Parliment Building in Budapest, Hungary from the south side of the river.
The day was gorgeous..warm and sunny with a few clouds drifting in the sky. Budapest is full of history and amazing architecture just waiting to be discovered.
Amusement park on Tibidabo Hill .. Not only a fun place to visit but it offers some really nice views of the city below..
Wawel Castle and Cathedral
It was a nice leisurely stroll through town from the hotel to the base of Wawel Hill.. The hill still has remnants of the old castle walls, covered in ivy.
Entrance to castle grounds
Through the arch , the path winds around to the gates across a wide avenue that affords some scenic views of the river and city below..
Overlooking the River
Wawel Hill is in Krakow, which was, at one time, the capital of Poland .Wawel Cathedral and Wawel Castle stand on Wawel Hill. Wawel Castle was built during the reign of Casimir III the Great during the mid 1300’s. It occupies the top of a limestone hill overlooking the Vistula River. It has been rebuilt and added to several times in it’s history.
At the base of Wawel Hill is the cave that, as legend tells, served as the den of the Wawel Dragon.
St.Mary’s Cathedral
I landed at the airport in Katowice because it was the only non-stop flight from Kiev that landed anywhere close to Krakow, not realizing the transfer to the hotel would take longer than the flight.. An hour and 37 minutes later, I arrived my hotel, The Hotel Pollera situated in Old Town about a 5 minute walk to the main square.
Main Square
It was cool and a little cloudy with evidence of fresh rain. Even though it was almost 10 PM, the square was awash with people. There seemed to be more revelers than tourist and even more ladies advertising the benefits of the local “Gentlemen’s” clubs than revelers.
I was tired so after a brief walk and several photos, I returned to the hotel with a plan to start exploring this beautiful city, first thing in the morning.
Arrival at the airport in Prague was anti-climactic.. If you are looking for stories of long lines, disgruntled passengers and lost luggage, this is not the place. Everything was wonderful. From luggage retrieval to speedy processing through customs, it could not have gone better.. Maybe because it was Thursday …
I placed an order for an airport transfer from PAT (Prague Airport Transfers) when I first booked the trip so as I entered the greeting area, I was searching for the orange card with my name on it. Ok.. my driver might have been colorblind because the card was yellow..But he was there.. took my bag and led me to the E-Class Mercedes to take me to my hotel.
City View
During the 1/2 hour trip from the airport. Pavel pointed out the various areas of town and sights that I had to see while I was there. Monasteries, churches, museums, bridges, statues, parks – it seemed he knew more sights in Prague than the guide books. I highly recommend their service. It was wonderful and personal and cost less than the average taxi fare with less chance of getting ripped off because you’re a “tourist”.
I chose the Charles Bridge Palace hotel near the river and the Charles Bridge because of the central location. It was a wonderful choice. The service and front desk were friendly and helpful. The room was heavenly and the breakfast was the best I have had in Europe..Let me clarify that..the best I have had at a hotel in Europe.. The biggest problem was the wifi.. it did not work everywhere in the hotel as promised. I wound up in the hotel lobby to post photos on Facebook. Of course, I used Booking.com (the link can be found on my website Travel with Steve ) to reserve my room and save a little money off their standard rates.. Follow the link and so can you
Across the River
After I unpacked, I got the camera gear and merged into the massive throng of tourists headed to the Charles Bridge. The Charles Bridge is a landmark historic bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. Its construction started in 1357 under during the reign of King Charles IV. It is over 600 m long and almost 10 m wide. It is guarded by 30 statues (15 to a side) and 3 guard towers.
Exploring the west side of the river tomorrow..Stay tuned..
To be perfectly honest, I love Southern France.. This was my second trip here and the 3rd will be next May for a new photography exhibition in Arles.
Transfers from the airport to the center (or St. Charles Station) are extremely easy and inexpensive. There is a bus that runs about every 15 – 20 minutes and costs 9 Euros.. There is also a shuttle to the train that is free but you must have a train ticket to board. The biggest problem I encountered was that the ticket booth for the train did not take cash. Again, it needed a credit card with the microchip. Common in Europe…not so much from the USA.
St. Charles – The main station in Marseille
Since Arles was my first stop on this leg of the journey, I needed a train ticket from the airport to Arles. I was told that you can buy a ticket from the attendant on the train as he comes to check tickets. This actually proved to be the case and I was able to purchase my ticket as the train pulled into Gare de Arles.. That’s right..I did not have a ticket TO Arles but I was able to buy one as I left the train IN Arles..
Gare de Arles – Train Station
Arles is a quiet little town on the Rhone in southern France. It has a long history and was very important in the days of the Roamn empire, as both a seat of government and a supply point for the Roman armies. The Arles Coliseium, second only to the Colisieum in Rome, is a major attraction.
Inside the Coliseum
Empty Morning Streets
I, personally, like it more for the quiet side streets and cafes.. the open markets on the weekends and the laid back artist commune atmosphere.
Avoiding the Crowds
Weekend Market
Since this trip was planned late and Arles is busy during the first week of July, I wound up staying across the river in the town of Forques. A nice little 20 minute walk along the river, past rice fields and cottages, and you will find yourself looking across the river to Arles. The veiw of the left bank of the Rhone is especially dramatic in the evening as the sun sets and paints the town in red and gold.
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Just a quick post… A few folks have asked if I have a website where images and prints are available.. maybe as a gift.. maybe for themselves. I actually have no idea BUT … yes I do..
I am still working on it and, probably, always will be… but it is up and running so feel free to take a look.. If you like what you see..like and share.
Now back to the journey..
Be happy and always have safe travels
After several stops, we found ourselves at one of the most famous and extensive museums in the entire world… The Louvre . The museum is located in the Louvre Palace and is home to over 35,000 objects that date from prehistoric times to the 21st century.
The Entrance
I was amazed at the size of this place.. As soon as I walked through the doors, I knew I had not planned enough time here. It would be entirely possible to spend several days exploring all the exhibits, painting, sculptures and art that is kept within these walls. It is a total immersion into history.
A Sculpture Gallery inside The Louvre
Of course, like all tourists, the main objective was up 2 stories and through a maze of paintings … and sculptures.
The Red Room
The Mona Lisa….
Objective accomplished! And, yes, like all good tourists, I had my picture made in front of, what might be, the most famous painting in the world. One more item off the bucket list, I have actually seen the Mona Lisa in The Louvre.
The rest of the journey through the museum was anti-climactic, though no less awe-inspiring. I ended the tour with a late lunch in the inner courtyard under a beautiful blue sky. I marveled at the wonderful architecture of the building itself. It truly is a beautiful place and the next time I visit Paris, I will plan an entire day just for The Louvre.
Since I was enjoying Paris with my now ex-girlfriend, I decided to abandon my usual way of exploring a city and take the tourist route. That being said, it was highly enjoyable being a tourist in Paris. The first afternoon, after getting settled into the hotel, we headed out on a short walk to the Sacré-Cœur. This is a very impressive cathedral. It is located on the butte of Montmartre and is the highest point in the city. From the steps you have an amazing view of Paris spread out below. 
Front View
Day 2,after a short metro ride to the center, we boarded one of the double decker Hop On – Hop Off Bus Tours. At 25.50 euros, it is a very economical way to see Paris without wearing out your feet. Just hop off at the sights you want to see… take photos … enjoy a coffee… and hop on the next bus.
Of course, the first thing to see is the Eiffel Tower. It is a must and, probably the most recognized structure in the world. Iconic and majestic, it stands at the head of the Champ de Mars and soars an amazing 324 meters (1,063 feet) into the air. It was named after Gustave Eiffel whose company designed and built it in 1889 as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair. Eiffel, himself, actually had very little to do with the design of the tower. The designers of the Eiffel Tower were Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, two senior engineers who worked for the Compagnie des Etablissements Eiffel. And the rest is history….
The tower has 3 levels available to the public and the 3rd level is the highest point accessible to the public in Europe.
After a couple of hours of wandering and photos, we boarded the bus for the next stop .. Arc de Triomphe . It stands in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. The monument stands 50 metres high, 45 meters wide and 22 meters deep. The Arc de Triomphe is so large that on August 7, 1919, Charles Godefroy successfully flew his biplane through it. The Arc was originally commissioned in 1806 but was not finished until around 1834. Beneath the vaults lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from WWI. There is a museum at the top in the “attic” with models and details of the construction and after you can climb a few steps to the top and see some wonderful panoramic views of Paris.
Arc de Triomphe
Next … Off at the Louvre .
Here I am in Arles, where I was exhibiting photographs for the Nuit de la Roquette..at FreeSpace Gallery. 16 photos were hung and only 7 remain. Whether the missing ones are in someone’s flat or my outside exhibition was merely vandalized, I guess I will never know. Hopefully they are safe and sound hanging on a wall somewhere. I worry about them all alone in the city..
Since I am a complete I-Pad dweeb and cannot figure out how to upload photos to the blog without my computer, posts from France ( with photos) will have to wait until I get back to Kiev. Lesson learned … take computer and not just the I-Pad until you get it figured out.
I-Pad is awesome for instant gratificationon Facebook….feel free to add me as a friend and see photos there. :). But now I realize I should carry my computer too.. Like I said… Lesson learned.
Enjoy your week everyone!
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