2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #9 - Budapest, Hungry

Highlights of Budapest
Visit Hungarian Parliament and Sample a Selection of Dishes
Step inside Hungary’s grand parliament building and get a flavor for the nation’s hearty cuisine.

Transfer with your guide to the Budapest Parliament building, the world’s third largest. As the nation’s business goes on around you, you will enjoy a guided tour of select public rooms. Next, walk to Szabadság Square, or Liberty Square, stopping to view the statue of Ronald Reagan and the art nouveau treasures that surround this public space. You will also see the US Embassy and the decorative Postal Savings Bank. Pause to taste some pogácsa, or salty scones, enroute to the Urban Betyár Restaurant, where you will sample heart sausages and a cup of goulash soup. Finish your tasting tour with a delicious Somlói Galuska and hear the story behind this beloved sweet treat.

Moving day. We are finally getting on the Viking Longship Honir today!

We set an alarm for 6:15 am. After packing up the room, we went to the breakfast buffet in the hotel. Back at the room, we put the suitcases in the hall at 7:45 am. We headed down to join our excursion at 8:15 am.

We did the "Highlights of Budapest" excursion. It turned out to be much different than I expected. It was a walking tour. With a group of twenty, we boarded a tram in front of the hotel. We rode the tram to the Parliament Building. We did an audio tour of the building. Getting a chance to see the building over the last couple of days and then tour it was very cool.

From there, we walked through Freedom Square with statues of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. The latter was poignant because I read a book about Bush senior recently. He was very involved in the fall of the Iron Curtain.


We had a group lunch at Urban Betyar. We had Hungarian Goulash Soup.

After 5lunch, the guide got everyone on a bus to the Viking Longship. We got checked in and started to settle in room. Although I tried to prepare her, Sharon was a little surprised by the small size of the room compared to the other cruises that we done.

Getting cleaned up, we went to the lounge for the Captain's welcome and the port talk. Heading to dinner, we sat with two other couples: Angela and Scott; and Joel and Pat.

While Sharon had Halibut, I had the regional dinner. It included Magyar Marhagulyás Leves (Hungarian goulash soup with paprika spiced beef and vegetable broth) as a starter, Sertésszüz Szeletek (pork tenderloin medallions with pepper sauce; mashed sweet potato, savoy cabbage) as a main and Mákos Guba (poppy seed bread pudding & plum jam) for dessert.

As we were finishing dinner, the boat pulled away from the dock. We sailed up river and around Margaret Island. As we started back down river, the view of the city was beautiful. With so many building lite up at night, Sharon noted that there may not be another city in the world with this kind of view from the river.

We crashed about 10:30 pm.

2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #8 - Budapest, Hungary

Panoramic Budapest
Hungary’s Graceful and Inspiring Capital
Take in one of Europe’s great cultural capitals and see its iconic sights.

Over the last few decades, Budapest has reemerged as one of the continent’s iconic cities, divided by the Danube River and connected by the graceful Chain Bridge. Meet your guide for a panoramic tour, beginning in modern Pest. Along the elegant Andrássy Avenue, admire the National Opera House. Pass Heroes’ Square, a spacious plaza of monuments and statues commemorating the Magyar state. Across the river, explore the more traditional Buda side of the city. Here, visit the Castle District with its massive hilltop castle complex, the turreted Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church. From the heights of Buda Hill, take in views of the famous Chain Bridge. Afterward, enjoy free time to explore the enchanting Buda Hill Castle area at your leisure, before returning to your ship.


Budapest by Night
An Enchanting Evening of Sights and Landmarks
Be captivated by Budapest as you explore the city after dark and raise a toast to its stunning landmarks.

Meet your guide and set off on a panoramic drive to witness several iconic sights. Admire the twinkling lights along the Danube and enjoy memorable views of the city known as the “Paris of the East.” See brilliantly illuminated bridges, including the Liberty Bridge—the shortest bridge in the city that connects Buda and Pest. View landmarks, such as Gellért Hill and Buda Castle, as your knowledgeable guide regales you with stories of the city’s history. Your drive continues along the Danube River to the beautiful Parliament building; its illuminated façade is a sight to behold after dark. Cap your excursion with a visit to a bar, where you can enjoy views of the Danube River as you sip a glass of sparkling wine.

I know that I am a broken record, but I am not sleeping well on this trip. I am building up a large sleep deficit in Oura.

We were up and moving about 6:15 am. I did a ten minute bodyweight Peloton workout.

After getting breakfast at the hotel buffet, we joined a cattle call for Viking "Panoramic Budapest" excursion. I think that the Viking host said the night before that there were 180 guests joining the boat on Saturday. They were all in the lobby waiting to join the excursion.

The excursion did a driving tour of the Pest side, including: the Great Synagogue; the Hungarian State Opera House; and, Hero's Square. It was quickly apparent that this city is much bigger than Prague; it is not as walkable.

Crossing the river to the Buda side, we got off in the Castle District. The Castle District is the historic heart of the city, perched on a hill above the Danube. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is a dense collection of medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture.

We did a walking tour to the Church of Our Lady of Buda Castle (Matthias Church). This 13th-century church is famous for its striking tiled roof and ornate interior. Once inside, the guide gave us a brief overview. Afterwards, Sharon and I explored the Church and the Fisherman's Bastion. The Fisherman's Bastion is a 19th-century Neo-Romanesque fortress features seven turreted towers representing the original Hungarian chieftains. It is widely considered the best spot in the city for panoramic views of the Parliament Building across the river.

With some free time, we did a little shopping and got a beverage. Viking bussed back to the hotel.

With a nighttime excursion planned, Sharon had made a 3:30 reservation for an early, early dinner. We decided to pivot and have a late lunch. We walked to Textura. We had a four course tasting menu. My courses included a very good pork knuckle starter, chicken soup, pork neck main and dessert. I didn't get a copy of the menu...

After lunch, we explored St. Stephen's Basilica. It is the largest church in Budapest and one of the most significant religious buildings in Hungary.


From there, we walked across the Chain Bridge from the Pest side to the Buda Site. Heading up river on the Pest side, we walked to the Shoes on the Danube Memorial. This is a poignant memorial that honors the Jews who were killed by the Arrow Cross militia during World War II.


With a late excursion planned, we crashed in the room for a bit and then had a drink and a snack in the bar at the hotel.

The evening excursion was "Budapest at Night." It was fanastic. It may be one of the best Viking excursions we have ever done. After a quick stop for a glass of champagne at Felix, we headed to the Palace. We walked to a terrace overlooking the city. It was a great spot for pictures.

We toured the Palace area. It was empty of people and lite up with lights. I really enjoyed the walking tour through the Palace.

Getting back to the bus, we stopped across the Danube from the Parliament Building for more pictures. It was almost 11 pm by the time we were back to the hotel.

Unfortunately, it was after 11:30 pm by the time we crashed...

2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #7 - To Budapest, Hungary

A long day.

Up at 5:45 am, we packed up the room. I did a five minute Peloton core workout. We put our bags in the hall and went to breakfast at 6:45 am.

The pre-tour group met in the lobby at 7:30 am. They loaded 29 people on a very comfortable bus with a capacity of 55. The bus pulled away front hotel about 7:40 am.

Using my iPhone as a hotspot, I spent the morning updating my blog. I have used this capability on a number of trips over the last four years. I am always amazed at well this works and how much I can get done.

The bus made a twenty minute stop after two hours. Leaving the Czech Republic, we traveled through Slovakia and along the edige of the capital of Bratislava. As we were leaving Slovakia, you could see windmills in nearby Austria.
We stopped at just across the broder into Hungray for lunch. Sharon had beef stew, while I had chicken soup.

The bus finally pulled up the InterContinental Hotel in Budapest about 3:10 pm. A seven and a half hour trip! Thankfully, both of us thought that the trip went very fast.

Checking in and getting settled in the room, we did a thirty minute Viking orientation walking tour. Afterwards, we found a cafe along the Danube for a glass of Rose.

We had an early dinner at Retek Bisztro. It is a highly regarded restaurant in the heart of Budapest’s District V, near St. Stephen’s Basilica. It is known for its focus on "grandma’s kitchen" style Hungarian cuisine, blending traditional flavors with modern presentation.

For a starter, we split the Hortobágyi pancake filled with minced chicken and paprika sauce. For entrees, Sharon Chicken paprikash with noodles “royal” style, while I had Slowly roasted duck leg with red cabbage cream and ewe cheese pancake.

After dinner, we wandered District V. We crashed early; we were in bed before 9:30 pm.

Sharon is very happy with the view from the room!

2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #6 - Kutná Hora, Czech Republic

Kutná Hora
A Bohemian Enclave with a Rich Past
Discover the impressive architecture and historic treasures of one of the Czech Republic’s most important towns.

Built on silver mining from the 13th century, Kutná Hora became a thriving crossroads of trade. Drive with your guide into the scenic Czech countryside, passing farmland and gently rolling hills. En route, you will briefly pause at the Sedlec Ossuary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This curious Roman Catholic chapel is artistically adorned with human skeletal bones. After, continue to Kutná Hora and the vast St. Barbara Cathedral, also a UNESCO Site, one of Central Europe’s most impressive Gothic structures. Dedicated to the patron saint of miners, it took more than 500 years to build because of the town’s waxing and waning economy. After viewing the interior, enjoy a walking tour of the town, followed by lunch at a local restaurant and free time to explore.

I haven't been sleeping very well on this trip; I have been very restless and waking up a lot at night. My Oura sleep score for last night was decent only because I napped for 40 minutes before we went to dinner on Tuesday night. Finally getting up about 6:15 am, I went to the fitness center and did a 10 minute arms and light weights Peloton workout.

For the scond day in a row, we took advantage of the buffet at the Marriot for breakfast. The plan for the day was a long Viking "Kutná Hora" excursion. A small group walked from the Marriott Hotel to the Palace Hotel to join the excursion. Talking to people waiting to board the van, I realized that there are people from multiple Viking tours joining the excursions, not just from our tour. Someone said that in high season that Viking has 10,000 people in Prague!?!

Rolling from the Palace Hotel about 9:15 am, we headed east. Kutná Hora is a fascinating medieval city located about an hour from Prague. Once the second most important city in the Kingdom of Bohemia, it rivaled Prague in wealth and prestige thanks to its incredibly productive silver mines. Today, the entire historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site, famous for its unique architecture and somewhat macabre history.

The first stop was the Sedlec Ossuary. It is world-famous for being decorated with the skeletal remains of an estimated 40,000 to 70,000 people. The massive bone chandelier is said to contain at least one of every bone in the human body. The bones were artistically arranged in 1870 by woodcarver František Rint to give order to the unearthed remains.

The second stop was St. Barbara's Church. The church is a spectacular Gothic cathedral-esque church and is the primary symbol of the city. Funded by the wealthy silver miners, it features striking flying buttresses and three distinct tent-like spires. The interior houses rare late-Gothic frescoes that depict secular scenes of medieval mining life. It took over 500 years to fully complete, with construction starting in 1388 and finishing only in 1905.

Heading into the city, we walked past the former Jesuit College. It is one of Kutná Hora's most significant Baroque landmarks. Constructed between 1667 and 1750, it was designed by the renowned Italian architect Giovanni Domenico Orsi to serve as a center for the Jesuit order.

The most striking feature is the elevated promenade in front of the college. It is lined with 12 Baroque statues of Jesuit saints, created by František Baugut, designed to mimic the feel of Prague's famous Charles Bridge.

We walked down into the city for lunch. Sharon had chicken, while I had a pork loin.

After lunch, we continued the walking tour of the old city for about 40 minutes. Boarding the bus, we headed back to Prague. We were back at the Marriott Hotel just beforer 4 pm.

I ran back into the Old Town to shop for a coffee mug and some Christmas ornaments. I was pleasantly surprised to find the Old Town Square empty of the Easter Market buildings. Since we got to Prague, the square has been full of temporary buildings for an Easter Market.

Getting cleaned up, Sharon and I finished the day with dinner at the one-Michelin-starred restaurant FIELD. This is the same chef that operates Restaurant 420 where we had dinner on Tuesday night. We had the five course tasting menu. It was leisuely three hour and fifteen minute meal. While the meal was good, I think that I enjoyed the meal at La Degustation Boheme Bourgeoise on Sunday night more.

By the time we walked back to the hotel, it was almost after 10:30 pm. With a long day with an early start planned for tomorrw, we crashed just after 11 pm.

One footnote. I am writing this entry on the bus from Prague to Budapest using my iPhone as a hotspot for my iPad.

2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #5 - Prague, Czech Republic

Panoramic Prague
City of One Hundred Spires
Step back in time in Prague, an incredible tapestry of remarkably preserved medieval brilliance.

Visit the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its main square was a major crossroads on 12th-century trade routes, and so it was the focal point of the city’s early development. Today, it is a repository of Romanesque, baroque and Gothic splendor. Among the buildings you will see are the Týn Church and the 15th-century Astronomical Clock, which comes alive every hour with its “Walk of the Apostles.” Continue to Prague Castle. Within this massive complex, see the Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral in which the good St. Wenceslas is entombed behind polished emeralds and stones. You will also see the grand castle itself, residence of the Czech president and the powerful seat of Bohemian kings and Holy Roman emperors of old.

Privileged Access: Lobkowicz Palace
Tour a Resplendent Home and Attend a Private Concert
See the stately residence of one of the region’s most avid patrons of the arts, and admire priceless artifacts.

The 700-year Lobkowicz family history is rich with tales of political and military leadership, inlaid with the art of great masters and bejeweled with musical masterpieces. Tour their resplendent palace with an audio guide narrated by members of the Lobkowicz family, who will regale you with intimate family stories, including the loss of the palace to both the Nazis and the Communists and its restitution to the family. Survey grand portraits, weaponry, tableware and personal love letters from the family archives. As a special treat, trace Mozart’s annotations to Handel’s Messiah and study Beethoven’s Third (Eroica), Fourth and Fifth Symphony manuscripts. Your visit includes lunch in the family’s original living quarters and a private concert in the baroque concert hall.

The pace of the trip is going to start to pick up. We will be moving beyond Prague tomorrow.

Neither Sharon or I slept well. We were up and moving around just after 5 am. I did a 10 minute Peloton core workout in the room.

After a nice buffett breakfast in the hotel, we joined the Viknig "Panoramic Prague" walking tour at 8:20 am. It was a fairly large group (20ish?). Walking from the hotel, we explored Old Town, the Charles Bridge and Lesser Town. The guide was very good; she talked a lot about history and architecture.


After a stop in Lesser Town at a cafe, Viking bussed the group up to the Strahov Monastery. We walked down to the Prague Castle. Sharon and I were both disappointed that we didn't get to see the inside of Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral.

At the end of the castle tour, Sharon and I plus one other couple (Marty and Sandy) split off for the Viking "Privileged Access: Lobkowicz Palace" tour. This included lunch, a concert and a guided tour of the art gallery.


After the tour of the art gallery, they bussed us back to the hotel.

I ended up taking a 45 minute nap.

Eventually, we headed back to the Old Town Square. Sharon wanted to watch the Astronomical Clock at the top of the hour. We stopped at the Black Angel Bar for a drink; the bar is featured in Dan Brown's Secret of Secrets.

We finished the night with dinner at the Restaurant 420. The guide had mentioned it in the morning when we were walking through the Old Town Square. It is listed in the Michelin Guide.

We split Roasted mushrooms [Cumin, pickled chanterelles, egg, brioche] as a starter. For entrees, I had Veal schnitzel [Viennese potato salad, lamb’s lettuce], while Sharon had Confit rabbit leg [Semolina dumplings, carrots, cream sauce].

By the time we walked back to the room and crashed it was after 10 pm.

2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #4 - Prague, Czech Republic

Prague by Night
A Medieval City at Its Most Magical
Experience the medieval treasures of Prague after dark during an illuminating walking tour.

You will transfer from your hotel to Lesser Town, then set out on foot with your guide. You will see the famous baroque-style Church of St. Nicholas, as well as other baroque-style buildings. Stroll down Lázeňská Street, passing the 14th-century Church of Our Lady before Týn, and the John Lennon Wall, a symbol of nonviolent resistance. Continue walking under the medieval stonework of the Charles Bridge, adorned with more than 30 statues, and view Prague’s charming Little Venice, a manmade canal built by the Knights Hospitaller. See the Vojan Garden, one of Prague’s oldest gardens, before stopping to enjoy a refreshing glass of beer at a local pub. Cap your tour with striking views of the city from Letna Hill, then return to your hotel.

After a late dinner and watching some of the Masters back in the room, we slept later. I went to the fitness center and did a 20 minute Peloton Upper Body workout.

We had a late breakfast at the Bistro Monk; it was listed in the DK Eyewitness Top 10 Prague book. Sharon had Avocado Toast, while I had their Blueberry Pancakes. The breakfast was solid; I recommend the restaurant.

The plan for the day was to explore Petrin Hill. Walking over the St. Charles Bridge and towards the Funicular, we realized that the Funicular was temporarily closed. We ended up hiking up the rest of the hill to the Petřín Lookout Tower.

The Petřín Lookout Tower was built in 1891 for the Jubilee Exhibition and was famously inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Standing atop a lush hill, the structure offers panoramic views of Prague's red-tiled roofs, the Vltava River, and the historic castle district. We paid a small extra fee to ride a small elevator to the top.

The view from the top was amazing. Although I am not a fan of heights, I enjoyed the views!

From there, we headed to the Strahov Monastery. We toured the library, the art gallery and the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Perched on a hill overlooking the city, the Strahov Monastery was founded in 1143 and remains one of the oldest Premonstratensian abbeys in the world. It is most famous for its breathtaking Baroque library, which houses thousands of rare volumes within the ornately frescoed Theological and Philosophical Halls.


The next stop was the Loreta Church. The tradition of the Loreta is centered on the "Santa Casa," or Holy House, which is a replica of the legendary home in Nazareth where the Annunciation is said to have occurred. According to the tradition that emerged in the 13th century, the original stone house was miraculously transported by angels from Palestine to Loreto, Italy, to protect it during the Crusades. The Prague Loreta was established in the 17th century as part of a movement to create these "copies" across Europe, intended to provide pilgrims with a local place to venerate the life of Mary and the mystery of the Incarnation.

Walking back to the Old Town Square, Sharon did some shopping. I ran back to the hotel to check in with the Viking staff. It was a good thing I did because they seemed very confused about where we were...

We had an early dinner at the Terasa U Prince rooftop restaurant. It had a nice view of the city. We split Parma ham with Parmesan cheese, olives and grissinia as a starter. We both Tagliatelle with duck leg as an entree.

Heading back to the hotel, we stopped briefly at the room and then joined our first Viking excursion of the trip. We did the "Prague by Night" excursion. A group of 13 took a bus from the hotel to Lesser Town. We did a walking tour of the area that included the Lenon Wall. Getting back on the bus, we headed up to the Strahov Monastery a beer and a view of the city at night.

By the time we got back to the time and crashed, it was after 10:30 pm. A long day. I had almost 28,000 steps and covered 10 miles.

2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #3 - Prague, Czech Republic

Up and moving fairly early, we walked to breakfast at the Bella Vida Cafe in Lessor Town. We both had scrambled eggs. It was raining lightly as we walked to breakfast.

From there, we walked along the Vltava River to the Charles Bridge. The Charles Bridge is a historic stone arch bridge that has crossed the Vltava River since its construction began in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV. It is famous for the avenue of 30 predominantly baroque statues that line its balustrades, depicting various saints and patron figures. Guarded by three impressive gothic towers, the bridge serves as a vital pedestrian link between Prague's Old Town and the Lesser Town.


Rick Steves' book on Prague describes the Jewish Quarter as the finest selection of Jewish sites in Europe, featuring various synagogues and an evocative cemetery. Given that the Viking excursions don't included any of the sites, we focused on this area in the morning.

We visited the Maisel Synagogue, the Pinkas Syngogue, the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Old-New Synagogue and the Spanish Synagogue. Surprised by the scale, I was moved and impressed by the Old Jewish Cemetery.


From the Jewish Quarter, we headed to the Old Town Square. The main square of Old World Prague includes the Astronomical Clock and the Jan Hus Memorial.


With a nice dinner planned, we looked for somewhere to have a snack. We ended up in the Ugelt (the couryard behind the Tyn Church) at the Bella Pausa Restaurant. We split a Tagliere di Salumi e Formaggi: a mixed board of cold cuts (salumi) and cheeses (formaggi).

One of the advantages of coming in early and being on our own is that Sharon can shop as we wander along. After the light lunch, Sharon spent some time shopping for crystal and garnets, two Czech specialities. While she shopped, I walked back to watch the Astronomical Clock ring in the hour.

Eventually, we headed back to the room to get cleaned up for dinner. We finished the day with dinner at La Degustation Boheme Bourgeoise. The restaurant is a one-Michelin-starred restaurant in Prague's Old Town that offers a sophisticated exploration of Czech culinary heritage. Led by Executive Chef Oldřich Sahajdák, the restaurant is famous for revitalizing 19th-century recipes—specifically those from Marie B. Svobodová's The Art of Bohemian Cuisine—and reimagining them with modern techniques. The experience is centered around a seasonal tasting menu that emphasizes local ingredients sourced from Czech farmers, gatherers, and hunters.

Wandering back to the hotel, we started to watch the final round of the Masters on SkyTV Sports. Sharon has been obsessed with this year's Masters. By the time, we crashed it was after 11 pm.

2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #2 - Prague, Czech Republic

I usually can't sleep much on international flights; I typically read a book. After they served dinner on the flight leaving Dallas, I actually tried to sleep. According to Oura, I slept 4 hours over a period of 5 hours on the 9 hour flight. As a result, the flight went fast. Sharon thought that she slept, but Oura gave her zero time sleeping!

It was after 3:45 pm when we got off the plane from Dallas to Madrid. By the time, we took a bus from the plane to the terminal, made our way through passport control (which was having technical problems), took a train to the main terminal, went back through security twice (we left our iPads in our bags) and found our way to the gate, they had loaded half of the plane to Prague.

This is probably one of the most hectic trips that we have ever had. Both of the first two flights were behind schedule. As a result, we only had about an hour to change planes in both Dallas and Madrid. To add to the confusion, when we checked our bags at SFO, the gate agent said that we would have to get our bags in Madrid and recheck them; we didn't.

We had a middle and a window on a full, two and a half hour flight to Prague. I sat in the middle. Ugh!

We spent the flight working on a plan of attack for the next two days. Like we have done on our last two trips, we are going in two days early. The Viking tour doesn't start until Monday night.

We were on the ground in Prague a little ahead of schedule about 6:40 pm. Getting our luggage, we took an Airport Uber to the Prague Marriott. We are spending five nights here. It was about a 30 minute drive from the airport to the hotel.

After getting settled in the room, we worked with the concierge to find a restaurant nearby. We ended up having dinner at Kolkovna Celnice. We both had Czech specialities. Sharon had Svičková [pot roasted beef in cream-vegetable sauce, served with bread dumplings and Carlsbad dumplings], while I had Pilsen goulash [made from tender beef shin with onion and fresh chilli peppers, served with bread-roll dumplings and potato pancakes].

Getting some waters in a market, we wandered back to the hotel. I am excited to explore the city over the next two days. We crashed hard at 10 pm.

2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #1 - San Francisco

Sharon and I are off again exploring the world. Following in the Tomasins' and Swedbergs' footsteps, we are taking the Viking Passage to Eastern Europe with a pretour in Prague. Sharon's brother Tom did the longer Viking Capitals of Eastern Europe trip last year that covered much of the same ground. Over the next two and a half weeks, we will be exploring the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.

Spending the night at the San Francisco Airport Marriott, we slept late and had a lazy morning. We had an expensive medicore breakfast buffett at the hotel. We had talked about hiking the Bayshore Trail that runs along the hotel, but it was raining off and on.

About 11 am, we caught the shuttle to the airport. The luggage check-in went quickly. We breezed through security with CLEAR and TSA Pre. We found a nice spot at the Bourbon Pub to watch the second round of the Masters, have a glass of Rose and a light lunch.

Much to our chagrin, Viking Air has booked us on a three leg trip to Prague: San Francisco to Dallas to Madrid to Prague. We had a 2:10 pm flight to Dallas. Unfortunately, the plane was late getting to SFO. It was after 2:15 pm by the time that we started to load the plane. We had seats 8B and 8C against the bulkhead at the front of the main cabin. Pulling away from the gate, the plane spent 40 minutes in line to take off. Apparently, there is a runway closed and under repair.

We were pleased to be able to watch the last few holes on the inflight entertainment system. Rory finished at the day at -11, six strokes ahead.

We were on the ground in Dallas about an hour behind schedule. This left us an hour to catch the flight to Madrid. It was a little bit of a circus. The flight didn't show a gate on the departure board. Asking at an American counter, they just told us to keep going in the direction that we were going. As we stopped to use the restroom, they announced that the Madrid flight was Gate D3.

The Iberian flight to Madrid boarded late. We have two nice premium economy seats--12J and 12L--in a very small three row section. The flight pulled away from the gateway about 40 minutes late. Given that we only have about an hour and half between flights in Madrid hopefully they will make up some time.

I am writing this using the wifi on the plane as we fly east. Hopefully, I will eventually be able to get at least a couple of hours sleep.

2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #0 - San Francisco

We are starting out the trip on the wrong foot. Originally, we had an early morning flight out of SFO on Friday. As a result, we decided to go down and stay Thursday night. Additionally, Sharon has been very unhappy with the drivers of the shuttles that we have used. We decided we would drive down and park the car in the SFO Long Term Parking.

At some point, Viking Air switched the flights around. Instead of flying from San Francisco to London and then from London to Prague, we are now leaving Friday afternoon for Dallas. We fly from Dallas to Madrid and then Madrid to Prague. We started a lot of hand wringing about whether or not we should have just driven down on Friday. Unfortunately, we thought that we had prepaid for the hotel room on Thursday night.

Leaving Carmichael at 1 pm with Sharon driving, I checked our hotel reservation. We didn't have a reservation. This created more running amok about what we should do. After some discussion, I made a hotel reservation in the Marriott app and we conintued towards SFO.

We rolled up to the San Francisco Airport Marriott just before 4 pm. We checked in and got our luggage into the room.

I took the car and parked it at the SFO Long Term Parking. It was a zoo. People were parked everywhere. Circling the lot, I finally decided to park at the end of a row at far reaches of the lot.

From there, I took the Air Train to the Grand Hyatt. I caught an Uber back to the Marriott.

Sharon and I took an Uber to downtown Burlingame to meet Jack for dinner at MyKonos. We ate there before after the Global Entry interviews in 2024.

The three of us split an octopus appetizer. For entrees, I had lamb chops, Jack had lamb shank and Sharon had sea bass.

After dinner, we put Jack on the train back to downtown San Francisco. Sharon and I wandered the area. We stopped and had a glass of wine at the Velvet 48 Wine Bar. Sharon had a glass of wine from Hungary!

Catching an Uber back to the hotel, we crashed early. Friday and Saturday are going to be long days!

2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #-1

Gallery Wall

As a follow-up to last year's kitchen remodel, we added a gallery wall.

Gridders Audition Tomorrow Night

California Aggie, Volume 51, Number 15, 28 May 1953

Gridders Audition Tomorrow Night

   Coach Ted Forbes will give local grid followers a chance to view the 1953 version of the Aggie varsity football team tomorrow night when he sends his charges through an intrasquad game on the local turf.
   The game will be played beneath the lights, with kickoff time slated for 8:00 p.m. The exhibition which will mark the termination of spring practice, will display the materialwith which Forbes will have to work, come next September; barring, of course, the addition of Frosh and Transfer gridsters next fall.
   Heading the list of the 41 candidates who will see action tomorrow night are returning lettermen Norm Dossa, Jim Reynolds, and Jack Dickenson, halfbacks. Hal Leigh is looned to for work horse duty at fullback; while Big Bob Chilcott is expected to be the "big" gun in the Aggie line next fall. Bob will no doubt see much action at his tackle position. Rich Raycraft will return at center, with Don Donsing and Lou Hausmann slated to fill the "distal" positions as ends.
   At the all important quarterback position, Forbes can call on Bill Bizzini, Ken Crandall, who is up from the J.V.’s, and Leroy Johnson.
   Rounding out the backfield are George Weiss, half back, John Naviaux, who has been elevated from the J.V.’s, and Bill Retzer, fullback.
   Expected to add much strength to the line are Bob Maulhardt, Duane Damron, and Gerald Henderson at end; Wayne Bonde, Richard Heringer, Al Deutsch, and Mike Hill at guards; Marty Fineman, Hal Charter, Herald Griffith, Bill Edger, Ray London, and Martin Wayne at tackles; Bob Warren and George Woofe are counted upon to help Raycraft, a returning letterman, at the center position.
   As an added attraction tomorrow night, the officials will be none other than Provost Stan Freeborn, Dean of Men, Lysle Leach, and director of athletics "Crip" Toomey,

Dick Heringer and Joyce Abbott at UC Davis

Easter 2026

Sharon has been pushing the idea that the next generation should start hosting some of the holidays. Morgan and Daniel hosted Easter last year. Leah and Kevin hosted Thanksgiving in 2019. Leah and Kevin stepped up to host Easter this year.

After a loop around Ancil Hoffman Park in the morning, Sharon and I headed to Leah and Kevin's house about 1:30 pm. The group totaled twenty, including: Tom; Eric; Kevin, Leah, Lydia and Amelia; a friend of Leah's and her two daugthers; Steve and Terry; Tim and Kathy; Will and Eileen; Cormac, Erin and Mave; and, Sharon and I.

We had a nice dinner in their backyard. The meal included ham, lamb, green beans, slug salad and au gratin potatoes that Sharon made.