Zakopane in summer

We went to Zakopane to the mountains with Wes' parents. We went hiking and saw some of the most beautiful Polish countryside.


A view of Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains


Hiking




On the patio at our hotel



Ronnie and new friend Leo


We stayed at the Góralski Dwór (Highlander Manor) in the village of Koscielisko

Majorca, Spain

While Karissa was here we went to Majorca, Spain.

She was happy to be able to speak Spanish several times while we were there. It was very helpful at the lost luggage desk, the hotel and various other times. Yes, I said lost luggage...it's been over a month and we still do not have it back. We've decided that from now on we will carry-on all of our luggage. Even with that, our trip was great, and we'll be compensated (eventually) and be able to replace most of the items that were lost.




We didn't do any sight seeing there, we just relaxed a lot at the beach and pools. It was a beautiful island, we hope to see more of Spain while we are in Europe.

Karissa is heeeeere!!

BEGIN!!
















Peter and Pauls church in the Krakow (pronounced krah-koov) city center.





















Polish for "nun": zakonnica
























Mommy and daughter.
(Mama i córka)























Now you see it...














Now you don't!

Budapest

In June we took a trip to Budapest, the capitol of Hungary. It was once actually three cities that occupied both banks of the Danube river - Buda, Obuda and Pest.

Buda castle



The Chain bridge


Hero's Square

Both nights we had ate at dinner boat restaurants on the Danube river. The boats were moored (they looked permanently attached) on the river. Both had very good food and a spectacular view of the castle at sunset.

Columbus Jazzklub and restaurant - we had dinner here our first night in Budapest.


Spoon - the boat - we ate dinner here the second night.


Fisherman's Bastion


Matthias church


Parliament

Gellért Hill Cave - chapel & monastery 1926-1951, used as a field hospital during WWII, in 1951 was raided and sealed up by the State Protection Agency until 1989, the chapel reopened after the Iron Curtain came down.

Vajdahunyad's Castle - Built between I896 and 1908 its various parts illustrate the different styles of Hungarian architecture. It was designed by Ignác Alpár, and derived its name from the wing facing the lake, which is an imitation of the Castle of Vajdahunyad in Transylvania, the family castle of János Hunyadi. This was originally constructed as a temporary exhibit for the Hungarian millennial celebrations, the castle was so popular that it was eventually replaced with an identical permanent structure.