Tuesday March 29: Budapest 2

Okay, back again. After two hours or so at the Bartok Museum we set out to walk down the hills to the old town of Buda, which is high on a sort of mesa, with cobblestone streets and a castle (think of Edinburgh for example). An interesting walk on which we noted many architecturally interesting villas, confirmed that we could not understand even one word of Hungarian... and found an advertisement for a certained favorite grocery store chain! The views from the Old Town were spectacular: see Ian far above the Danube. Here we also stopped for lunch, where Dad was served Hungarian sausage and rice in an .... interesting ... arrangement. We enjoyed the view of the spectacular Houses of Parliament as well (modeled on but larger than the British Parliament), and then descended to the riverside: the photo of Ida and Glenn on the Chain Bridge across the Danube shows the view back up to the Palace in Old Town. Another walk through the flat city of Pest led us to many spots, but Ida was thrilled to find the home of another idol, Kodaly, although it was under renovation and so not open to the public. We made our way back to the spectacular Keleti train station (see photo), and the train back to Vienna... where we encountered our new old friend Hopkins the waiter! By 11 or so we were at the apartment and ready to sleep. An amazing day, involving another country, another Habsburg capital city, two great composers, and more spectacular history and architecture than one could imagine compressed into this small corner of the world. Tomorrow will be a Vienna day again, culminating in the Opera! Stay tuned...

Tuesday March 29: Budapest 1

Okay, this one we've got more sorted. 7:15 AM taxi scheduled by Alex shows up promptly and driver (wearing a SUIT) whisks us to the train station. Train leaves promptly at 8:10 for 2.5 hour ride to Budapest. Not too speedy, nice countryside, very rural, with low rolling hills. Lots of farms. In the dining car Ida and I have breakfast, and Ida stumps the waiter by ordering one egg: the menu has no item so small on the menu, baffling all. We become buddies with the fine fellow, who resembles Anthony Hopkins. See him with Ida! Upon arrival in late morning at Keleti station (which is run down but has amazing architecture, see photo), we find a taxi driver to take us to the Bartok Museum. He takes us for a ride in more ways than one (grin) but it's all part of the Budapest experience! The museum is Bartok's villa in the Buda hills: his composing desk and piano are still there. An amazing man. Ida in particular had a wonderful visit here, to the home of one of her absolute musical heroes. We took a photo of her standing next to the great composer's statue. The home itself is a very nice villa with views over the Buda suburbs. We received a wonderful personal tour from the curator, and found it all a wonderful experience!

Monday March 28: Vienna

Well here it is Wednesday and we are just doing Monday and Tuesday! Oh well, much to report. Monday morning was overcast and 50s. We were met by Alex (nice ride for Ian in the Z4!) and went to the cafe in MAK (a museum of arts and crafts for breakfast): lots of reminiscing and catching up. Ian's first latte went quite well! Then Alex went off to work and we three wandered around central Vienna. Our photos from that day are still to be sorted but we saw the Hofburg, the Spanish Riding School,the Belvidere Palace (including its Klimt collection), one of Mahler's residences, the home of the Vienna Philharmonic (see the poster for a sold-out concert conducted by Franz Welser-Most, our Cleveland Orchestra guy), etc. etc. See Ida in front of the Philharmonic. See the forces of righteousness slaying the witch who represents the Black Plague (on the statuary column). Coffee downtown followed, then a peek into the magnificent St. Stephen's Cathedral. We located some nice Adidas for Ian! We found a great little fondue restaurant called Chameleon for dinner, then Alex found us and we walked back to her apartment for desert and a slideshow of Mercer photos. That went on a bit. Do you have ANY IDEA how many pictures of Ginger and Cornelius we have? Wow. Back to the apartment to sleep, as we need to get up early for our day trip to Budapest.

Sunday March 27: Arrival

Now this was one of our luckier timing events. We landed 25 minutes late: 7:25. Train departed at 8:15. Sooo... off the plane, dash through the airport, wait in a passport control line of at least 30 people, zip through customs, flee to the airport train station, get in line to validate our Eurail Passes (thank goodness no one in line!), down the escalators... pant, pant. 8:09! Three minutes later train pulls up and we jump on. Close call! The train ride was smooth and quiet and fast but still 6 hours. Certain unnamed people (whose initials are both IM) slept through a great deal of the trip, leaving Dad to talk to himself, but there were brief interludes of wakefulness! The entire trip was moderately hilly (no big mountains), with lots of forsythia blooming, but spring is not completely here yet. Alex met us at the train station in Vienna, with lots of big hugs and smiles. Into a can we went for a brief city tour and then on to a brand new apartment, provided by a friend of Alex's who refurbishes and manages flats. We are the FIRST tenants, so the place is spotless and new. See Alex + I + I. Also see Ida, who spotted an iron and ironing board and thought "What better way to start a Viennese Visit than... by ironing my scarf!" We all showered and cleaned up and soon Alex will pick us up to go to dinner. Yippee!

Saturday and Sunday: Up in the Air

As one might expect Dad parlayed a big pile o'frequent flier miles into Business Class seats for the main flight. But "seat" is the wrong word for these Air Canada private "pods." Very comfortable (100% lie-flat) and with all the amenities (Ian watched a lot of Modern Family, Mom Black Swan), but very isolated from seat mates: we could hardly talk to each other. But we ain't complaining, we got good food and good sleep!

Saturday March 26: More of Toronto

We also checked out some fine brass lion or cougar sculpture in the airport, but the masterpiece was a gigantic Richard Serra steel installation, which we could walk through... and did!

Saturday March 26: Travel

Greetings! We began with Anne Batzell picking us up at 8 AM on a very cold very clear Cleveland morning. Our flight to Toronto (on a prop plane!) was a bit delayed but we got to Toronto before noon, to The World's Greatest Airline Lounge. Mucho food (tortellini, salad bar, fresh cookier), mucho drink (too different kinds of coffee machines and lots o' booze), free wifi (with printers and copiers), and gigantic stylish shower facilities, of which Ian availed himself. In the one pic Mom is talking to Natalie in fact.