Obviously, we have returned home. I cannot believe how quickly one month can pass. I am still pinching myself in wonder of all we have seen and done. It has been such a wonderful experience - an opportunity not to have missed. This last entry may be difficult for some to read so be forewarned that it is not for everyone. I have learned so much on this trip and this was the most difficult lesson of all. The one event that continues to haunt me is the time spent in Auschwitz and Birkenau. I don't know that the world will [View Full Entry]

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It is hard to believe that tomorrow we leave for home. The time has escaped us. There has been so much to see and do; we have tried our best. Each day has been filled with surprises. There is so much to learn here. How much I wish I had asked more questions to fill in the brief history that we learned in school. There is so much to know and learn from. We have such a mixed heritage in America. Our histories are so intermeshed with the rest of the world. I feel I have deprived myself of so much [View Full Entry]

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April 4, 2009 We had our last day in Lithuania. During John’s final class, the students were most insistent on our seeing more of Lithuania. On Friday, we traveled to Trakai to see the Trakai Castle Island. It is exactly as the name decrees. It was built during the 13th century and has the requisite towers and moots. It is situated in the middle of a lake that is presently frozen much to the consternation of the many beautiful white swans who are walking on the ice. The castle has been invaded many times going back to the Crusaders. It met [View Full Entry]

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April 2, 2009 We are back in Vilnius. Our first class train ride was wonderful. There are several differences to first and second class. Both compartments were structurally the same with the exception of the first having only 2 beds. These were fully made up with mattress pad, fresh sheets (grey stripped), freshly covered duvet and pillow - all covered over with a spread. There was also the requisite towel. There was a TV for video viewing. They showed a Leonardo DiCaprio film in Lithuanian. You have no need to go to the dining car as your dinner and breakfast are [View Full Entry]

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Last night we enjoyed a great dinner at our hotel. We enjoyed their vodka. The trick to serving it is an ice cold glass and freezer stored vodka. It is not a drink that you travel any distance with. I had crepes with their least expensive red caviar. It was delicious. No, John would not partake. Today, hired a guide who John met at the Hermitage. He was a former university professor who is visually disabled. We went by very hectic taxi ride and a little scary to the Puska Palace which is the summer palace that Elizabeth and then Catherine [View Full Entry]

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Today, we went to the Hermitage. It was the Winter Palace of Catherine II - the Catherine the Great. She had been a German princess who married Alexander I. She had him killed and claimed he had had a stroke. She was not a very attractive woman. It is called the Hermitage because she was alone when she resided there as a widow. She did have many lovers and gave birth to many illegitimate children with legitimate son, Paul. She died at the age of 66 and had a 29 year old lover at that time. She was a lusty lady. [View Full Entry]

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The previous blog was delayed due to our ineptitude at computer skills. Hopefully, these will be more successful. We have arrived in a place I never thought I would see. We took an overnight train from Vilnius. We were in a second class sleeping compartment. It contained 4 bunk style beds in a red velvet with faux wood walls. I felt like I was in one of those wonderful old movies. We lucked out as we were the only inhabitants. There was a beautiful dining car. I have never traveled by train. It is a wonderful experience; I now understand what [View Full Entry]

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March 25, 2009 I am so far behind in this travelblog. My intentions were good but we have been unable to find an internet connection. Hopefully, tomorrow John will be going to a lawyers office to attach this to the blog. For anyone out there who is kind enough to be interested in this, I apologize for the delay. It is a curious thing to write. We have been in Vilnius since late Sunday. At first, the city appeared as a very depressed area. Many of the buildings are in deteriorating condition. In many instances, this is the result of the [View Full Entry]

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Where do I begin? John is going to cut and paste this for me as we do not have an internet connection where we are staying. Hopefully, this will be corrected. If not, we will figure it out. Since I do not have the previous blog, I may be repeating myself. So, please be patient with me. Kate stayed with us until Thursday evening when she returned to Ireland for her final leg of vacation. It was very exciting over there as the Irish Rugby team was up for their championship game against Wales in the Six Nations Tournament and they [View Full Entry]

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We are still enjoying the beauty of Salzburg. Kate flew from her week's vacation in Ireland to join us for two days. She and I enjoyed the Sound of Music Tour which is the prime tourist draw to this area. The tour took us to the locations that were actually filmed here and some that were duplicated in Hollywood. Kate had me singing the songs that as she filmed and I also filmed here. We are definitely not Julie Andrews but you just couldn't help yourself in this setting. Curiously, we were talking with a student from Poland and she was [View Full Entry]

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