Stepping into Belgrade, Serbia

Stepping into Belgrade, Serbia

One of the joys of writing an independent travel blog includes the freedom to say what you feel, and not be bound by payment for a travel article that “makes people want to go there.” Once we step off the train in Belgrade, Marilynn and I and a solo traveler from New...
Tolerance in Timisoara, Romania

Tolerance in Timisoara, Romania

We squeeze into a packed minivan in Brasov for a boring, eight-hour ride to the city of Timisoara. Marilynn and I expect a short stay at that city, which seems a necessary stop to make travel arrangements on the way to Belgrade, Serbia. Our hotel sits out of the way...
The Two Sides of Budapest, Hungary

The Two Sides of Budapest, Hungary

Budapest does not “grab” us at first. The taxi driver did. It’s a common scam. Unregulated taxis rip off foreign visitors. We should have known better, but we’re travel weary from a train ride, lugging heavy backpacks, it’s nighttime, fourteen degrees Fahrenheit, and...
Three Classy Nights in Vienna, Austria

Three Classy Nights in Vienna, Austria

The three-hour shuttle ride from Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, to Vienna, Austria rolls through scenic landscapes and small towns. Cities look different at night. Our tiny room at the Pension Suzanne sits in the heart of Vienna, near the opera house. We store...