London1_2018

      I arrived in London yesterday. I came on the Eurostars train.  It only took 2 hours and I gained an hour coming west.  It was @125 euros and fast.  Ernest met me at St. Pancras station and put me in a cab.  There was bumper-to-bumper traffic the whole way and it took 1 1/2 hours and cost a little over 30 pounds.
     My hotel the Hilton Trafalgar Square St. James is beautiful and right on Trafalgar Square.  My room is great.  The breakfast so-so.  Mostly because you have to order hot dishes from a menu and the service,while very polite, is inefficient.
     Ernest came this morning at 11 am and we walked up the Mall to Buckingham Palace.  It is still open to the public and we were able to buy tickets and go right in, so we did.  Great!  It is always wonderful to see thing on person that you have only seen on books. We saw, I think, 16 public rooms.  In the gallery I saw another new Vermeer, - Girl at the Harpsicord.  I saw the Ramsey state portraits of George III and Charlotte. I saw the Winterhalter of Victoria and Albert and their first 4 children.  I also saw the Winterhalter of Vicky.  I saw the portrait of Queen Alexandra that I have seen a thousand times in books.  After we had a coffee in the terrase and then walked around to the Mall and Ernest left and I went for a couple beers at a pub, Halfway II Heaven.  Only 3.90 puond for a pint.  After I came back and got ready for an early dinner.
    I ate at a Lebanese Restaurant in St. Martin's Lane. It was very good but it cost me 40 pounds for a soup, a main dish, a water and 2 glasses of house red.  They added on a 12.5% service charge!!  Now I am back at the hotel bar drinking an equally expensive 1/2 liter of red.  Tomorrow, I am meeting Ernest at the Victoria and Albert Museum at 11.  I don't remeber ever having been there before.

Brussels _ 2

   Today was my last full day in Brussels.  I took the UBahn up to the park where they have several museums.  It was built by Leopald II for the 50th anniversary of the founding of Belgium.  I went ther to see the carving of Queen Ti.  She was the grand mother of the famous King Tut and led a very important life in Egypt at the time.  This carving is mentioned in books but it does not tell you that there are no signs so you  have to make your way through the Egyptian exhibit on the th.ird floor to find her.
   I went through some of the other exhibits and spent about 90 minutes there.  It is worth the walk and the time.  This museum is so large that I can not tell you all that is in there.
     Anyway, it was time well spent and after I visited various establishments before I went back to the hotel.   I am sad to leave and do not know if more time is the answer?

Munich-finish

     I realized that I only wrote once about Munchen and even though I am gone, I want to record the trip.  The weather did improve.  Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were fine sunny days.  I got to see the Alte Pinokotek, the Neue Pinokotek,  the Residenz Museum and the Schatzkammer, and the Bayrisches Museum which had a special exhibit on Barock Luxury.  I also went on Friday for a walk through the English Garden to the Beer  Garden.  I ate a Bratwurst with Fries and drank a Mas(1 liter) beer.  It is the Hofbrau in the pictures.
     I did eat at two familiar places in the end.  On Thursday night I ate at Pizzaette where I had eaten some years ago.  It was very nice.  All I had was a salad and a plate of penne arrabiatta but it was good and the 3 glasses of wine I had to go with it were even better.  Nothing beats sitting outside on a beautiful evening and having a meal and then hanging out and having a few drinks.  We NEED this in the US.  On Friday night I went to Simplcissimus.  It is a small beer hall and I ate there once last year.  The menu is small and it is just basic German food but the beer is Augustiner Brau and the price and atmosphere are perfect.  If I am in Munchen again and stay at the same place I think I will go to these 2 places more than once because they close, local and make for a great night.
     One thing I will complain about has to do with the Hilton Munich City.  This is the third time I have stayed there and I still like the area and the overall service.  The renovation is done and it looks great but...  In the past the bar was a nice place with food, drinks and 2 big screen tvs with either football or tennis to watch.  With the renovation the bar is really nice to look at but there are no more tvs,  there is only a bar food "chic" menu of food which is way over priced and sucks and they play loud music all the time and the service sucks.  So it puts a damper on the overall experience especially when you know what it was in the past.

Brussels_1 2018

     I left Munchen this morning at 9:30.  I went by train to Koln and then transferred and went to Brussels.  It was an easy, yet long trip.  I walked across the street from Gare Centrale to the Hilton Grand Place, where I am staying.  I showered and shaved and dressed and walked in the direction of the Grand Place.  I found a restaurant called Brussels Grill and ate there.  The food was good and the price was ok.  I stopped on the way back for a glass of wine at an out door bar and the price was not ok.  10 euro for a glass of Merlot!!  Oh well!  Now I am enjoying a few Stellas in the hotel bar.
      I had wanted to watch the Women's final at the US Open but no one here seems to know if it is on TV and I believe it will not be on till about 2:00 am Europe time.  I did get to speak a little of my bad French tonight.  At the restaurant the waiter did not speak English or Flemish or German.  So I muddled through and got what I wanted and he seemed to appreciate the effort.  He helped me with some words and seemed genuinely pleased when I gave him a whooping 3.60  euro tip which was just under 10% of the bill!  I love Europe!! 

Munchen Beers

Here is what I have had to date.  I got a list of Bavarian beers and feel it is my duty to drink them.

List of Completed:  Hacker Pschor,  Franzikaner, Paulaner, Ayinger, Spaten, Lowenbrau, Hofbrau

Munich 2018 - Day 1

     I arrived in Munich today.  I am sorry to leave Weimar but excited about this trip.  I took the train to Erfurt and then straight through to Munich.  It was an easy trip and it was quicker than I thought.  I took a taxi to the Hilton and arrived at about 13:00.  I checked in right away.  There was a problem yesterday with my reservation.  They asked me to check-in online and one option was to take the room they had picked for me, which I took.  I then find out they gave me a Twin room!!!  I had to write several emails to fix this because they just kept saying they couldn't CHANGE my reservation.  I did not want a change, I wanted the room I reserved and paid for on 30 May.  Eventually I had to send my copy of the confirmation to the hotel.  But when I got here all was well.
    This hotel is finally totally renovated.  But, they took away the old bar and instead there is a very nice bar but it is supposed to be a "happening" place.  There is only over priced bar food, and no other restaurant.  The prices for the drinks are ok but there is no tv anymore.  So I have to watch tennis on a bootleg website.  Roger Federer is playing Nick Kyrios.
      Last year when I was here at this time the weather was shit and today it is again.  It is dark, cold and rainy. I went up the street for italian for lunch after I checked-in and had a pastrami sandwich here.  I hope tomorrow is nicer.  If not I will go to the Alte Pinakothek.  I want at least one if not two nice, sunny days to walk around and look and drink beer and enjoy.  We will see.

Weimar Summer/Fall 2018

     Well we have changed seasons here in Weimar.  Thursday was a beautiful summer day.  Today,(Saturday), it is Fall.  It was overcast and cold all day.  I went for a walk around 7:30pm and I had to wear a sweater.  There was no one around even that early and it was already starting to get dark.  I don't think I have seen anything like this before. A change of seasons over one day.
     One week from today I will be in Munich.  It is much further south from here so I hope they are still having nice weather. 

Weimar - Macbeth 2018

     Last night I went to the Premiere Night of the Deutsches Nationaltheater of "Macbeth". It was exciting to go,  they haven't had anything in the summer since I saw "Kaufman von Venedig"  there in 2016.  It was an interesting and original production.  The performers were all in somewhat grotesque and/or funny costumes.  Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were in body suits that distorted them a lot.  They acted a little off too. I mean the physical part.  Duncan was also the same.  Macduff and Malcolm were good looking guys, one in pants and the other in a skirt and both had silver painted torsos and faces.
     Of course it was translated into German so the familiar lines etc.  were not there and that made it different as well.  It was well done until the last 20 minutes.  Suddenly the were not in the body suits and there were no set pieces.  There was also a speech from Macbeth about Weimar??
    I did enjoy it and it always makes me happy when I go to something like this and have no problem following in German.

Prague 2018 (2)

   It is night three of my stay here in Prague and it has been HOT.  Yesterday I attempted to go up to the castle complex.  I have been through the whole thing in the past and only wanted to go to the Old Masters Gallery.  I have never been in there and don't think it was open in the past. Anyway,  I got lost walking to the bus stop I needed so by the time I got there I was in no mood to get on an overcrowded, stiflingly hot bus with every other tourist in Prague.  And there are thousands of them.  So I climbed the steps up there.  When I got there, and it is not easy, there was a line to go through the control.  I had had it so I went back down and walked back to the Small City.  This is the area across the Charles Bridge under the castle hill.  I had to sit and have some water and a few beers.  I went back to the hotel to shower and then went for an early dinner at an Italian place down the road.  I had red wine and salad and lasagna.  I went for another wine in the main square and then back.
     Today I made a second attempt.  I left earlier and bought my ticket and stood at the bus stop with the dozens of others.  However when the dinky, hot, crowded bus came I did not get on it.  While drinking yesterday I saw a nice, new, large number 22 and figured it would be coming next - and it was!!  At the castle hill I found the museum and decided I needed to power up before I went in so I went to the terrase and had a couple.  The collection was small.  But  the building was actually air-conditioned and it was presented nicely.  There were some Cranachs, a few, (3 ), Titians, Tintorettos, (4?)  and maybe 2 Veronese.  I was in there for about an hour.  Then I walked down the steps on the other side and into the Small City, over the Charles Bridge and to the Hard Rock.  I had 2 beers and a hamburger there and then came back and had a nap.

Prague 2018

     I arrived in Prague today for a 5 night stay.  The trip here was very easy and suprisingly inexpensive.  I took the train from Weimar to Leipzig and then took the bus to Prague.  It was a pleasant trip.  My room at the Hilton Old Town was ready and I checked right in to it.  Very nice!!  Then I went to Ernest's hotel to tell them he would be late.  Along the way I stopped at "Meet Beer".  A lovely place where they gave me directions and I drank 2 half liter "real" Pilsner Urquell", meaning unfiltered tap beer.  After the hotel I walked in the direction of my hotel and stopped along the way for 2 half liter dark beers.  At the hotel I decided to go eat since I had not eaten all day!  Intermittent Fasting may be the way to go.  I went to U Provanice for dinner.  I found it in my DK guide.  I had half-liter water and 2 half liter beers.  I ate pork loin with spinach with garlic and had a side salad and panned potatos with bacon also.  Very good!!  I paid 500 kc which is about $23 !!!!  Now I am in the bar of the Hilton having a few beers and a Becherovka.  All is well.

Potsdam 2018

     Today is my second night in Potsdam.  I arrived yesterday about 1 pm and took a taxi to my hotel.  The train trip was simple and just under 3 hours door-to-door.  My hotel is the Hotel Brandenburger Tor.  It is very centrally located which makes it, in my mind, a great choice.  My room was not ready when I arrived but that did not matter.  I left my bag and went for a walk and had lunch and a couple of beers.  I got into the room at about 3 pm.  It is a large nice room and the air conditioning they promised actually works efficiently!  I have never understood why the Germans can not get air conditioning right.  A lot of hotels claim to have it but do not.  At least not what an American would recognize as AC.

     Today I went for breakfast at about 9 am.  It was nice and the standard.  Then I walked across the square, Luisen Platz, and went up the street to a corner of the Sans Souci Park.  That was the corner I wanted because I wanted to go to the mausoleum there to see the grave of the Kaiserin Fredrich.  Aber leider war es geschlossen!  So I walked over to the Gemalde Gallerie and went through the collection.  That gallerie is one of the most beautiful art galleries in the world.  The actual room itself is stunning!  The collection is ok with the exception the Caravaggio's "Doubting Thomas".  That is worth the price of admission.
     Then I walked all the way down the Hauptallee, with a quick stop to see the Chinesiche Haus, to the Neues Palais.  I bought a ticket for the "Grand Tour" and also to be allowed to take pictures, once I figured out how to turn off the flash on my camera.  The tour was good but I thought I would see more.  I did go back through to read the info cards for the special exhibit, "Kaiserdammerung".  After, I walked all the way back and went to a tapas restaurant for a beer and 2 tapas.  One, grilled vegetables and the other a salad.

     Yesterday, during my walk,  I had gone down Dortustrasse and there were several restaurants there. Last night I ate a Greek Taverna and tonight I ate at the Italian restaurant next door.  Both were what I expected, very good and the price was right.  Tomorrow I go to the museums at the other end of town and Friday  I go home.   I need to mention that the restaurant next to the hotel serves the Hotel's outdoor seating and they have a 1/2 liter of Sangria for 6 euro that is fabulous!

Weimar Juli 2018

     I have now been in Germany for 4 weeks and in Weimar for 3 weeks.  Everything is good and I feel very at home here.  Afterall, this is the 9th summer in a row that I have been here.  Tonight I went up to Schwarzburger Hof for dinner.  They are going on vacation tomorrow so all I could eat was a salat und Sojanka.  But I could still drink!  They will be gone for 10 days.  But next week on Tuesday I am going to Potsdam!  So I will be away during their vacation.
     I am looking forward to my 3 nights in Potsdam and will write about it when I am there.  I have already reserved a room at the Hotel Brandenburger Tor and tomorrow I will buy my train ticket.

Weimar Winefest 2018

     The yearly July Wine Fest began yesterday night.  I went tonight after dinner at home.  The same vineyards that have been there for as long as I have been going were there.  It was very crowded, which is not unusual.  The prices have gone up.  It really is not that cheap to drink there any more.  But they do fill the glass to the brim.  I drank the Weissburgunder which is the same grape as pinot grigio  but out of the Burgundian region of France.  Obviously this was grown in Germany.  The music was Scheiss.  Usually we have a band with a girl singer and they do American '80's pop with an oompah beat.  But during the 1 hour 30 minutes I was there they had a man , who wanted to look like Art Garfunkle, singing with a guitar.  No one listened.  I could not really hear him.  So a disappointment.  Tomorrow I may want to go out to dinner and may give it another try.

Würzburg 2018

     I have just returned this afternoon from a 3 night stay in Würzburg.  Würzburg is in northern Bavaria.  I had to take the train to  Erfurt and then after a @15 minute wait take the train to Würzburg.  The whole trip was a little under 3 hours.  It was an easy trip and I arrived there in the late afternoon.  I stayed at Greifensteiner Hof Hotel.  It is right in the middle of the Old Town area, so very well located.  My room was a double with a nice bed and a lot of room.  It had 2 rest rooms.  One with just the toilette and one with the sink, mirror and shower.  Both roomy and nice.  I got breakfast included and it was ok.  The only hot food was scrambled eggs and bacon.  The rest was the usual assortment of meats, cheeses, yogurt and fruit.
     There are two main reasons to go to Würzburg .  One is to see the city palace or Residenz, in German.  This is a large, ornate palace right in the city.  What makes it unique, other than its size, are the frescos in there that were painted by Tiepolo.  The painting over the ceremonial staircase is the largest single-piece fresco in the world.  It is an allegory of the 4 continents they knew about at the time.  Magnificent!!

     The other reason to go is that Würzburg is in the heart of the Main River wine country!  SO of course, in the interest of being a cultural traveler,  I had to experience that.  I did also go through the Dom Museum where I saw some Tilmann Riemannschneider wood cravings.  One night I ate Italian at la Rustico, and it was very good.  I had steak at Steakhaus and that was expensive but really good.  I also ate twice, one lunch one dinner, at Lammle Wirthaus.  I liked it there.  I shared a big table with an older couple from Berlin.  The woman remarked that not only do I speak beautiful German, which others have said, but that she would have believed I am a German!  That has never happened before.  Maybe she was just being nice but I will take it.
     

Weimar 6 July 2018

     Well I have been in my apartment in Weimar for a week now.  Everything is the same as always  - genau wie immer.  I have eaten at Saschsischer Hof, India, Apollon and Napoli.  I have had lunch and beers twice at Pomodoro.  The guy at Pomodoro immediately new what I wanted!  The guy at India asked me how to say something in American1  It is nice to be remembered.  At Apollon, Frau Ivana was not there.  Some older man was waiting tables.  I did not ask but the next time I go if she is still not there I will.
     I have been spending my time watching the Wimbledon matches during the day and  the World Cup matches when they are on in the evening.  I watched Belgium beat Brazil at Apollon Friday night.  I have also been running in the park 3 times.  The weather has been great and so far I am happy here again.  My first "small" trip is next week.  I will be in Wurzburg for 3 nights.  I have not been there in many years so am looking forward to it.  I have already made the hotel reservation and will get my train ticket Monday.

30 June 2018 Berlin

   Yesterday I took the ubahn to Kottenbus Tor and walked over to Orenianstrasse in the Kreuzburg district.  I have never been there and just wanted to go down and have a look around.  It is very ethnic but an interesting walk. I sat in a park for a while and then continued up the street until I came to Friedrichstrasse.  So I shopped through the new Lafayette Gallaries   and did not buy anything.  Then I walked down Unter den Linden and over to the Berlin Pavillion where I drank 2 Hefeweissens and wrote in my journal.  Then I walked past the Reichstag building and along the canal to the Berlin Borse.  I have seen this bar on TV on various travel shows and must have walked past it who knows how many times but today I went in.  The Borse does not operate until 17 pm so I paid regular price for 2 dark beers.  Then it was home and dinner at Weihenstephan.  I had pork roast with two klossen and a side salad and it was delicious.
     Today I used the last 2 ubahn tickets I had from the 4-pack I had bought, to go to Kurfurstendamm.  It was slightly different since the car-attack.  There is no more "fair".  All the vendors who were around the Gedanknis Kirche are gone.  But I walked up and down anyway and bought a pack of 2 undershirts at C&W.  I finally made it to KaDeWe!   It is the largest Department store, certainly in Germany and the oldest in Berlin.  They have everything.  The food floor is incredible.  I thought of eating there but did not.  It is very crowded but the prices are not bad.
    Instead I walked down to the Hard Rock.  I had 2 Hefeweissen and a club sandwich with spicey fries.  Good as always.  I always like to have a lunch and a few beers in a Hard Rock.  After I came back and slept.  Tonight, my last in Berlin this year,  I watched Rinaldo get the boot from the World Cup along with the Portuguese team as they lost 1 - 2 to Uruguay.

Berlin 28 June 2018

     Well I have been here 5 days now.  I have visited the Altes Museem, Egyptisches Museem, Gemalde Gallerie, and Markesches Museem.  The first three I have visited many times before.  It is always nice to see Nefertit's head and the collection at the Gemalde Gallerie is always wonderful.  I spent almost 3 hours there!  Today I went to the Markesches Museem for the first time.  I have thought about it in the past and never went until today.  I took the Ubahn there and walked up the street to the museum.  It is very nice, peaceful and well done.  But it is  a "history of Berlin" museum so if you are not REALLY interested in that, don't bother.
    After over 2 hours, I walked across the street and walked along the riverbank.  I came to a cafe and had a large coffee and a big piece of apple streusel cake.  Then I walked over the canal and through a small park and was on what would be Leipziger Strasse but much further up than usual.  So I continued down and crossed by the Nicholai Viertal.  I walked to TJMaxx and bought a package of underpants and a package of socks.  Then I walked through Nicholai Viertal to GeorgeBrau and had a dark beer.  Then I walked all the way to Gendarm Markt and had to more and a pretzel at Augustinier Brau.  Then back and a nap.
     For dinner I was at my favorite - Dolcini.  I do not know how many years I have been eating there.  As always I sat under the poster of Josephine Baker.  The food was great and I went for a long walk after.  Sunday I leave for Weimar.

Berlin Beer

Berlin Schloss 2018

Gendarmmarkt

Altes Gallerie

 

Berlin 23 June 2018

    The flight here was smooth and easy.  I slept in my little cubicle part of the way but found time to eat,(OK), and drink a Stella, some Burgundy and a Port.  Once we landed in Munich, I went to the WC and walked to my gate, about 20 minutes.  Then I waited about an hour and we left pretty much on time.  The flight was under 1 hour.  The passport control was easy and my bag came right out away.  The cab was 28 euro.  My room was ready and I went right up.  I have a junior suite this year.  That means a sitting room with a couch and armchair and coffee table at one end and a dining table with 3 chairs at the other.  There is a separate bedroom with just the bed, widescreen and night tables.  The bathroom is the same as always.  I went to the bank up the street in Freidrichstrasse and then went for a short walk before I came back.  It was around 12:30 pm and I showered and slept.
     I had dinner at Block House, a very good steak house chain here in Germany.  I had the Mr. Rumpsteak that comes with a baked potato and a salad and one Erdinger and a large Pelligrino  38 euro.  After dinner I walked up Friedrichstrasse to Orienienburg Strasse and walked all the way down to Hackershor Markt.  then I came back.  I feel a little sick today, like I'm getting a cold.  So when I finish here I'm going to the room and hopefully getting a good night's sleep.  The weather is of course cold and rainy.

Hotel Eurostars Berlin

Potsdamer Platz

Spree Ufer

Summer 2018 Newark Airport

     Well the summer has officially begun!  My car arrived about half an hour early but I was basically ready and in about 10 minutes we left.  the drive to the airport was easy and check-in was,of course, fast and easy for us Baracalounger passengers.  Now I am in the Polaris lounge enjoying a Stella, or 2. My flight starts boarding at 4:45 and is supposed to leave at 5:30 pm.  Hopefully we will be on time.  I am expecting to land in Munchen and then connect to Berlin.  I should be in my room at about 9:30 am Berlin time. At which time I will take a nice nap.
     Traveling first class is well worth the difference in price and really, to go over in first and home in economy is maybe $1200 more and to me well worth it.  Being able to sit here in peace and have a few beers and then know that I am going to be in a large seat where I can actually sleep on the way over is great. 
What I need now is for Germany to win its World Cup match against Sweden.  At the moment the score is tied.  The summer is always much better when Germany is winning and we get to spend the evenings watching the matches.  If they win for the second time in a row it will be TOO much.

Punta Cana May 2018 - 2

     Well I have been in Punta Cana for 3 nights, tonight is my last night.  It has been fun.  My room is a big suite.  I have a living room with a couch and a bar and a desk and big screen tv.  Although I did not use any of them!  There is also a powder room.  Through sliding doors is a large bedroom with a king bed and large TV.  Connected directly to the bedroom is a wash room on one side with two sinks, hair dryer and wall length mirror on the right side are 2 closets and in the middle is a bath tub.  There are 2 doors.  One is for the toilet and one is the shower.  Very nice.

     I have eaten in 3 of the restaurants.  The best was the Italian restaurant.  I had a squash soup that was spicey  and excellent.  I had Osso Buca that was great.  There are bars everywhere and of course all the food and drink is included.  The wedding that I came for was nice and the party fun.  I was however, unable to keep up with the day-drinking.  Michael and Nancy and Mr. and Mrs May are seasoned veterans and I just could not do it.

     I would come to another all-inclusive in the winter but maybe try somewhere new.  It was well worth the money.  Now I just fly home tomorrow and then wait for 23 June when I leave for Deautschland!

Punta Cana 1

     Today I am leaving for 4 nights in Punta Cana in the DR.  I know this is not my normal trip.  But a friend's son, who I have known since he was born, is having a wedding party there.  We are staying at some place called Mirage?
     Anyway, it is 3:20 in the morning and the car is coming at 4:00 am!  This is because the flight is supposed to leave at 6:20 am.  The flight is going to be 4 hours so I should be there and in my room by 11:15 am.  I will then probably nap.  I have a king suite with balcony  and hot tub.  All the food/meals and drink are included in the price.
      So I will find out what this is all about.  Maybe I will like this kind of vacation and begin to do it once a year?  Or maybe I won't like it at all and will never see a beach again.  I will write about what it is like later. 

Summer 2018 part 2

     Well, all plans are made and confirmed for Europe 2018!  I fly into Berlin and will be there for 7 nights at the same hotel I have been using there.  I will be, as previously reported, in the apartment in Weimar all of July and August.  From there I will be going to Munich - again.  I know, I know, I was just there last summer.  But, it rained everyday so I am going again and it better not rain at all.   After 7 nights in Munich I will head to Brussels for 4 nights.  I don't remember how many  years it has been since my last trip to Brussels.  Finally, from there I will be going to London for 7 nights. The London hotel I booked is a HUGH extravagance but I don't care and will tell about it when I am there.
     So, that is it for the moment.  All I can do now is wait to go.  However, I am going to Punta Cana in the DR for 4 nights in May to attend the wedding celebration of a son of friends of mine.  So I can write about that when I am there.

Summer 2018

     I have been trying to finalize my plans for Summer 2018 but forgot that I have to be back in the US before my nephew's wedding on 21 September.  So I have been re-planning the month of September.  I had thought that I would be in Karlsruhe, Baden for 3 nights but that is out.  I had also thought that I would be flying home from Amsterdam but can not find a nice hotel for less than $400/night!!!   The Radisson, where I have stayed in the past is @ $270/night.  So I have been looking into flying home from Paris.  That would be fine with me as I have not been there in a few years and would like to go back.  I have found a hotel that seems nice so now I just have to re-check air fares coming home from Paris instead of Amsterdam.
     Problems, problems, problems.   The only thing is I have to get my act together and make some decisions. 

Weimar 2018

    I have heard from my landlord in Weimar and as of today I have once again rented my apartment in the Gerhart-Hauptmann Strasse for all of July and August.  I have not yet decided what to do before or after this stay.  I am currently thinking that I will fly to London and stay there for a week and then go to either Amsterdam or Brussels and then to Weimar.  I would like to go to London because I have not been there for a few years and then I can see Ernest while I am there.   I also have not been to Amsterdam or Brussels for a few years.  There is also an exhibit in Frankfurt called "Liebe, Glanz und Untergang:  Die Hessischen Prinzessinen die nach Russland an der Hof Romanovs gekommen sind" , that I would love to see.  So perhaps I will go there after Amsterdam or Brussels and before Weimar.  I also would like to get to Berlin before Weimar.  So I don't know what I will do.
    However, my Weimar stay is the same as always and I am happy to have that familiar part of the year in place.  This will be the 10th summer that I have rented this apartment.  What I will do after Weimar in September I have no idea.  But I am on my way for 2018 and we will see what comes.