top of page
Our Travel Experiences
Bonus Blog: Arcy-sur-Cure
April 3, 2026 Arcy-sur-Cure, France The Cure river runs under a bridge in Arcy-sur-Cure (Arcy on the Cure). Fun Facts France French gastronomy is recognized as a UNESCO cultural heritage. The French consume around 25,000 tons of snails each year. The French consume around 40 liters of wine per person per year. In France you can eat a different cheese every single day of the year. France is the largest country in Western Europe. It’s unlucky to place a baguette upside down.
Bye from Bucharest
March 30, 2026 Bucharest, Romania This is the view from our hotel room window. The large building to the left is the Palace of Parliament. It is the largest civilian administrative building in the world. The building on the right is the National Cathedral of Romania (Eastern Orthodox). The building is not yet complete, and is controversial because of the huge cost. Fun Facts about Bucharest Legend says the city was founded by a shepherd named Bucur, whose name translates
Constanta, Where the River Meets the Sea
March 28, 2026 Constanta, Romania Good-bye Viking Rinda Today we disembarked from the Viking Rinda and started on our land tour to Bucharest. This cruise was so interesting! We learned a lot, and enjoyed tasting the local food and wine. Thanks again to the Viking crew, led by Captain Peter Sevcik, for creating such a wonderful experience. Fun Facts Romania Inventions from Romania – the first automatic espresso machine, and the modern fountain pen The earliest Homo sapie
Pleven Perspectives
March 27, 2026 Pleven, Bulgaria Karen and Nancy standing in front of a sign with the name of the town, Pleven, in both Cyrillic (left) and English (right). Fun Facts About Pleven The name "Pleven" is derived from an old word meaning "barn" or "granary," but it also translates to "well-wooded place," reflecting its rich, fertile, and green surroundings. Evidence of human life in the region dates back to the end of the 5th millennium BC, making it thousands of years old. The S
Compassionate Vidin
March 26, 2026 Vidin, Bulgaria Please note that this dog has a green tag in his ear. That means he is a street dog that has been to the vet, had his shots and was neutered, then released back to the streets. But they don't have to scavenge for food, the locals feed them. Based on what we saw in Vidin, the locals are very generous!!! Fun Facts about Bulgaria and Vidin Bulgaria Bulgaria supplies up to 85% of the world's rose oil, considered among the finest and most expensi
Learning in Donji Milanovac
March 25, 2026 Donji Milanovac, Serbia This statue commemorates the 1996 discovery of prehistoric mammoth remains in this area. Fun Facts About Donji Milanovac It is said to have around 90,000 roses—about six for each inhabitant. One of the main attractions of Donji Milanovac is its proximity to the Djerdap National Park , known for its breathtaking landscapes and diverse flora and fauna. The city lies on remains of an 8000-year-old Mesolithic settlement. The town ten
Bohemian Belgrade
March 24, 2026 Belgrade, Serbia The Belgrade Fortress looks out over a park and the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. Fun Facts About Serbia shares borders with Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. WOW! Fun Facts About Belgrade Luciano Pavarotti performed his first opera outside of Italy in Belgrade, where he performed La Traviata. One of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited cities, with a history s
A Day in New Garden (Novi Sad)
March 23, 2026 Novi Sad, Serbia What do you think is the nickname for this bridge over the Danube? (Answer at end of blog.) Fun Facts for Serbia and Novi Sad Serbia Produces the world's most expensive cheese (£1,000+ per kg) made from donkey milk. The word "vampire" is of Serbian origin, stemming from stories in the early 18th century. The majority of Serbian surnames end in "-ic" (e.g., Djokovic), which typically indicates "son of." Serbia has produced several top-tier ath
A Day in the Life of Viking Cruisers
March 22, 2026 Vukovar, Croatia Our blog today will be a little different.... First things first! Karen brings coffee to our room. Thank you Karen! Today we had to be ready to leave the ship and get on the tour bus by 8:30. So we were up early. This is the view from our room at that time: Next we turned on Viking TV to check the weather and see if there have been any updates to our itinerary over night: Then we were off to breakfast on the ship. Besides this great buffe
Mohács and Pécs
March 21, 2026 Mohács, Hungary A small village along the Danube, just before we docked in Mohács. Fun Facts for Mohács The name of the town translates to “moth-eaten." The town has historically been a melting pot, with a significant Croatian, German, and Serbian populations influencing its culture. A Busó (from an annual carnival) is a large creature with a wooden mask, fur coat, stockings, and a cow bell. Correction from Yesterday's Blog : Here is the correct language- Duri
Budapest, Birds, and More
March 20, 2026 Budapest, Hungary Three Viking River ships docked in Budapest. When we left the ship this morning our ship (Viking Rinda) was the ship closest to the dock, and one ship was next to us. When we returned the ships had done a little dance, and now the Rinda was the furthest one out in the water. It sort of felt like the shell shuffle game! Karen and Nancy's Day - Today we walked to an island in the Danube to go Bird Watching. The island is in the middle of t
Budapest, A City Undivided
March 19, 2026 Budapest, Hungary Budapest may be divided physically by the Danube, but the citizenry demonstrate a united population, accepting of differences, and looking forward to the future. Fun Facts Hungary Hungary has such a rich history that one National Day simply won’t suffice to commemorate it all. The first Hungarian National Day takes place on March 15th in memory of the 1849 Revolution and War of Independence. Next, on August 20th, Hungarians commemorate the c
Surprising Slovakia
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 Bratislava, Slovakia Girl with an Olive Branch Fun Facts about Slovakia and Bratislava Slovakia Slovakia has more than 6000 caves! That’s right. This small country is a treasure trove of subterranean wonders, from the ice-filled depths of Dobšinská Ice Cave to the intricate dripstone formations of Demänovská Cave of Liberty Pop artist Andy Warhol’s parents came from Slovakia . His parents emigrated from the small village of Miková in the northeast of
The Sounds of Salzburg
March 16, 2026 Vienna, Austria Today we are taking a side trip to Salzburg, Austria with Tom and Katie. The sounds of Salzburg include the music of Mozart, and the movie " The Sound of Music ", so it will be worth waking up early, and taking a 2 1/2 hour train ride each way, in order to learn more about that iconic music. Snow-capped hills and mountains outside of Salzburg. Quick note regarding yesterday's blog: We really enjoy interacting with those of you who respond to th
Vienna - History, Art, and Contrasts
March 16, 2026 Vienna, Austria This is a statue of Athena, goddess of wisdom, which is located directly in front of the Austrian Parliament Building. Some say that the it might have been more helpful to move it into the building... hmmm.... Maybe we need an Athena statue in DC? Fun Facts For Austria: Cultural Icons: Famous people from Austria include Mozart, Sigmund Freud, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and composer Johann Strauss. Austria is credited with inventions like the se
Austria to Romania with Five Countries Betwixt
March 14-15, 2026 We are on our way! So far everything is going smoothly (knock on wood!). After all the publicity about long TSA lines we decided to leave earlier than previously planned to get the airport with plenty of time to get through the lines. Amazingly, there were no lines! There was only one person in front of us, and no one behind us. So we had time to chat with the TSA agent for a few minutes. The news had run a story about some airports collecting donatio
la fine... (the end)
Saturday September 13, 2025 Florence, Italy Iconic Ponte Vecchio. More information about this bridge is below. Yesterday (9/12) We went wine-tasting in the area east of Florence. We visited two wineries. Had fun at both. Bought more wine....Both wineries were interesting and had a long history in the area. At the first winery, Tenuta Bossi, we got lucky because the young man serving us really seemed to enjoy our knowledge of wine, and when we asked questions or made comm
We Love Lucca
September 11, 2025 Florence, Italy Fattoria del Teso, a winery outside of Lucca. Greetings from Florence, again!! We have had a wonderful few days here, and in the surrounding areas. The drives were breathtaking, the food is delicious, and the wine is outstanding. We drove to Lucca, a city in Italy near Florence, to look around and enjoy the local culture. It is an ancient walled city, with homes, shops, restaurants, and churches inside the walls. The wall still surrounds
Florence and More!
September 9-14, 2025 Florence and surrounding areas Yummy Gelato!!! Fun Facts: Florence The city boasts the largest brick dome ever built, the Duomo. In 1339, Florence became the first city in Europe to have paved streets. Birthplace of Opera: The first standard opera, "Dafne" by Jacopo Peri, was written in Florence in 1598. Gucci's Roots: The famous fashion house Gucci was founded in Florence in 1921. Ponte Vecchio's Survival: The Ponte Vecchio is the only bridge in
Bergen and More
Monday September 8, 2025 Bergen, Norway Bergen, Norway Fun Facts: Bergen Bergen averages 265 days of rain per year, making it the rainiest city in Europe, but no rain today! Yahoo! Bergen is the second largest city in Norway, after Oslo. The world's longest bike tunnel is in Bergen; it is 3 km long. In the middle of the tunnel, there are art installations, a digital sundial, and benches. Bergen was founded in 1070. The name comes from "Berg"which means 'mountains,' and vi
bottom of page