me when a security team member came down with “spots.” The physician on board does not think it anything communicable, but a reaction to an antibiotic they were prescribed. Nevertheless they were confined to the med bay and with no “spare” security members due to the larger than normal number of excursions, Polina “volunteered,” or was volunteered by her superiors. I never quite got the story. It took me a bit to get her to stop glowering but luckily no one but me saw it in the dark of the bus ride.

It was barely daylight, and some of them were barely awake, when we were dropped off at the Naschmarkt, Vienna's most popular market located at the Wienzeile.

“Think of it as retail therapy and find something ridiculous for Yegor. You know you want to,” I whispered to her in Russian. After thinking it over she gave me a wickedly humorous grin chuckle.

In the same language she whispered back, “Leave it to you Little Sister to find the one bright spot of being forced into this … activity.”

I just grinned back. It is about like humoring Angelia when she was in a grumpy mood. I think the two women would get along famously. I wish they could meet but … such is life. At least I can lay claim to having one big sister looking after me at home, and one big sister looking after me when I am not home.

The market stretches over the Wien River for over a mile, from Vienna Secession building to Kettenbrückengasse. Primarily a food market on weekdays, where you can buy any fresh fruit and vegetables from around the world, on Fridays and Saturdays it becomes Vienna's biggest flea market. Here you can find anything a flea can offer, from furniture and home decorations to old clothes and vintage collectables. I counted the listings on a sign and about 400 vendors offer paintings, porcelain, silverware, glassware, old photos, cameras, books, clocks, toys, LP's and junk from the attic in addition to every imaginable tourist tchotchke. With magnificent Art Nouveau buildings as a backdrop, Naschmarkt is Vienna's must-see destination from antique treasure hunting to Austrian culinary delights to souvenirs. And trust me every member of the excursion, including Polina and I, tested that description out.

It opened at 6 am but we were there at seven, and the stalls were already doing a rip-roaring business even without it being a weekend. I found out that was a good sign as Vienna was finally beginning to regain its economic footing after the trouble the EU had from the Korean bombings. Austria had taken in at least as many refugees as Sweden had and it had caused a lot of economic and cultural strife. Many of the refugees did not want to return where they came from but did not want to assimilate and become citizens and follow European norms either. It was a point coming up again and again during the Peace Mission. Many countries were at a point of forcibly removing the refugees they had taken in and returning them from whence they came. However, doing so was almost certainly going to create economic and political strife, something most neither wanted nor could afford. The problem is one of the main foci of the Peace Mission.

I didn’t see much of that today. It would appear that the migrants and refugees have their own underground economy and try not and disturb the tourist economy for fear of becoming the nail looking to be hammered by local, municipal authority groups. Or, even lose the entitlements granted to them. I brought none of this up, the topic being the purview of the diplomats. We were there to see and be seen and not to create messes that needed to be cleaned up.

Not to mention the market kept me very busy. For some reason today most of the excursion group I had barely spoke a smattering of German, the official language of Austria. I was running this way and that making sure both vendor and customer (excursion member) were trading respectfully with one another by translating where needed. Hopefully everyone felt I’d done my job as everyone seemed pleased with their transactions. I’ll record my own purchases later, mostly I just want to get the other parts of today recorded in this journal before I forget everything. I really do feel like I’ve run from pillar to post today.

After the market we headed to the State Opera House, an impressive structure with an equally impressive company of performing singers. The history of this location dates all the way back to around the 1860s. Originally called the Vienna Court Opera, the name was changed by the Habsburgs in 1920 during the early formation of the first Austrian Republic. Many of the members of the Opera end up performing with the Vienna Philharmonic. The group has a large repertoire of very famous pieces as well, such as La Traviata, La Clemenza di Tito, and Verdi’s Don Carlo. It made me itch to play my violin, something I’ve been letting slide as an excuse that the smaller ship didn’t allow for much privacy. Apart from the singers and orchestra which were allowed to peek at in a practice, the building itself is worth the visit. Chief Gunder – who spent several “misspent years of his youth” in Vienna – gave everyone a friendly warning to not buy opera tickets from the dressed up people outside on the street – they don't sell real tickets!

We fueled up with a cup of coffee, or in my case tea, and headed to the world-class Kunsthistorisches Museum with vast galleries of fine art and antiquities, largely accumulated over the centuries by generations of Habsburg monarchs. Lavishly decorated interiors, ornate cupolas and sweeping Neo-Classical stairways create a fitting setting for the treasures housed there – particularly the Old Masters (Bruegel, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Titian, etc.) Not only that, but the museum is known to be among the most visitor-friendly you're likely to visit, with comfortable sofas available in most exhibition rooms. The galleries occupy the top three floors with an entrance hall, shop and cloakroom below. The ground floor contains ancient objects on one side – starting with the age of the Pharaohs in Egypt, then proceeding through ancient Greece and Rome while touching on other cultures along the way. On that level it reminded me a bit of the British Museum.

The museum's grand central staircase is adorned with murals and gilded frescoes that depict the history of art from ancient Egypt to Florence. We could have spent more time there but our guide said we only had time for the whirlwind tour because we had to be off to the Hofburg Imperial Palace.

Located in the center of Vienna, for over 700 years the Hofburg has been the seat of Austrian power. Up until the end of the monarchy, in 1918, it had served as the official home of the Habsburg Empire and the imperial winter residence. Originally built in 1279 as a modest city fortress, the Hofburg or “Castle of the Court” grew over the centuries – extended by each Austrian sovereign (emperors of the Holy Roman Empire from 1452, and emperors of Austria from 1806) – into a lavish palatial complex, becoming one of the most important centers of European history.

Overall, the sprawling Hofburg complex extends over 240,000 m² consisting of 18 wings, 19 courtyards and 2,600 rooms in which nearly 5,000 people still work and live full time. The rooms in which Emperor Joseph II once drew up his revolutionary program of reforms, where the Congress of Vienna met, and where Emperor Franz Joseph held audiences, now house the official residence and workplace of the Federal President of the Republic of Austria (located in the Leopoldine Wing since 1946) alongside offices of the ministers of the chancellor's office and the secretaries of state. The palace is also the permanent home of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). There is also a chapel built inside the complex, which is open to the public. Our guide stated that if you come for Sunday Mass, you would be able to listen to the famous Vienna Boys Choir performing here regularly.

After all of the history our guide said the next stop was at Demel, a famous pastry shop and chocolaterie that was established in 1786. The company bears the title of a Purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court since 1874. It was previously known as Hofzuckerbäckerei pastry shop, founded by Ludwig Dehne, a confectioner from Württemberg. Upon his early death in 1799, the business was continued by his widow for their minor son August Dehne. The latter inherited the company in 1832 and successfully managed the business, however, as his son pursued an academic career, he sold the company to his journeyman, Christoph Demel, in 1857, hence the name change. Christoph Demel's sons Joseph and Karl continued the business and were granted the title of a purveyor to the Habsburg court by Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1874. In the heyday of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, notable customers of Demel included Empress Elisabeth (Sisi), Princess Pauline von Metternich, and actress Katharina Schratt. During the Austrian Anschluss to Nazi Germany in 1938–45, the Vienna Gauleiter Baldur von Schirach and his wife Henriette were also regulars here. All that to say the Viennese take both their chocolate and their history with the utmost seriousness.

We ate a sample of the famous pastry dough on our way to Peterskirche (St. Peter's Church). St. Peter’s Church sits atop one of the oldest known religious sites in Vienna. There has been a church on that spot since the early 4th century AD. A much larger version of today's church was reportedly built in 792, founded by none other than Charlemagne himself. Attesting to this is a plaque on the building's facade that tells of the legend of Charlemagne. In more modern times, St. Peter’s Church takes up much less space, being crunched into what area it now occupies. The architecture is primarily Barogue and is one of the most decorated churches you will find anywhere, for any building designed in that style. The outer color is white and a very light yellow. There are two towers that make up the classic outside look of the building. The turrets turn inward ever so slightly. It is said that the towers get their shape after the tent poles of the Turks who used to occupy this region in the late 1600s. Inside it contains some of the best paintings of the 1700s. Many of the wood carvings and alter pieces date back to that period as well. There is gold and marble on nearly every surface. For the tourist there is live organ music. Choir practices and performances are also frequent. All the church asks for in exchange is a donation. Well worth what we left in appreciation for the talent shared with us.

And afterwards? More chocolate. Leschanz Schokolade is known locally as the "chocolate king" of Vienna. The originality, high quality and extensive assortments offered there affirm its title. The chocolates are packaged beautifully as well. Once we stepped inside the small but cozy shop, a delicious smell of chocolate all but slapped us in the face. The chocolates there are a bit pricy compared to some other shops, but this is what you pay for buying a name brand. According to Viennese legend, Mozart always visited this shop during his strolls through the city. I enjoyed it as eye candy while Polina bought a small box for Yegor.

Immediately afterwards our guide took us to Altmann & Kühne, a confiserie and chocolaterie established in 1928. It produces handmade chocolates and bonbons. The business, which advertised itself as a supplier to the former Imperial Court, successfully grew during the interwar period. By 1938, Altmann and Kühne was Vienna's fourth chocolatier. After the Nazi takeover Emile Altmann and Ernst Kühne, who were Jewish, fled to New York City. But the business survived through the Nazi years and World War II owing to the persistence of one loyal employee, Mrs. Mercek.

Our entire group was chocolated out and as a break we headed to Stephansplatz (St. Stephen's Square), a square at the geographical center of Vienna. It is named after its most prominent building – the Stephansdom – Vienna's main cathedral and one of the tallest churches in the world. Before the 20th century, a row of houses separated Stephansplatz from Stock-im-Eisen-Platz, but since their destruction, the name Stephansplatz started to be used for the wider area covering both. To the west and south run the exclusive shopping streets der Graben (literally the "Ditch") and Kärntner Straße ("Kärnten" is the German for Carinthia). Opposite the Stephansdom is the Haas-Haus, a piece of striking modern architecture. Although public opinion was originally skeptical about the combination of medieval cathedral and a glass-and-steel building, it is now considered an example of how old and new architecture can mix harmoniously. I saw one of our diplomatic members write that down and I suspect it may make a showing in some report or speaking engagement. Our guide took us around the side of the Stephansdom to show us a miniature of the building. It's quite fun to see it tiny! Certainly makes it easier to photograph.

The Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral) has an intricately patterned tiled roof and is a prime landmark inside Vienna's old city center, having stood watch over the place for nearly 700 years. Its distinctive south tower rises to an impressive 445 feet and previously has served as the main observation and command post for the city's walled defense, for which purpose it even contained an apartment for watchmen who, until 1955, manned the tower at night and rang the bells if a fire was spotted. There was to be a twin north tower, but for several reasons, it ended up being just half the size and of a different design. The views from the Watch Room, at the top, were worth climbing the 343 steps to a viewing platform on the shorter tower, home to the massive Pummerin ("Boomer") Bell – the largest in Austria, originally cast from melted-down cannons abandoned by the Turks while fleeing Vienna in 1683.

The high points of the interior are the vaulting of the Albertine Chapel, the stone pulpit (a masterwork of late Gothic sculpture), canopies or baldachins over many of the side altars, and a most spectacular Renaissance work – Friedrich III's tomb. Our guide also took us to the 14th century catacombs and the treasury where some of the cathedral's most valuable objects are displayed; a red marble sepulcher sculpted in 1467-1513, the 16th-century pulpit, a Gothic winged altar from the 1440s, and the tomb of Prince Eugene of Savoy dated 1754.

A visit to St. Stephen's Cathedral means you'll stand in the same church in which Joseph Haydn once sang as a choir boy until his voice broke, and where Johann Strauss married both of his wives. A memorial tablet gives a detailed account of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's relationship with the cathedral, including that of him being appointed an adjunct music director here shortly before his death. This was his parish church when he lived at the Figaro House and he was married here; two of his children were also baptized at St. Stephen's, and his funeral was held in the Chapel of the Cross inside.

After a short break … more sweets, this time pastries and confections. No. I’m not kidding. Manner is a line of confectionery from the Austrian conglomerate, Josef Manner & Comp AG. The corporation, founded in 1890, produces a wide assortment of confectionery products. These include wafers, long-life confectionery, chocolate-based confectionery, sweets, cocoa and a variety of seasonal products. The company's best-known product are the "Neapolitan wafers", introduced in 1898. They are sold in blocks of ten 47 x 17 x 17 mm hazelnut-cream filled wafers. The hazelnuts were originally imported from the Naples region in Italy, hence the name. The basic recipe has remained unchanged to this day. The Manner shop was located next to St Stephen Cathedral. There we were introduced to the famous Manner wafers and Mozart balls.

Speaking of Mozart, our next stop was Mozarthaus (Mozart's Former Residence). Out of total of eleven of Mozart's homes in Vienna, Mozarthaus at Domgasse 5 is the only one that still exists – restored in 2006 to commemorate his 250th anniversary – and is where the composer reportedly spent his happiest years. Perhaps that explains the significant number of compositions Mozart created while there, including the Haydn-dedicated quartets, a handful of piano concertos and "The Marriage of Figaro" and "Don Giovanni" operas. From that point on it was unfortunately all downhill for Mozart, who had to move to the suburbs due to financial difficulties.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 243: Sep 26 - Vienna, Austria (1) - Part Two​

And of course we had to fuel up again, this time at Cafe Central, a traditional Viennese café. The café occupies the ground floor of the former Bank and Stockmarket Building. The café opened in 1876, and in the late 19th century it became a key meeting place of the Viennese intellectual scene. Key regulars included: Peter Altenberg, Theodor Herzl, Alfred Adler, Egon Friedell, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Anton Kuh, Adolf Loos, Leo Perutz, Robert Musil, Stefan Zweig, Alfred Polgar, Adolf Hitler, and Leon Trotsky. In January 1913 alone, Josip Broz Tito, Sigmund Freud, and Trotsky (the latter being regular) were patrons of the establishment. The café was often referred to as the "Chess school" (Die Schachhochschule) because of the presence of many chess players who used the first floor for their games. Members of the Vienna Circle of logical positivists held many meetings at the café before and after World War I. A well-known story is that when Victor Adler objected to Count Berchtold, foreign minister of Austria-Hungary, that war would provoke revolution in Russia, even if not in the Habsburg monarchy, he replied: "And who will lead this revolution? Perhaps Mr. Bronstein (Leon Trotsky) sitting over there at the Cafe Central?" The café closed at the end of World War II. In 1986, it was fully renovated once again and today it is both a tourist spot and a popular café marked by its place in literary history.

To walk off our “snack” we headed through Rathausplatz and Park. The Rathausplatz is one of the most important squares in central Vienna. It is used for public gatherings, such as the Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market). After the New Year, the square turns into an ice-skating rink and, in the warm summer months, hosts film shows, concerts and festivals. Surrounding the square is the Rathauspark -a large grassy area planted with a multitude of trees and shrubs. Rathauspark is one of the most visited parks in the Austrian capital. Designed in 1863 as a public park, it has been actively in use ever since and much loved by the locals and visitors alike.

Nearby is Rathaus (City Hall) of Vienna, the seat of the local municipal government. It houses the mayor's office and the city council, as well as other pertinent institutions. Among them is the headquarters of the States of Austria legislature, called the Landtag. Another attraction found within the building is the famous Rathskeller restaurant. Thankfully we were not expected to eat there.

The group all groaned when they realized they had to go back to the ship in another bus … for lunch. ROFL. Polina was anxious to get back and tease Yegor with the chocolate she bought … and make promises that are more TMI than I even want to imagine. At least she seemed relaxed and in a better mood than she’d been in the last little while. I think Yegor is correct, she doesn’t put away the job often enough for long enough. It is bad for her health, physical and mental.

I knew I was going to be grateful for walking off all the chocolate that I’d eaten in the morning.

Polina was returning to her normal, all-business self but did say, “I wish I could take your packages back for you but …”

“… security,” I finished for her. “I don’t mind following the same rules as everyone else. Thankfully I sent the jams back to the ship. For everything else I have my faraday bag.”

“Hmm. Too bad not everyone is as content,” she said leaving me to wonder what kind of problems the entire crew was creating, whether it was my job or not.

Then she surprised me with a grin. “But something tells me your load will lighten anyway.”

When my siblings get that look in their eyes I get suspicious of a prank. I carefully turn and then … “Vit!”

“You are perhaps glad to see me?”

“No perhaps about it. Can you stay?”

He smiled and said, “For this next group. Polina is needed back on the ship.”

Polina frowned. “Trouble?”

“Nii. Simply some that have come to expect you to be on call at all times and they do not wish to speak to ‘underlings,’” he answered.

She said something rude in Russian so quickly I’m not sure I understood. Vit obviously did and said, “You are correct. And a good description of the man.”

Vit explained he traded a shift to be Polina’s replacement. “Vit.”

“You do not wish for me to be here?”

“Nonsense. Of course I do, but this means you have to work an evening shift when you are already so tired.”

“Nii Kokhana. It is actually good. I must see if someone can do the work without direct and constant supervision or if they need to be moved to a different work group. They can be better than they are. I hope to see my absence force them out of their comfort zone.”

“Sneaky,” I told him but it was time for me to start herding cats and this excursion was also something I was personally interested in. A two-hour walking tour with the sites tied to Johann Strauss.

We started at the Theater an der Wien (Opera House). It was splendid architecturally, well organized, and with a program of shows that hosts the most important artists in Europe year-round. I was envious. The acoustics were beyond amazing.

Theater an der Wien was first opened in 1801; a statue above the original Millöckergasse entrance (around the corner from the present main entrance) shows its founder, Emanuel Schikaneder, playing Papageno in Mozart's "The Magic Flute". The building is also closely linked to Beethoven, who lived here while working on "Fidelio" (his only opera, celebrating the triumph of marital love and female heroism over the cruelty of official tyranny), but also to Johann Strauss Jr, whose operetta "Die Fledermaus" was premiered on 5 April 1874 and has been part of the regular repertoire ever since.

Next was Karlskirche (St. Charles' Church), located in the eponymous Karlsplatz (St. Charles' Square), about 200 meters away from Ringstrasse, and is one of the finest examples of Baroque religious architecture in the city. In recent times, the location has become a very popular tourist attraction, in large part due to its peculiar style, starkly contrasting that of other buildings nearby. St. Charles' is run by a local Catholic order and remains a parish church. It is also seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology and thus, apart from being an architectural marvel, is a functional institution. Erected to celebrate the emergence from black plague that struck Vienna hard in the early 18th century, the Karlskirche is virtually a monument to St Charles Borromeo who was renowned for ministering to the needs of plague victims. History tells that Emperor Charles VI made a vow to God that he would build a church and name it after St. Charles Borromeo, if God relieved the city of the disease. God did, and so did the Emperor.

How it is connected to Strauss is that he married his second wife at St. Charles' Church. Unfortunately, their marriage ended in divorce in 1882 as she did not support his music. Inside is an elevator that took us close to the murals on the dome ceiling. Up there we enjoyed a spectacular view of the city from the dome window.

More music awaited us at Musikverein (Vienna Philharmonic), two concert halls in one building, designed in the 1860s with dazzling gilding inside. The larger of the two, the Grosser Saal ("Great Hall"), has some of the best acoustics in the world and is the unofficial home of the great Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which gives regular sell-out performances, while the other hall, the Brahms Saal, is used for smaller-scale chamber concerts. The Musikverein's most prestigious event is the annual New Year's Day concert, a tradition started under the Nazis in 1939, and one which is now broadcast live around the world to an estimated 50 million viewers from 95 countries. The concert hall itself also has a rich musical history, as the place where Johann Strauss Jr. personally conducted the waltz "Freut Euch des Lebens" (Life Let Us Cherish), and where Arnold Schönberg unleashed atonal music – or as Schönberg preferred to call it, "the emancipation of dissonance" – on an unsuspecting and unready Viennese public. One must enter a computer lottery to win the chance to buy tickets for events, but I imagine it is well worth the effort should your number come up.

The Johann Strauss Monument is a gilded bronze tribute to the Waltz King and easily one of the most known and most frequently photographed monuments in Vienna – including after dark when beautifully illuminated. The statue is located right behind the opulent Kursalon concert hall where Strauss Jr. gave his first concert on 15 October 1868, turning it into a popular place for concerts and for dancing ever since. Scattered throughout the park are other statues of famous Viennese artists, writers, and composers: Hans Canon, E. J. Schindler, Franz Schubert, Anton Bruckner, and several others.

I’d already been to Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral) with the first group but it was nice to see it with Vit.

Then came the Johann Strauss Apartment. It was on the first floor of Praterstraße no. 54 where the composer lived from 1863 until the death of his first wife, the glamorous opera singer Jetty Treffz, in 1878. It was there, under the high ceilings, that he composed "The Blue Danube", Austria's unofficial anthem, despite his father's attempts to drag him out of the music business and to hinder his musical pursuits. The apartment has displays of Strauss' original furnishings and instruments, with visitors able to get glimpses into the man, the composer, the conductor, the caricaturist, and the card player. One room decorated with ceiling panels of cherubs, has several original pieces including his grand piano, house organ and standing desk at which he used to compose. There's also a fascinating collection of ballroom memorabilia, including an Amati violin, gimmicky dance cards and quirky ball pendants, kept as mementos of the evening. Oil paintings from Strauss' last apartment, which was destroyed during WWII, are also on site. Had there been time I would have enjoyed going to the Strauss Museum, which instead deals with the entire Strauss musical family.

We wound up much closer to the pier this time than at the end of the last excursion. We also nearly ran into a protest but the local authorities cleared it away quickly without bringing too much attention to the participants. An example of the old saying “any publicity is good publicity.” See, most have learned that is really what they want … the protests getting attention. By moving quickly and quietly violence is avoided and the attention they are seeking does not happen. No attention then fewer and fewer attempts with that strategy taking place.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 243: Sep 26 - Vienna, Austria (1) - Part Three​

My third excursion of the day was a one-stop exploration of Schonbrunn Palace. Or should I say it was scheduled to be a one-stop. Due to the protestors we were diverted to the Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) for about 90 minutes. The Schatzkammer holds what is considered to be the greatest treasury collection in the world. Located within the Hofburg complex, the current structure has been in place since 1983. The entrance is located at the Swiss Courtyard which took us away from the media that were following the protestors. While we were Schatzkammer we got a tour of the Habsburg Empire which date back over 1,000 years. Among the beautiful items there is a sword that is believed to have belonged to Charlemagne (Charles the Great, aka Charles I, King of the Franks), the crown of the old Holy Roman Empire, and even the legendary Agate Bowl which, for centuries, was tied to the story of Arthur’s court and the legend of the Holy Grail. It was an incredible blend of Austrian history with just enough "wow" factor to keep my people from getting bored and anxious that included fantastic embroidery, religious relics, and pieces of royal jewelry.

Finally it was on to Schonbrunn Palace (German: Schloss Schönbrunn), a former imperial 1,441-room Rococo summer residence in modern Vienna. One of the most important cultural monuments in the country since the 1960s, it is one of the major tourist attractions in Vienna. Schönbrunn Palace as the tourist destination is attended by nearly 3,000,000 visitors in annually. The whole Schönbrunn complex with Tiergarten Schönbrunn, Palmenhaus, Wüstenhausand the Wagenburg, accounts for more than five and a half million visitors. In addition to tours and tour packages, many classical concerts featuring the music of Mozart and his contemporaries can be enjoyed with the added benefit of more time in the spectacular halls, Orangerie, or Schlosstheater.

We had a separate guide who took us on a tour of the home of the Hapsburg Dynasty, built to rival the sprawling Château de Versailles. In 1569, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II erected the original hunting lodge here and called it Schönbrunn, meaning “beautiful spring.” In 1775, Empress Maria Theresa, the only female ruler of the Hapsburgs, added the neoclassical Gloriette colonnade so she could have sweeping city views. We saw the imperial apartments and grandly furnished rooms where Maria Theresa resided, and learned about her extraordinary reign which featured many military campaigns and domestic reforms in medicine, education and civil rights. There was also free time to explore the formal gardens which meant work for Vit and I as we had to separate to keep track of everyone.

Schönbrunn Palace was Empress Maria Theresa’s favorite palace, and she made it the social and political center of her empire, beginning in 1740. We also visited the rooms occupied by Emperor Franz Joseph and his empress, Elisabeth (known as Sissi, she was enormously popular in her day). Franz Joseph restored the state rooms to their rococo splendor, but his private rooms reflect his rather severe nature, making for an illuminating contrast.

Luckily, all of the members of that excursion were also scheduled for the last one of the day, a Heurigen Evening. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the excursion while I read about it last night in my paperwork, but it turned out to be the perfected ending of a lovely day (sans the protestors). Essentially it is Vienna’s version of a celebratory wine-tasting at a local vineyard.

We met our guide, a new one, and drove through the streets of Vienna to the Grinzing district. During this annual Austrian tradition, locals gather amid a festive atmosphere to mark the bottling of the season’s vintage. The glasses are always full of the season’s first pour and a spirit of gemütlichkeit, or good cheer, fills the air. Our guide explained that experiencing this custom is key to an understanding of Austria and the importance of viticulture to its people.

Once strictly the domain of vintners and day laborers who put wines on the tables of monasteries and Vienna’s bourgeoisie, today that district is a thriving area of taverns with a rich history. There was wine (of course), snacks (thank goodness because a man may not live by wine and chocolate alone), and toe-tapping traditional music performed live.

Vit insisted on at least splitting something that did not have sugar as its main ingredient followed by a dessert of original Sacher cake. Yum. Afterwards I was rather bold and decided to have another cake since it’s not likely that I’ll be here any time soon again. I chose the cake I was looking at after puzzling out its name; nearly as delicious as a dessert in and of itself. I hit jackpot. It was divine and it contained a hidden surprise inside. Weihnachtenkugeln cake (Christmas bauble cake) did look like a Christmas bauble or as we call them in the US, a Christmas tree ball ornament. It reminded me a bit of a Kinder surprise chocolate egg because there was a thin layer of white and milk-chocolate and inside a surprise. A chocolatey cream and something white and very tasty. I first thought it was marzipan, but it was actually apple! The chocolate shell tasted of gingerbread. Was it the red dust that gave it that o-so-Christmassy taste? I don’t know but I loved it! Vit snuck a picture of my first bite which he sent it to Charlie and I could hear him laughing even though it was just an email.

I finally got my very satiated group back to the ship and then helped Vit hurry into a clean uniform. I got a kiss that tasted like even more chocolate and he asked me to please put away our purchases so he wouldn’t trip on them and wake me up when he came in late. And what a lot of packing I am looking at. There is barely room left under the bed. We need to get choosey from here on out. I know I keep saying that but it’s true.

First, I need to find additional packaging for the Viennese snow globe I purchased nearly first thing this morning. How on earth I am going to get it home? Perhaps I will have to carry it on the plane except there is the problem with liquid limitations. There is no way you get out of Vienna in the winter without having stumbled over a snow globe. More than 115 years old Wien’s most popular decorative gift is still produced in the Perzy family’s manufactory in the 17th district. While the snow globe is available in various sizes you can let it snow on key landmarks, mountains and villages, animals, cakes, Johann Strauss and Empress Sissi, and even expressions of love. I found one that snowed on a violin and couldn’t resist it. Or should I say refused to resist it.

Along with the globe came a flyer with some interesting facts about them. It is thought that snow globes originated in France in Europe, with the first known record being a globe of water and white powder, with a man holding an umbrella, which was on display at the Paris Universal Expo in 1878. Snow globes were first patented in the year 1900, in Austria, by Erwin Perzy, a mechanic of surgery instruments, who is believed to have thought of the idea whilst attempting to increase light bulb luminescence. The production and demand of snow globes increased between the 1920s and the 1940s, with the rise of cheaper production methods and materials. Although snow globes are commonly used for ornamental purposes, in some cases, they were initially purposed for and used as paperweights. To prevent the liquid inside a snow globe from freezing during cold temperatures, an antifreeze such as glycol, is often added to the water, while glycerine or another ingredient is sometimes added to slow the movement of the flakes in the liquid.

Polina spotted the Viennese wines before anyone else did at the market and then it was like hyenas after a fresh kill. I saw Polina’s look of determination to wade in, and I stayed as far out of the maelstrom as possible. Viennese wine is not like your typical Italian or French wine. Viennese wine enjoys a certain kind of cult status among wine connoisseurs and is typically served in more gourmet style restaurants, or so it was explained to me. Vienna actually dedicates about 700 hectares (1,729.7 acres) of land within its city boundary for the production of wine, which is the largest in the world. Since the 1600’s, pub culture grew in Vienna and now Viennese wine is part of the culture.

“Oh my gosh Polina,” I said trying not to laugh so anyone else would notice.”

“You will thank me later when you present this to your man.” She was looking so triumphant I couldn’t help it. I got a fit of the giggles. Not just at her but at the very satisfied looks on our excursion members, and the every bit as satisfied looks on the clerks and wine sellers. Oh my word. I want to ask Yegor for a copy from my body cam although it might be one of those “you had to be there” moments.

While Polina guarded the wine – I added a bottle for Henry to try and perk him up – I hit up a stall that sold Vienna’s famous apricot jam. Chief Gunder, a man who sees himself as a bit of a gourmand foodie, told me that if you’re looking for something truly unique and delicious that is very much Austrian, then apricot jam is a good economical item to choose. Traditional Austrian apricot jam is called “Wachauer Marille” and is grown in the Wachau Valley and is romantically said to be ripened by the midsummer sun. Of course, once I started with apricot I couldn’t stop there, especially as the stall was selling Staud’s[1] brand. I wound up having to have it delivered to the ship. Vit could only blink … and then wipe his mouth and struggle to say which jar he wanted me to keep out while I packed the others for sending home. In addition to the apricot there was strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, wild blueberry, sour cherry, gooseberry-kiwi, elderberry-plum-apple, wild lingonberry, plum, tropical fruit mix, traditional fruit mix, rose hips, pears, and red currants. I got a sampling of their wine jellies as well. Chutneys included Apricot, Fig, Apple, and Mixed Fruit. There were jars of fruit in syrup and jars of pureed fruit. There were jams made with brandy. There were syrups and punches like the Jamaican Rum and Blood Oranges as well as several others. But the pièce de resistance were the chocolate jams. Yes, I said chocolate jams.

Polina and I looked at each other and said, “Yegor.” It caused us both to laugh and drew the attention of some of the tour members as well. One woman in particular said, “Oh my gawd, I am so getting some of those for when I’m jonesing. Rockford [her partner] probably’ll wonder why I didn’t get more if it means I don’t turn ‘cudda on him once a month.”

After I explained the reference, Polina got a thoughtful look and tossed in a couple of more to her purchase causing me to want to giggle all over again. But who can resist flavors like Chocolate-Banana Roulade, Chocolate-Raspberry Macarons, Chocolate-Sour Cherry Brioche, and Chocolate-Coffee Mousse and Orange?

I didn’t buy any but did help a few personnel purchase a few small pieces of Viennese porcelain. Known as some of the best in the world, it is made with a hard paste rather than soft. It is so famous that it has been used as diplomatic gifts given between countries. Elaborate design and decorations often can be found on older and more expensive pieces, but contemporary designs and patterns supposedly make a great gift for those visiting Vienna … and I suspect as the traditional diplomatic gift.

Jams aren’t the only delicacy that we bought. Pumpkin seed oil is not too expensive as such things go and Chief Gunder had recommended it within Yegor’s hearing. The pumpkin seeds are crushed, roasted, and then pressed and the oil goes great with food in either a sauce for lamb or beef and even in salad dressings. Some people even like to put in on vanilla ice cream. Uh, I am food adventurous but I don’t think even I could imagine that pairing.

And of course there was the artisanal chocolate that is taken so very seriously in Vienna. Much like the art of porcelain and winemaking, the art of chocolate is something that has been passed down for generations. Chocolate was a big deal in the imperial courts where, essentially, only those involved in the upper classes could afford it. Vienna is now home to tons of chocolatiers all with their own delicious brands. I sampled a bit too much all morning long and I’ll probably pay for it with a zit, but I’m not complaining, at least not yet.

I nearly busted out laughing again when someone asked me to help her navigate a transaction for a traditional dirndl dress. Polina looked at me and said, “Nyet. Not even for Yegor and one of his fantasies will I squeeze into that.”

Thank goodness that a vendor of Mozartkugel (“Mozart ball”) distracted me. It is a round-shaped, dark chocolate-coated candy, stuffed with pistachio marzipan and nougat that has been the signature delicacy of Salzburg, the hometown of great composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (after whom it is named), since the late 19th century. Original Salzburger Mozartkugeln are still made by hand at the original confectionery run by the Fürst family. I didn’t want to pay the price for an original brand, but there were plenty of more economical knock offs that were just as tasty.

Then there were the Austrian cookies. Oh. My. Among the most notable of them are Ruger Wafers – delicious, crisp, gourmet delicacies made in the Austrian Alps in accordance with the old-time recipes, using top-quality ingredients combined with the latest technology, which creates some truly unique, aerated vanilla-flavored cream fillings. Other handcrafted Austrian cookies we saw (and tasted broken samples of) included: Linzer Cookies - spiced with a touch of cinnamon, lemon and orange zest, complete with a raspberry jam, lemon curd, and apricot jam filling; Viennese Chocolate Kisses - made with hazelnuts and dark chocolate; Butter Cookies - a delicious treat with little sugar glaze dots; and Vanilla Tea cookies - soft, tender hazelnut butter cookies coated in vanilla sugar or dark chocolate.

It being the most money that I had expended in some time, I expected Vit to squeak a bit. Instead he seriously asked me if I was sure that I had purchased enough. All I could do was go off in gales of laughter and pull him down onto the bed with me for a moment for a kiss of approval.

“You like?” he asked with a grin.

“Very much.”

“Is goot,” he said, mimicking Chief Gunder, sending me off into more laughter. I think I wouldn’t mind so very much if he wakes me up when he comes in. Tomorrow is a second day in Vienna. First comes nature and afterwards I will see if there is another excursion for me to guide. I’m not sure yet. It depends on whether Chief Gunder has recovered from today. LOL

---

[1] Feinste Verführung aus Wien von STAUD'S

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 244: Sep 27 - Vienna, Austria (2)​

Today was not the as busy as yesterday but it was certainly unusual. I spent my morning as lead security for a paddle through the Danube wetlands, Central Europe’s last remaining wetland environment. I did have to bite my tongue on some of the over-the-top eco-tourism schtick, but I managed to do it without “breaking my teeth” as Charlie would have said in my place. That’s always assuming he could have kept his opinions to himself, not always guaranteed. It is not that I don’t agree that conservation is an important issue in many respects. I have a problem when it becomes political in nature because it often does the exact opposite and turns people off, or even worse, the human quotient is so warped that facts and science are lost under opinion and agenda.

Shortly after breakfast I took the group to a waiting motor coach for a scenic drive to Donau-Auen National Park. There we met our guide—a park ranger and wildlife expert—for an informative tour along the Danube. We donned life jackets during a safety briefing where I made sure that everyone could swim. Yes, ridiculous, but Polina has caught a few of the staff and personnel having snuck through that requirement by exaggerating their skill. Dog paddling is not what was meant by swimming on the skills checklist.

All my group were real swimmers, many having even competed in the sport, and most had experience in kayaking which is what we were doing. We climbed on board and enjoyed the tranquil setting as we glided through the wetlands, taking turns to paddle for those that were tandem. We learned about the various conservation projects, first established in 1978, that protect the local wildlife in this area, some of which are close to extinction including white-tailed eagles, beavers and Danube salmon. Then there are the European pond turtles on Schlossinsel, or “Castle Island,” that our park ranger described.

It was a lovely three hours, but I was not disappointed to return to the ship. I get enough politics in my job, I really don’t want to have it force fed me on what was supposed to be a relaxing activity for my personnel.

I was about to head to the Mess Hall when I was hailed over the intercom system. Unusual, but not unheard of. I keyed my communicator and got no answer. I headed towards Polina’s office only to hear some raised voices. I didn’t want to stretch my authority and go above it so I slowly turned towards Yegor who shrugged.

“They want you.”

“And ‘they’ are?”

He shrugged again but indicated with his hand that my interruption wouldn’t be unwelcome. I walked over to the door, figuratively girded my loins, and walked in to find Mr. Baird and Vit both on the side of the desk with Polina, facing a very loud and blousy woman who I found out was the wife of one of the more senior diplomats and apparently an unexpected visitor to the ship. By thunder she had consequences and expected them to be recognized. I nearly gave the two-fingered whistle to call time out to prevent the other three from giving the woman the one-fingered salute.

“Mr. Baird? Chief?”

“Ye don’t have to,” Mr. Baird started. His colloquial accent heavy as it was indicated his level of irritation.

“Harrumph,” was a sound that left the woman and I swear I wondered if there was an irritated water buffalo in the room.

I cleared my throat after getting no help from Polina or Vit and turned to the woman. “May I be of some assistance?”

“Foinly.”

“Beg your pardon.”

“Do ye know who my husband is?”

“Actually, no ma’am. I do not find it is my business to know the personal business of those aboard this ship.” That stopped her. “However, Mr. Baird who is my diplomatic …”

“Me husband is a diplomat.”

“He is? And you are here to visit with him? How nice.”

She growled. “I was sent by his secretary …” Another growl. “His secretary mind you, to … find something to do with meself since I wasn’t expected. Donnely knew I was coming, he simply forgot … again … to let that … secretary … of his know so that arrangements could be made. Now I am once again …”

“Ah. One moment ma’am if you’ll beg my pardon.” I turned to look at the others hoping they’d at least give me a sign. For some reason Vit was suddenly seized by a fit of coughing. Mr. Baird looked relieved. And if Polina had looked any more stoic she could have played at being a cardboard cutout. Finally she bit out in staccato Russian, “Take her. I don’t care where. Just … take her. And I promise to … something … anything … she … take her. Away.”

“Yes Chief. Right away,” I responded in English so the woman would think I was receiving important orders. Which I suppose in a way I was, simply not for the reason the woman would assume.

Vit continued coughing. I’m still not sure what part he played in the farce, but I gathered the rather irritated woman … and now that I’d placed who her husband was and the “secretary” involved I’m fairly certain she had at least some right to it … and took her to the Mess Hall. “Ma’am, if you will allow me to fetch you some tea … or coffee if you prefer … it will be just a moment as I make sure of your safety and arrange for some entertainment.”

She sighed. “I will be stuck on this damn boat …”

“Ship ma’am, and only a few more moments. Might I suggest perhaps a snack as well. I think I have just the excursion for you.”

That accomplished I hustled to Chief Gunder’s office, found him in, explained the situation, and had him help to quickly arrange my plan. I mean, it worked with the “older ladies” so why not this woman?

One of the guides yesterday was from an “excursions by locals” type of business. I called them and explained the spot I was in, and they said they knew exactly the guide I needed, and that he was available as his group for the day had cancelled on him last minute and that he’d meet us in thirty minutes at our dock.

“Oh you’re wonderful. Thank you. Really. You have no idea.”

The man, a doctoral student and quite casual said, “I’ve had a few like that myself. Fredrick will understand as well.”

Well Fredrick was exactly what the doctor ordered for Madame the thoughtless husband’s wife. He was about Derrick’s age and very distinguished looking. I basically only played duenna as he captivated his audience for the entire afternoon as we took a wine tasting tour all along the river.

First off, they are more properly called a Heurige (pronounced Hi- Ree – Ga), translated as wine tavern. There are many of these located all over Austria, and Vienna is particularly famed for them. Most of the oldest and best heurige are located near the Vienna Woods and we visited seven of them.

Weingut Fuhrgassl-Huber dates to 1683. It has several venues on site, but we stuck to the tasting room to ease in to what was going to be a special treat, just for Madam. Mayer am Pfarrplatz is one of the oldest and it even produces its own label. Here we spent time in the garden since Frederick had connections to get us in even without reservations. Sirbu had amazing views and their prices reflected it. Rather oddly they only had pedestrian plastic picnic tables to sit at. Still, the views made it worth it. Zimmermann, in addition to wine, had a buffet of small noshes like cheese, crackers, and sweet cakes to have along with their label. Welser had both a hot and cold buffet to pair with their wines and at that point it was needed. Trust me, Madam wasn’t just drinking a “taste” at the tastings. Zahel was housed in a 250-year-old farmhouse. I was surprised to find that the bar and stuberl were smoking areas, while the garden house, veranda, and presshouse were non-smoking. I can’t tell you the last time I ran into any location that allowed smoking on the grounds or didn’t shunt smokers off like they carried the plague. Wolff was our seventh and last stop and good thing too. My charge was starting to list rather noticeably.

Frederick helped us get back to the ship, and after thanking him profusely (and making sure he was tipped accordingly), I levered Madam up the gangway shortly before we departed port. From there I helped her to her husband’s cabin and got her situated for the night. I even was kind enough to warn her husband that she’d had a rather full afternoon and that she might not be up for an evening meal, but that coffee or tea and a light breakfast would likely be welcome in the morning. From there I headed to the library to finish my report and to await Vit who I’d signaled as soon as I had gotten to the pier.

Chief Gunder snuck his head around his office door, saw me, and then nearly wilted when I smiled. He beckoned me in and then leaned against the door. “Oh mein gott. What a mess. I’ve had to listen to far too many diplomats now worried should their partners show up without notice demanding that we … you … pull a similar miracle to keep the fires of hell from falling on them.”

I couldn’t help it, I started laughing. A knock on the door and Polina joined us. I explained the afternoon and her stoicism vanished and I swear it looked like the two of them were about to do their digestive system some damage. I shrugged and said, “They’ll owe you.” That only made them worse.

By the time I finished giving them a more thorough run down and then escaping, Vit was there and the entire comedic routine had to be repeated for his benefit, but at least it was in our cabin so he could reward me properly and then get us to the Mess Hall before it closed. Returning to our cabin afterwards I got another reward – and trust me I am feeling very properly rewarded – and Vit now sleeps and after writing down my thoughts I need to go there as well. Tomorrow is Budapest … yes, that’s what I said. I missed the lecture I am likely to get from Vit, but I’m sure he will read me one tomorrow simply because he worries. I admit that the further east we go, the more stressed I get. Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania … then Ukraine. My thoughts are in a whirl and I try not to think too hard on it.

 

[Lake Lili]

Your late night post became my breakfast story... Thanks!
Lili

 

[sssarawolf]

Very good

 

[Siskiyoumom]

Just Wow!
I love your details on both the country and the characters.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 245: Sep 28 - Budapest, Hungary (1) (Sunday) - Part 1​

Budapest, Hungary. It has been quite the adventure. And I do it again tomorrow. However, before I think of that I need to review today to see if there are any lessons I can learn.

Today everyone had to be off the ship. It was some type of agreement with the government of Hungary to allow the Peace Mission ship to dock in Budapest as well as our next two ports. The only ones allowed to remain on the ship was a skeleton ship’s crew and some of our US military personnel, of the Naval persuasion in case they needed to help with the ship. Once everyone else disembarked, no one was going to be allowed back on for at least twelve hours. And that was only after going through a grueling security check.

I thought that, because of their positions, Vit, Yegor, and Polina would be remaining aboard. Teach me to think. Teach them to think. Apparently they were under the same assumption they would be remaining on board as well. No and with a definite period on the end of that order. US Naval personnel only, thank you very much. Since it was so last-minute Chief Gunder assigned them to my group.

“It relieves my mind,” he told me. “I do not doubt your skill Veta, but the commonsense of a few of the members of your group.”

“I take it I have a few that have made the Naughty List?”

He snorted in, but more in relieved humor that I wasn’t taking afront to his plain speaking. “Let us say they are working their way onto it with intention and speed.”

“Lovely.”

“However, I have further news.” I waited and he added, “Our higher authority crew members are being asked to go incognito to minimize attention. They will be in civilian clothing rather than camouflaged with their uniforms. Similar to the clothing that has been issued to everyone leaving the ship. No insignia or distinguishing rank items of any kind.” He sighed. “It is goot I lost that last five pounds. These shirts are very unforgiving when they are properly tucked in.”

Chief Gunder has lost weight, but I know an ego that needs to be stroked a bit when I see it. “You always look distinguished. Better hope a certain lady chef we both know doesn’t get a look at you in your civvies. She might not be able to contain herself. She already opines at how thin you are getting.”

“Bah!” he said looking secretly pleased. “And goot luck. Or at least goot patience. I believe we will all need it.”

I was thinking the same thing but at the same time I was trying to keep my feet on the floor and not look as happy as I felt. Not only Vit, but Polina and Yegor? The day was bound to have a few bright spots to put into my memory bank and make up for the “problem children” I might have in the group.

Breakfast had come early that morning, and with it the surprise of the casual costume we were all expected to wear. While I waited for my group to change and gather in our assigned area, as well as sending a few back to get their faraday bags if they wished to make any purchases, I shared some history with those that had already arrived. The history of Budapest began when an early Celtic settlement transformed into the Roman town of Aquincum, the capital of Lower Pannonia. The Hungarians arrived in the territory in the late 9th century, but the area was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241–42. Re-established with the place name Buda, it became one of the centers of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century. The Battle of Mohács, in 1526, was followed by nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule. After the reconquest of Buda in 1686, the region entered a new age of prosperity. Now called Pest-Buda, it become a globally recognized city. After the unification of Buda, Óbuda and Pest on 17 November 1873, the name 'Budapest' was given to the new capital. Budapest also became the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a great power that dissolved in 1918, following World War I. The city was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Battle of Budapest in 1945, as well as the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

I kept at it as I watched Vit, Yegor, and Polina quietly join. I was surprised that no one really took notice. Strange how I could see them so plainly and none of the other group members paid them much heed. With no rank insignia it was like they blended in like white on white. Amazing.

After a quick glance at my communicator that both let me know our Hungarian guide had arrived and also a message from Vit to ignore the three of them until they could ascertain the mood of the group, I led everyone off the ship and over to a man holding a sign with our excursion number on it. I noticed there was also a female attached to the his lead, and while she was young she was still older than me and a bit matronly. It clued me in that the proprieties would be observed and perhaps demanded. That wasn’t the first time that I sent a prayer Heavenward that the more … uh hem … livelier members would behave themselves.

I waited a moment and then introduced myself in Hungarian.

He said, “We will speak English.” He had an accent but unlike some of our recent guides, his English was excellent.

“Of course. As you will it,” I said trying to remember any particular etiquette I needed to be careful of. The only thing that jumped immediately to mind is that like most areas of Europe, you keep your fork in your left hand and your knife in your right. That I could not remember anything beyond the normal courtesy and manners adults are expected to show, helped me to relax in this exotic location. It took our guides a bit longer, but not much. There was a bit of stiffness, but it disappeared after about fifteen minutes, primarily after we got out from under the eye of all the Hungarian police that were being stationed near the pier. He actually proved to be quite jolly though his female companion, a woman he introduced simply as Edlyn, remained mostly quiet. Our lessons on Budapest continued as soon as we took our first steps and that is how it continued for the remainder of the day.

“The Danube River divides Hungary’s capital city into the once separate towns of Buda and Pest. We will explore both sides, starting with Pest’s National Opera House and historic Heroes’ Square. In Buda, we will walk along Castle Hill to Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church.”

Separated from its western neighbor Buda by the Danube River, the eastern part of Budapest, formally known as Pest, takes up almost two thirds of the Hungarian capital. Unlike hilly Buda, Pest is predominantly a flat plain with a pretty buzzing and bourgeois setting. It houses some truly magnificent architectural sights, including the Hungarian Parliament itself. In part, this is probably the reason why Hungarians habitually refer to their capital city as simply “Pest”.

Our first stop was the Hungarian Parliament Building, a massive Neo-Gothic edifice resting on the eastern bank of the river Danube. Our guide continued, ”This stately piece of architecture is by far the most recognizable landmark of Budapest, being the largest building in Hungary and one of the oldest of its kind in Europe. Symbolizing the country’s newly-found political unity, it was built in 1896, just in time for the celebration of Hungary's millennial anniversary. The construction involved around 100,000 people and took 40 million bricks, 40 kilos of gold, and half a million precious stones and jewels used for decoration. The enormous structure contains about 700 rooms and a staggering 19 km of stairs and corridors, with overall 242 sculptures, both inside and outside, and 27 entrance gates!!!”

From my view, the most prominent parts of the building is the central hall featuring the Hungarian Coronation Regalia, the artifacts including the Holy Crown of Hungary, the orb, the scepter, and a Renaissance-style sword.

We were free to explore the interior with our guide pointing out the impressive ornamental staircases, the dome cupola where the Holy Crown is kept, and the House of Representatives. Apart from its architecture, the parliament building also attracts visitors with the change of the guards ceremony that takes place there every afternoon, which we were unfortunately going to miss as we were going to our next point of interest.

Located on the east (Pest) side of the Danube Promenade, the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial was erected in 2005. It was conceived to honor the 3,500 victims (800 of them Jews) of the fascist Arrow Cross terror in Budapest during World War II. It represents the shoes left behind on the bank, as the victims were ordered to take their shoes off prior to being shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies fell into the river and were carried away. It is comprised of sixty pairs of period-appropriate shoes out of iron, attached to the stone embankment, accompanied with the cast iron signs, reading in Hungarian, English, and Hebrew the following words: "To the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944–45. Erected 16 April 2005." Most of the murders along the river took place around December 1944 and January 1945, when the members of the Arrow Cross Party police ("Nyilas") took as many as 20,000 Jews from the newly established Budapest ghetto and executed them along the river bank.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 245: Sep 28 - Budapest, Hungary (1) (Sunday) - Part 2​

After that sober place we headed to The Chain Bridge. However I felt like a teacher of elementary students and was treated like a prison matron when I placed a security person as a companion to a clique that was forming. I wanted to kick them in the shins. You do not rudely talk over your guide or host when they are explaining what you are seeing. The knuckle-draggers didn’t think the body cam was operational and they were taking advantage of it. Wrong. On the other hand even I forget about the blasted thing on occasion. It was not helping my composure to have Vit and Polina witness their rudeness. And I know Yegor wanted to swipe one of the idiots because he worked in communication. Trying to refocus and calm down – I hate when adults act like children – I heard the guide tell everyone the Chain Bridge was the first stone bridge that connected the regions of Buda and Pest. It is the second of two permanent bridges that cross the entire length of the Danube River. It is also architecturally beautiful and the city's most recognizable symbol. The construction started in 1839 but the inauguration of the bridge did not take place until 1949.

Another St. Stephen’s was next. Overlooking the eponymous square in Budapest, the St. Stephen's Basilica is dedicated to King István, the first monarch of Hungary, who brought Christianity to the country. The mummified fist of the king, now aged over 1,000 years, is kept right there in the church, as a relic encased in a glass box. Brrr. Gave me the shivers. I don’t believe in ghosts but there is something about the objects of regular pilgrimage that have a feeling … embedded emotions? … left from so many people and their prayers. Also interred in the church is Hungary's legendary soccer player, Ferenc Puskás, considered to be one of the best footballers of all time. Juxtaposed priorities in my opinion but people will “worship” what is important to them.

For many Hungarians this is the most important religious site, just as it is a key local attraction for tourists, not the least because of its size – the building can hold up to 8,500 people at a time and stands 96 meters high, being the 3rd tallest structure in the country, at par with the Hungarian Parliament, holding the legally allowed height record for Budapest. Topping the right tower is the heaviest and largest bell in the country, weighing nine tons! Oh my, and I used to worry about my weight.

Except for certain parts of the building, such as the treasury and the dome, the basilica is free to enter. We were invited to access to the dome, either by stairs rather than elevator, as a gift from the Hungarian Parliament. It was kept quiet but I am writing a letter of thank you on behalf of our group with Mr. Baird’s approval since I can do it without having to resort to the translation machines … meaning I can write it by hand in what Baird has called “damn fine handwriting and irritating as hell since it can be read when even a simple note I leave Henry looks like chicken scratch.” Once we reached the top – too many personnel were out of breath – we were blessed to see one of the best panoramas of Budapest. Everyone took pictures – even our crankies acting like they were near apoplexy from the climb – and no one was ready to return to the lower areas, it was that fine. Of course the interior of the church was also beautiful with a mass of marble and gold plating, elaborately decorated chapels, mosaics, ceiling and wall frescoes, stained glass windows, plus a multitude of statues (including that of St. István himself adorning the ornate main altar) and paintings by renowned Hungarian artists.

Apart from the altar, another distinctive feature of the church is a massive pipe organ which were gifted to hear play. I love pipe organ music. I rarely speak of it but one of the few true memories I carry with me from my toddlerhood is sitting with my faced pressed against a wood panel of the organ in the Orthodox Church I grew up in. It is more feeling than actual memory. My hearing and vision must have already been damaged but I can feel the wood on my face and the vibration of the sound that made the only “music” I could hear at that point.

Vit noted my emotions despite, or maybe because, of how stoic I was being. After I quietly explained he asked, “Why do I not know this?”

I shrugged. “Probably for the same reason there are things from your childhood I do not know. Some things are simply … of the past. Don’t be angry.”

“Nii. I am not Kokhana. I am simply … learning to understand you a bit better. And why music has always been so important.”

I would have kissed him in appreciation but it was neither the time nor the place. I also had to get back to “the herding of ridiculous cats.” Polina growled, “Some of these cats are growing fat and lazy. Perhaps they need a Russian Hound to stir the up.”

I gave her the same look Momma would give the brats when they were getting in a mood. “You do that too well for your age. Not as good as my mother but good enough,” she said with a small grin of humor.

I was tempted to roll my eyes but I didn’t want any other personnel to start thinking I was too family with Chief Ivanov. Thus far no one has really noted Polina or Yegor. They had figured out who Vit was but he is well-liked though high enough in rank that he wouldn’t be a peer to them so they gave him some space. It must be some talent you develop after a certain rank, I’ve obviously not got it and all personnel seem to feel free to treat me as an equal … or some with contempt. I’ve gotten very good at ignoring those trying to intentionally push my buttons but it came at a cost. Most now perceive me as the Ice Queen no matter how polite I treat them. There was no time to have a pity party however so I shelved it so I could listen to the guide and use a reasonable amount of situational awareness.

The beautiful Gozsdu Courtyard, built in 1901 and now redeveloped, was once a hive of activity before the Holocaust. In recent years it has turned into a top nightlife destination. Lined with restaurants, cafes and bars, this 200-meter long passageway comes alive every evening with music and people in both indoor and outdoor settings.

We weren’t there for the nightlife but for the popular GOUBA (Gozsdu Bazaar), held there every Sunday, March through October. Vit gave me a look asking if I objected to him perusing the rows of vendors. I gave him a brief look, unnoticed by others, basically saying of course not you crazy Cossack. I knew he would mind the time constraints and could speak enough of the language to get by. Some of the others in our group, not so much so I was kept busy going back and forth. Where people are putting some of the stuff they purchase is beyond my understanding. Thankfully everyone was ready to go on time and it was off to see the Great Synagogue, and thankfully we all fit in the strict dress code they had.

Built in the 1850s as a place of worship for the Neolog Jews, the synagogue is the second-largest in the world, running up in size only to the Temple Emanu-El in New York City. Just like its counterpart in Rumbach Street, it was built in a Moorish Revival style. Set in the old Jewish quarter, the synagogue forms part of a larger complex that includes the Heroes' Temple, the graveyard, the Memorial, and the Jewish Museum. During WWII, Dohány Street marked the border of the Budapest Ghetto and today still carries strong Holocaust connotations.

The massive damage sustained by the Great Synagogue during the Second World War, followed by a long period of neglect under the communist rule, called for an extensive restoration work which finally took place in the 1990s. The octagonal twin towers of the building, guarding the main entrance topped with a beautiful stained glass rosette, are crowned by onion domes that make it visible all over the city. The columns are supposed to symbolize Solomon’s temple. Inside, the enormous nave rises almost 40 feet high. Just as in many other synagogues, the seats on the ground level are reserved for men, while the upper gallery is for women. In all, the place can seat up to 3,000 people.

A small splinter group from my group had arranged to explore the Jewish Heroes’ mausoleum next door to the synagogue, as well as the museum and archives. Chief Gunder had assigned one Israeli clerk and Polina had arranged for a security personnel who was a practicing Jew from New York to babysit them … one of my troublemakers was in that group … so I felt a little less like a poodle with static electricity while I took everyone else for a quick tour of the graveyard and the park memorial. The splinter group’s touring must have been very effecting for them as they seemed quite sober when they rejoined us before our guides took us to Vaci Street.

Extending for more than 15 blocks, from Vörösmarty square to Fővám square, passing through the very heart of Pest, the pedestrian Váci street took us about half an hour to walk its entire length. For more than a century, the street has been the place for the locals to come to and see things and be seen. Each door on the side of Váci Street is either a shop, a restaurant, a cafe, a bar or a store of some type. There were generic stores but more interesting were the ones that have Art Nouveau facades were could be found such places as antiques stores, art galleries, souvenir shops, and lots of foreign exchange offices. It is a popular area and the prices are a bit steeper. But even going a few blocks in either direction you can find more economy minded stores. Only a few asked to pop in and pick up something they’d already ordered online because we were about to hit up Nagyvasarcsarnok … the Great Market Hall.

Budapest's central market is one of the mandatory places to visit according to our guide. The largest and oldest marketplace in the city, it was built in the late 19th century. Clad in steel, with an elegant entrance gate of neo-Gothic design, the market is spread over three floors, covering the total area of 10,000 square meters. Badly damaged during two world wars in the 20th century, the market remained closed for several years until the major restoration work done in the 1990s.

To appease everyone’s hunger – and to the thrill of the foodies in our group – our first stop was included the food court. Mmmm. Delicious if I must say so. There were stalls of Hungarian goodies such as lángos (deep-fried discs of dough smothered in sour cream and cheese), paprika, Tokaji wines, túró rudi curd snack, and caviar, as well farm-made sausages, sauerkraut, stuffed peppers and other delights sold at very reasonable prices. Most stalls on the ground floor offer meats, pastries, candies, spices, and spirits, while the floor above accommodates eateries and souvenir stands. The lángos stand, widely regarded to be the best one on this market, sits here serving this delicious snack with regional beer. At the basement there's a supermarket, a fish market, and pickle stalls offering traditional cucumber, cauliflower, cabbage, beet, tomato, and garlic pickles, to mention but a few. I had a hard time no laughing at Yegor as he arranged and rearranged items in his faraday bag, the cursed in several languages, believe one was even made up, that the faraday bags were not large enough. I had to walk away when Vit agreed with him and said he would call Henry and see if there was any other way beyond them both turning into pack mules.

Vit and Yegor were not the only two suffering from lack of space in their faraday bags. The market offered a wide choice of moderately priced non-edible items as well, such as handicrafts, folk art, porcelain, crystal and souvenirs of an amazing variety. I quietly reminded everyone to that their time to search for the best value for money since many vendors were selling identical, or near identical, items. Edlyn quietly told me that if anyone was looking for handcrafts, to go all the way around the back where most of those vendors set up. The bad news was that only the souvenir booths were set up to take electronic cards. The good news was that some businesses equally accepted both the European Euro and the Hungarian Forint.

I might as well go ahead and record Vit’s purchases though it makes us sound a bit crazy. One day we are telling each other that we should be careful with our space allowance and the next, one or the other of us has thrown that idea out the porthole.

Quite a few people bought traditional Hungarian dolls but I managed to nyet that idea. I have enough dolls in storage to satisfy any child we have. Not to mention the ones I saw were more for display than playing with. Vit did purchase Tokaji wine as it is produced only in North Eastern Hungary. Tokaji wine comes in a variety of different tastes including dry, Szamorodni, Aszu, Eszencia, Fordiatas and Maslas. Its light color and fantastic taste, coupled with the slender, elegant bottles it comes in, make Tokaji both beautiful and delicious. Luckily Vit spotted Henry wandering rather aimlessly and got him in on a purchase of Tokahi as well as Palinka and Unicom, by combining it with an order from Mr. Baird. In return I saw to an order of Hungarian paprika and matyo embroidery. Speaking of which, Hungarian paprika comes in several varieties, from sweet and mild to hot. I was expected to get several. Hmm. I hope they understand that my hot and their hot may not be the same thing. Matyó embroidery is famous and identifiable by its colorful and heavily-patterned designs. The predominant design includes red leaves and flowers, and it originates from the old ladies in the village of Tard, passed down from generation to generation. In order to appeal to the younger generation, a wide range of fashionable colors have been introduced which I added for Baird but I myself preferred the traditional colors and designs.

I mentioned Pálinka. Well it is a Hungarian fruit brandy which has a relatively high alcohol content. Its production dates back to the Middle Ages when it was sipped for its medicinal properties. It remains one of the nation's favorite tipples and you'll see it on drinks lists at restaurants and bars throughout the country. Several personnel definitely “tippled” it on our ruin pub crawl. It's typically made from fruit grown in Hungary including apricots, plums, cherries and pears although as it's a potent spirt (at least 37.5% ABV) you may only be able to detect subtle differences in flavor. I don’t know who is working on the larger collection, Vit or Baird. Yegor drinks his before it can grow into a “collection” or so says Polina. From what I’ve seen she isn’t wrong. Unicum is usually consumed as an aperitif. It is a bitter, dark-colored liquor that is said to have been invented by Jozsef Zwack, royal physician to the Habsburg Emperor. There is a longstanding history of this drink and it is made with a blend of over 40 herbs that is a secret formula, protected by the Zwack family.

Whew, we spent quite a bit of time in there but eventually we needed to move on. The faraday bags limited the number of items many people purchased, and that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing as we had far yet to go before we could return to the ship.

We crossed the Szabadsag bridge and continued with the next part of the excursion on the opposite side of the river.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 245: Sep 28 - Budapest, Hungary (1) (Sunday) - Part 3​

“The Hungarian capital Budapest is a relatively young city. It emerged only in the late 19th century as a result of the merger of two neighboring towns - Buda on the western bank of the Danube and Pest on the eastern bank. Set on the hills, Buda represents a historic part of the city and is a home to the grand Hapsburg palace which still breathes the imperial air of old-time wealth. While in Buda you can enjoy a sweeping view of the opposite Pest, which lies across the river. Compared to Pest, Buda is considerably more relaxed, with its life running at a much slower pace and its profile kept much lower too.”


Our first stop on that side of the Danube was at the Gellert Spa, built in 1918. The tradition of bath in Hungary was introduced by the Turks in the 16th century, when the country was part of the Ottoman Empire. There are older documented records of the Gellert hot springs back before the 15th century, predated by tales of the underground waters running deep beneath the hills of Buda, praised by monks and hermits for their miraculous healing powers back in the Middle Ages. The Hungarian thermal baths grew incredibly popular in the 19th century seeing more and more locals and guests of Budapest rushing to reap the benefits of what was called aqua therapy, or taking the waters, similar to what occurred in Bath in England. To meet this growing demand, a fine-looking facility was needed to enable people to enjoy spa waters in a civilized manner, or so explained our guide.

Such was the case of Gellert Spa, the complex combining a spa hotel and thermal bath under one roof. This large building stuns with its architecture, and particularly the tiling, right from the very entrance. Were we to be guests, we would be offered a choice of indoor and outdoor pools, two thermal baths, two saunas and a steam room, complete with a set of massage and other treatment facilities.. To quench one's hunger for another bodily pleasure, such as food, there is a garden cafe, tastefully filled with flowers and pretty statues. I knew Vit was a fan and it would have been lovely if he could have enjoyed the facilities.

Rising high above the Danube, Gellért Hill is a dolomite rock which, according to our guides, is named after the bishop who brought Christianity to the Hungarians. At 140 meters, it offers one of the best vantage points in Budapest with the most panoramic view of the city. Back in the 18th century, the hill was mostly bucolic countryside covered in vineyards. As with everything else, the modern world eventually changed that, in particular the 20th century brought much action to Gellért during the Second World War and later, in 1956, during the Hungarian Revolution, when the Soviet tanks fired from this height down on the city in a bid to repress the revolt. Dominating the hill is Hungary's very own “Statue of Liberty” set to commemorate the liberation of Budapest from the Nazis in 1944.

Adjacent to the statue is a citadel built in the 19th century following Hungarian uprising against the rule of Hapsburg Austria. Set at this strategic site, ideal for shelling both Buda and Pest, all at once, in the event of any future revolt, it was put here on purpose. Since then, however, the citadel had served mostly as a prison and shelter for the homeless. It is not open to visitors.

Our next stop, Ybl Budai Creative House, is a tiny palace built in the late 19th century. At a glance, you’d never guess that this charming building is actually a pum house originally designed to supply water to the nearby Royal Palace. In 2009, during a canal construction, a six-room cistern system was discovered, by then completely forgotten, revealing the gravel layer that filtered Danube water for the use in the palace. Our guide told us that in the early 20th century it was rebuilt as an elegant cafe-restaurant and served in that capacity for 40 years. People say that once it had a large garden with a dance floor at the front and a band playing on the terrace. For another 15 years, up until 2007, it functioned as a casino where modern-day gamblers came to enjoy themselves in an aristocratic setting. It has once again changed purposes and is now an arts venue with an on-site restaurant that also serves excellent coffee.

We moved from pump house to palace with our next point of interest. The Buda Castle is named after the Buda Hill that it stands on. Once home to the Hungarian royalty, this 300 meters long complex totally dominates the city skyline. From an architectural standpoint, the castle represents a mixture of styles – Gothic, Romantic, and Baroque. In large part, this is due to its having been destroyed and rebuilt, at least six times, over the course of the past seven centuries. Unlike similar former royal properties, the interior of the Buda Castle does not convey the idea of what life here was like centuries ago, when kings were still around. Instead, it houses several public institutions, such as the Budapest History Museum – recounting history of Budapest from the outset to the modern era; the Hungarian National Gallery – housing a collection of Hungary's most precious artifacts and works of art; and the Hungarian National Library holding, among other books, some rare and antique ones printed in Hungary and abroad. The military guards here are also of interest, especially when doing their routine, marching and shouldering rifles as an exercise between long stints of standing guard.

The Castle Hill gave us a chance to really exercise as our guide kept us moving right along. The Hill is a mix of historic fortifications, architectural landmarks and cultural venues of various sort. Among them are some famous locations like the Matthias Church or Fisherman's Bastion, and the lesser-known ones like the Faust Wine Cellar, offering a choice of excellent wine tours to the cellars of Buda Castle, or the Ruszwurm сonfectionery renowned for their cream cake. The Hospital in the Rock Museum – a former hospital and bunker built under the rocks of the Castle Hill in the 1940s-60s – is also there. There were plenty of photo opportunities waiting practically around every corner.

While walking on Castle Hill we did stop in a few places including the aforementioned Matthias Church, officially known as the Church of Our Lady. Historical records suggest that the church was built originally in the 11th century but the original church was burned to its foundations in 1241 by the Mongols. It has been rebuilt, renovated, and embellished so many times over the years that it is difficult to find absolute proof. Today it features a primarily Gothic design adopted in the 14th century. The intricate tile work on the roof makes it easy to spot. In 1301 the Czech king Wenceslaus III and Bavarian king Otto III were nominated as kings of Hungary under the roof of the rebuilt church. There are a great many famous people interred in the chapels and floors including Agnes of Antioch.

Considered the 2nd largest church in Buda and 7th largest in Hungary, over the centuries it has been the site of many royal coronations, state burials and religious ceremonies. During the years of Turkish occupation, the church was converted to a mosque with its original ornate frescoes whitewashed and removed. Upon returning to the Christian service in the 17th century, it had a touch of Baroque style added, to compensate for the damage done by cannon fire during the siege which drove the Turks out. Today, the church houses the Ecclesiastical Art Museum spanning from the medieval crypt section up to St. Stephen's Chapel. If you're a fan of stained-glass, and I certainly am, you will find the Matthias Church well worth visiting. And because of the building's great acoustics, it often hosts classical music concerts.

Those of us with no fear of heights were privileged to visit the observation platform at the top of the church's tower for a bird's eye view of the Hungarian capital. Truthfully those who stayed behind weren’t so much afraid of heights than unwilling to climb the great many steep and winding steps that seemed like they were a narrow stairway to Heaven they went on so long.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 245: Sep 28 - Budapest, Hungary (1) (Sunday) - Part 4

After climbing down from the tower, and I’ll admit my calves were singing more than just a little bit, our guide took us directly adjacent to the church to see the Fisherman’s Bastion. It is a massive neo-Gothic, neo-Romanesque structure, and is an extension of the ancient city wall which, back in the Middle Ages, was defended by the guild of local fishermen. The current “bastion” was built between 1895 and 1902 to mark the millennial anniversary of Hungarian statehood. The seven towers of the bastion symbolize seven Hungarian chieftains who led their tribes to the land of contemporary Hungary back in the 9th century AD. The turrets on top of them are quite popular spots with photography lovers for the great shots they provide over the mighty river Danube down below and the Pest side of the city on the opposite bank. The bastion's terrace is open free of charge to the public.

The centerpiece of the bastion is the statue of St Stephen, the first Hungarian king who ruled the country between 1000 and 1038. The wide ceremonial staircase leading to it is also lined with several statues including the statue of St George Piercing the Dragon, as well as those of the 10th-century soldiers guarding the gate, sitting at the top of the stairs, under the arch. The surrounding benches and arcades are inviting after a long walk and since many of us were thirsty our guide took us to the beverage restaurant at the top of one of the turrets.

Six miles in four hours should not have been tiring but several of our group members needed a short break, to freshen up if nothing else. I quietly asked Edlyn, our female guide, and after a brief consultation with Adojan (our male guide), our group was led quietly to a “freshening up” location. A fee was charged but it was charged to everyone to make sure the public restrooms were always in pristine condition.

The next part of our journey was called Taste of Hungary and Pancake Kitchen. For three and a half hours Edlyn was in her element and I nearly purchased Yegor a bib. We immerse ourselves in Budapest’s rich food culture with a visit to its bustling market hall to experience food shopping as many locals do, followed by a lesson in preparing a favorite local dish at the restaurant called Fakanál, which translates into “wooden spoon,” a name which befits its home-style cooking. Here a chef gave is a demonstration of Hungarian palacsinta, crepe-like pancakes served with a sweet or savory filling. Everyone in our group helped to mix the batter and prepare the filling. As a reward we then sampled the results as a sweet Hungarian snack.

Another foodie opportunity we were given is seen as an expensive (albeit controversial) delicacy throughout much of the world. Libamáj (foie gras made from goose liver) is pretty easy to come by in Budapest's markets. It's also extremely affordable. Vit explained to me that the cost of it was less than half of what we'd pay in the US or UK. We picked up several tins of the rich, buttery pâté and also sampled it on fresh kifli, a crescent-shaped bread roll that's eaten throughout Hungary. Our gastronomic experience wasn’t over yet.

Sausages are a big deal in Hungary. They feature in dishes served at breakfast, lunch and dinner and pop up in stews, soups, salads and pastries. Kolbász is the catch-all term for Hungarian sausage and there are many different varieties that are served cooked, boiled, cured or smoked. There are tons of stalls selling all sorts of different types including csabai kolbász, a spicy sausage flavored with paprika; Gyulai kolbász, a beech wood-smoked sausage from the town of Gyula; and májas hurka, a boiled liver sausage. After a quiet word from Polina, I reminded personnel it was probably best to sample kolbasz while we were in Hungary to avoid any complications at customs. I still saw Yegor and Vit putting their heads together but I had to trust Polina to keep an eye on their plans.

We’d been working up an appetite all day and headed to another nearby market to finally get something of substance. There were a number of vendors lining the balcony of one and they served hearty food like goulash, kolbasz and chicken paprikas. There were also stuffed cabbage featuring cooked cabbage leaves loaded with ground pork and beef, rice, tomatoes and sauerkraut. As with many Hungarian dishes, it's generously flavored with paprika. Yum. This comfort food is usually eaten in winter and I was grateful that Vit insisted I eat every thing he kept bringing me. I usually wind up starving by the time I get back to the ship after an excursion day but not this time. The food also helped keep me warm as my tights were not quite as warm as I hoped.

Like pasta, Hungarian egg noodles come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Made from flour, eggs and salt, the noodles are rolled, pinched or grated and feature in popular dishes like chicken paprikas and Pörkölt and in soups like Tyúkhúsleves. There are also Nokedli (drop dumplings similar to German spaetzle), Csipetke (pinched noodles used in soups and stews) and Csiga (small noodles made on special grooved wooden boards).

According to Edlyn, you'd struggle to find a household in Hungary that didn't have a tube of piros arany (red gold) in its kitchen. This handy condiment is a paste made from quality minced paprika and it's used to flavor all sorts of traditional dishes like goulash and chicken paprikas. You can add a dollop to soups and stews or use it to marinate meats and fish. You can buy sweet, smoked and spicy versions and the tubes make great, affordable gifts which is what Yegor was doing. He was sending it to his sister as a bribe to get her off his back. Family. Not everyone has an easy one.

For a carby on-the-go snack, Edlyn told Vit to pick up a Sajtos Pogácsa, a light, fluffy and comforting cheese scone served crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. These bite-sized savory scones are typically served with hearty soups and stews but they're delicious on their own too, as I can atest.

Another classic, on-the-go comfort food, we tried a Lángos, a deep fried doughy flatbread that's eaten warm and slathered with sour cream and grated cheese or with garlicky butter (or all of the above). These hearty snacks are served all year round and are an affordable savory treat for couples or families out and about. The perfect Lángos should be crisp on the outside and soft and plump in the middle. Sometimes they're made with potato (krumplis lángos) and are occasionally served with sausage (kolbász) on top.

We couldn’t get away without trying Hungary's national dish which tends to be served as a stew in most parts of the world. However, an authentic gulyás is actually a thin broth made from chunks of beef cooked with onions, paprika, tomatoes, and pepper. It's usually served with fresh white bread and chopped hot paprika on the side. It's traditionally a peasant dish and was originally cooked by herdsmen in cast iron bogrács cauldrons over open fires.

Finally something sweet. Dobos tortas (Drummer Cake) is a show-stopping sweet treat served in cafes and bakeries across the country and is a popular celebration cake at weddings and parties. It's made up of between 5 and 7 delicate sponge layers, each spread with chocolate buttercream and topped with a thick layer of caramelized sugar (for a satisfying crack when tapped with a fork). The sides of the cake are usually coated in ground nuts like hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds. It was invented to be served to Hungarian royalty in 1885 but is now enjoyed by everyone.

I was thinking that I couldn’t eat one more bite but we weren’t quite finished. Gyümölcsleves is typically served as a chilled starter or a light summer dish. The most popular version of this refreshing delicacy is meggyleves, made from sour cherries, sour cream, and a little sugar. This kind of soup is eaten across Central and Eastern Europe where stoned fruit grows abundantly in the spring and summer.

Now I was full as a tick and even Yegor looked satisfied and replete. We flowed seamlessly into the next and last part of our excursion though I wasn’t pleased with the choice. Not because it was anything awful, but I worried about some of their behavior. It was called a Ruin Pub Crawl of all things. Yes, a couple of personnel became a bit tipsy despite having a lot of food on their stomach but nothing was purposeful or malicious. I did make use of a couple of our security members but again, nothing was really wrong with behaviors, I simply didn’t want anything embarrassing to occur. Thankfully my worst mischief-maker had finally seen through Polina’s camouflage and made the wise decision to remain sober.

Budapest’s “ruin” pubs are incredibly popular with the city’s 20-somethings according to our guides, but he also said they are fun and lively places to grab a drink whatever your age. A cross between pop-up nightclubs, cultural centers and neighborhood hangouts, ruin bars get their name from their location—derelict buildings in the old Jewish Quarter – and we visited several. Puder put the focus on art and theater, with wildly eclectic décor and plenty of performance pieces, along with a comprehensive bar menu. Nearby Szimpla Kert was the first ruin bar; put together with found or thrift-shop furniture in an abandoned building, it is the one that kicked off the entire craze. A short walk with our guides led us to other popular scenes such as Csendes, which pays homage to traditional Hungarian coffee bars as well as to quirky décor; and Extra, which specializes in craft beers. I honestly can’t remember all the names of the places we stuck our heads in as I was too busy making sure to keep our numbers together and upright before returning to the ship.

If Vit is still worried about my loss of additional weight, he shouldn’t be after today. As the Entertainment Director would say, “Mein Gott!”

 

[Lake Lili]

Thanks Kathy!
Lili

 

[sssarawolf]

I came to the again to soon, lol. Thank you for the chapters.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 246: Sep 29 - Budapest, Hungary (2)​

Last day in Budapest. We have already left the pier and are on our way. I think all the off-duty personnel I dealt with today must have been anxious to have their turn off-ship. Some of them were nearly manic after apparently being “stuck” with the diplomats in meetings all day yesterday. Poor Chief Gunder. I hope they know any familiarity I show with my Chiefs is not out of disrespect. But really, he shouldn’t have taken all the really grumpy ones yesterday. He came back looking completely fried. Had he spread them out a bit more … but it isn’t my job to tell him his job. I trust he had his reasons, and being Chief forces a higher level of responsibility. Still, I feel bad after hearing some of the stories.

Today it was my turn. Some of them behaved like unruly children. And I’m only mildly exaggerating to make a point. I’m going to request that certain personnel stick with decaf from here on out. I’ve never had as much trouble as I have had with the people that are on the A, not even the few times that I had to deal with the younger ages as a large group on the B. I would discuss my feelings with Vit, but he is so busy, and exhausted when he is not. It is not quite a security issue so I haven’t taken this to Polina though I suspect, at least on some level, she is aware of the differences in the personnel. Certainly after yesterday she would have noted a few of the personnel in particular. She all but admitted as such when she and Chief Gunder both met with me at the same time early this morning before breakfast. For his part I found out that Chief Gunder worries I am now bucking for a transfer or something after several people have started asking for me in particular.

“No. That’s not an issue,” I assured him. “Please believe me, or ask Chief Ivanov; I have not ask for a transfer from any of my duties nor will I. I beg your pardon Chief Gunder but I think some of us are just wore out from the personnel. Frankly I don’t know what the issue is. Even those personnel that transferred from the B seem to be struggling with their behavior.”

He relaxed after I assured him I’m not looking to transfer to Admin or anything like that. “It was not mine call but perhaps it would have been prudent for there to have been a rest period between Peace Mission assignments. For all personnel.”

I gave his comment serious thought. “You think that this is partly me reacting to them and not their behaviors alone?”

He made a face. “Nein. They act verruckt [crazy] when not on duty. Perhaps with reason but then again, they signed on for this.”

Neither one of us wants to make an issue of this if it can be managed effectively. Polina agrees also, and with reason. Security is already stretched thin. The recent onboard behavior of a few personnel has created its own type of stress. Off-ship is the only time personnel have to “let loose” but unlike sailors in port, they need to be brought to understand they are still “on” as far as being observed as part of the Peace Mission and must behave accordingly. They must be punctual. They must behave with decorum. And they need to do it willingly without a potential club hanging over their heads as if they are children who know no better. I admit that I grow tired of their displays that do nothing to add to the mission’s consequence and reputation, but only make my job more difficult. A job, might I add, that I am responsible for performing to the satisfaction of my own supervisors.

Maybe I am tired. And growing a bit jaded with everything. The last straw for me today was on the last excursion where I had to send three very and suddenly drunk personnel back to the A in a taxi. I had to send one of my security personnel with them to make sure they got there and behaved with at least some decorum. Tonight I found they claimed they must have been drugged as they didn’t have but two drinks. I proved that was an untruth by pulling their expenditures from their cards and giving it to Polina. There is not much that can be done as they are rather high ranking over in the diplomatic area. I’m honestly tempted to let Mr. Baird in on the incident though he might know by now anyway. I would go to Henry for his advice, but he isn’t very available at the moment.

I knew it was going to be a rough few hours when the cat herd appeared to be rather manic and were enhaling an obscene amount of coffee before we even disembarked. The first excursion was basically souvenir shopping. Our first stop was the Great Market Hall (Nagyvasarcsarnok). I’ve already described it in depth, so I won’t do so again except to say I don’t want to do it again; at least not with the group I had today. Yegor had made a personal request that I pick him up some more paprika from a particular stall as gifts for his family and I barely accomplished the task. And eat? Some of them were complete gluttons, and not in the funny way that Yegor does it.

Next we were guided to Millenium Antik, an antique shop located at Váci Street. I saw it yesterday but only from the outside. On the inside the store is a treasure trove full of 19th and 20th century antiques, such as porcelains, beautiful old glass and ceramic objects, silver plates, bronze sculptures, lamps, chandeliers, furniture pieces, as well as glazed porcelains, vases, ceramic pots, bowls and nostalgic figurines. I was a nervous wreck the entire time we were in there. I was worried that someone was going to knock something over and break it.

Next on the list had the men all bored to tears until I pointed out they could be buying Christmas or holiday and birthday gifts instead of grumbling. A few of them took up that challenge but most hung out outside drinking a coffee. Thankfully I had the security personnel to spare to keep an eye on them. We were at the Folkart Centrum where there were a lot of traditional wardrobe pieces on sale. Although no longer worn every day, our guide told us that Hungarians still enjoy donning their more traditional garb for folk dancing events or national celebrations. Folk costumes from Hungary are very colorful and have beautiful designs embroidered on them. Women’s clothing tends to consist of flared skirts with petticoats, and blouses with puffed sleeves. Men’s costumes tend to be long sleeved and complimented with a vest or a sash. Boots and embroidered shoes are also a staple of their traditional dress. Folk shirts are usually white and hand embroidered with colorful designs. Sometimes ribbons are used to decorate the collar or cuffs.

Continuing on Vaci Street we came to a location where everyone could agree. Originally baked by Hungarian settlers in Transylvania, Kurtos Kalacs (“Chimney Cakes”, so named because of their cylindrical shape and the steam that rises out of the hot, freshly baked pastry) are one of the oldest, and arguably most delicious, pastries produced in Hungary. Although their traditional use was to celebrate weddings, christenings and the arrival of important guests, Kurtos Kalacs are now sold fresh on street corners all over Budapest. We all watched the street vendor’s special oven turning the freshly baked cakes over the heat. How it works is bakers take ribbons of thin dough, wind them around wooden cylinders and then bake them over an open fire. Afterwards, the baked cakes are sprinkled with caramelized sugar and other flavorings like vanilla, chocolate, coconut and cinnamon. And, as if that weren’t enough, the desert is often then topped off with almonds or walnuts. Kurtos Kalacs are especially popular around Christmas time when you can purchase them hot in the Christmas markets. At any time of year, however, they are a delicious and inexpensive. I bought five … one for myself and four to bring back to the ship for Vit, Polina, Yegor, and Chief Gunder. All four dived into their surprise treat like rabid beavers. They’d had their own versions of a rough day going over the ship for any potential mischief while everyone was off yesterday as well as being briefed on our upcoming ports of call.

Good thing I had my pack of handiwipes with me as sticky fingers would not have been appreciated at our next stop called simply enough, The Handicraft Store. The store clerk saw people with money to spend and eagerly gave a real spiel to lure wallets open. “Hungarian dolls have been exhibited at museums around the world. Their beautiful costumes, delicate features and embroidered hats, make them admired wherever they are shown. Hungarian dolls make a wonderful souvenir to bring back either as a gift or a collectible item. These beautiful handmade dolls come dressed in either traditional Hungarian peasant costumes, or in elegant, old fashioned, ball gowns. Their beautiful porcelain faces are hand painted and the stitching, beading and embroidery on their dresses are all done by hand.” I had talked Vit out of buying one yesterday and though tempted, I refused to buy one today. The prices weren’t horrible. You can buy small, six-inch dolls to set on a dressing table or full sized dolls to display. But it wasn’t something that we needed and would just be a dust catcher. Not to mention some of the dolls cost more than $200 American even with a favorable exchange rate.

A few steps away from the doll store, Laszlo Vass’ shoe store is supposedly a must visit for travelers to Hungary. Vass is one of the last remaining craftsmen to create handmade leather shoes using traditional methods, and his shoes are famous for their beauty and their durability. In the store’s workshop, Vass is no longer around but those he has trained use the same tools that craftsmen used centuries ago in order to create shoes unlike any produced in factories. Only high-quality leather is used and then cut, shaped and patterned by hand. Using wooden pegs, nails and hammers the upper part of the shoe is stretched apart and sewed on last. I would have been tempted to get a pair for Vit except their prices were scandalous. Pricing for these shoes range from several hundred dollars for the cheapest models to more than a thousand dollars for the more expensive, custom-made shoes. Vit would have been horrified at the very idea. As it is, Mr. Baird almost caused a scene when he handed off a pair of some expensive leather Italian loafer when they didn’t come in the color he was expecting.

“What does he expect me to do with these?” Vit asked with a growl.

“Probably not let them go to waste. I don’t know why you are surprised. You know how Baird is and he knows that you won’t let them go to waste. He’d probably give them to Henry except … I mean have you seen Henry’s feet? Size 9 EEE. And then narrow in the heel.”

Vit tried not to grin. “Baird calls them ping pong paddles.”

“Exactly. Lucky for him, and unlike Baird, he doesn’t have a shoe fetish.”

I distracted Vit after that. My Cossack’s pride is still too easily pinched.

From shoes my group went back to “pretties” in the form of Herend Porcelain. The Hungarian tradition of hand-crafted porcelain dates back hundreds of years. Truly the porcelain of royalty, Herend brand was (is) porcelain used in royal courts from Austria to Mexico. Queen Victoria of England was so impressed by Hungarian porcelain that she ordered some for her palace and it is still on display today, at least when it is not in use. Today, Herend still make their famous products at a small factory in the Hungarian countryside using a mixture of quartz, kaolin and feldspar. The porcelain is then fired at tremendous heat and hand painted by craftsman. They don’t just make dishes, they also make beautiful porcelain figurines-- delicate, hand painted figures of carnival workers, horses and traditional soldiers. Herend porcelain is not cheap and because of this there are a lot of imitation Herend products sold in Budapest, so our guide told us we should be careful about where you buy it.

None of my business by my practical side worried at the ones that had purchased the porcelain, especially if it was a particularly expensive piece. But as I said, not my business. And from porcelain we went to crystal.

Founded in 1897, the Ajka Crystal Factory is world famous for the beautiful handmade crystal they produce. They have beautiful tableware and decor products available in up to 20 different colors and come in beautiful, luxurious gift boxes. At the factory where we visited, Ajka’s master glass blowers blow the glass into a wooden mold and then subject it to a continuous cooling process for four hours. The crystal then has a design etched into it by hand. I uploaded some pictures to my blog … I still use it but only to contact the family with and share pictures with them … and Angelia reminded me that her first mother-in-law had left her a set that her grandparents had brought to America when they immigrated. I remember now and it explains why the colors looked so familiar when I was in the factory.

The factory’s unique process insures that no two pieces of Ajka crystal are ever exactly alike. A sign in the front shop translates, “not only are you touching a masterpiece, but also the heart of the master.” Vit was a stinker but I will explain that in a bit. Right now I am recounting my day and it was at that point that some of the group members tried to become difficult. A couple of them demanded to go back to the ship so they could drop their purchases off. They knew that was not possible but they tried to push me around anyway. Uh no. The few that were relics of our time on the Bonhoeffer tried to shut them down knowing that I was not above “turning us around and returning to the ship for the remainder of the day” if they became too unruly. I calmly reminded them of the body cam and that they knew what the rules were when they signed on for the excursion. Lucky for them I didn’t have to embarrass them in front of our Hungarian hosts as we were waiting for the next guide to show up.

They didn’t like it but as Charlie would have said (and has said), “Thems the rules Toots. If you don’t like it take it up with the ones that made the rules, not me.”

I miss my brat. And I worry for him. He is not online as much as he has been in the passed and Angelia and the others gloss over it. I respect Charlie too much to force a confidence but I won’t put up with being overprotected either. Too much chance of understandings repeating themselves.

Our guide finally showed up only five minutes late but a few acted like it was five hours. Like no one has ever had to wait on them before, me being one of them. Our next four hours was very similar to the Castle Hill tour I was on yesterday only with the addition of the House of Houdini which pays homage to the world’s most famous Hungarian, master magician Harry Houdini. In the small museum we saw the escape artist’s handcuffs, letters and other personal artifacts, as well as some props from the History Channel miniseries Houdini, in which some actor named Adrien Brody portrayed the illusionist. We were also treated to a 30-minutes magic show by some talented, local, young magicians.

Our last excursion was where the worst of the problems arose; a visit to the Unicum Distillery. We had a couple of teetotalers in the group that by culture and religion did not drink. One a young Saudi Arabian woman and the other a man from Utah that practiced a very strict Mormon diet. Thankfully neither one were problems and went along for the science of distilling rather than make a personal fuss. I appreciated both of them for having the forbearance and I put a note in their file. Might sound a little arrogant on my part but their behavior stands out for a good reason and I want it known that someone saw it and appreciated it regardless of their reasons for it.

It was 1790 when Doctor Joszef Zwack, Royal Physician to the Imperial Court, offered the Habsburg monarch a sip of Unicum as a cure for his indigestion. Upon tasting, the monarch exclaimed, “Dr. Zwack, das ist ein Unikum!” Translation: “Dr. Zwack, this is unique!”—thus earning this herbal tincture its name. The beverage, which contains over 40 herbs, spread across the royal court in Vienna, growing more and more popular by the day. It has kept its traditional, round-bodied bottle and the inky, amber-colored liquid inside is supposedly the exact recipe it has always been. I will admit that it has a mildly eucalyptus back taste to its sweet bitterness and was only slightly more palatable upon my second taste. And from there we went to a couple of ruin pubs and as I stated the trouble started. I’m not going to record. I don’t have to because the body cam did. Security was waiting when we got back to the pier. Luckily the security team and I were seen to be doing all that we could to manage the situation so didn’t get called on the carpet. I’m not sure what, if anything, will be said to the personnel in the tour group. I’ve got their names however and the trouble-makers may just find themselves looking for another guide.

Honestly, I know I speak big here in this journal but I am frightfully angry. They have all of these advantages on top of being a member of the Peace Mission. How can they treat that so lightly. In the countries before us some of their behaviors are not anywhere near tolerated. I think I need to speak further with Chief Gunder and see if there is any way to manage personnel or staff members who won’t abide by the social norms and etiquette of the countries we are hosted by.

 

[sssarawolf]

Than you.

 

[Lake Lili]

Thanks Kathy!
The issue of managing people "who won’t abide by the social norms and etiquette of the countries we are hosted by" is a problem of long standing. I have memories of being mortified on a highschool bike trip in Europe, back in the early 1980s, when members of our group thought it fine to go into churches in tank tops and bike shorts. They thought I was silly for having a skirt, blouse and shoes in my bag... but I got in and they were regularly turned away. Or expecting a chef to accomodate their food preferences (leaving out ingredients or asking for things "on the side" is highly offensive in France.) Or thinking it was okay to hop a fence and take grapes off a vine. The list of faux pas was lengthy and moreover, most of the people I was travelling with felt that the people in those countries should be so grateful for the tourist dollar that they should accomodate and change... I believe "they should just learn English" or "they be should accomodating their guests wants and needs" was regularly bandied about.... grrrrrr.... 40 years later and having seen that type of behaviour only get worse...
Anyways... I am with Vita on that fury.
Lili

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 247: Sep 30 - Kalocsa, Hungary​

Feeling better today. Only had one excursion group and the excursion itself only lasted three and a half hours and all personnel behaved with decorum. Even Vit says I look better tonight than I did this morning. Of course, who wouldn’t when subjected to some horse therapy.

We arrived in Kalocsa, Hungary – the paprika capital of the world – this morning and took a guided city tour. Kalocsa is one of the oldest towns in Hungary and a major religious center although today it is best known today for its many acres of paprika peppers, its annual paprika festival, and the beautiful hand-made embroidery designed by its "painting women".

The town is located six miles from the eastern bank of the Danube River and about 88 miles south of Budapest. It is found in the Puszta, which is the Great Plains of Hungary and agriculturally important. Since Kalocsa is also one of the four Roman Catholic archbishops of Hungary, the town has a beautiful cathedral, archbishop's palace, and seminary.

In Holy Trinity Square, we saw the cathedral and Palace. After a short organ concert at St. Joseph Church, we visited … wait for it … the Paprika Museum. Inside was everything you ever could possibly want to know about paprika. I will admit that I purchased a paprika cookbook. The book is in Hungarian so I may need to translate them onto index cards and put the book on a shelf as a keepsake. I suppose I could have gotten one of the little ones in English but … I wanted a hardback that would better withstand time and use. The English ones were cheaply printed. When I apologized to Vit he gave me the strangest look.

“Veta, I love your frugal little heart. As a wife you do me proud. But do not deny yourself things simply to save pennies. It is no great thing to pay more for good quality.”

I suppose I was being a little silly, and I am helping to pay our bills, but I worry about Vit. Russian or not, he is too pale. He spends too many hours below decks working hard so that we can have a home to go back to. I want him to know I won’t waste our hard work on foolish things that will only make him have to work that much harder.

From the museum we took a short ride to the Bakodpuszta Equestrian Center. The people of the Hungarian Puszta region have long relied on horses for transportation, settlement and defense of their land. Many locals worry that their country’s equestrian connection is being lost to a motorized world, so they hold fast to rural ways and to their four-legged comrades, elevating horsemanship to an art form.

The Magyar cowboys take their name from the region of the same name, and the Hungarian people are often called Magyar. The Magyars originated as tribes who lived in the Tarim Basin of what is now China. They first emigrated to the Ural Mountains of Russia, which were once considered the natural boundary between Europe and Asia. The semi-nomadic Magyar tribes eventually settled in what is now Hungary about 895 A.D.

The entertainment at the Magyar cowboy horse show started with a horse parade, followed by all sorts of exercises that were once practiced for wartime, but today are just for show. For example, the riders taught their horses to sit or lie down to provide a smaller target during a battle or protection for the rider. A boy on a small burro provided a comical contrast to the magnificent steeds. The climax of the show was a complicated twist to the Hungarian five-horse racing, more commonly known as the "Puszta-fiver." A cowboy used nine horses rather than five!

In addition to the show, we enjoyed tasting the paprika bread and apricot brandy. A ride around the ranch in a gypsy wagon completed the day. The horses were so well behaved I had to tell them so. This one stallion pranced over and gave me such a look.

“Yes your majesty, I am talking to you too. Very well behaved and very talented.” He snorted and walked over to be admired by a couple of his mares like he’d had enough of humans for a while. One of the women employed by the ranch chuckled and said, “Just like a male.”

We spoke for a few moments in Hungarian and then called a mare over for me to admire and give a scratch on the withers. When the other mares saw her getting some attention they wanted their turn as well.

One of the cowboys came over and said (in Hungarian), “You are horse hearted.”

“Horses helped me learn to be a real person.” When I realized how that sounded I explained, “I had horse therapy as a child. I’ll always be grateful to the Creator that he gave us horses.”

The Hungarian ranch also had cattle and several foals born out of season. A stallion had been sneaking into the mares’ area without anyone the wiser until … well, the obvious. We were allowed to admire them as well but kept our distance rather than worry the mares and get them upset. And then it was time for us to return to the ship.

I don’t know if I’d ever want to be responsible for a horse but I hope that when our lives settle down that I’ll be able to find a local stable and ride on occasion. Vit and I would go riding at Angelia’s friends place. Perhaps we can make arrangements with them. I would exchange a stall cleaning for time with a horse the way I did when in college.

Vit is asleep. Even from here I can see he is dark under the eyes. Hmph. And he worries about my weight. I say he needs to worry about himself.

We have one more port in Hungary then it will be on to Croatia. Tomorrow however I will not be leading an excursion, Chief Gunder is taking it. Mr. Baird needs me. His note says that the translator is unable to get the finer nuances of his correspondence and he wants me to take a look and see if there is anything I can do.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 248: Oct 1 - Mohacs, Hungary​

It was another good day today. It doesn’t matter that I spent twelve hours on translations cooped up in a tiny space here on the A. To me it has proven to be less exhausting than a recent guided assignment of three hours.

For all I spent the day working for Mr. Baird I still managed to learn something about this port. Mohacs history is complicated. Hungarian history goes back to the Roman times and the early Christian era, then passes through Ottoman rule, a return to Hungarian power, Soviet dominated communism, and finally today’s more peaceful life. It is not easy to absorb all the influences, some you can see and some you cannot. In Roman times, a military camp was established near Mohacs. In the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, the town was part of historical Baranya county. During Ottoman rule it was an administrative seat of the Ottoman administrative unit Sanjak of Mohacs. After the Habsburgs took the area from Ottomans, Mohacs was included in restored Baranya county. Two famous battles took place in Mohacs: The Battle of Mohacs (1526) and The Battle of Mohacs (1687). Both represented the beginning and end of the Ottoman domination of Hungary. Mohacs has been shrinking in population since the early 1900s. Today the population has leveled off at a consistent seventeen to eighteen thousand.

I took a good look at Mr. Baird’s translation machine. Someone has definitely failed to keep program updated and I believe that is what is causing the problem. Using a secure server I forced an update and sure enough there were fewer corrections that needed to be made. I took it up with Yegor since he was the Communication Chief.

“I am going as fast as I can,” he snapped.

Carefully I responded, “I’m not blaming you Chief Ivanov, merely bringing it to your attention and letting you know I took care of Mr. Baird’s assignment machine.”

He scrubbed his face. “I should not have snaped Veta. Polina would have taken my head off. There are many complaints coming in about the translators.”

“Um, auto update was turned off on Mr. Baird’s machine.” I shrugged, unsure how to ask if he’d checked without insulting him.

He looked at me, made a face and then said something insulting in Russian. But he wasn’t insulting me, he was questioning the intelligence of some of the techs on the ship.

Turns out that was indeed the problem. Apparently auto-update was turned off when the bandwidth issue became a problem. Communications assumed it was a security issue. Security assumed it was a communications directive. Admin didn’t care as long as they didn’t have to keep begging for bandwidth. And something so simple nearly created a huge problem.

When Vit came to ask if I wanted to go to dinner I asked him about it. “Did I just make your work harder?”

“Nii. You saved me some work,” he said stabbing his fish filet. “It is the simple things that are creating the most work. Now all of the machines will take bandwidth for the next few days so they can update and Admin and personnel will complain.”

“Let them. Sometimes life happens and you need to be able to roll with it.”

He snorted in agreement. “And if personnel thinks that bandwidth is a problem now, wait until they find out how little there is in the countries coming up. So if you wish to speak to the family, do so tonight and let them know that personal communications will be limited from here on out due to location. Yes?”

“Yes. And thank you for the heads up.”

“You … you will be careful tomorrow?”

“I’m always careful because I know you worry and I don’t want to give you more reason to. But if you expect me to sit here and get a lecture on my weight loss, you’d best think again. I don’t want to waste time on that when we could both be … resting.”

He nearly lost his stoicism in the Mess Hall. It is not often that I can catch him like that. It’s good that I can still surprise him. And I am not exaggerating that he at least needs more rest.

 

[Sportsman]

Thank you Kathy. In addition to enjoyment, always learn something from your stories.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 249: Oct 2 - Osijek, Croatia​

We woke up in Vukovar and Vit and I managed to have breakfast together before the excursion I led to the Croatian city of Osijek. First, as my nieces would say … O.M.G. … Croatia. Vit was rather indulgent this morning – made me feel two-years-old but I didn’t mind too much because … OMG … Croatia. However afterwards he tried, he really did, but he fell into a near lecture on my personal safety and how he couldn’t live without me so to please be very much careful. Yes, his syntax was horrible, but I forgive him. He does not say anything, but what I call the Mitkin thing is still on his mind though he tries not to burden me with it. I haven’t felt anyone watching me for a while, so I’m putting it down to my imagination and I’m getting on with our lives.

Inhabited since Neolithic times, this area has had several heydays under the Romans, the Ottomans, and the Hapsburgs. These days Vukovar is noted for its baroque buildings, parks and monuments.

We joined our guide and made a short drive to Vukovar, passing the Vuka River, the palace of the former Count Eltz and the city’s main street. Vukovar was first mentioned in the early 13th century and thanks to its location on the Danube river, it quickly grew to be an important place in the area and one of the main harbors on the Danube. Over the centuries Vukovar was part of the Kingdom of Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, Yugoslavia, and eventually independent Croatia.

The whole world learned about the city in 1991 when the siege of Vukovar took place. Before the Yugoslav Wars, the city was inhabited by around 45 thousand people, 30% of which were Serbs. In the spring of 1991, there were first incidents, homes and shops of both sides were attacked and the Serbian Army surrounded Vukovar but the real siege started in August. The city was defended by less than two thousand soldiers, while the Yugoslav Army (de facto the Serb one) had between 27 and 80 thousand soldiers attacking. The siege took 87 days until Vukovar was captured by the Yugoslav Army and proclaimed the Serb city. Around eight thousand people (mostly civilians) died during the fights, afterward during the Ethnic cleansing the majority of the Croatian inhabitants were either murdered or driven out of town. 99% of the city was destroyed, making Vukovar the first place in Europe so heavily damaged since World War Two.

The most barbarian part of the siege was when the local hospital, clearly marked with the red cross, was attacked and captured. During the siege, the building was strafed over 800 times until it was eventually captured in November 1991. Many of those who were wounded were killed directly in their hospital beds, others (255 non-Serbian workers and patients) were taken to the nearby village Ovcara where they were tortured and eventually killed and buried in the mass grave. Only one man managed to escape, his testimony helped to recognize this war crime.

After the somber history lesson we were on to Osijek, the fourth-largest city in Croatia.

We had a short but interesting tour of the city from the bus we were in but out of the blue the weather became bitter and very wet. It was decided by the tour company to take the group back to the ship. No one objected. The tour in Vucovar has really taken all the good mood out of their day off.

After signing everyone back in and explaining to Chief Gundar what had happened I stopped by the excursion desk to find Vit had left a sandwich for me. I was glad to have the food in my stomach because the second excursion for the day was one that took that group into the Croatian countryside for some wine tasting.

Luckily the weather had cleared and we were off. A few from the first group asked if they could get on this one and as there were empty slots we were able to accommodate them. This excursion was not somber at all but luckily the small group maintain their decorum and I didn’t have to report any behavior issues.

Since Roman times, that region of the country has been coveted, thanks to its strategic location on the Danube. We were headed to one of area’s renowned museums, a castle with fascinating medieval origins. We didn’t just get a history lesson either in the castle’s chambers and halls. In the wine cellar’s dim corridors, we tasted a combination of five red, white or rose wines. They were delicious. I picked up a couple bottles of the red to take back to Vit.

Upon returning on board for a much-needed meal, I found that Vit had managed to escape off ship for a little retail therapy. To add to the reds, Vit had picked up some Rakija liqueurs. Rakija is often made with grapes, however many of its variants by the same name are available in other flavors too such as orange, plum, blueberry, cherry, and lemon. Travarica, loquat liqueur, rose liqueur, Loza, Višnjevača, and Orahovica are some of the most famous flavors. They’re also touted to be great at curing ailments like flu, common cold, etc. so I guess they can be used as a toddy of sorts. He also picked up lavender oil. Lavender is a primary export in Croatia and the essential oil is far cheaper and of higher quality that we could get back in the States.

It was a good day for both of us. Tomorrow is Belgrade, Serbia. Definitely a place I had never thought of visiting.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 250: Oct 3 - Belgrade, Serbia​

Spoke too soon. Now Vit only has more reason to stress. I suppose it will make more sense if I tell the day like it unfolded.

I was mildly silly this morning first thing as I colored in another country on the map that I had pinned to the wall with magnets. It was a tradition that I started with my first cruise assignment and something both Frankie and I had enjoyed. I still have that one rolled up and stored safely in a poster tube. This one is by necessity smaller and fits into a narrow map tube. I haven’t been mentioning it, but Vit has insisted that we keep our tradition since we started communicating again. Vit draws on our GPS locations and I color in the various countries. I’m sure that we could get in trouble for such lax security but then again, our locations are well-publicized. We won’t have it to do much longer so we enjoy the silliness of each addition while we can.

Today we added Serbia; Belgrade to be exact, the capitol. I was glad to have a hearty breakfast in the Mess Hall with Vit as my first excursion would be a demanding one. Not because the biking would be so strenuous but because personnel were sometimes a bunch of cantankerous ninnies.

We began the bicycle tour near the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, where the city of Belgrade has its roots. From the other side of the river, we could see the poignant memorial to the victims of the Holocaust among the Serbian Jewish community before we headed up the Sava. Surprisingly soon we left the bustle of Belgrade behind as we wound our way through parklands and quiet residential neighborhoods toward Ada Lake, located on an island in the river. This small idyll, lined with cozy cafés and sunny beaches, provides a perfect urban oasis and is very popular with the people of Belgrade.

It was during the bike tour that it started. I did my best to memorize the faces that I’d seen at our various stops. Also to surreptitiously use my body cam. I didn’t really have time to do more than that because I had to get everyone back to the ship and pick up the next excursion group with individuals less cranky but more real strenuous activity as it was a three-hour walking tour.

Belgrade has been a city of strategic importance for millennia with its location at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. In fact, it is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on the planet. According to archaeologists nomadic tribes inhabited the area as far back as 20,000 to 50,000 years ago. Some of these may have been Neanderthals rather than modern humans. By the sixth century BC, the Vinca culture inhabited the area. They were followed by the Thraco-Dacians, Celts, and finally, the Romans. The city, then called Singidunum, was part of the Empire and eventually passed to the Byzantine Empire.

The Middle Ages were a time of upheaval as power struggles between the Byzantine Empire and Germanic tribes nearly destroyed the city. The Ottomans took the city in 1521, but they continued to fight the Austrians for hundreds of years. Serbian uprisings in 1807 and 1815 eventually led to some sovereignty, first with the Principality and, eventually, the Kingdom of Serbia. During World War I, the German-Austrian forces invaded the area. French forces liberated it in 1918, and the city became the capital of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia after the war. The Germans invaded again in World War II and bombed the city heavily. The Red Army liberated it in 1944. Belgrade became a major industrial center after the war as the capital of the new Socialist Yugoslavia. Belgrade was the site of many protests against leader Slobodan Milosevic in the 1990s. NATO forces bombed the city during the Kosovo War in 1999, but the 2000 presidential elections resulted in the ousting of Milosevic.

Today, Belgrade is a busy metropolitan city that is experiencing a renaissance. We started our walking tour at the Cathedral of Saint Sava. It is modeled after the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and is Belgrade's most imposing landmark. It is dedicated to Saint Sava, the founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church and a national hero. Originally the church was planned to be the bishop's seat and the main cathedral for the Serbian Orthodox religion, but the first stones of the church weren't laid until 1935, and construction was paused during the war years and communist rule. The tide turned for the church in 1985 when a liturgy was held, attended by over 100,000 people. This proved that the church still had significant power with the population, and the communist leaders had to back down and allow the church construction to go on.

During construction, the greatest achievement was the lifting of the church's enormous concrete dome in 1989. The dome is 130 feet in diameter, weighs 4,000 tons, and is clad in copper. It was lifted into place using hydraulic machines, a process that took 20 days. The construction technology that made it possible was created specifically for the task.

The church sits on the Vračar plateau, the site where Ottomans burnt Saint Sava's remains in 1594. Sava lived in the 13th century and was known as the Enlightener. Besides being the first Archbishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church, he is remembered as the founder of Serbian law, a diplomat, and one of the most important people in the country's history. Saint Sava's is one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches and one of the largest churches in the world. When the Hagia Sophia was again converted to a mosque in 2020, church leaders hoped that Saint Sava's would replace it as a "New Hagia Sophia." One of the most notable interior features of the church is the use of light, thanks to the enormous dome and four apses. In addition, the interior is clad with 130,000 square feet of golden mosaics.

The Nikola Tesla Museum was our next stop. It is a science museum and the final resting place of Nikola Tesla. The facility is dedicated to Tesla's life and work. It contains more than 160,000 original documents, 1,200 technical exhibits, 2,500 photos or drawings, and over 2,000 books or journals. The original purpose of the building was as a 1927 villa but it was later converted to the museum in 1952, and exhibitions began in 1955. Nikola Tesla was an inventor and engineer who lived from 1856 to 1943. He was Serbian, born in the village of Smiljan and studied in Austria and audited classes at Charles-Ferdinand University in Prague. His first jobs were for a telegraph company in Budapest and the Continental Edison Company in Paris later on. He emigrated to the United States in 1884 to work for Edison Machine Works in New York. He became a naturalized US citizen in 1891. He broke with Edison and founded his own series of ventures, eventually filing over 300 patents. He is remembered most for his work on alternating-current motors and power transmitting equipment licensed to Westinghouse. Tesla died in 1943 in New York City. His remains are interred at the museum in his favorite geometric shape--a gilded spherical urn.

There was an itch on the back of my neck as I again felt eyes on me. The problem is I had to keep my own eyes on the personnel on the excursion. They may not have been as cranky as the previous group, but it was still worse than herding cats.

Located in Tasmajdan Park near Parliament, the Church of St. Mark is a Serbian Orthodox church built in the Byzantine style. There was a church dating from 1835 on this site, but the current church was built in 1942. That original church was built of wood and also dedicated to St. Mark. King Alexander Obrenovic I and Queen Draga Obrenovic were buried there after they were assassinated during the May Coup in 1903. The original church was hit by German bombs and badly damaged on Palm Sunday in 1941. The rubble was cleared in 1942 and the new church built in its place.

The House of National Assembly is located on Nikola Pasic Square. It's a 149,000 square feet. The original designs for the building, made in 1891, had to be modified due to budget constraints. Further modifications during the planning phase resulted in the plans for a bicameral parliament that eventually morphed into the country's present-day unicameral legislature. Construction began in 1907, and the exterior of the building was completed in 1939. The interior was completed in 1938.

Our guide took us next down into Belgrade's Old Town, Skadarlija which is a former municipality of its own. Its vintage and urban feel give it a welcoming vibe, much like Paris' Montmartre, a place I’ve only dreamed of visiting. That part of town is one of Belgrade's busiest tourist areas, attracting over 25,000 people daily. The crowds, even at this time a year, challenged me and my security team. All you did was bump into people constantly in the tightly packed area.

The only purchase that I made today was while we were in Old Town. It was a 500 Billion dollar dinar. The hyperinflation experienced by Serbia (then Yugoslavia) in 1993 is among the worst in history. Things got so bad that the government made the decision to print a 500 billion dinar note, which is 500,000,000,000 if you’re curious. These notes have long since gone out of circulation (they didn’t last long at the time), but you can still get them in Belgrade’s various souvenir shops. Well I got one for Vit and one for Charlie. I thought both men would find them funny.

Skadralija Street winds for only 400 meters, running from below Republic Square and connecting Despot Stefan Boulevard with Dušanova Street. Gypsies built the first houses in the area around 1717, followed by the Serbs and the Turks. In those days, this part of town was known as Gypsy Quarter. The area has been reconstructed in the early 2000’s leaving many of the locals furious. Imported stones from Greece were used to replace the colorful cobblestones streets, detracting from the original character, and drawing much condemnation from the locals. It hasn’t kept the tourists away. The sides of Skadarlija are lined with restaurants, hotels, and art galleries. There were also musicians dressed in traditional Serb costumes playing traditional instruments. Our guide urged us to try the local beer (known as "pivo") and the grilled meats (locally known as "roštilj"). The street is a pedestrian-only zone, so you can stroll, shop, and enjoy at your own pace. Had we time I might have spent more time there. As it is we had to hustle to see the National Theater, the National Museum, Republic Square, and then Prince Michael Street where the creepy feeling started bothering me once again.

Prince Michael Street is one of the main pedestrian zones in the city, as well as being one of the main attractions in town and a popular shopping district. The street follows the path of the original Roman city layout. Roman graves in the area have been dated from the first and second centuries. Many modern buildings along the street, such as the Rajićeva shopping mall, unearthed remains of antique and late antique structures and foundations. Private homes dating from the late 1800s line certain areas of the street. The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts is located there. Our guide told us that walking Prince Michael Street is a must-do activity in Belgrade. It has been named one of the most beautiful pedestrian zones in Eastern Europe.

There was nothing concrete to establish my stalker’s identity until I spotted a man that I’d seen on our bicycle tour. However, there was still no way that I could confirm he was actually stalking me as it could have just been a coincidence as he too was in a tour group and we could have simply crossed paths.

My last excursion of the day was a small group for a behind-the-scenes tour of Serbia’s National Theater, home of the Serbian opera. In 1868, Prince Michael opened a performance center in Belgrade. Serbians have flocked there to celebrate their culture and tradition ever since. The theater’s original design mirrored the Teatro alla Scala opera house in Milan. Today, as it overlooks Republic Square and houses three artistic ensembles (of opera, drama and ballet) under its roof, with more than 600 performances per year. So dedicated are its musicians, legend says that they have even held daily performances during air raids. It was difficult for me to enjoy as I was strung out between security issues and imagining myself playing in the theater. The acoustics were amazing.

I am glad I was able to control myself because that is when I spotted the man yet again, the one I’d seen during the bicycle tour, on foot in Belgrade, and now also at the national theater. Each time he tried to get closer to me I pretended I hadn’t seen him but I typed out a text to Polina. Our body cams are not common knowledge outside our crew and personnel and I have never made a production out of wearing one. However, it was helpful in getting clear pictures of the man and confirming that I wasn’t imaging things.

The man seemed to be trying to get closer but then backed off when extra security arrived towards the end of the tour … including Vit who recognized the man as a former shipmate. It was not Mitkin, but someone that was a known associate and part of the mutiny. I was quickly switched out with the new security arrivals and Vit insisted on whisking me back to the ship. I found out once we arrived that the man was wanted for questioning for a woman being badly injured and Belgrade police picked him up, much to the man’s surprise and anger.

I will not record the entirety of the conversation that took place. Frankly I didn’t have a whole lot to say because others were saying so much. There was even discussion of sending me back Stateside which raised my ire significantly. Luckily I didn’t have to say anything. Unless they want to compromise my position on the Aegir, or set some other mischief afoot, I must continue to do the job I signed up for.

“Vit …”

“Ni. Just because I understand … and even agree … that you must remain in your position does not mean that I am easy with it.”

“I’m not asking you to be. I am asking you to trust me to follow the training that Dylan and Devin have given me, the on-the-job training that I’ve gotten since we started with the Peace Mission, and even your suggestions and shared experiences.”

“Uh …”

“Yes Vit, you’ve made me better than even Devin meant to, Dylan as well. I’ll continue to do my job. I’ll also continue to consider your feelings while I do it. As I know that you do mine.”

Caught. Hook, line, and sinker. Yes, I expect some lectures and demands in the days to come. But I expect them to be reasonable in scope given he knows that I expect him to do the same with regard to this Mitkin issue.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 251: Oct 4 – Golubac, Iron Gate, Serbia (cruising)​

No excursions today; it is a rare “sea day” on should I say “river day.” I think Vit and a few others were relieved they didn’t have to decide for me whether to go ashore or not. Later in the day we were informed that the man from yesterday was found in his cell this morning, a suicide, after the Russian government disavowed any knowledge of him and no Mitkin came to his rescue.

It is unfortunate and I have decided to simply allow the situation to be what it is and not worry at it. There is nothing I can do. The fact that Mitkin, nor any representatives for him, made themselves known has led Vit to think that he is well and truly out of favor and less likely to be a problem for us. He remains cautious, but seems more at ease.

Of course that doesn’t change the other stressors we are facing. The personnel here aboard ship are not an easy lot to get along with. There is definitely a class difference between the ship’s personnel, the military personnel, and the Peace Mission personnel. And within the Peace Mission personnel there is also a pull and tug between regular personnel and the diplomat staffing. I usually get to avoid that last part but today I worked exclusively for Mr. Baird. It was actually relaxing as long as people would leave me alone to get my work done instead of trying to pull me into their constant debates. When I did not have my nose stuck to a translator I enjoyed watching as we navigated through the Iron Gate.

The Iron Gate is one of Europe’s most dramatic natural wonders—a spectacular 83-mile-long narrow gorge with enormous white limestone cliffs – and acts as a natural border between Servia and Romania. This was one of the swiftest and most dangerous stretches of the river before two dams were built: Iron Gate I and Iron Gate II. Construction on the dams began in 1964 and took 20 years to complete; they have dramatically altered the area’s landscape, raising the water level by 114 feet (35 meters) and drowning several islands and villages.

I was surprised to make one stop while doing so. Lepenski Vir is one of the largest and most significant prehistoric Paleolithic archeological sites from the Stone Age, located on the Danube. It was once the epicenter of one of the most highly developed prehistoric cultures, with complex social relations and even rudimentary urban planning. The discovery of this prehistoric settlement has changed the image experts once had about the early Stone Age, expanding scientists’ knowledge about human communities that walked the earth millennia ago. We also visited Golubac Castle, one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe, a powerhouse that has loomed over the Danube for centuries. It was built in the 14th century and attacked successively by the Serbs, Magyars and Turks. From the ship we saw Trajan’s Plaque, which the ancient Romans erected to commemorate the road they anchored in the steep cliffs above the water.

The only other thing constructive that I have done today is catch back up with our laundry and really, I’m fine with that.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 252: Oct 5 - Vidin, Bulgaria (Sunday)​

I have been quite happy to have Vit with me all day today since it is Sunday and it actually coincides that he can join me. On the other hand, I try very hard not to be irritated with how closely he is dogging my footsteps and growling at anyone that gets too close. I told Polina that I look at it as an early birthday present, even the growling.

She laughed, “Very good Little Sister. I would arrange the schedule but …”

“But no favoritism. I know. And thank you. But don’t expect me to believe you didn’t have at least a little something to do with today.” She shrugged and gave her mysterious non-smile letting me know that she had intervened in some way. Good friends are good to have even if they are your superior officer.

Right as we finished an early breakfast we arrived in the picturesque Bulgarian port of Vidin. The history of the town stretched back to the Roman era and extends to Bulgarian tsars and the Ottomans. I may have been leading excursions, but personnel pulled themselves together and behaved in an appropriate fashion.

The morning excursion was a demanding four-hour journey into one of the most scenic regions of Bulgaria for a unique glimpse of how geography helped create an architectural treasure. I shuffled personnel onto a bus for a guided drive from Vidin to the Belogradchik Rocks. With their strange, red-hued cliffs and massifs, these breathtaking mountains strike a dramatic pose that wasn’t easy to capture by photograph. The result of millennia of weathering, river erosion, freezing, and countless other factors, these formations are more than a natural wonder. Imagination leads views to see in them a multitude of fantastic figures and profiles that emerge when you catch them at just the right angle. Silhouettes, or at least imagined ones, of people, towers, ships, mushrooms, palaces, and animals populate the cliffs; some with accompanying legends. We also toured the Belogradchik Fortress, built by Ottoman conquerors in a maze of rock columns and pillars. The views from the fortress were magnificent, especially of the caves and rock shapes from its many terraced courtyards.

While most personnel returned to the ship, Vit wanted to participate in some retail therapy before the afternoon excursion. The excursion involved a meal so we both felt secure in skipping lunch. There was a local market near the pier and Vit took advantage of it.

First came Sharena sol (Mixed herbs). It is a mix of local herbs typical for many Bulgarian dishes – savory (an herb similar to thyme), fenugreek, red pepper, and salt. The next booth sold Rose Oil, unsurprising as Bulgaria is one of the major world’s rose oil producers and exporters. As the oil rose is a symbol of Bulgaria, you can buy almost everything with the sweet scent – from cosmetics to jam – and I’m pretty sure Vit tried to.

Lyutenitsa is another traditional item; a spiced tomato and pepper spread usually sold in jars and served as a side dish to grilled meat, or spread on a slice of bread. We could have probably gotten it less expensive had we gone to a grocer but the time and taxi fare saved made up the difference. Herbal tea - Bulgarians drink a lot of herbal tea, especially in winter – would have been more economic but having everything under one roof took some of the pain away. Besides, we got a few specialty teas unlikely to be on a grocer’s shelves including mursalski chai tea famous for its overall positive effect on the human body which can only be found in the Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria or from specialty vendors such as those at that market.

We saw Henry moping and insisted he join us for a taste of Bulgarian wine. He perked up just enough to go in shares with us for some Mavrud, Dimyat, Misket, Shiroka Melnishka (Broad-Leaf Melnik), or Gamza wines. We also purchased some Rakia which is the national strong alcoholic drink that can be distilled from grapes, pears, apricots, quince, cherries, and several other varieties. We got at least a bottle of each.

I almost gave in to the temptation of getting a Duduk which is a wooden flute traditionally used by shepherds in Bulgaria. Instead Vit encouraged me to pick out several pieces of handwoven lace. Many older Bulgarian ladies are masters of weaving beautiful lace patterns. They often sell their lace tablecloths and clothes in the touristy areas for a reasonable price and Vit was thrilled I tell you, simply thrilled, to take advantage of what was offered.

We barely had time for Vit to run our purchases to our cabin while I started gathering personnel for the excursion. Rather than explain the excursion in my own words I will copy the description from my paperwork. “See how everyday Bulgarians live; learn how to prepare the nation’s beloved banitsa, and how the diet here helps some locals live to 100. Drive with your guide to a home near Vidin, where your gracious hosts greet you with freshly baked traditional round bread. Relax, get comfortable and look around the house and garden. Then, head to the kitchen to see how Bulgaria’s banitsa is prepared, and try preparing it for yourself. This phyllo pastry, a central part of family celebrations, may be prepared with spinach, cheese, grated pumpkin or whatever ingredient is on hand. Often, the baker inserts a lucky charm into the dough before cooking so it can be discovered with much surprise later. As your banitsa, cooks, you can sample the local yogurt and learn to curdle your own. Locals love yogurt in Vidin, and they claim it is why so many of them are centenarians.” It was a lovely time and no one left still hungry.

We are back aboard ship but Vit is not here in the cabin but pulling a late shift. Tomorrow is our last port in Bulgaria and the new have a long stretch in Romania and then … gasp … Ukraine. I am not sure how to feel to be honest. Ukraine is not my home but it was where I was born. I don’t know whether to investigate those feelings and those places or put them on ignore and simply do my job. It is a lot to think about and I dare not get into it with Derrick or the others. They never encouraged me to go looking. I’m not sure if it is because they didn’t think it was a good idea or if they simply didn’t think it possible. Argh. I don’t know if it is my head or my heart that hurts on this subject the most.

 

[Lake Lili]

Thanks Kathy!
Lili

 

[beaglemama]

Thank you, Kathy!

 

[sssarawolf]

Wonderful chapters, thank you.