Prague II & The Augustine Hotel

We found Prague to be a city with fantastic energy, history and beauty. It is a must see for anyone who loves history, loves food and loves music. Very happy that we went. We loved our private guide Peter who made the city more understandable and was able to explain the history of the Czech Republic as well has Prague's history. Prague, Budapest and Vienna are each unique and I loved the 3 cities very much.

We stayed at the Augustine Hotel which was a 10 minute walk across the river from the Jewish Quarter. What a very interesting hotel. Each room that I visited was completely different from the other. The hotel incorporates 7 different buildings and is a working Augustine Church. The service was impeccable. I loved the soft linen bedding - after a long day of touring Prague, there is nothing like a comfortable bed! The bathrooms were huge with duo sinks and a separate shower and bathtub. The restaurant has outside seating with heaters and the bar is fantastic. The hotel is a 10 out of 10!

This trip was full of firsts for my husband and I. It was our first time to Central Europe and our first time on a river cruise. Watching the people and societies from various cities and countries coming out from Communist occupancy was intriguing. Some vacations are joyful and fun while others are thought provoking. This vacation was definitely thought provoking. I learned a lot from Anna in Budapest. After her family was released from the concentration camp and returned to Budapest to search for the remaining family members who were still alive, their next challenge was watching the Communists paint their beautiful city inside and out grey. Families were moved to apartments - 4 to a room and had to share their kitchens and bathrooms were other families. I can't imagine surviving the Holocaust and returning to years and years of grey.

Vienna was awe inspiring. It is a city of music and beauty and I can't wait to return. Nuremberg has different areas that remember WWII and honor those who lost their lives.

River cruising a a wonderful way to see Central Europe. I would definitely recommend this mode of travel and AMA Waterways as a wonderful river cruise line. I admired how AMA Waterways looked after their guests from the moment they arrived at their initial airport and returned them to the airport on the way back home. They are a wonderful company that puts their guests first.

I'm home now, ready to go through a lot of pictures.
Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mari

Prague Day 1

We arrived into Prague on a rainy afternoon. This city is unlike any other city because of the fantastic architecture. More about this later after my tours.

I have to talk about the FOOD. Last night, my foodie sister-in-law, Andrea suggested that we go to Pasta Fresca in the older part of town. We went down 3 levels below the street level. This restaurant is so authentic - full of Prague residents. We enjoyed fantastic food in a great relaxed setting. Pasta Fresca was reasonably priced with a great wine list from Italy. The restaurant is part of the Ambiente restaurant group and I would give it a 9 out of 10.

We woke up this morning, had a quick breakfast at our hotel, Hotel Augustine (more later) and off we went on a quest for comfy closed toe shoes. Prague is a city of cobblestones and in some places, VERY slippery cobblestones made from marble. After dodging puddles last night, I needed better walking shoes. Our quest ended at the Ecco store. After my successful purchase we went in search of the Astrological Clock. We arrived 10 minutes before noon. What a zoo of humanity! The clock must have given Disney his inspiration for "It's a Small World". Groups of people were dancing regional dances in costume - it was a blast.

Of course, being just past noon, we needed lunch. We needed to meet friends in 90 minutes and found a fantastic 10 out of 10 restaurant near the Augustine Hotel. Restaurant Tbilisi serves Georgian (not the U.S. state of but the country of) cuisine and this restaurant is a must. It was CLEAN, the menu was in English, the service was perfect and it was reasonably priced. Please put this on your list of restaurants to try as well.

We met up with our friends, Grant and Kathy who have been wonderful traveling buddies and our beyond amazing tour guide Peter for a 4 hour (ouch) walking tour of the Prague Castle and Mala Strana. Peter was a wealth of knowledge. We saw magnificent views of Prague from the top of the Castle as well as walked through gardens and even saw albino peacocks. We heard the history of the Czech people and how life was like during the Communist years.

Having a personal guide rather than a book (sorry Rick) made my experience more personal and in depth. My questions could be answered. Hearing someone else's life story is meaningful to me and will become a part of me. A book can only do so much and having Peter and his personal insight was worth every penny. Tomorrow, we will be visiting the Jewish Quarter with Peter in the morning then joining the AMA Waterways group for a visit to the Terezin concentration camp so stayed tuned..

Nuremberg and the AMA wrapup

I quick word about Nuremberg. This was the one tour I really didn't want to see. I couldn't imagine honoring the gathering place where the Nazi's stood in formation responding to Hitler. We just returned from a very interesting tour given by a representative from the Historical Museum. Werner explained how the Nazi's came into power and how they used propaganda to further their cause. Throughout the tour, he explained how important it was to educate children so they can be aware if a Nazi like situation should it arise again. Interesting man!

Tonight is our last evening on the Amalegro. It has been a very good experience - and I would definitely sail with them again. Our ship was kept exceptionally clean. The timing and organization of their itinerary and tours works very well. Our room was small yet comfortable. I especially liked the shower doors rather than shower curtains. It's the staff that really makes this a wonderful cruise experience. Thank you Kate our wonderful and funny Cruise Manager!

For the most part I enjoyed the AMA Waterways tours. It is my rule of thumb never to take ships' tours but because AMA includes most the the tours in their pricing, I wanted to experience the tours myself. One has to be aware that the pace of the tours takes longer than an individual tour because of the time spent to organize 20 people plus delays for bathroom breaks. Normally, I really don't have the patience for this. The tours were more overviews rather than in depth with the exception of the concert in Vienna. At least I know which cities I would like to revisit and spend more quality time in. I will return to Vienna and Budapest. I would love to drive through the Wacher Valley in Austria as well. Prague is tomorrow and I'll follow up with Prague in my next blog.

I would definitely recommend AMA Waterways to my clients. River cruising is different from traditional cruising. It is just so much more relaxed.l Right now, I'm writing this blog in my room with the "French" balcony open. I've been watching small villages go by, been through a number of locks along the Danube River, have watched floating ducks and swans and heard birds singing in the trees. Is this a 5 star experience? No, the the accommodations are too small for this and while the food is plentiful and good, it's just not great. The service and attention to making sure that you are enjoying yourself balances everything out. AMA Waterways is known as a premium river cruise company and I would give this a 4+ star rating out of 5.

Austria - Vienna and Salzburg

I was amazed by Austria. BTW, they have great T-shirts that say Austria doesn't have kangaroos! I saw quite a few Aussies from our ship buying those T-shirts.

We visited Vienna (Wien) on a Sunday. Great for Jeff and devistating for me - all the shops were closed! What a dynamic and interesting city. Vienna is gorgeous. The boulevards are meant for walking. Everything seems grand. The churches, the buildings and the museums. The buildings are Baroque style and so elegant. This is a MUST city to visit in Europe. The people were friendly and most of them spoke English. Getting around was easy as well. Don't forget to try a Sacher Torte - this is where they were first created at Hotel Sacher and they are delicious. In the evening, we went to a Mozart and Strauss concert. Even this was a surprise. There were 9 people in the orchestra, 2 dancers and 2 opera singers. It was amazing the hear the sound that those 9 instruments made.
Vienna was a 9.5 on the Mari scale.

Salzburg was interesting but too touristy for me. The drive there from Linz was quite pretty. We drove through Austria's Lake District with views of beautiful rolling hills and tiny villages. The drive was over 2 hours via bus with a 1 hour stop in a small village. EVERYTHING in Salzburg is about the Sound of Music. I wonder if Julie Andrews would feel like singing after hearing about it ad nauseum. Mozart's birthplace was crowded and hot. Definitely a 4 on the Mari scale.

Next blog an AMAWaterways wrapup

AMA Waterways - Amalegro and Budapest

AMA WATERWAYS is a river cruise line. River cruising differs significantly from ocean cruising. Traveling the rivers of Europe and Russia seems to be more relaxed and casual; even at dinner.

Let's start with the design. River bound ships are low and long. The views from either your full length windows or "French" balconies varies from moment to moment. "French balconies" are floor to ceiling windows that slide open to allow for fresh air. The cabin sizes tend to be a little smaller from the mass market cruise lines. On our ship, the Amalegro, there are only 75 cabins and 148 guests. The staff really cares that their guests are having fun. The ages of the guests range from 16-75. I noticed 85% of the guests were active.

What makes AMA Waterways so special is that they divide the 3 touring groups into "gentle walkers" for those that require more assistance and want to move at a more leisurely pace, "active walkers" who want a more active pace and are able to move easily on cobblestones or climb steps that are uneven as well as the majority of the guests who moved at a more normal pace. Everyone found their own group based on their mobility and everyone was happy.

We had a fabulous guide in Budapest. She explained the city and it's history and progression prior ton WWII through Communism until today. This guide and tour was part of our AMA price and it was a perfect overview of the city. The following day, we hired a private guide, Annie, to explain Budapest and Hungary from a Jewish perspective. We visited the synagogue which is the largest in Europe, visited the Jewish quarter and heard about the events that led up to WWII and what life was like under Soviet control. Did you know that when the Soviet's took control, they painted the amazing 18th and 19th century buildings inside and out a uniform grey? To me, this was the most moving part of the tour. I couldn't imagine it. We even made time to go to the West End Mall because Kathy and I needed better walking shoes...lesson learned BRING GOOD WALKING SHOES FOR EUROPE!!!.

The food in Budapest was very good. We especially enjoyed our meal at Cafe Pierrot. Also, don't forget about Hungarian wine. It is very good! We went to a wine bar restaurant and created our own wine tasting. Here's how: we told the waiter to bring 4 glasses for 4 people and asked him to pour a small amount of 5 different wines into each glass to learn about the wines. That plus a little Hungarian cheese was a perfect way to learn a bit about Hungarian wines.

On the Mari scale, Budapest was a 8.5.

We visited Bratislava Slovakia the following day but after 2 hours, there wasn't much to see so we returned to the ship. On a scale of 1-10 Bratislava is a 1.5.

Next blog: Vienna - what a great city!

5 Paris Hotels

So we arrived to Paris! Paris is a kinder, gentler place since our first visit 14 years ago. Of course, we've been there 7 other times in between but in today's Paris, the locals were more patient with my terrible French and even offered to converse in English ... Thank You, Parisians!


We wanted to return and stay in the Left Bank. Great shopping, restaurants, tiny streets to get lost in. We stayed at Hotel Esprit St.-Germain which is a privately owned 22 room hotel in the 6th. Laurence, the owner is so proud of her "baby". What sets the hotel apart is the service and attention to detail. This is both sincere and real. All rooms include complementary wifi and 24/7 access to the bar complete with alcohol, wine and soft drinks. Be prepared, my American followers for smaller than average rooms. They are nicely decorated with comfortable bedding but small by our standards. The location is perfect in my favorite section of the Left Bank. Big kisses to Laurence, Christine and Francious.


Our goals for this visit were to visit family in the north of Paris and to visit Right Bank hotels and get their updates. First, we went to Ecouen which is 45 minutes north of Paris to visit my cousin Michel and his wife, Clemy and see their children and grandchildren. What beautiful wonderful and close knit family. The next generation of my cousins are in good hands! We enjoyed a wonderful family meal then went for a long walk in the forest to visit Chateau Ecouen.


Now for the site tour information... We visited Hotel Le Meurice, Le Bristol Hotel, Hotel Le Sers and the Four Seasons, Georges V. With the exception of Hotel Le Sers, the other 3 hotels were grand and beautiful - newly renovated and updated. Here are my bests:
Best central Right Bank location: Hotel Le Meurice
Best for designer shopping: Le Bristol
Best room for seeing the city of Paris: Hotel Le Meurice
Best floral arrangements in a hotel: George V
Best entry level room: George V
Best personable staff: Le Bristol
Best hip hotel: Hotel Le Sers (Fergie and The Black Eyed Peas stayed there during our visit)
Best hotel for families: Esprit St-Germain and Hotel Le Bristol***

Pricing in Paris is through the roof! If you want to stay on the Right Bank but are concerned about your budget, consider Hotel Le Sers which is just around the corner from George V.
I loved Hotel Le Meurice's location across from the Tuilleries Gardens and near the Louvre. The George V is amazing. It offers service, service and more service. Lovely rooms as well. Yasmine, our sales rep. is the best! Hotel Le Bristol though tugs at me. The hotel is privately owned (which is a plus in the Mari book) and is the sister property to my favorite, Hotel Saint Martin Resort and Spa in the south of France.

Our best meal in Paris was at the Brasserie at Le Bristol. We shared our meal with Caroline our fantastic sales representative as she further explained the hotel and the hotel's philosophy.

Our round trip transportation was through First Limousine. Prompt, English speaking drivers (ask for Pablo) and clean - a perfect way to begin and end your stay in Paris.


***As I mentioned, Paris is pricey. Both Hotel Esprit St-Germain and Hotel Le Bristol offers a discount on the 2nd room for families. Both offer transfers from the airport for stays 3 days and over. Both hotels are Virutoso hotels with value added amenities including breakfasts, upgrades and another amenity worth $85-100. How's that for helping the budget!***

Please let me know if you have any questions. I really enjoyed my 8th visit to Paris and would love to help you plan yours.

Mari

Delta Airlines

This post is a negative post regarding Delta Airlines. Delta Airlines let me down. I'm here in Paris, so in the ultimate sense, they did not. Our flight was fine, 1/2 hour late but fine. The pilot handled the turbulance on our approach to Altlanta fine but it was the lack of service before the flight that let me down. The "fine" part was on a scale from 0-10, Delta was a solid 5. We flew Business Class (really bad food) and used earned miles. Delta was adequate but here is what happened that led into the "fine" report.

My experience with Delta has been that the airline lacks custumer service - even their supervisors. We had reserved 5 flights for this trip:

LAX to Atlanta,

Atlanta to Paris (CDG),

CDG to Amsterdam,

Amsterdam to Budapest and

Prague to Atlanta then home

5 days before the flight, I decided that it was time to review the itinerary and discovered that all of the flights except the outbound flight had changed! No notice, no email, telephone call or snail mail! So I called Delta. I brought this to the respresentative's attention and her answer was those things happen.

Delta had changed us to route our return through JFK which Jeff and I didn't want to do. What was our other option, I asked the rep.? Nothing, there wasn't another option. So, I asked for a supervisor...Ms. Soller-Howard. Ms. Soller-Howard started our conversation like I was in kindergarden. She began the conversation telling me that other people check their flights daily for changes. I had made our reservation 8 months prior so that seemed silly. She kept saying, "I know you are not going to like what I have to say but....") at least 4 times. OK, I get it, you are not empowered and really can't help so you are reading the "Delta Airline's empathy rulebook". Back and forth etc. I asked for another supervisor and was told no. If I had a problem, I had to call back the following day and speak to their coroprate office. BTW, Ms. Soller-Howard flunked Delta's Empahty Class.

The following day, I called Delta again and asked for a supervisor who apologized and explained that the flight through Atlanta had been cancelled. He checked alternatives through Paris and Amsterdam using earned miles but the seats weren't available. He also gave Jeff and I $150 each toward our next Delta flight to be used for one year (not happening). At least he was pleasant.

What's the lesson? Listen to the teacher when he/she is teaching empathy, communication and listening in class. Real empathy when working with disappointing news helps - especially when there is mutual respect rather than reading a script.

Seabourn Cruise Sale from May 4-6, 2011

Wow! This is a great sale, from May 4-6, 2011.


Up to 50% off of a Seabourn 3-day Sale.

• Spacious, all-suite accommondations with sweeping ocean views - many with verandas


• Fine wines ourned at lunch and dinner, and open bars throughout the ship


• All dinning venues are complimentary - dine where, when and with whom you with


• Complimentary welcome champagne and in-suite bar stocked with your preferences


• Tipping is neither required nor expected - service simploy to delight you