Left London by Eurostar and arrived happily in Paris. Hard not to feel happy in Paris, the city is amazing and in this case weather was balmy, crowds not to heavy and I was really anticipating a great time. Hotel Bedford is great, very helpful, although at first I didn’t understand that. My hotel needs are fairly specific. No low beds, the futon is my enemy, and no step over the bath to access the shower. For OH&S reasons this is actually quite dangerous, given I walk with a cane and am arthritic.  The hotel staff were worried that the rooms which best met my requirements were not their usual bigger rooms, but I was delighted with my accommodation. Lovely view over Parisian rooftops and an extremely comfortable set up which met my needs exactly.

Palais Garnier is quite close to the hotel but too far to walk so I had my annual discussion with the taxi driver who knows all. I did the usual polite greeting and asked to be taken to the Palais Garnier, but he corrected me several times that it was the Palais DE Garnier. (Care factor Zero, and it turned out he was wrong!!) Anyhow had to go to the ticket office as for some reason my computer wouldn’t print out the ticket.

I asked at the ticket office if I needed to go back around the building and up the stairs, because the PG has significant steps out front. No problem. A charming young man escorted me through the building, up lifts and so on to my seat, absolutely fantastic experience. Free tour of the building and a personal escort. The concert was interesting as an exercise in several cultures. An Italian singing the WinterReise in Paris is  quite a mix. Singing the WinterReise is very hard, it’s a “nowhere to hide’ piece with just the singer and piano, darned close to being naked on stage in terms of artistic exposure. And Signor had a cold. We knew this because he acted out the cold with a wonderful level of braggadocio. And a Pavarotti sized hanky. Not that it was the size of Big Lucy, just the size of hanky Pavarotti used to favour. Paris is not forgiving. The poor bloke was slightly off on 3 notes in a 90 minute performance and 3 people walked out. There was no standing ovation, except for the American woman in the row in front of me, and one curtain call. Truly savage!!

 Soissons

My fixation on ABC Tourism ( Another Bloody Church for those who are less enthusiastic) led me to take the train to Soissons to see the Cathedral. Easily done, French trains are great and I easily got a taxi from the station to Cathedral. Might have been easier to book her to return in an hour but … you never know these things at the time.  Church is wonderful with work being undertaken and with some interesting garages with an ecclesiastical theme as well!!

In the absence of a taxi rank I found a tea shop and a marvellous proprietor with great conversation, a welcome cup of Earl Grey, and a great line in Maxim’s chocolates.  She called a taxi for me and we returned to the station via the Ruins of the Abbey.    Chatted with a young chap on the platform, he kindly moved his luggage so I could sit down,  and we continued the conversation on the trip into Paris. Good to be open to conversation, and we’re still in Facebook contact. Easy trip back to Paris and some great times just exploring the streets and ended the day with a really pleasant meal, catch up with friends and generally enjoy Paris.

Louvre

Always a good venue despite the queue, but I was determined not to buy more entrance tickets than I could use. Got there early and lined up. Have to admire the guys who sell bottles of chilled water and fans to the assembled masses. Entry slowed by security checks and finally managed to find the exhibition of Bulgarian gold. Superb material, well curated but without a catalogue. Also would love to have handled the merchandising. The exhibition had some wonderful pieces and I simply couldn’t understand why there was not companion selling of jewellery, maybe by Bulgari, and books and post cards. Went from the Louvre to the Velasquez and Tudor exhibitions by which time my feet, legs and back were involved in their own dance of pain. Actually getting out of the Louvre can be exciting, especially when the escalator isn’t working. There is a lift but it doesn’t seem to lead to an actual exit. In the event I waited for a break in the people traffic and clambered up the broken escalator. We were all disgorged onto the Rue de Rivoli. However it is easier to get a taxi if you go back into the Louvre Courtyard and pick one up as they drop off the museum going late comers.

Grabbed a restorative cup of tea at Marriage Frères in the Louvre centre, lovely theatre but you could visit the actual theatre for the price!!

On suitcases. And why old ladies shouldn’t lift them.

Sometimes I just do dumb things. Lifted my suitcase in an awkward way and heard an ominous cracking sound. Not good as I was heading to Munich the next day by train. However I took my pain killers, and thanks to Panafen made the train. Again I use assistance from porters especially when pain levels are measuring on the Richter.

The trip from Paris to Munich was relatively uneventful and I arrived feeling very out of sorts and a bit confused. Panafen is good stuff!  I knew my hotel was close and had loaded my cases into a taxi before realising that the hotel was just across the ( rather large) parking lot. If you’re going to be unwell the Sofitel is a great option. Was in too much pain to get out and about, had to cancel and miss some intended visits and was a virtual prisoner in the Sofitel. Which isn’t bad!!

Massage rituals can be very annoying.

I was trying to get my back sorted without resorting to drugs, don’t like feeling dopey, and tried a massage. The salon was very well organised but with lot of rituals. You arrived and were offered a robe and a glass of water or champagne in the really low reclining chairs and so on and on.  I genuinely do not do my nut often but this was too much. I had barely made it to the salon, and found myself saying that I didn’t want the rituals just to go into a room, strip and get on the table and have my sodding back fixed. And so it happened. That bought me a day of improved mobility until the pain hit again. I asked the hotel to call a doctor.

My mother tells me… trust me, I’m a Doctor.

A knock on my door and I opened to a chap dressed in black jeans and T-shirt, leather jacket and a black bandanna on his head. We both looked shocked, and he said My “Mother tells me I should dress more corporately, I’m the doctor” Before I thought I said, ‘Listen to your Mother” A very efficient check of my back  followed and he said I had pinched a nerve, three injections and some strong analgesics later, he said that he’d been quite shocked to see me because I looked just like his mother.  He had a photo, and poor woman, it was true. Anyway the injections worked and I was much improved.

Train to Munich Venice

This is not the most modern train but it is comfortable and it travels through some of the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen as the train goes through the Brenner Pass. I usually find mountain scenery quite intimidating but this was spectacular. Didn’t get a window seat unfortunately and the people who had them slept through the entire trip.  Sometimes you just want to SLAP! But easy trip and assisted by train staff with my luggage. The hotel in Munich had contacted and asked for me to be assisted in Venice and I was met by two chaps who AFTER the train crew had unloaded my bags, turned up with a wheelchair and a second guy who immediately complained that he’d only been told I had one bag. I told them they were not needed, loaded my had bag on top of the 4 wheeler and wheeled it all down the platform. These guys are paid to do a job and are less help than the much maligned  touts who at least deliver service.

Traps for the unwary at Ferrovia St Lucia Venice.

First, best not to arrive with a slight case of pain killer!!  I’ll explain the mistakes I made and then give the solutions.

When you exit the train station there is a flight of steps between the exit and the canal. Usually there are beautiful young things sitting on the steps and, out of consideration they leave the centre of the steps clear and occupy the area near the handrail!! Not helpful!!  I walked along until I found a clear handrail, got down with suitcase and was helped by a porter.  I took a water taxi to San Marco.  The water taxis are quicker, though more expensive, however they have very high steps in and out. But I assumed that, given I was using a cement quay at the beginning of the trip, it would be the same at San Marco, not so.  The taxi driver called ahead and arranged a porter to met me at San Marco, very helpful and necessary. When we got to San Marco I was horrified to find that the pier was actually wooden and sort of floating. The porter was there and got my luggage and mercifully he waited to assist me. The water taxi was 60 euros, a lot for a service that didn’t work for me.

Usually I can manage most situations if left to handle my own physical limits but the Taxi guy wanted to help and decide to give me a push while sort of dancing around me and shouting that I shouldn’t be stressed. Stressed! I was ready to do murder! Upshot was I fell awkwardly and almost lost my walking stick in the canal. Wasn’t too worried, I’m convinced that if I’d fallen in the canal. I’d most likely bounce off the bloody effluvium, but it was still awkward and of course it activated all the back pain again. Spectacular bruising too.

Mercifully the porter dismissed the boat guy, and I’d love to know what he said, extended a very strong arm, allowed me to make my own way to solid ground, and so it was OK.

Lessons learned about Venice train station and blokes with boats.

When exiting St Lucia pause to admire the view and then proceed to the ramp at the right hand of the building. It is easy for wheelchairs and even old ladies with suitcases. Move across the piazza to the ticket office and buy a ticket on the public boat. At current costs this is about 7 Euros. Get in line and usually a chap from the boat crew will assist with your case, move into the cabin and there are special seats at the front set aside for the disabled, for pregnant women and those over 70.  Often these will be occupied by teenage girls or children, ask them to move. There are also anchor points for wheelchairs if these are needed. I don’t use a chair, so can’t really comment. At San Marco boat stop, regardless of which service you use, there will be two lots of stairs between the boat and the Piazza San Marco. I pay someone to haul the suitcase over the stairs, currently this is 10 euros, and then wheel my way to my hotel. I usually stay at the Hotel Concordia in Calle Largo. My suggestion is to research your stop and if your hotel offers to meet you, accept the service. Paying porters is cheaper than a water taxi and you will always feel better not hauling cases over stairs.

Of course if you’re fit and healthy run free and enjoy Venice, but for the disabled it really is a bit of a nightmare.

Left luggage at St Lucia

The left luggage office is open while there are trains, another area where the internet is inaccurate! It is very efficient. the costs are reasonable. I used it during this trip and it saved my a lot of effort.

 Orient Express.

I had based my trip around the availability of a single night on the Orient Express from Vienna to Prague. Frankly anything longer would have been too expensive for me and I only wanted the experience, not to actually buy the train!

I booked through Railbookers and their service was excellent. Got my luggage tags etc at my hotel and caught the public boat back to St Lucia. I was a bit early and the train was at the station but actual access was very time specific. This, it turns out allows the staff to formally welcome all travellers. It’s a lovely gesture but with the lack of seating at St Lucia, it’s one I could have done without. The steps up to the train are huge and very high, quite an exercise to get aboard, of course there are ramps for wheelchairs but nothing for the walking disabled. I was in carriage A which looked like a good idea as it was the first one. Later I realised the dining car and bar were in Carriage F and G. And it’s a long walk on a wobbly platform!! Cabins are very pretty and totally bijou. If you think it through the size of the cabin is directly related to the width of the train track, with allowance for access etc. My cabin attendant was Patricius, efficient and very helpful.

First there is no private loo in the cabin and there is no shower anywhere on the train. So in getting ready for dinner its basically a lick and a promise with an artfully hidden basin which carries a warning that the water is not potable.  There are lots of bottles of water and towels etc. Lovely soap, and beautiful supply of toiletries but it doesn’t make up for no shower!! AND It was cramped for one, two would have been Keystone Cops intimate!!

Dinner itself was fun. I was moved to share their table with a couple from Perth, as a couple of beautiful young things wanted to be alone. So self absorbed they didn’t even thank me! For some the age of entitlement is just how it is! Anyway great meal, good company and a lot of fun. Hiked back to the cabin and was smitten by a major case of venetian prawns.

Sleeping n the train is interesting. The beds’ length is exactly my height. And the beds are folded down and made up while the hoi polloi are dining. I noticed some really pretty ladders outside some cabins, they are for climbing into the top bunk!!

James Bond and Daniela Bianci it ain’t!

Spent most of the night dashing to the end of the corridor and back and at breakfast tried an old remedy of dry bread and jam, the pectin calms the stomach, but couldn’t manage lunch so Patricius found me what I needed, white bread, jam, honey  and boiled water with sugar!! As he said the Orient Express prides itself on meeting all needs but it was the first time he’d served bread and water for lunch. One tries to be memorable.

Arrival in Czech Republic is obvious as you leave Austria, which is comparatively graffiti free, and find a cornucopia of wall art, some of it very good. Then Smichov station. The main train station in Prague is fantastic, Smichov is not the main train station. First there are no lifts and the stairs looked challenging. I hadn’t organised anyone to meet me because I hadn’t realised the limitations of Smichov, with hindsight I should have. However given the stairs looked awkward and noted a nice young man with a small tractor thing and a lot of luggage on a trailer. Aha methought, freight. And where there’s freight there’s a freight elevator. So I asked if I could go down in the elevator, Five minutes later he came back and escorted me, plus a few others including the Mexican chap in the wheelchair, down in the freight elevator and through the station. Smichov doesn’t have an ATM so I joined the taxi line with only Euros.

Waited 90 Minutes for a taxi and was much helped by another passenger as my phone wasn’t working. Got to my hotel and asked if they could pay the taxi. No, but there was an ATM, all paid and sorted, But not an easy day.

But Prague is wonderful and worth any effort needed to get there.

 

 

In 2014 I toured with APT River cruising from Amsterdam to Budapest with mixed results,  however cursed with a natural curiosity to see the rest of the Danube, I decided to explore another tour with them, provided that they could guarantee my comfort, as the bed in my 2014 cabin was trip ruinously uncomfortable. The APT  response on bed comfort and single passengers was less than satisfying so I decided that I would travel on my own and see whether it was worthwhile to be cocooned on a cruise, or whether independence was more cost effective and a better option for what I, in lyrical mode, call “seeing stuff”. The round figure cost for a river cruise, with airfares, and single supplement, as I had decided not to share a cabin again, good fun once, but I’ve been there, done that, was around $15000A for 14 days. While I actually travelled further than the river cruise, and for longer, I will only cost the element from Vienna to Ruse in Bulgaria, the distance of the tour. I’ll detail the differences in time spent in places as I wonder, but not for long, whether a few hours in any place actually constitutes being there. You cannot, gentle reader, “do” Budapest, or anywhere else, in 4 hours. I’ll be transparent about costs and also indicate where I think I’ve made mistakes, and what I should have done differently or more cost effectively. And I’ll deal with the places I went and things done before reaching Vienna. It’ll include tour guides, laundry, railway stations and journeys. And some restaurants. Also money saving options and where I think it makes sense to spend in the interests of quality of life!!

I’ll deal with the travel first and post the costings later, accounting is always tedious!

Should add that this will take a while as my arthritis extends to the hands and legs, so I can’t sit and type for excessive periods, especially if I want to walk the next day.

Vienna

I travelled by train from Prague to Vienna which is a very relaxing experience, provided you lock the door to the disabled toilet carefully. More of that later.

Prague is a very busy station and there were a lot of obvious foreigners milling around. Chap called out “Are you for Vienna? And off we all trotted. I just might have found the correct spot, eventually, or probably later than that, but this guy knew his job. He said the carriage will arrive right here, and it did. Asked how he knew he just said “Ten years of working here’. One of the couples scrabbled to find a tip, and managed to scrounge up one euro between them. How insulting. He was embarrassed and just waved it aside. We started taking and it transpires he is Hungarian, works here to support the family etc. he loaded my cases and ensured I was in the correct seat and I paid well. Workers deserve respect, and maybe especially workers forced to operate outside the system, but willing to give it a go anyway, deserve extra consideration. They certainly deserve better than a single euro tip.

One feature of train bookings is that all the old foreigners seem to be seated together, I think they allocate blocks of seats to agents, so it was pleasant enough but no way to meet locals. Lots of opportunities to meet other similar travellers. The disabled carriages on fast trains are excellent and the disabled loos are very well designed, however there is an art to the lock and it can be very, very embarrassing. Mercifully when travelling with a bunch of oldies they sleep on the train, especially the one sitting facing the toilet door, so the embarrassment was reduced, but I am saying watch out!! Especially if you have arthritic hands.

And I’ll say no more!

In Vienna I didn’t think I needed a porter but I was misdirected to the wrong lift and wound up walking right around the station, quite a hike, wheeling my suitcase. Though I do bless the insightful person who put 4 wheels on suitcases. Found a taxi, which is easy once you find the front of the station. Hotel was easy and I was in my element in the Old Town of Vienna.

I love being in Herrengasse. And I stayed for 4 days. It’s walking distance from so many museums and the Hoffberg is over the road, Hotel Steinberger is excellent, Café Central is round the corner and there are great restaurants and bars, it’s a marvellous place to chill, relax, walk and just recuperate. My specific objective was to visit the Belvedere and I did that quite easily. Taxi there and there is a taxi stand outside and to the right of the gate for the return trip. I pre-purchased a ticket online, and there was no queue. Inside is wonderful, lots of exhibitions but since they change I’ll not detail, and then the Klimts, marvellous to see and enjoy. Also stopped at the café for lunch and it was good and managed to avoid the nice Greek chap over the street who has a shop and was very keen to let people know that he has souvenirs at a cheaper rate than the Museum. Probably true, but he was a bit annoying. Museum has easy access and lots of lifts, some signage issues especially to find the loos, but, once found, the facilities are great.

Albertina Museum Vienna.

Visited the Albertina as well, it’s within easy walking distance of my hotel and for some reason I have missed it on former visits. Maybe because of the huge flight of stairs which confronts the visitor as you emerge from Herrengasse. However persevere, walk under the huge stone stairway and the lift is under the stairs after that it’s fine. The museum has a large display, marble floors in some areas which are hard on the feet, but the coffee shop is great and the displays wonderful and varied. I always check online as to what’s offering and mostly you can pinpoint online where any particular piece you wish to see is located. This saves wear and tear and allows access to the things one wants to see. A little planning can really enhance the visit!

Vienna Laundry and Theatre

I also did my laundry in Vienna. Love my hotel, but I am too mean to pay to have my laundry done at their rates. So I go to Clean and Green. It’s in Meidling and a bit of a distance. Public transport would work but I find it difficult. So taxi there and back. These laundromats are completely people free environments, no staff, so first one in the shop is the expert. Which is hysterically funny as there is no necessary sharing of language and it’s all pantomime. This time we managed to get some nice English ladies who assumed that the Indian man worked at the laundry, he didn’t, but he good humouredly helped until his laundry was finished. Somehow the English ladies managed to cause such a stuff up of the machines that we actually met an actual person from Clean and Green, who turned up to sort out the technology. Essentially you take a book and watch the floor show and save money at the same time. There may be closer laundromats but it’s hard to find them and I always enjoy the experience. With a significant level of laundry, it makes sense. With two taxis, two washers and a huge dryer, and the floor show, I still managed to save 100 euros on the cost of my hotels’ services. To be fair I had a lot of laundry. The rest of my Vienna time involved a lot of walking and catching sites I had somehow missed on previous visits. Like Stephansdom. This ensured that I left Vienna a very, very tired old lady, also very happy and with extremely sore feet. Next stop Budapest.

Train to Budapest

Entering Vienna HBF is really easy from the correct entrance and there is excellent signage and good shopping. There is a shop called Drogherie just inside the entrance which has every toiletry and product which would ever be needed and given I am writing for the disabled it included everything from toothpaste and personal products to incontinence products for men and women. The train is easily accessible and I again sat in the disabled section, slightly more room and a lot easier to get into, I think this may have been the leg where my booking agents had booked me upstairs but the staff just adjusted. Train staff here are excellent.

The trip isn’t long and fairly uneventful.

Budapest Keleti railway station

The railways station is easy to negotiate and the money machines work, the taxis are however a different matter as they are to the side of the station so as I couldn’t see a taxi rank out front, I accepted the offer of a taxi from a chap in the station. Once you walk through the side entrance there are 20 taxis waiting for the 20 tourists who are probably still waiting at the other side of the building. So maybe the tout is the only enterprising bloke in the taxi rank? And I was charged only what showed on the meter.

Sometimes all the websites in the world are not enough.

Don’t get me wrong, loved the Hotel Boscolo but on arrival I found a large marble staircase and to get to the world famous restaurant required two stair cases, this time without handrails. Unwilling to miss the sheer beauty of the restaurant, I commandeered a bloke from reception, as marble steps can be beautiful and slippery in equal parts. To leave the restaurant requires the arm of the tallest available waiter, unless you’re shorter than me, in which case choose a waiter of appropriate height, but whatever happens don’t miss the New York Café at the Hotel Boscolo. Food isn’t the issue, it’s a bit ordinary, just look at the ceiling. And everyone takes lots of photographs.

Budapest was another “tasting menu’ visit as I’d seen the major city sites before so I also did some resting and spa visiting. Each country has a different approach to health issues. Worth exploring and costs are excellent compared to home.

There has been a slight level of exchange between me and the hotel and I do accept that they are in heritage premises. But I did say on booking that I found stairs difficult and there was no response. It would have been nice to have the opportunity to decide for myself whether I wanted to cope with the stairs. And while the hotel staff act with old fashioned courtesy providing assistance with access, there is an element of embarrassment at needing help and especially at having to ask for it. And I always needed to ask.

Healthy people rarely get that. It’s not a reason to stay home, we just need to educate our hotels as to the right way to treat people who are disabled, but not in wheelchairs. I finally compromised by using seating which gets restaurant service but isn’t actually downstairs, not quite the same. I am wondering if there is a transparent handrail which would not intrude aesthetically honour the heritage aspects, and still provide safety and access? Just wondering is all.

Gundels Restaurant

I had booked a night at Gundels restaurant as its reputation is for excellence and I enjoy music, there’s a live orchestra, complete with wandering violinist. The restaurant were very receptive to my request for a single table and my reception was very friendly. The options are for a set menu, with or without wines and for a la carte ordering. Given most of my preferences were on the set menu I opted for that but asked if I could substitute a pork dish for the duck as I am not especially fond of duck. This was agreed.

The meal is a considerable performance and service is friendly albeit a little fast for my liking. My initial thought was that they were moving the single ladies on asap, but I don’t think that’s the case, it seems to me that the service is simply quicker here, than we’re used to at home. Any way my request for a little more time was met with a smile. Food was excellent and wine choices well matched it’s a great way to experience a wide range of Hungarian wines, which are excellent, and local produce, again excellent. Not a cheap meal but a wonderful experience. Musicians tend to favour large parties which is good because it is actually a bit awkward sitting alone while being serenaded. Especially if the Australian repertoire is limited to Waltzing Matilda or Love is in the Air. The musicians are very good and seem to actually enjoy their work, the range is standard central Europe, Chopin, Mozart etc but they responded well to the arrival of a Spanish group with an interesting range of Falla and fandangos. Well not quite but I like alliteration! There is a shop outside and I managed to drag myself away from a pair of art deco vases, with great difficulty. Lord they were beautiful. Used the hotel car service which was very reasonable and the driver was prompt and courteous. In all a marvellous evening. An experience and a meal to remember.

THE OTHER RAILWAY STATION!

Beware the internet on Hungarian train stations.

I read an entry which said that often tickets incorrectly indicted a departure from Kelenfoe, but that since all trains went through Keleti, it was OK to go to that station. This did not sound compatible with European geography. I checked with my stair escort at Reception and found this is definitely not so. Train departure from Budapest are directional, surprise!! There are two or three lines and for Belgrade the correct station is Kelenfoe. As stations go, it’s a bit awkward.

To get to the Belgrade train there is good information in the station and it’s quite comfortable. However you need to go down stairs, they’re wooden and slightly ancient, and up other stairs on the other side. I wandered out and asked two chaps if they could help, bit risky as they were having beers at 10.00 ish in the morning! One does have to be slightly cautious about who is invited to accompany one into tunnels on account of the price of beer and the fact that one has a wallet. In any event they refused.

Sometimes my habit of dressing as though I’m too poor to rob and too old for sex backfires.

Along came my good friend Adam from Hungary. And he offered to help. So grateful! There is a flight of concrete steps to the left of the old stairs and they are much easier than the wooden lot. Then it’s down the tunnel and up a not too huge flight of stairs. Getting on the train wasn’t too difficult and again Adam was a truly magnificent help.

Apparently if one walks further over there is a lift but I couldn’t see it and it does rather look as though this station is in the process of major, and necessary, refurbishment. The train trip was brief and uneventful. Adam and I sat together and chatted to Belgrade. Once off the train he showed me where to get cash and then we had a coffee, I watched his luggage while he purchased the bus ticket for the next stage of his trip. He then helped me get a taxi and we hugged good bye, we’re still in email contact. Some people really impact your life and he’s a fine young man.

Again the internet talks about Belgrade railway station as a place of danger. Utter tosh!! This is a society where people meet for coffee and chat, the station is busy, not dangerous. Again it’s people going about their lives, not threatening yours. Be open and friendly. Just don’t be stupid.

Why Serbia?

This was a constantly asked question when I told people my itinerary, and it strikes me that the further we get from Paris or London the less we know and the more reliant on myth and rumour we become. About places and especially people. Another train journey and must admit I am getting tired of hurting my back with luggage. Lessons have been learned. The damage I did in Paris hasn’t been fixed yet. But it’s interesting exploring massages.

Another one of those places which I visited as a sort of tasting menu. The idea being that if I like the couple of days, I’ll return for a longer stay in the future. It was also a way to break the journey and experience something new.

I had booked at the Life Design Hotel mostly because it had a central location, spa and said it catered well for the disabled. And it does that very well. Best special needs bathroom ever. Great spa.

Initially I had hoped to sail through the Iron Gates but that wasn’t possible, it’s actually quite a long journey. I then noticed a one day tour which explored the Iron Gates and a site called Lepensky Vir about which I knew absolutely nothing. I booked this tour plus a couple of others which gave me a general oversight of Belgrade and visits to St Sava and the historic fortress which overlooks the city.

My hosts for the days in Serbia were Serbia Private Tours and they were magnificent.

LEPENSKY VIR AND THE IRON GATES

The drive through the Iron Gates was amazing. The scenery is heart stopping and the trip informative as to the impact of the Danube, its access and control, in the history of the region. The drive is long, but Miljan is very well informed and the time passes quickly. Lepensky Vir was memorable. I had thought Vir was the Latin term for Man but it actually means Vortex and relates to the site very specifically. To be honest I really didn’t want to do this visit. There are steps at the beginning which are steep, angled and without a handrail. All my least favourite things. However Miljan is very persuasive and I was very glad later, actually quite a bit later, after I’d got my breath back that he’d just said. “Barbara, it’s 8000 years old”. No argument against that! So to enter we walked down a gravel path to the side of the steps. Slightly vertiginous, but do-able without too much help. After a greeting from some local dogs and a pat with the site cat we walked along a path which I am assured is 400 metres long. And I almost believe that! Almost. However it felt a lot longer. By the time we arrived I was sporting a look my loving child calls Old Brick Face, and slightly out of puff. The site is under cover and well protected and I liked the contrast with the stark, modular modernism of the exterior building and the subject of the exhibition which is anything but modern. The visit begins with a film and the theatre is impressive with very low seating, however I decided I’d opt for help if I needed it to get up. In the event I sort of managed. The film was interesting and gave excellent information and context for the discovery of the site and its excavation. Interposed with pictures of the farmer whose fields had yielded the discovery. This site doesn’t sell DVD’s it has USB devices loaded with information. Great for travellers. The exhibition is very well done but it is rather warm in the building. The toilets however are excellent and air conditioned. I was tempted not to leave the ablutions area, but managed the walk back and decided to take the steps with help from my guide. ‘It’s only six more steps“ quoth he, and when I got to the top he said “OK I lied, it’s seven”. But we made it, good cooperative effort. And it was fun. And informative. The initial access to the site wasn’t easy. I suspect maybe a wheel chair could manage the hill with assistance, and my advice would be that it’s worth the walk, and the steps. After all it is 8000 years old!

Iron gates and the nicest restaurant overlooking the Danube

Seeing the rest of the iron gates was essentially a doddle, excellent opportunities for sightseeing and photos plus a coffee stop at the point where the Danube is at its widest. It’s always astonishing to me that another country can be across the river. Like Romania is on the other bank. We don’t have that at home. The day ended with a late lunch on the banks of the Danube at Captain Misha’s Hill and it was a great interlude. Fresh food, but you get whatever is fresh and available on the day. In this case grilled chicken and vegetables, local red wine and home baked bread plus the most amazing elderflower cordial. And corn bread and biscuits, you’d never go hungry.

Mine hostess and I had about two words in common, like Hi and Bye. But we managed a great conversation about arthritis, life, children and a few other matters including business and I left with some of her business cards. Men are quite properly excluded from the universal conspiracy of women and their ability to communicate. Then it began to rain, we were outside in very well made open sided thatched huts with tables and bench seating, allowing a wonderful view of the storm. The rain clouds gathering and the mist swirling across the river as the storm grew, then the gradual return of the sun and retreat of the mist to the other shore. Seems I was lucky as Miljan had not seen that phenomenon before. I felt very privileged.

So if you are in the area ask your guide to take you to see. Back to the city and a dinner of home baked bread and chicken.

TOURING BELGRADE AND THE FORTRESS

My second day was a basic guide to Belgrade and we did a lot of driving around, and while it might be nice to walk, that worked for me. We stopped at St Sava Cathedral which is very important in Belgrade. The Cathedral is enormous and still a work in progress. But the current edifice has been completed in 25 years. An extraordinary effort of community and religious engagement. The exterior of the cathedral is exquisite, and the interior still a happening event but if the current beginnings of art works and facilities are any indication, the final product will be magnificent. Meanwhile, and as an indicator of things to come in the cathedral, there is the smaller church which is resplendent with frescoes and icons of breathtaking beauty. The major focus of the day was a visit to the fortress which overlooks Belgrade. And it is quite an effort. Worth every step. We began at the base of the hill and slowly, and in my case very slowly, worked our way up. My guide was informative and caring. At no time did I feel I was delaying her and she seemed to adjust the program so that I could rest briefly from time to time, but without ever making me feel old ladyish. The history of the city is writ large in the fortress and it’s a must do, but without the historic detail it would be just military artefacts and a walk in the park.

The view of the meeting point of the Danube and Sava rivers is magnificent and we were collected by car from the top of the hill by Miljan who had become chauffeur for the day. This is one instance where being driven to the top of the site and waking down would seriously interfere with the historical chronology.

Back to the hotel and the next day I had a relaxing massage and facial!

Seems I need to moisturise! All over.

The idea is forming in the back of my self-indulgent brain that I might do a spa tour of Europe at some point, as there is a very active culture of natural health and healing here which spreads from all those places called Baden in Germany rights across Europe, the Baltic and the Balkans to the Black Sea where they have mud, and salt!. Maybe next year??

Impressions of Serbia. Friendly and fun, which surprised me because I thought it would be a lot more like on the TV. We only hear of the politics, and then mostly past politics. It’s a while since the 90’s, and though there are some buildings in Belgrade showing significant damage, the city was safe and very friendly. Admittedly I don’t do drinking and clubbing. But there are other sites I’d like to visit and aspects I’d like to explore, so Serbia is on next year’s list.

Night train to Sofia.

If you believed the internet comments on this trip the train would be empty. So always note the date of internet remarks and always check facts and maybe, just sometimes, do it anyway. While I have, like most people, been through the self-help book phase and I’ve read that we should feel the fear and do it anyway, I am also a firm believer in organisation. There’s no point in getting on the wrong train in the middle of the night when you don’t speak the language and can’t read the street signs.

I was worried about the lack of multi-language announcements in train stations in Serbia, rather like at home really, so asked the hotel for help and they paid for my taxi and sent Nikola with me to ensure that I got on the train and in my reserved seat. He was marvellous, put my suitcase in the luggage rack and ensured that the person sitting in my seat was removed and me ensconced. This was fun as it was summer getting on the night train to Sofia in winter would be very chilly as the area is not covered!

Incidentally it is both possible and sensible to reserve seats on this train. I used an Australian agent and was charged $9. Booking a reservation on the next leg, also through an agent, cost less than a dollar. Another internet furphy. And Bulgarian Railways are online. And like other railways they release tickets at specific intervals before departure dates.

On reading the internet comments on this train I should have been beset by onslaughts of Roma and Balkan desperadoes, but I have to say not a single one in sight. And against the real possibility that I am too old to attract even the most undiscerning of Balkan desperadoes, the two very attractive young ladies from Norway who shared my cabin were also not bothered at all. To be quite honest the train is full of ordinary people going about their business. Like going home to their families. The Journey may have lost a lot of its panache and swagger over time, but I saw no justification for some of the more alarmist twaddle on the web. I chose to sit up and was quite comfortable. The seats are red plush and incline for comfort. Despite comments about cleanliness I found these exaggerated, the rolling stock isn’t new and the upholstery has seen better days but the train wasn’t unclean.

The loo is an olfactory challenge but it was not excessively repugnant just smelly and that may be technology. Again things have improved since some of the web stories were written.

Border guards were less polite on the Serbian side, the blond lady is assertive bordering (sorry pun alert) on obnoxious, Bulgarians were charming and very pleasant. At this point the smiling Bulgarian bloke border guard may have been smitten by the sight of sleeping Nordic lovelies.

And so to Bulgaria and Sofia train station.

SOFIA TRAIN STATION.

Definitely a work in progress. And it will be very good in the future. Lifts in the process of being installed, also escalators, but at the moment it’s all happening and a bit of a work site. Signage is actually OK and it is not difficult if you’re young and fit. I’m neither. That, good citizens, is why you occasionally ignore the internet advice about people offering to help with your luggage. Find one and pay him to assist you. Because the stair case at Sofia is the mother of all train station staircases. Though there is a solid handrail. I didn’t count exactly, owing to screaming knees and shortness of breath, but around 40 steps, felt like a lot more, and after sitting for a long time that can be a challenge. Paving is also being replaced and there were patches of gravel which made wheeling the suitcase awkward.

And along came my hero!

It’s all in the perspective, no doubt I could eventually have got my bags up the stairs, but it would have been awkward. And tiring. My helper hauled the bags up and waited for me then asked what I needed to do, mentioning onwards bookings etc, I said I needed an ATM and a taxi. He escorted me towards the ATM’s which had long lines, because they were out of order. The tourists at the front of the line just kept pressing buttons but the signage on the screen said “out of order”. We all love the Cyrillic alphabet but can’t read it. Hopefully they’re not still there, pressing buttons, ignoring porters and waiting to be saved from people by technology. Bureau de change was open, helpful/hero guy then found me a taxi, accepted my payment, shook hands, and I hope he realised just how grateful I was for the assistance. I also believe that these guys deserve decent remuneration for their services. And a bit of respect, or maybe Railways should pay them and give them a uniform??

If you are less physically able they can be a real blessing and until every railway station is as good a Dijon in France, where they hire the most charming blokes on the SNCF to assist the disabled, (look for the burgundy livery) we really need porters.

 

River cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest on the MV Amaverde. 26 April to 10 May 2014

 Cabin comfort

My suggestion is to read the descriptions carefully. I shared a cabin and it was fairly close quarters. That being said, not a lot of time is actually spent in the cabins. There is seating for two, plus balconies and reasonable storage for clothes. Bathrooms are compact but adequate and there was no problem with hot water availability etc. The single beds were low, narrow and were very uncomfortable especially for the first three nights. The mattresses were rock hard and painfully uncomfortable. The crew were absolutely marvelous about dealing with the situation but APT did not do us proud in the provision of comfortable sleeping space and it was a major negative. That being said, from day four it was much improved, though never actually great, and the staff were magnificent in finding solutions. Other travelers seemed not to be impacted by the same problem but these were not a good choice for two clients with arthritis in the spine.

 The practicality is that the initial bed situation meant I had to limit onshore activities during the entire cruise.

 Entertainment and communications

The wifi system worked well and was free. And each cabin has its own TV with some access to movies. (For an absolute hoot watch the German version of Sound of Music.)

All crew members spoke excellent English and were very good at remembering names, a real feat as I was not always good at remembering my name tag.

The evening briefings were useful and enjoyable. Actual entertainment varied.

Visiting troupes provided musical entertainment with a local flavour. Generally this was interesting though it is fairly clichéd and usually involved a lot of leaping and dancing in circles, though each of these has a particular focus, costuming etc. I have seen some reviews complaining about CD sales, but there is absolutely no pressure to buy. This applies to all on board sales. It is possible to opt in or out of these events and most evenings the music is in background.

The rest of the time we were charmed by Louis, a talented classical guitarist and excellent pianist with great hands and an impressive repertoire.

Mercifully there was no Karaoke! And the single attempt at boot scooting was abandoned for lack of talent. Surfeit of Achy Breaky hip replacements?

The lecture on the system of lochs on the Main/Danube Canal, was very informative, and my pulse has only just reached normality from the excitation. There seem to be several hundred, possibly thousands, of lochs on the canal system and while mostly they are negotiated at night, a little less descriptive detail might have been an act of mercy.

 Food service

Food on the Amaverde was excellent and varied with a list of staples such that, in the unlikely event nothing suited on either of the two restaurant menus, it was possible to revert to the comfort of grilled salmon or steak. I enjoyed the variety and the fact that food typical of each region was presented. The kitchens do a magnificent job and every meal was enjoyable. The Erlebnis restaurant was excellent and is not to be missed, though you have to book ahead. It would be very easy to leave as cargo. Some did.

 Laundry.

Each cabin has its own bathroom and there is a small clothes line over the shower. No ironing is possible in the cabins as a safety precaution. Laundry and ironing costs are very reasonable, certainly compared to hotel rates, and delivery is amazingly prompt. It is a good service but it would have been handy to have more pre embarkation detail.

Next time I would research my cabin space more closely and not share space, but I would certainly travel again with APT. Assuming the bed issue could be resolved.

Some thoughts for those with disabilities.

The service was superb, nothing too much trouble for staff. I enjoyed the experience however, because I have osteo arthritis, I found there were some activities which simply did not suit me. I had expected this and used the respite to catch up on reading and simply enjoy being on the river messing about in boats. It isn’t essential to undertake every activity and the cruise director was very helpful when I organised individual activities in lieu of planned excursions, example: at Nuremburg I went by taxi to the Museum and saw an exhibition of Medieval manuscripts and the Codex Aureus.  Plus a room full of medieval pietas. Stunning. Similarly on the following land tour in Berlin I managed an uninterrupted view of the Pergamum Altar and five minutes of solo time with the bust of Nefertiti, both impossible in a group situation.

Just talk to the cruise director, give adequate notice, and be disciplined about getting back on time. When engaging in group activities there are usually faster and slower walking groups and my advice is that, if you are in doubt, go down a gear! It actually allows time for looking about, otherwise in a continent mostly paved in uneven cobblestones, it is easy to spend most of the time watching the path, better to see the country and meet the people. My thanks to Eveline and Florin who were most accommodating in helping me to organise taxis etc

Some aspects of cruise life are not mentioned in the brochures and they can impact if mobility is limited. Ships tend to berth parallel to each other. Accessing an on shore event might require crossing one or more vessels berthed between you and terra firma. It can mean climbing up to the top deck, negotiating walkways and then descending stairs at the other end. Just mentioning! Generally the Amaverde was very comfortable, and on board access was easy. There is a lift and the ship is very stable. And on “off “ days when activity is not possible there are books and jigsaw puzzles to entertain, though the range of books is OK, best to supply your own if tastes run beyond Jodi Piccoult etc! The ships jigsaw is a killer, but a good way to overcome back pain. And no-0ne knows what you’re doing!

As an after thought leaving curtains open at night can be interesting as it allows the passing panorama of lights to glide by as you nod off to sleep, however waking during the night can provide a very close up view of the loch wall, a bit daunting, and in the morning it is possible that your cabin will be berthed in parallel to another cabin on the next boat and you yourself are the view!!   Just a warning.

Visits to castles cathedrals and theatres tend to involve walking and stairs. Tour guides, and I have worked as one so I’m sympathetic, tend to have a set spiel designed to enlighten and entertain while drawing attention to particular aspects of the building. The direction and timing are pre-set and don’t always allow for people who need to use alternate access routes. To experience a theatre I prefer to go to a performance and I like to attend church services, (I’m fantastically ecumenical.) But time on tour does not allow for this and it means a lot of walking, standing while the guide delivers their information, and many steps and stairs. Seating is rare and I suggest that it be used any time it’s available. Sometimes it is easier to simply buy a guidebook! Please note also that tour buses often have to park at some distance from sites because streets are narrow and there is competition for parking locations. Buses also have quite high access steps. My advice is to choose your events, plan for them and really enjoy them. But also enjoy what the Italians call dolce fa niente, the sheer bliss of sometimes doing absolutely nothing with good company and excellent wine in extreme comfort.

The cruise system is great for those places where travelers need a high level of support and especially where there are language difficulties. In my own case I would look at future tours through countries where I have no language capacity, most likely Budapest to Istanbul in April 2015. (I can get by in French and German but can’t gargle in Romanian, Bulgarian or Turkish!) Then off to Florence for 3 months, learning Italian!

The cruise was a great experience and, apart from the beds, most enjoyable.

Happy to discuss any of my comments, feel free to contact.