Not having an abundance of time, we decided to stay somewhat local a few times and visit Mainz and Frankfurt, both of which are but a stone’s throw away from Offenbach. Since we have been to both several times, we wanted to show other family members these two cities and will post mostly photographs without a lot of text.
Mainz
Holzturm of the old city wall – Mainz, Germany
The Wine Gate – Mainz, Germany
The Rhine river – Mainz, Germany
Rothaus – Mainz, Germany
Street flowers – Mainz, Germany
Restaurants
While in Mainz, we stopped at one of our favorite restaurants, or in this case a Wine house (Weinhaus), that our friends Karl Heinz and Isolde Seegräber introduced us to in the course of one of our earlier visits.
With a cohort of eight, we found it impossible with only one car to make a day trip on the weekend of August the 17th, so we took the Regional Train direct from Offenbach Hauptbahnhof (Hbf). In 25 mintues with the RE51 you can be in Gelnhausen, or with the RB51 slightly longer; both operate often and at regular intervals.
Overlook of the town – Gelnhausen, Germany
Gelnhausen
An unusual destination for non-Germans, Gelnhausen does not offer much but a change of scenery, a lazy stroll in the park and perhaps different opportunities to eat.
Kinzig River – Gelnhausen, Germany
Ziegelturm – Gelnhausen, Germany
Kinzig River – Gelnhausen, Germany
Ziegelturm – Gelnhausen, Germany
Schmidtgasse – Gelnhausen, Germany
Untermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
The town is separated into lower and upper market places, or Unter- and Obermarkt, both of which act as parking lots for locals and visitors alike. Since we took the train, the entry to the town was over the Kinzig river and through the Ziegelturm.
Houses of timber – Gelnhausen, Germany
Innenstadt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Untermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Obermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Untermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Hotel in the Obermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Walking the narrow streets of Gelnhausen the visitor will notice numerous timber houses with sayings on them. In many towns, this is an old practice which has been used probably for centuries, either to provide some humor or commentary on the events of the time.
More sayings – Gelnhausen, Germany
Pfarrgasse – Gelnhausen, Germany
Cute sayings on house – Gelnhausen, Germany
Very old house – Gelnhausen, Germany
More timber houses – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
Altstadt Hotel – Gelnhausen, Germany
On the other end of town, after the Obermarkt you can wander through the Holzgasse Tower to find the old town wall. Here you will enjoy a very nice park with an overlook of the town and surrounding area.
No weather maintenance (snow) – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
Town – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
Town overlook from wall – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
Not far from the entrance is a memorial to the fallen soldiers of the town from the two world wars.
War Memorial – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
War Memorial – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
The town also has a few other monuments or fountains worth visiting.
Schoeller memorial – Gelnhausen, Germany
Statue in the Obermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Stadtplan – Gelnhausen, Germany
Old town fountain – Gelnhausen, Germany
Restaurants
There are many restaurants in this small town, though few were open. However, from what we could tell, there would be many cuisines to choose from had the other restaurants been open.
Malamatina’s Greek Restaurant
Off the beaten path and not far from the Obermarkt, is Malamatina’s Greek restaurant. Though the sign says, Greek and German food, we didn’t see much in the way of German food on the menu..
A thirty minute drive from Frankfurt on the A3 is the lazy, old town of Idstein, Germany. Frequently overlooked by tourists, this small little town, nestled on the other side of the Taunus mountains, is a favorite of cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts.
Erick & Patti – Marktplatz – Idstein, Germany
Marktplatz – Idstein, Germany
Innenstadt Altstadt – Idstein, Germany
We happened to visit on a lark, having visited many of the other towns in the area. It has a cute Innenstadt and Marktplatz that has several restaurants of various cuisines, all of which seem to be reasonably priced.
Innenstadt – Idstein, Germany
Castle – Idstein, Germany
Main Square – Idstein, Germany
Main Square – Idstein, Germany
Narrow street – Idstein, Germany
Colorful houses with flowers – Idstein, Germany
Innenstadt – Idstein, Germany
Beautiful house – Idstein, Germany
Restored fachwerk houses – Idstein, Germany
House detail – Idstein, Germany
Shield – Idstein, Germany
Old restored house – Idstein, Germany
Old sign – Idstein, Germany
Innenstadt – Idstein, Germany
Old farm – Idstein, Germany
Another old sign – Idstein, Germany
Another old sign – Idstein, Germany
Altes Haus – Idstein, Germany
The town also has a very large tower, called the “Hexenturm”, which may be ascended, if you are inclined to seeing a panorama of the town and neighboring countryside. It was fairly hot out and the tower is pretty tall, so we declined.
Kanzeleitor – Idstein, Germany
Hexenturm – Idstein, Germany
Ericka & Gabi – Hexenturm – Idstein, Germany
Kanzeleitor – Idstein, Germany
Hexenturm – Idstein, Germany
Pestalozzischule – Idstein, Germany
Other than that, the town is apparently noted for its schools or gymnasium. But for the tourist, it is just a nice place to spend a weekend afternoon strolling the streets and after a nice lunch, stopping for ice cream at the local ice cream parlor.
Restaurants
For a small town on a weekend, the town has a surprising amount of restaurants. All of which, appear to be very busy.
Deutsches Haus
Regardless of the name, which obviously must be a vestige of the prior establishment, the Deutsches Haus is a fine place to stop for a lunch. It serves Greek cuisine and has a variety of salads and cold plates to choose from on a hot day, or heavier fare, if you are more hungry. All I can say is the Greek salad with Feta is first rate. Our bill came to about 20€/person with drinks, which we felt was reasonable.
Deutsches Haus – Greek Restaurant – Idstein, Germany
After somewhat of a hiatus, we are back for a bit in Turin. Several things required our attention at home and therefore we have been away longer than we would have liked.
Piazza San Carlo, Turin – 2024
In many respects the city is just like we left it last year, in some others, not so much. There are major public works projects going on, so there are some major thoroughfares that are closed and other scaffolding eye-sores to try and ignore. Aside from that, it is rather quiet, since most Italians have left for their August vacation.
Weather
We thought the weather in North Carolina was strange, being as wet as it has been before we left. But it appears to have followed us here as well.
Very bad thunderstorm with hail, via Plana – Turin – 2024
Though not unheard of, this is not the rainy season in Turin, thunderstorms are usually rare this time of year. This one popped up from nowhere and caused quite a scene. It also was severe enough to trash most of the vegetation, especially in our courtyard. My only hope is the sorrounding wine regions were spared.
Restaurants
For the month and a half that we will be here, we have visited or re-visited the following restaurants in our city.
Trattoria D’Agata
This restaurant has great food and decent house wine, if you like that with your lunch. The Chicken Cutlet is huge and very filling, so be careful what else you order with it. The Caponata is amazing, so that is a must order item, if you don’t you will regret it, there is nothing comparable in the States. The Arancini is also a must try!
Arancini – Trattoria D’Agata – Turin – 2024
Arancini from the inside – Trattoria D’Agata – Turin – 2024
Caponata – Trattoria D’Agata – Turin – 2024
Eggplant Parm – Trattoria D’Agata – Turin – 2024
Chicken Cutlet – Trattoria D’Agata – Turin – 2024
At Home
We cook Italian and rather conservatively most evenings. A typical dish that is easy to make and tastes great, especially with tomatoes from Italy, is Pasta e Patate in olive sauce with Pecorino Romano DOP cheese sprinkled over it. Yum.
Dinner at Giovanni GIolitti – Pasta with olives – Turin – 2024
As a Christmas gift from our children, we recently had a weekend stay at the Carolina Inn in beautiful Chapel Hill, North Carlolina. Celebrating its one hundred year anniversary this year, this old colonial inn is an integral part of the town and the university.
Carolina Inn – Reception – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ideally located within walking distance to almost everything within the town, it is a good home base for those who would rather not get in and out of the car constantly. Within five or ten minutes, you can reach Franklin Street and its restaurants, cafes and shopping, and the college is just a stone’s throw away. Parking is $26/night for either self-park or valet service and the lot is attended overnight.
West Franklin Street – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
West Franklin Street – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The UNC Campus
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill dominates the town and gives Chapel Hill that old university town feel. As one walks through the grounds of the university, it is easy to see the different architectural and building styles that were adopted throughout the years.
UNC Campus – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
UNC – Old Well – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The walkways are appointed with old style colonial lamps in many areas and in some areas it is possible to think of what it might have been like back in those times. The architectural wonders even extend to some of the fraternity houses and other ancillary buildings on the campus. The only other remarkable things of note are the massive and beautiful trees that line most of the streets, many of which probably have been around as long as the university itself.
Fraternity House (Alpha Sigma of Chi Psi) – UNC – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Fraternity House (Alpha Sigma of Chi Psi) – UNC – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Moorehead Planetarium
The Moorehead Planetarium is always a nice place to visit, especially if you have children. For a modest fee, you can enjoy both a planetarium show, as well as the museum, which also provides hands-on learning exhibits for younger visitors.
Moorehead Planetarium – One Sky, Many Eyes Show – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The most enjoyable part however is the planetarium itself. Although they were totally booked on the Saturday and we were unable to see a show with our small party of five, they did have opening for Super Bowl Sunday. So we were able to enjoy their wonderful presentation, “One Sky, Many Eyes”. Though totally automated now with computers and an updated projection system, I do miss the old planetarium projectors.
Ackland Art Museum
If you are ever in the area, I cannot think of a better place to spend a few hours of your afternoon than at the Ackland Museum. Frankly, for me it was a surprise and delight, the free admission making it even more so. Having nothing else to do on our somewhat rainy day and weekend, we decided to go after our quick stroll down Franklin Street (there are signs on the pavement on Franklin, so just follow them if you are not sure).
Ackland Museum – Entrance – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Entrance – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Funerary Stele with Islamic Epigraphy (c. 1209) – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Hindu Bodhisattva, Tang dynasty – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Indian Perforated Screen (c. 1605-27) – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Iranian Balustrade with Arabesque decorations (c. 1106) – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Amphora exhibits – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Untitled, Anibal Villacis – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Meissen Porcelain figure – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Spanish Dancer, Degas – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – African Art Exhibit – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Wind River, Nebraska, Bierstadt, 1830-1902 – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Art Exhibit – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Art Exhibit – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The exhibits are eclectic in way and a bit varied, but most somehow unexpectedly go together, perhaps owing to very good planning and the way the building splits into separate areas.
I found the mixed media video of the eyeball and voice over rather well done, strange and quite interesting. Shown on a sphere, it actually had that eyeball look.
Ackland Museum – Splendor and Darkness, Dinh Le, 1998 – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Splendor and Darkness, Dinh Le, 1998 – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Splendor and Darkness, Dinh Le, 1998 – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The museum also has a nice collection of Indian, Southeast Asian and Indonesian Art. Some contemporary and others a bit older. All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed it and found it to be a total surprise, not expecting too much when we entered.
Ackland Museum – Buddha (c. 300 CE) – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Buddha (c. 300 CE) – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Indian Dancing Ganesha – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Indian Vishnu Trimurti seated on Garuda – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Ackland Museum – Bonsai, Hung Liu, 1992 – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Restaurants
Chapel Hill offers a wide variety of restaurants. Most of the ones that populate the small area around Franklin street, cater to the university students, so you will find them somewhat budget friendly and internet centric. The more upscale restaurants, you will find further out of the main town and on the periphery.
TRU Cafe
A small cafe down Henderson Street, it has both inside and outside seating and definitely caters to the university students.
Tru Cafe – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The service is very relaxed and all orders are done via their website, which at the time of this writing, was a nightmare and terrible. However, after only several attempts, we were all able to submit our orders. We were not surprised to learn later, that some of our orders did not come out and we had to re-ordered them; so, bring your patience with you. And no, they do NOT have their own phone application and no, the service people will not take your order.
Tru Cafe – Dana, Tristan and Lindsey – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Osteria Georgi
This small restaurant is situated on the corner of a small strip mall on South Elliot street and Franklin. They have both inside and outside seating and a fairly attentive staff. We sat outside, since it was tolerably warm out and it was packed inside; we didn’t want to catch anything before traveling back to Europe in the next few weeks.
Osteria Georgi – Menu – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Osteria Georgi – Soup – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Osteria Georgi – Pasta Vongole – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Osteria Georgi – Vallana, Gattinara, 2012 – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The food was good, I ordered the lasagna which was very tasty and my wife order the Pasta Vongole. The Gattinara was excellent and I would commend it to anyone willing to try something a bit different.
Carolina Coffee Shop
The Carolina Coffee Shop says it is the oldest restaurant in town and is split in two, one side does only coffee and take-out, while the other offers a restaurant experience with full staff. Wanting the sit down experience, we tried the restaurant.
Carolina Coffee Shop – Bar – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Carolina Coffee Shop – Patti – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Carolina Coffee Shop – Erick – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Carolina Coffee Shop – Hot Chocolate – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Carolina Coffee Shop – BLT – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The sandwiches are very good and the service was timely. It can get busy during peak lunch hour, so if you are willing to wait a bit and eat later, the atmosphere is more relaxed and subdued.
IL Palio Restaurant
One of our old-time favorites is the Il Palio in Chapel Hill. Located in the Siena Hotel, this restaurant usually features exceptional service and even a piano player while you order and eat. Unfortunately, we were there on Super Bowl weekend so the service was limited to the outside bar area and there was no music.
Siena Hotel – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Siena Hotel – Il Palio Restaurant – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
However, that did not prevent us from having a good time and enjoying the excellent food that is provided by the kitchen staff. Additionally, compared with other places, the prices no longer look as inflated as perhaps in previous years.
Il Palio Restaurant – Pasta Fagioli – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Il Palio Restaurant – Asparagus and Tenderloin – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Il Palio Restaurant – Chicken and Mushrooms – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Il Palio Restaurant – Cherry Gelato – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Il Palio Restaurant – Chicken and Mushrooms – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Il Palio Restaurant – Broglio, Barolo, 2019 – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
We would like to thank our children for the gift, we had a wonderful time. It was a great gift and being the travelers we are, we wouldn’t mind doing it again in a different town in North Carolina, if the occasion were to present itself.
We are not resort people, my wife and I would rather hike or explore a small town. But, when we realized sometime last year it looked really good to spend some of our credit card points for maximum benefit, we jumped at the chance. Especially, when the rest of the family could enjoy the time off in the middle of winter.
Baha Mar Resort – Nassau, Bahamas
The flight on American from Charlotte to Nassau flight was more or less half full. But it was smooth and uneventful with the weather cooperating the entire way.
Delta Flight 859, CLT to NAS – Not a full flight
Entering the Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Nassau, Bahamas
The Baha Mar resort is beautiful and very relaxing, especially in January when most everyone in the US and elsewhere are in school. So we found traveling to this destination during this time of year more or less stress-free.
Baha Mar Resort – landscaping – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Tennis courts and golf course – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – View from one of the many pools – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – boardwalk by the sea – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – boardwalk by the sea – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – view from the boardwalk by the sea – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – the sea – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – the small boat harbor – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Infinity pool – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – another pool – Nassau, Bahamas
The Do’s and the Don’ts
From what we heard, though have not experienced, therefore only anecdotally, you should not charge anything to your room at a resort, unless you are very careful to keep receipts and track of your expenditures. It has been suggested to us, though not confirmed, that you will check out later and experience charge creep, that is, charges and re-charges for unnecessary things you were not aware of on your restaurant or bar bills. Pay with credit card when you can, or with cash if you must, putting it on your room only when you must. Moreover, be aware, the resort will put a $1200 hold on the credit card you use to guarantee room charges, bar, casino, etc., which perhaps can put a pinch on your credit card maximum when using it later.
Baha Mar Resort – an entrance – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – a view of the many waterways and pools – Nassau, Bahamas
Do enjoy the pools and other amenities the resort offers. There is a water park and over a half-dozen pools, as well as beach access to enjoy.
Prices and Tipping
Everything at the resorts is expensive! Be prepared, especially if you haven’t paid for your hotel stay, like us. If you have, you probably have already noticed it was NOT CHEAP. It is not a Bahamas thing, it is a resort thing and they charge hefty prices for everything from food, to drinks to sundries. For example, 2 dl glass of Chardonnay at the pool will cost your $26, which includes their very high VAT tax and gratuity. Having mentioned that, a gratuity, which is 15% and attached to everything, is always included, so DO NOT LEAVE ONE, unless you are rather taken by the service you are offered. It is more like Europe in that regard.
Restaurants
There are many restaurants within the resort, offering a variety of foods and cuisines, and some are of course better than others. All food on the menus is priced rather high, from a normal American restaurant point of view. Typically expect to pay around $80-$100 per person with drinks. You will be full at the end, but your wallet will definitely be lighter.
Fi’lia
This is the Italian restaurant which offers standard Italian fare with a bit of an island twist. I had the Bolognese and found it to be okay.
Baha Mar Resort – Entrance, Fi’Lia Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Roasted chicken and Pasta Bolognese, Fi’Lia Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
The bottle of Italian wine that we ordered for the table was a twist top from Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (DOC) at $85 and was typical for the region. You can definitely purchase something similar in the States at $18-20 for that quality.
Baha Mar Resort – Illuminati Montepulcianpo d’Abruzzo red, Fi’Lia Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Costa
Perhaps our best experience by far and kind of a surprise for me. Though the prices were of course still high, the food was very good.
Baha Mar Resort – Costa Mexican Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Sit outside if you can, because the open air cabanas with small seating groups is definitely the way to go surrounded by Koi fish traveling the waterways just outside.
Baha Mar Resort – Costa Mexican Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Dana and Tristan, Costa Mexican Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Patti, Costa Mexican Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – My Enchiladas, Costa Mexican Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Pat’s shrimp and eggplant, Costa Mexican Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Churros, Costa Mexican Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – My Tiramisu, Costa Mexican Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Entrance, Costa Mexican Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Cleo Mediterráneo
Here you can find a wide assortment of dishes from all over the Mediterranean. A very good place if you want to try something different and explore your palate.
Baha Mar Resort – Chicken Kabob, Cleo Mediterraneo Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
The Pizza Lab
Along with the food trucks that are stationed within the pool area and the beach, probably one of the go-to places for lunch. Not only is there pizza very good, they offer a good selection of salads and pasta dishes. The entire menu is available for take-out as well, so you can enjoy your meal poolside, if you are so inclined.
Katsuya Restaurand
A very good Chinese fusion restaurant is Katsuya. Here you will find your typical Sushi and Sashimi offerings, as well as some incredible chef twists on traditional American Chinese dishes. We thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered here and found it one of the better restaurants to visit at Baha-Mar.
Baha Mar Resort – Sushi, Katsuya Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Veal Chops, Katsuya Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Chicken Teriyaki with rice, Katsuya Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Extra noodles and vegetables, Katsuya Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Roasted Squash, Katsuya Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Dessert, Katsuya Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Marcus Restaurant
It is best to describe Marcus as an American restaurant serving contemporary cuisine. They offer a wide variety of dishes to choose from, so everyone in your party should be able to find something to enjoy. It is however, one of the more expensive restaurants to visit.
Baha Mar Resort – Entrance, Marcus Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Inside, Marcus Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Inside, Marcus Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Nice Italian white wine, Marcus Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Leaf salad with onion, blue cheese and bacon, Marcus Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Fish special with fried rice, Marcus Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Entrance, Marcus Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Outside, Marcus Restaurant – Nassau, Bahamas
Baha Mar Resort – Burning water – Nassau, Bahamas
Conclusion
I found the resort acceptable for a free trip, but given the choice I would not make it one of my preferred destinations. The property caters to the casino and weekend Floridian crowds, therefore it might be better to visit it during the week than on weekends. Again, escaping the January freeze for a week at no cost was great, but with food so expensive, once was enough for me.
It is interesting how reading something can sometimes spur memories about the most mundane things. Recently, while reading an article in the BB News, just such a memory came back to me about my grandmother’s apron.
When I was a child, we often visited my grandparents on the weekends, both to see them and frequently my other cousins. She would always be baking or cooking something and we never went hungry while in her culinary sphere. Though she always wore an apron, it was often, if not always overlooked. For us, it was just part of her attire – Grandma’s Apron.
Nellie Gaschel, with apron and orange juice – On the front steps of her Well’s Hill home – Germantown, New York – circa 1970s
I imagine, the main purpose of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath, which makes sense, since she was always in the midst of some task around the house. I guess she wore aprons because they were easier to wash than dresses and aprons could be taken off easily and tossed in the laundry, a replacement always at hand. In addition, it served as a pot holder for removing hot cakes and pies from the oven. It was always splashed, dotted and dashed with smears of a myriad of different things that were either cut, diced, blended, tasted or cleaned.
It was a wonderful garment for drying and collecting children’s tears and even occasionally used to clean dirty little faces or ears. When company came, her apron was an ideal hiding place for shy children, or pulled by cousins looking for something to eat or drink. And when it was cold, it kept Grandma especially warm and was her constant companion when she forayed outside. And when it was warm, her big apron wiped a lot of sweaty little foreheads.
Her apron was used to collect and bring all kinds of vegetables from the garden. She would also use it to gather onions, potatoes or apples from her larder in the basement to the kitchen, in preparation for another family meal. When unexpected company drove up, it was surprising how much furniture her apron could dust off in a matter of seconds.
In the morning, Grandma would use it to put her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. When dinner was ready, she walked out onto the porch in it, while gently wiping her hands, and everyone knew it was time to eat.
It will be a long time before anyone invents anything to replace the “old apron” that served so many purposes. Most would also go insane, if they ever found out how many germs were on that apron. But, I never remember catching anything off her apron—except love.
Here are some final thoughts on Budapest, that would not fit in the previous articles.
Budapest Sightseeing
Normally were are not ones for taking sightseeing ventures of most any kind, unless it is very personal and involves a tour guide with a smaller group. However, sometimes you feel you have to try something new, oh well.
Evening by the boat docks – Pest – Budapest, Hungary
Legenda River Cruise
We took this river cruise on other recommendations but were a bit disappointed. Here’s why we would not recommend them:
We felt that though the cruise did show you the city at night, the tour was essentially something you could watch at home on TV, in fact, you actually do watch it on TV on the boat as it cruises, while listening in your headset.
The video and tour were often out of sync, so you could not actually see what they were talking about, boring and unprofessional.
The front is rather closed in and uncomfortable. In the summer the boat has to be adapted to warmer weather, like the rear of the boat.
The waitress tries to remember your free-drink offer and terribly forgets. Multiple times. I wouldn’t mind so much, but some of us didn’t even receive our drinks. So don’t buy the “free drinks” bullshit line!
Aside from the above, here are some photographs.
Legenda River Cruise – Budapest, Hungary
Legenda River Cruise – Budapest, Hungary
Parliament Building – Legenda River Cruise – Budapest, Hungary
Buda Castle – Legenda River Cruise – Budapest, Hungary
The Metro
Budapest has a pretty good metro. Though not terribly extensive, it does not go to the airport, it does however cover a pretty good portion of the city. Each entry point is marked with a stylized ‘M’ and you will have to pay attention to the direction of travel, the end-point or terminal station. Direction of travel on most signs is noted, as well as all of the stops made by the line.
A long way down – M2 Metro – Budapest, Hungary
Platform – M2 Metro – Budapest, Hungary
A Bronze – M2 Metro – Budapest, Hungary
The M1 Metro Line
Clearly the oldest and the noisiest for sure. Luckily this line runs up the old Andrássy ut avenue and fairly close to where our hotel was situated; so we were able to take this line a number of times.
Tickets For Two – The Old M1 Metro – Budapest, Hungary
Mirrors, strange – The Old M1 Metro – Budapest, Hungary
Platform – The Old M1 Metro – Budapest, Hungary
Old wrought iron works – The Old M1 Metro – Budapest, Hungary
The old style cars – The Old M1 Metro – Budapest, Hungary
Our stop – The Old M1 Metro – Budapest, Hungary
The Remainder of Budapest
Here are some left over photographs from our visit to Budapest.
Astoria – Budapest, Hungary
Astoria – Budapest, Hungary
Another typical street – Budapest, Hungary
Another typical street – Budapest, Hungary
Sandor memorial – Budapest, Hungary
Another memorial – Budapest, Hungary
Another monument – Budapest, Hungary
Szabad building – Budapest, Hungary
Szabad Sajto ut – Budapest, Hungary
Szabad Sajto ut – Budapest, Hungary
Kisfius diszkut statue – Budapest, Hungary
Vaci ut – Budapest, Hungary
Hungarian Shopping Market – Budapest, Hungary
Manhole Cover Budapest – Budapest, Hungary
Old building – Budapest, Hungary
Orszagos building – Budapest, Hungary
Restaurants
Here are numerous restaurants, most of which we really liked.
Spinoza Cafe
The Spinoza Cafe was a lark, since we were just walking away from the Jewish quarter back to the hotel. It has a viable menu with very good service.
Entrance – Spinoza Cafe – Budapest, Hungary
It was a bit warm outside, but we ordered something light and made the best of it.
Gabi – Spinoza Cafe – Budapest, Hungary
Patti and Ericka – Spinoza Cafe – Budapest, Hungary
Bestia Restaurant
A fairly good restaurant downtown that has plenty of outside seating. We did make reservations for this one, but not sure they were actually needed. However, making them ahead of time will never hurt.
Bestia Restaurant – Downtown Pest – Budapest, Hungary
Dessert – Bestia Restaurant – Downtown Pest – Budapest, Hungary
Mereng̦ Cabernet Sauvignon РBestia Restaurant РDowntown Pest РBudapest, Hungary
Mazel Tov Restaurant
Surrounding area – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
Entrance – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
I have to say I was very surprised and delighted with Mazel Tov. Not only do they have a very good venue, restaurant saying, they also have very good food.
Inside – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
Atmosphere – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
I ordered the soup and pastrami sandwich and was pleasantly surprised by the taste and texture, they really know how to slice pastrami, nano-thin.
Ericka entering the restaurant – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
Patti and Ericka – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
Gabi – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
Gabi and Erick – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
A. Gere Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018 – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
Lentil Soup – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
Pastrami Sandwich with sauce – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
Lentil, hummus, egg and other stuff – Mazel Tov – Budapest, Hungary
Mystery Hotel Restaurant
The Mystery Hotel has a very good view of Budapest, for those wishing such a thing. We availed ourselves of an evening of drinks here, after a long day of sightseeing and museum visiting. Unfortunately while we were there, they had a music mixer that was definitely one-dimensional, playing the same bum-bum-bum crap that belongs more in a club venue, than a restaurant.
Gabi, Patti and Ericka – Mystery Hotel – Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is split into two parts by the Danube River. As a natural obstacle, it offered some amount of protection, or defense, against enemies or in some cases, the population. Buda is such a place. It is where the royal families of Hungary chose to build their fine castle.
The Buda Castle – Buda – Budapest, Hungary
Buda Castle Hill
Buda Castle Hill is mostly wooded and covers only about a third of the entire city of Budapest. Its most prominent feature is the Castle Hill, where the Buda Castle and the Church of Matthias stand.
Unfortunately, you cannot take photographs inside, so inside will have to remain a mystery until one visits. However, a bit of history may peek one’s interest. It started as a system of caves dug out from the hill for storage and then protection. Later, it was confiscated and repurposed as a hospital during the wars. It was also used as an air-raid shelter and later efforts were made to make it into a hospital which could take patients in the event of a nuclear war. Though noble, it will become quite clear to anyone who visits that the approach, space and logistics were oversimplified and in the end – unpractical.
Underhill Hospital Museum – Buda, Castle Hill – Budapest, Hungary
Underhill Hospital Museum – Buda, Castle Hill – Budapest, Hungary
Gas masks – Underhill Hospital Museum – Buda, Castle Hill – Budapest, Hungary
The Matthias Church
One can not help point out the Matthias Church[1]also known as The Church of the Assumption of Buda Castle when they reach the top of the hill. With its one tower and beautifully shiny tiles, it does not show its true age. It actually has a remarkable history which actually makes it tightly woven with all Hungarian history. Two kings had their coronation there and it has had many names in the past and has been rebuilt and reconstructed many times. Definitely worth a visit.
Matthias Church – Buda, Castle Hill – Budapest, Hungary
Holy Trinity Church – Buda, Castle Hill – Budapest, Hungary
Holy Trinity Church – Buda, Castle Hill – Budapest, Hungary
We only ate at one restaurant on the Buda side, since there were only a couple points of interest for us on east side of the river.
Arany Hordo Cafe
The Arany Hordo Cafe might be called the Gold Barrel Restaurant on you map application, not sure why.
Arany Hordo Cafe – Buda Castle Hill – Budapest, Hungary
It is a small cafe on the corner of Tárnok utca and Anná utca on Buda Castle Hill, not far from the Matthias Church. It has nice open air seating, if you can get a table. The food is decent, as well as the service and the prices are reasonable considering the area.
Menu – Arany Hordo Cafe – Buda Castle Hill – Budapest, Hungary
Menu – Arany Hordo Cafe – Buda Castle Hill – Budapest, Hungary
We stuck to simple fare for lunch and enjoyed it immensely.
Mixed Salad with Chicken – Arany Hordo Cafe – Buda Castle Hill – Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is a very clean city, with a strange, almost quiescent nature to it. For the most part there is a noticeable absence of police, yet there appears to be very little crime, or at least the appearance of no crime, unlike other countries like Italy or France, where the authorities parade around with weapons and make their presence known.
The Parliament Building – Pest – Budapest, Hungary
The Pest side of Budapest has most, if not all, of the hotels and many of the restaurants. It has monuments on every corner and more history than you probably want to consume. Both sides are very active, but the Pest side is the side where all the boats dock, like Viking River Cruises and others, so it can get quite busy after ten o’clock in the morning.
Interesting building balcony – Pest – Budapest, Hungary
Though beautiful, after a while you realize, like so many other cities in Europe, it’s all about the facade. It’s all brick underneath, mortar and stone.
Memorial 1952 – Pest – Budapest, Hungary
It’s just a facade – Pest – Budapest, Hungary
Parliament Tour
For anyone visiting Budapest, the Parliament on the Pest side is an attraction that must be seen. However, be careful when purchasing tickets! There are a few official looking websites out there that purchase them for you at double the price. Check and double check your search engine and map application to ensure you have the official website. It will be quite obvious if you do, since you will receive your tickets immediately, instead of waiting for them to „appear“ in your mailbox.
The front – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Looking at the front of the building from the land side, you enter from the right and below ground. There are also some interesting monuments before you enter worth seeing, so keep your eyes open for them.
From the river side – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
From the land side – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Monument – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Entrance – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
The tour is rather long but very thorough. We were even able to catch a glimpse of their unicameral legislature in-session! We were actually quite impressed with the thoroughness and professionalism of the tour. Though we thought they spoke at length, perhaps too long, about the crown jewels, which of course you were unable to photograph.
Layout – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Entrance – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Stained windows – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Stairwell – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Hallway – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Ornate ceilings – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Beautiful hallways – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Windows, close-up – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Another hallway – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Sentinel figures – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Unicameral session – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
In session – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Ceiling – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Full window – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Ornate wood framing – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Another hallway – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Main stairwell – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Details main stairwell – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Another look, main stairwell – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Ceiling – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
The dome – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Occupations for protection – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Occupations for protection – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Receiving hall – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Receiving hall – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Occupations, close-up – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
More windows – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
The great stag – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Giant porcelain vase – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Occupation close-up – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
More occupations – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Legislature building – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Architecture – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Old heating and air-conditions controls – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Cigar holders and trays – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Anther hallway – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Ericka – Descending the stairway out – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Descending stairway out – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Ancillary hallway – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
The back areas – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Small museum – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Exhibit – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
The history of the building – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Large diorama of the building – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Electric controls for the building – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Statues – The Parliament Building – Budapest, Hungary
Restaurants
Here are a few more restaurants we visited in Budapest, one of which I wish I never went to due to social media idiots.
New York Cafe
There is a term in America and it is quite apropos here, „lipstick on a pig“. My thoughts regarding this cafe were that it was totally over-priced for the quality of food and service received, though the interior was quite impressive
Entrance – The New York Cafe – Budapest, Hungary
Outside lamp – The New York Cafe – Budapest, Hungary
In fact, that can be considered one of the downsides to this cafe; there were so many people mulling around and taking photographs, it was actually quite annoying at times. Especially in this day of social media, where everyone has to take the so called infamous and narcissistic „selfie“ or „influencer“ pose. It makes a person like me almost puke at times.
Inside – The New York Cafe – Budapest, Hungary
Ceiling – The New York Cafe – Budapest, Hungary
Main hall – The New York Cafe – Budapest, Hungary
The food was sub-par for such a restaurant; we had the Pasta Pomodoro and thought although the pasta was done properly, the sauce tasted of nothing. The wine on the other hand was satisfactory in taste, but way over-priced at 50€/bottle. It wouldn’t have been so bad, except the service was just not so great.
Hungarian Goulash Soup – Pick Bistro Deli – Budapest, Hungary
Inside – Pick Bistro Deli – Budapest, Hungary
Inside – Pick Bistro Deli – Budapest, Hungary
They have many great Hungarian lunch items to choose from and the staff and service were excellent for us. They also have plenty of open-air seating, which during a warm day makes the visit all that much more enjoyable.
