Glad To Be "A Little Bit Crazy"

When we told people we planned on taking our boys to Budapest and Prague with the Dhahran Outing Group the reactions were mixed and not always encouraging. After taking my three small boys halfway around the world by myself, and then taking them on days trips for two months mostly alone, it seemed only reasonable that Chris and I could take them to Europe for nine days.

DOG tours can be fast paced and I agree that some of the trips they organize may not be suited for kids but we decided to risk it and this was the result!

I felt like the negative comments were a challenge and I was determined that everyone have a good time. My biggest fear in having the kids there was that their behavior might ruin the trip for others. I'm pleased to say that did not happen.

Were the boys perfect angels the entire trip? Absolutely not. Did we hear everything the tour guides explained? Not even close. Were meal times pleasant experiences? Not always. (We only cleared a restaurant once). Are Fanta and chocolate bars a good breakfast at the airport? Not really. Are two sets of extra clothing in your carry-on luggage enough? Not all the time. Did the boys provide comic relief? Often. Does Ethan have a bladder the size of a walnut? Oh heavens yes. Does touching private parts of statues provide good luck? Well, Europeans believe so. Are Leap Frogs, Lego, and iPhone movies necessary? Of course. Is our most rambunctious child also the one who stole everyone's hearts?Apparently.

Would we do it again tomorrow? In a heart beat!

The family time was priceless and we all enjoyed ourselves. As Chris and I pushed the strollers over cobblestone streets we soaked in the fall sun and reveled in the architecture and history.

Upsides to a tour group:

• Excursions are planned out for you.
• You can opt out if you don't want to go on a portion of it.
• Transportation is provided.
• No car rentals or getting lost hassles.
• You make new friends.

Downside to a tour group:

• You are on a schedule and not keeping it affects others.
• It's hard to keep big groups together.
• Sometimes the things you want to do aren't on the itinerary.
• Dinners can be lengthy and late.

There is nothing like exploring a European city for the first time. We started with rain and ended with rain, which none of us desert dwellers minded, and we had perfect weather in between.

Budapest... was such a surprise. We really knew very little about Hungary before arriving. It is a complete mix of old and new. Much of it had been destroyed during WWII, but many buildings have been restored to their former life. This was the spectacular view from our room, but this picture does it no justice.

This is a city FULL of monuments and statues commemorating everything from famous generals to playing catch with your dog.

Buda on the left and Pest on the right.

These stunning walls in the St. Matthias medieval church were hand painted.

The boys kept scaring people because they just couldn't help themselves when it came to looking over the walls of Fisherman's Bastion.

Chris toured this neo-gothic parliament with the group our first afternoon. I let the boys have some down time to recover from our overnight flight by playing Legos and swimming in the hotel pool. After that day I vowed to not miss anything else unless absolutely necessary.

When not posing for pictures this guy would hijack my camera. I think I deleted over a hundred pictures that he took of feet and buttocks.

In a quaint artists' village called Szentendre there was an incredible Marzipan shop. Marzipan is a confection made from almonds, and skilled craftsmen can create just about anything with it. It made for a SWEET treat.

These table decorations and purses are made entirely from wild mushrooms. I am not sure how. They were really cool, but not cool enough to purchase.

I love the hand-painted eggs that this region of Europe is known for.

We spent one evening at the famous Széchenyi Baths. These are thermal pools, ranging in temperature from pleasant to roasty-toasty. There were three main pools, one for play, one for laps, and one for still relaxation. The first had a fun whirlpool that would spin you around. The third was so peaceful old men were playing games of chess while standing in the water. Needless to say this was a highlight for the boys.

 

Our last morning we went to a flea market and happened upon... vintage Legos! Zach hardly put the space ship down for 3 days.

After an awesome lunch in a small cafe we walked back to the hotel, loaded up, and took a short flight to... Prague/Praga/Praha! Whatever way you want to call it, I am so glad this jewel of a country is no longer kept in a Communist vault. It has treasures to behold on every corner. This is a view of Hradcany Castle from the orchard above.

Not only was the architecture amazing, but the frescos were fantastic as well.

After watching the changing of the guard, we visited St. Vitus Cathedral, where St. Wenceslas was laid to rest.

After this long day of touring the boys needed some serious play time. So we left the group and ventured out on our own.

The next morning we ventured out to the countryside to visit Castle Český Šternberk. It has been updated many times over. I thought the coolest part was this family tree mural on the wall.

We then spent a sobering afternoon in the Jewish quarter. After visiting a museum with wall after wall after wall filled with names of Holocaust victims Zach was adamant that he did not want to visit Terezin, a model concentration camp, the next day. We thought that might be a bit much for the boys.

Instead, we had a family day of our own, visiting the famous Astronomical clock. Every hour the windows open and the 12 Apostles circle by as the four statues below move in sync with the chimes.

We ate yummy cinnamon bread...

and weaved our way through a mirrored labyrinth...

and popped ginormous soap bubbles in Old Town Square.

Our last evening we dined on traditional Czech food in a 15th century brewery while listening to polka music.

It was the perfect way to end our trip. I'm so glad to be just crazy enough to venture out with ALL my boys to make memories such as these.