We Take Ourselves With Us

And, that, dear reader, is it.  After almost two weeks of European wonder, Viking River Cruise magic, joyful adventure, fantastic food, and lots of Kress-Davis family-ness, we tucked ourselves into coach class for the long trip home.   Every one of the past days was special.  From the simple deliciousness of muesli to the ornate glory of Melk Abbey to the smoothed beauty of cobblestone streets to the warmth of a late day sun on couches filled with cuddled Kress-Davises.  Our lives seem to be filled with once-in-a-lifetime trips, and we treasure every one of the memories that float us forward.  We're one lucky family!   If our lives had a theme song, this one would be a good contender.   We were here .  Thank you, universe.  We are grateful.

Our last day began with a gorgeous sunrise and super-cold temperatures. We boarded busses for the trip in to Budapest, and promptly fell asleep.  When we awoke, we were crossing the Danube that divides the two halves of this city: Buda (hilly) and Pest (flat).  The mist suggests the differences in temperature between the air and the river, which made a bus tour of the Pest side seem like a great idea. Budapest is another UNESCO heritage city, but unlike Prague, the glory here is a bit more faded.  Our guide mentioned that--because of the cost associated with restoring and renovating the historic facades and buildings--some have fallen into disrepair.  Still the beauty of the city shines through--and you can see that the sun started to shine through, too, illuminating the "buda" side of the city as we began our "pest" tour. One thing that struck me throughout our trip was how carefully and thoughtfully the buildings are ornamented.  It always pays to look