2. Observations and feelings:

(1)  The Wilano Palace is now a museum with lots of antiques and paintings.

(2)  The garden beside and behind the palace is of the Italian style --- the green bushes are planted to have pretty patterns.

(3)  The exterior of the palace is magnificent, but the size of the palace is smaller than those we have seen in Austria like Schonbrunn Palace.

(4)  The old town is enclosed in a castle structure, but it is heard that most of the buildings were reconstructed ones due to WW II destruction.

(5)  We encountered big rain in the Castle Square where the Royal Castle is located.

(6)  The Mermaid of Warsaw is a symbol of Warsaw, represented on the city's coat of arms (紋章). Legend: Hearing the mermaid's cries when she was trapped by a merchant, some fishermen rescued her, and ever since, the mermaid, armed with a sword and a shield, has been ready to help protect the city and its residents.

Day 4: Krakow, Poland (I)

1. Today’s trip:

WarsawÞ (by train) Krakow Þ Lunch Þ Wieliczka Salt Mine Þ Dinner

2. Observations and feelings:

(1)  Krakow, an ancient capital, was not touched be war fires during WW II. So lucky that most relics were preserved.

(2)  The slat mine we visited are not being used now. It is so hugh that it extends hundreds of miles as said.

(3)  The exterior of the palace is magnificent, but the size of the palace is smaller than those we have seen in Austria like Schonbrunn Palace.

(4)  The old town is enclosed in a castle structure, but it is heard that most of the buildings were reconstructed ones due to WW II destruction.

(5)  We encountered big rain in the Castle Square where the Royal Castle is located. The Royal Castle is not really a castle; more like a palace building!

(6)  The Mermaid of Warsaw is a symbol of Warsaw, represented on the city's coat of arms (紋章). Legend: Hearing the mermaid's cries when she was trapped by a merchant, some fishermen rescued her, and ever since, the mermaid, armed with a sword and a shield, has been ready to help protect the city and its residents. (From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mermaid_of_Warsaw)

Day 5: Krakow, Poland (II)

1. Today’s trip:

Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration campÞ Lunch Þ Wawel Castle Þ Old Town Þ Dinner

2. Observations and feelings:

(1)  It is said about 1.5 million peoples, mostly Jews, were killed in the camp in 5 years during WW II. How terrible! Cannot believe!!

(2)  Outside the Wawell Castle is a fire-emitting dragon. Legend: During the reign of King Krakus, the city's mythical founder, a dragon terrifies local villagers by destroying their houses and eating up their young daughters. Desperately, King Krakus promises his daughter Wanda's hand to any brave man who can defeat the dragon. A cobbler named Skuba takes up the challenge and stuffs a lamb with sulphur for the dragon to eat. Skuba leaves the lamb near the dragon cave and the unwary beast devours the bait. Soon after, the dragon's thirst grows unbearable and he drinks so much water from the River Vistula that he explodes from the uncontainable volume. King Krakus then weds his daughter Wanda to the victorious Skuba.(From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wawel_Dragon_(statue))

(3)  The interior of the castle is located the Royal Palace and Wawell Cathedral which we did have much time to visit, just going around and observing the superficial appearances.

(4)  The main Market Square in the old town of Krakow is a UNESCO site which was selected by the Lonely Planet Magazine to be the most beautiful in the world! It is really so according to my observation! So many old magnificent churches and old buildings around and in the square.

(5)  We had the most untasteful meal in this trip so far. A dish of Italian noodle without almost no taste.

(6)  It needs more time to have detailed visits to all the good things seen in this city, however, we did not have so much time! Self-guided tour may be more appropriate, but we cannot come again definitely!

Day 6: Zakopane, Poland + Mt. Tatra, Slovakia

1. Today’s trip:

KrakowÞ Zakopane Þ Lunch Þ Mt. Tatra Þ Dinner

2. Observations and feelings:

(1)  When we arrived at Zakopane, it was cold and snowing. Though we took the cable car up to the mountain top, there was big fog and no mountain scene can be observed. We just fooled around in a lane for a while and came down.

(2)  Zakopane is a sightseeing village for skiing with a shop street for strolling near the cable car station. We just bought two pieces of magnets for memory.

(3)  Then, we took the bus to get into another country, Slovakia, which was separated from Czechoslovakia in 1993 as an independent country.

(4)  The temperature is just 1oC when we reached the next destination, a hotel on the foothills of the Tatra Mountain named Grand Hotel Kempinski, as can be seen from the thermometer inside the bus. Therefore, it was snowing intensively, every group member was excited, and we took a lot of pictures and photos.

(5)  The hotel can be seen to be the first class. And there is a lake, called Lake Geneva, at the back of the hotel. We had a short walk in the big snow weather on the lake shore behind the hotel. It was really a great experience of feeling snow after about 40 years since we saw snow in the USA.

(6)  The day ended in a good dinner in a nice dining hall in the hotel with a candle lighted on the table (but I asked the server to put the candle fire off because I got allergic).

Day 7: Mt. Tatra + Bratislava, Slovakia (I)

1. Today’s trip:

Mt. TatraÞ Banska Bystrica Þ Lunch Þ Bratislava Þ Dinner

2. Observations and feelings:

(1)  In the morning, we got up early, and saw accidentally through the window of the hotel room that the Tatra mountains were covered with fogs, forming a wonderland-like scene which were very touching. We took mny photos and videos for memory and shared them with our group members in the "group line" we set up the other day. Later after breakfast, the fog went away and we took photos and videos again.

(2)  The appreciation of Tatra mountains is just one night and one morning long. We got on way again soon after the breakfast, to go to the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava.

(3)  The country scene in Slovakia is roughly the same as that of Poland. The houses also have slanted roofs. Slovakia is a little larger than Taiwan in size (49,035 km2), but the population is about 1/4 of Taiwan's.

(4)  Banska Bystrica is a small city on way to Bratislava, where stopped for lunch and had a brief strolling afterwards. The main square of the city is cute, extended with many beautiful lanes and alleys full of colorful buildings. Also, there is a monument for memory of those people who died for the disease of Black Death in the 14th century, just like those cities in other eatern European countries.

(5)  The hotel can be seen to be the first class. And there is a lake at the back of the hotel. We had a short walk in the big snow weather on the lake shore behind the hotel. It was really a great experience of feeling snow after about 40 years since we saw snow in the USA.

(6)  When we reached Bratislava, it was the dusk time, and after having a brief stay in the hotel (Sheraton) in downtown, we went to have dinner. After that, we went to the mall in the next door ("Eurovea") for shopping. We bought several packs of local tea and chocolate.

Day 8: Bratislava, Slovakia (II) + Budapest, Hungary (I)

1. Today’s trip:

Bratislava CastleÞ Old Town Þ Lunch Þ Danube River sightseeing in Budapest Þ Dinner

2. Observations and feelings:

(1)  In the morning, with the help of a local tour guide Mr. Rong(榮鐵牛) originally from China, we strolled completely the Bratislava Castle and the old town area, sometimes along the Danube River.

(2)  Mr. Rong regarded Bratislava as a beautiful pearl on Danube in his tour book which we bought for 15 Slovakia dollars. He mentioned in the book five "must-see" sites in the city, and we have seen four of them in the tour guided by Mr. Rong.

(3)  It came to me again that the time was too short to have a deeper look at the city's treasures (relics, buildings, churches, etc.) Surely, self-touring solves the problem, but it will need more time to see the same numbers of tour sites.

(4)  Will we come again to Slovakia? Probably not, so bye bye Slovakia.

(5)  When we arrived at Budapest, it was dusk and we took a boat for sightseeing in the Danube River immediately before it got dark.

(6)  The cruise was great because there are so many magnificent buildings and bridges along the river to see. After sunset, the lighting conditions of the bridges and river-shore lamps are fascinating. We had a walk after dinner on one end of the Chain Bridge.

Day 9: Budapest, Hungary (II)

1. Today’s trip:

Buda Castle HillÞ Lunch Þ Heroes' Square Þ Hungarian National Assembly Þ Dinner

2. Observations and feelings:

(1)  The Buda Castle Hill includes many relics: the Fishermen's Bastion, Matthias Church, Royal Palace, the Presidential Residence, etc., which are great to visit!

(2)  Mr. Rong regarded Bratislava as a beautiful pearl on Danube in his tour book which we bought for 15 Slovakia dollars. He mentioned in the book five "must-see" sites in the city, and we have seen four of them in the tour guided by Mr. Rong.

(3)  The Matthias Church is very beautiful with walls painted everywhere! So artisitic, and so solemn!!

(4)  The Heroes' Square is magnificent with statues of Magyar ancestors and famous national heros and kings. The space is large, and we took many pictures there, singly and in group.

(5)  The Hungarian National Assembly is a great building, both like a castle and a church! So delicate and so gorgeous!

(6)  It is thought by me that someday we should visit this city, Budapest again! It is so rich and so wonderful!!

Day 10: Budapest, Hungary (III)

1. Today’s trip:

Royal Palace of GodolloÞ Horse show at Lazsr Lovaspark Þ Lunch Þ Free time in downtown Þ Dinner

2. Observations and feelings:

(1)  The Royal Palace of Godollo was a favorate residence of Princes Sissi (later Queen Elisabeth of Hungary), which now is a museum. But photo taking is prohibited, so we took pictures outside in front and in the garden only. The palace is warm in feeling, creating thinking of the old time of the noble people there.

(2)  The horse show was interesting, including many horse activities.

(3)  The lunch was supplied by the horse show park in a large room, with many kinds of meat. Everybody got full though a lot of meat still remained.

(4)  Back to the downtown area, we tried to buy souvenir gifts for friends, colleague, and relatives. We spent a lot of time for that! No good!

(5)  The hotel we stayed in is Intercontinental Hotel again, located right on the river shore with the castle hill right on the other side of the river. So, that might be the best hotel for touring in Budapest.

(6)  Actually, we are will to say that this tour is good in offering hotels and meals, good in tour leading (not too tight), and good in group atmosphere.

Day 11: Szentendre, Hungary

1. Today’s trip:

DowntownÞ Szentendre Þ Lunch (self-treating) Þ Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport Þ Dinner at Dubai Airport

2. Observations and feelings:

(1)  Szentendre is a small town with a street full of shops.

(2)  We bought several souvenirs there --- a bag, a mysterious safekeeping box which needs wisdom to open, and a painting of a site of the town.

(3)  The time was so short we only could shop without time to have lunch. We should have come earlier!

(4)  Happy time is alwasys short! We came to the end of this trip of 12 days in Eastern Europe! Bye bye!

(5)  Will we come again like we go to Japan again and again? For Hungary, more precisely, for Budapest, maybe, yes!

(6)  With the help of "Line" of our group, the group members are sharing good pictures and videos, a great progress of friendship than the past tours we have joined.

Day 12: Back to Taiwan

1. Today’s trip:

BudapestÞ Dubai Airport Þ Taiwan

2. Observations and feelings:

(1)  Dubai Airport is large, which we visited twice in this trip. It was so busy that even in the midnight, there are still so many people there, waiting for plane taking or transfer.

(2)  What is our next goal for international touring? Let's think about it. I like our tour group this time, because everybody is so kind and helpful to each other.

(3)  This is really a high-class trip with a high-class tour group. Galilee is good!