Werner and Rosi Wanderlust

 Since the Czech vinette from our trip to Poland was still valid for a month, we decided to go back and explore Prague. For me it's all about the architecture in this gorgeous city. We got lazy and decided to take the "hop on, hop off" bus for a day to scope out more of the sites and to get an overview of the city. This next photo is of the opera house from the bus window. Wandering the streets you find some interesting/strange" things. They have a fascination with "old timers" (their term for antique cars). Walking from the "castle hill" side of town towards the "old town" through cobblestone streets. A visit to Prague would be incomplete without a stroll across the Charles Bridge. There's the castle on the hill, on the other side of the Vltava river. Park your car and take mass transit in this city. The parking is a mess, and navigating all the one-way streets is just as bad. You can get anywhere with the subways, street cars and b

  Note to self:   Nemluvím moc dobře česky - (translation: I don't speak Czech very well..) After passing Prague on our way to Poland, we knew we had to make another trip just to see a bit of the Czech Republic. On the way to Prague we wandered through  Český Krumlov, and on the way home we made another side trip to   České Budějovice. These two cities are close to each other, the first is a half hour detour, and the second is just off the highway on the way. Český Krumlov: This place is incredible, and a must see if you ever pass through here. An old castle sits perched on a hilltop overlooking remnants of a medieval village, with a river meandering between. The approach comes along cobblestone streets, through a couple of arches, and into the main courtyard. This is the inside the courtyard, with a tower on one side.  A stroll up the castle lanes leads to beautiful views of the town below and across the river. At the top of the hill you come to gardens with flowers, statues and f

Some of the most beautiful lakes are by the Dachstein near Gosau. This incredible canyon has a series of three lakes at the foot of the mountain. Twice we went to hike around the lakes. The first attempt ended in a massive thunderstorm, which made for great pictures but a lot of wet clothes. We started out on what appeared to be a bright sunny day. As a slight sprinkle began we decided to eat our lunches and wait it out under some trees. The slight sprinkle turned into a massive storm with clouds so dark it seemed like night. For quite some time we could barely see the other side of the lake. Our little hideout under the trees became insufficient and we had to move under some nearby cliffs, where we could watch the water pour off the canyon side in torrents. After about an hour waiting we decided to brave the storm, which had slowed a bit by now, and run back around the lake to the car. When we got back the storm had subsided. I love how the clouds hover around the valley and base of t