Friday, June 09, 2006
Back from Europe
WOOH!
I got back from Europe last night. I had a great time. I will upload pictures when I get back to Orange county this week. We made it to Budapest, Prague, and Krakow under budget. There was quite a Snafu at the beginning with one of our people missing the flight cause they arrived less then an hour before the flight so the rest of us barely made it. He ended up taking a BA flight though and caught up with us a couple of hours after the rest of landed in London.
From London we took a connecting flight to Budapest on BA. I don't think I have been on a plane with less leg room... Fortunately it was a short flight around an hour. At the Budapest Airport we met the Cab I pre-arranged and went straight to our room at the Kleopatra Apartments.
http://visitprague.cz/main.php3s1=accommodation&s2=apartments&s3=detail&lng=en&sekce=3&id=172
I highly recommend this place. Tamas' will take good care of you. He got us the cab. The room it self was clean and well stocked at a great price. If you are going to Budapest consider staying with him.
The first day in Budapest we walked south from our Apartment, and saw the parliament and walked through the biggest Mall I have been in anywhere. It was as long as a city block in a V-Shape 4 levels both side were the same length. The Metro system there is really good and cheap. Fair warning they do check tickets. The 2nd Day Mike & I went to the Castle District and saw the huge Church there and the Fisherman's Grotto. That night we went to a great buffet. Our last day we went to the city park and saw the Circus and Beer Tent.
Overall we had a great time, their dollar is worth .005 of a US dollar so things were cheap. The food was not that great, very little English was spoken, and there was virtually Tourist stuff to buy. However they are doing a great job renovating some great sites and in a couple of years this place might surpass Prague due to its prices.
We took the train from Budapest to Prague. The ride was smooth, other then being woken up 3x for our passports. We saved about 50% over flying. However, you really do not get to sleep well taking the train. Next time I might bight the bullet and pay for the flight and hotel room.
In Prague we had a great if expensive breakfast buffet at the Intercontinental. We were not able to check in until 10am. Then we slept until late in the Afternoon. At that point we walked out to the Charles Bridge, and looked at the shops. Mike and I had dinner at the "Crazy Cow Steak House" restaurant. It was reasonably priced and VERY good. The next day we went on the communist and city tours and did a lot of shopping. Our guide really drove home, how badly communism damaged Prague, and the effect of the holocaust had on the local Jewish population.
The Apartment it self was okay. There was no shower curtain, the locks were very difficult to work with. The TV had no English channels. They did arrange a cab when we left. I would stay here again, but I definitely we look at all my options.
Overall, Prague is everything that is said about it. It was the most expensive place we stayed. This does dictate how much fun you will have.
We took the train again from Prague to Krakow. The train ride was bumpier this time and we got less sleep. We stayed at Hotel Cracovia http://www.polhotels.com/Cracow/Cracovia/
I really recommend this place. They serve a good Polish style breakfast buffet. The place is dirt cheap. Rooms are clean and well stocked. They arranged a cab for us to the airport. The location is prime, tours pickup here last and drop off first.
I went to the Salt Mine and took a tour of the city. The city tour was amazing, I knew Poland was Catholic, but omfg the churches in the city are second only to the Vatican. I also picked up a lot of gifts here.
The flight back was extremely, close I had only 20 minutes when we landed at Heathrow, to get my bags, and go from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 to pickup my boarding pass and I made it! Never in my life has my bag come out first!
Overall Krakow is still my favorite city to visit. It is very cheap, friendly and safe. There is a lot to do whether you are drinking, eating, shopping, or sight seeing.
The trip as a whole was a great experience. I had a lot of fun with everyone. We did a lot of drinking ate some great food, and saw a lot of Eastern Europe.
I did learn to when Virgin Atlantic says they close their ticket desk 60 minutes before the flight they mean it.
Now after 2 weeks off I am ready to get back to work at full speed.
Next weekend my Parents are visiting me at my new place in Socal.
The work situation is getting interesting. We have been advised that within a year or two it will be in our best interest to work someplace else due to the pending acquisition. For me this does not change much, I will continue to work hard to get better and improve my title. It just means, I will need to follow company strategy closely to jump ship at the right moment with the right people hopefully.
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I got back from Europe last night. I had a great time. I will upload pictures when I get back to Orange county this week. We made it to Budapest, Prague, and Krakow under budget. There was quite a Snafu at the beginning with one of our people missing the flight cause they arrived less then an hour before the flight so the rest of us barely made it. He ended up taking a BA flight though and caught up with us a couple of hours after the rest of landed in London.
From London we took a connecting flight to Budapest on BA. I don't think I have been on a plane with less leg room... Fortunately it was a short flight around an hour. At the Budapest Airport we met the Cab I pre-arranged and went straight to our room at the Kleopatra Apartments.
http://visitprague.cz/main.php3s1=accommodation&s2=apartments&s3=detail&lng=en&sekce=3&id=172
I highly recommend this place. Tamas' will take good care of you. He got us the cab. The room it self was clean and well stocked at a great price. If you are going to Budapest consider staying with him.
The first day in Budapest we walked south from our Apartment, and saw the parliament and walked through the biggest Mall I have been in anywhere. It was as long as a city block in a V-Shape 4 levels both side were the same length. The Metro system there is really good and cheap. Fair warning they do check tickets. The 2nd Day Mike & I went to the Castle District and saw the huge Church there and the Fisherman's Grotto. That night we went to a great buffet. Our last day we went to the city park and saw the Circus and Beer Tent.
Overall we had a great time, their dollar is worth .005 of a US dollar so things were cheap. The food was not that great, very little English was spoken, and there was virtually Tourist stuff to buy. However they are doing a great job renovating some great sites and in a couple of years this place might surpass Prague due to its prices.
We took the train from Budapest to Prague. The ride was smooth, other then being woken up 3x for our passports. We saved about 50% over flying. However, you really do not get to sleep well taking the train. Next time I might bight the bullet and pay for the flight and hotel room.
In Prague we had a great if expensive breakfast buffet at the Intercontinental. We were not able to check in until 10am. Then we slept until late in the Afternoon. At that point we walked out to the Charles Bridge, and looked at the shops. Mike and I had dinner at the "Crazy Cow Steak House" restaurant. It was reasonably priced and VERY good. The next day we went on the communist and city tours and did a lot of shopping. Our guide really drove home, how badly communism damaged Prague, and the effect of the holocaust had on the local Jewish population.
The Apartment it self was okay. There was no shower curtain, the locks were very difficult to work with. The TV had no English channels. They did arrange a cab when we left. I would stay here again, but I definitely we look at all my options.
Overall, Prague is everything that is said about it. It was the most expensive place we stayed. This does dictate how much fun you will have.
We took the train again from Prague to Krakow. The train ride was bumpier this time and we got less sleep. We stayed at Hotel Cracovia http://www.polhotels.com/Cracow/Cracovia/
I really recommend this place. They serve a good Polish style breakfast buffet. The place is dirt cheap. Rooms are clean and well stocked. They arranged a cab for us to the airport. The location is prime, tours pickup here last and drop off first.
I went to the Salt Mine and took a tour of the city. The city tour was amazing, I knew Poland was Catholic, but omfg the churches in the city are second only to the Vatican. I also picked up a lot of gifts here.
The flight back was extremely, close I had only 20 minutes when we landed at Heathrow, to get my bags, and go from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 to pickup my boarding pass and I made it! Never in my life has my bag come out first!
Overall Krakow is still my favorite city to visit. It is very cheap, friendly and safe. There is a lot to do whether you are drinking, eating, shopping, or sight seeing.
The trip as a whole was a great experience. I had a lot of fun with everyone. We did a lot of drinking ate some great food, and saw a lot of Eastern Europe.
I did learn to when Virgin Atlantic says they close their ticket desk 60 minutes before the flight they mean it.
Now after 2 weeks off I am ready to get back to work at full speed.
Next weekend my Parents are visiting me at my new place in Socal.
The work situation is getting interesting. We have been advised that within a year or two it will be in our best interest to work someplace else due to the pending acquisition. For me this does not change much, I will continue to work hard to get better and improve my title. It just means, I will need to follow company strategy closely to jump ship at the right moment with the right people hopefully.
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