Christmas Market Cruise 2022

First Stop: Germany	Garbo 'Buddy Bear' in front of our hotel in Berlin	Wine Rack & Storage Table in Hotel Lobby	Sidewalk ad for the Spa at our Hotel	Sidewalk ad for the Restauant at our Hotel
Our hotel is near the Berlin Zoo	Elephant Gate at the Berlin Zoo	Wall around the Berlin Zoo	Relief outside Berlin Zoo Aquarium	Relief outside Berlin Zoo Aquarium
Relief outside Berlin Zoo Aquarium	Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market	Old and New Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Churches in Berlin	Susan & Tara (Viking Program Manager) at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market	Inside the new Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (1959-63)
Surviving Mosaic inside Old Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (partially destroyed in WWII)	Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market	Booth at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market	Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market	Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market	Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market	Giant Pyramid at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market	Grilling meat at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market	'Foam Kiss' pastries at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market
Susan eating a Schaumkuss (Foam Kiss) at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Christmas Market	First cup of Gluhwein (hot mulled wine) at Christmas Market	Christmas decorations inside the Europo Center in Berlin	Christmas decorations inside the Europo Center in Berlin	Arriving at the Christmas Market at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin
Charlottenburg Palace was built between 1695 and 1791	Fish grilled over an open fire at the Christmas Market at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin	Bill eating an Irish Cream Schaumkuss (Foam Kiss) at Charlottenburg Palace Christmas Market	Charlottenburg Palace Christmas Market	Gluwein vendor at Charlottenburg Palace Christmas Market
White Gluhwein at the Christmas Market at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin	Christmas band at the gates of Charlottenburg Palace	Christmas angels at the gates of Charlottenburg Palace	Bought Gluhwein here so we could keep the mug	Small Christmas Market inside the gates of Charlottenburg Palace
Charlottenburg Rathaus (City Hall)	Charlottenburg Rathaus (built 1899 -1905)	'Berlin' is a sculpture on the Tauentzienstrasse	Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was badly damaged by bombing in 1943, but left unrestored as a memorial	Shopping in Kathe Wohlfahrt was a reminder of how much prices have changed in 30 years
Another Gluhwien Mug that Susan is keeping as a souvenir	At the City Christmas Market in Berlin	Christmas Market Display	Berlin by Night Dinner with Denise & Donna	Visiting the Berlin TV Tower (1,207 feet tall) built by the East German government in 1969
Susan in the TV Tower with one of Berln's 350 'Buddy Bears'	View of Unter den Linden Street and Brandenburg Gate from Berlin TV Tower	View of Berliner Weinachtsmarkt (Christmas Market at the State Opera) from Berlin TV Tower	View of Alexanderplatz in Berlin from the Berlin TV Tower	St. Mary's Church was originally a Roman Catholic church, but has been a Lutheran Protestant church since the Reformation in 153
Brandenburg Gate (1788-91)	Night at Brandenburg Gate (divided West Berlin from East Germany)	Silhouette of Claus von Stauffenberg who tried to assassinate Hitler in 1944	Street Art in Berlin, Germany	Berliner Philharmonie is the home of the Berlin Philharmonic
1st stoplight in Germany (1924) was in Postsdamer Platz in Berlin	The German Bundesrat (Federal Council) is a legislative body that represents the 16 states of Germany at the federal level	The Spittelkolonnaden in Berlin (1776) was built to enclose a bridge over the southern moat	Berlin Cathedral on the Spree River in Berlin	Restored building in Berlin with twin spires of St. Nicholas Church Museum in the background
The Berlin TV Tower (Berliner Fernsehturm) was constructed 1965-69 as a symbol of Communist power	The Ruins of the Franciscan Monastery Church (1250) sit in the center of the city of Berlin	Berlin has a reputation as a mecca for murals by famous street artists	The East Side Gallery is 1.3 km of the Berlin Wall that is devoted to famous street art that was on the Berlin Wall	Murals on East Side Gallery Wall
Mural on East Side Gallery Wall	Mural on East Side Gallery Wall	Mural on East Side Gallery Wall	Mural on East Side Gallery Wall	Mural on East Side Gallery Wall
Mural on East Side Gallery Wall	Mural on East Side Gallery Wall	Oberbaum Bridge (1896) in Berlin	S-bahn crossing the Oberbaum Bridge (1896) in Berlin	Replica of Sputnik above Cafe Moscow in Berlin built in 1961-64
Passing one of 80 Christmas Markets in Berlin, Germany	St. Mary's Church (13th Century) in Berlin	Statue of Martin Luther in the Christmas Market at Alexanderplatz in Berlin	Rotes Rathaus is the Berlin Town Hall (1861-69)	Berlin Cathedral (1454) on the River Spree
Friedrichswerder Church (1824-31)	The French Cathedral (1701-05) on Gendarmarkt in Berlin	Berlin Concert Hall was opened in 1821, but rebuilt in 1977 due to damage from WWII	The German Cathedral (1882) on Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin	Christmas tree with Ukranian Flags at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin
Bill, Susan, Denise, Tony at Checkpoint Charlie	Bill & Susan at Checkpoint Charlie	Bill at Checkpoint Charlie	Trabiworld gives you the opportunity to explore Berlin in an East German-made Trabant	Last vestiges of the Berlin wall still standing
Artificial Ski Slope at Potsdamer Platz Christmas Market in Berlin	Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin	Back of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin	The Reichstag (1894) houses the houses the Bundestag (the lower house of Germany's parliament)	Government buildings along the Spree River in Berlin
Ampelmann is the pedestrian crossing lights that survived the German Democratic Republic	Statue commemorates King Frederick II of Prussia	'Christmas Magic' Gendarmenmarkt was moved to Bebelplatz in 2022	Christmas Market in the shadow of St. Hedwig's Cathedral in Berlin	Restaurant at the Gendarmenrarkt Christmas Market
Champagne tent at Gendarmenmarkt Berlin	Waiting for lunch at Christmas Market	Vendor at Gemdarmenmarkt Christmas Market	Statue on Castle Bridge in Berlin	Berlin Cathedral (1905)
The Altes Museum in Berlin houses a collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities	The Alexanderplatz Christmas Market with St. Mary's Church in the background	Altes Stadthaus (Old City Hall) in Berlin is currently used by the Senate	Detlev Rohwedder Building constructed between February 1935 and August 1936 to house the German Ministry of Aviation	Bundesrat (Federal council representing 16 German States) meets at the former Prussian House of Lords in Berlin
Lego Giraffe in front of Legoland in Berlin	KaDeWe in Berlin is the second largest department store in Europe after Harrod's in London	Dinner at Lemke Craft Brewery in Berlin	Courtyard behind Lemke Brewery Restraurant	Inside the Lemke Craft Brewery
Doors to Lemke Beer Tasting Room	Barrels used for small batch special craft beers	Beer tasting group in Berlin	Beer tasting at Lemke Craft Brewery in Berlin	Glienicke Bridge was made famous in movie 'Bridge of Spies'
Glienicke Bridge spans the Havel River and was a checkpoint between West Berlin and East Germany	Susan in former East Germany & Bill in West Berlin on the Bridge of Spies	Part of the University of Potsdam campus occupies buildings (1763-69) of 'the New Palace' in Sanssouci Park	Sheep grazing in front of Sansoucci Palace	Sanssouci Palace was built 1745-1747 by King Frederick the Great
The entrance hall of Sanssouci Palace has ten pairs of Corinthian columns made of white stucco marble with gilded capitals	Statue of Bacchus in Sanssouci Palace	Statue of Athena in Sanssouci Palace	Thin settees in Sanssouci Palace were here for looks only	Marmorsaal (Marble Hall) was the principal reception room in Sanssouci Palace
Cupola in Marmorsaal (Marble Hall) in Sanssouci Palace	Italian marble inlaid floor in Marmorsaal (Marble Hall) in Sanssouci Palace	One of five guest rooms in Sanssouci Palace	Clock in one of the guest rooms in Sanssouci Palace	Voltaire-zimmer is one of the guest rooms in Sanssouci Palace
Hunter's Gate (1733) is the oldest of Potsdam's three preserved gates	The Roman Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Potsdam was completed in 1870	Potsdam Christmas Market	Gluhwein Vendor in Potsdam, Germany	Susan enjoying fresh waffle with Nutella
We were surprised to see a Jack Daniels vendor in Postsdam, Germany	Enjoying Gluhwein with Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire	Ride at Potsdam Christmas Market	Singing Moose at Potsdam Christmas Market	More Gluhwein at Potsdam Christmas Market
Lots of salami at the Potsdam Christmas Market	Potsdam's Brandenburg Gate (1771) behind the Christmas Market	Lebkuchen and roasted nuts at Potsdam Christmas Market	Gluhwein stand called 'The Old Oak'	Potsdam's Nauen Gate was built in 1755
Dutch Quarter in Potsdam, Germany	Snowing on the German Autobahn on the way to Wittenberg	Arriving at the Viking Beyla Longship	Welcome aboard the Viking Beyla	Our cabin door on the Viking Beyla
View on Elbe River from our balcony in Wittenberg, Germany	Gingerbread Village on the Viking Beyla	Drinks in the Viking Beyla lounge	Snowing onboard the Viking Beyla in Wittenberg, Germany	Decorating the Christmas Tree on the Viking Beyla
Morning in Wittenbug, Germany	Soviet-era housing where our tour guide lived growing up	Hundertwasserschule is a German high school in Wittenberg, Germany designed by the famous artist Friedensreich Hundertwasse	Street art on Soviet-era building in Wittenberg, Germany	Wittenberg, Germany
Luther House (1504) was the home of Martin Luther for most of his adult life	Luther House Courtyard	Pulpit where Martin Luther preached	Back of pulpit where Martin Luther preached	16th Century Indulgence Chest at Martin Luther House
Ten commandments painting (1516) by famous German artist Lucas Cranach the Elder	Lecturn in Martin Luther House	Martin Luther was married to Katharina von Bora (a former nun who left the Catholic Church)	In this tower 'the Holy Spirit revealed Scripture' to Martin Luther	One of five original Luther bibles (1534) is on display at the Luther House in Wittenberg, Germany
A kindred spirit in Wittenberg, Germany	Parish Church of St Mary (1280) in Wittenberg, Germany	St. Mary's was the main place Martin Luther preached and site of the first Protestant service at Christmas 1521	Decorated baptismal font by Hermann Vischer is the oldest exhibit in St. Mary's Church	Triptych in St. Mary's by Cranach the Elder uses faces of Martin Luther and other refromers in the Last Supper
Wittenberg Christmas Market	Wittenberg Christmas Market in front of the Town Hall	At the WIttenberg Christmas Market	Snowy day at the Wittenberg Christmas Market	Cooling our Gluhwein in the snow at the Wittenberg Christmas Market
Castle Church of Wittneberg where Martin Luther started the Reformation	Door to the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany	On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed a piece of paper with these 95 theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg	The Wittenberg Castle Church Tower says 'A Mighty Fortress is Our God'	German Countryside
Viking Beyla on the Elbe River	Lots of mistletoe along the Elbe River	Sailing past Pretzsch Castle (1571-74)	Chefs Christmas Cookie demonstration	Docked in Torgau, Germany
Viking Beyla on the Elbe River at Torgau, Germany	The Monument to the Meeting of Allied Forces in Torgau commemorates the historic meeting of American and Soviet soldiers	Hartenfels Castle (1533-44) in Torgau, Germany	Entrance gate into Hartenfels Castle	Christmas tree in courtyard of Hartenfels Castle
The Torgau Spiral Staircase is a free-standing staircase – without a central supporting column was unique in 1533	Hartenfels Castle Gate with Coat of Arms	On the Torgau town side of Hartenfels Castle	The Church of St. Mary's of Torgau is where Martin Luther's wife is buried	Torgau, Germany Town Hall
Torgau Market fountain 'Fools and Musicians'	Christmas Pyramid at the Torgau Christmas Market	Small Christmas Market in Torgau, Germany	A big bratwurst at Torgau Christmas Market	Torgau's Christmas Market has a fairy tale theme
Bill at Torgau Christmas Market	Sailing up the Elbe River	Wallking the dog and the baby in the snow	On the banks of the Elbe River in Germany	German country church near the Elbe River
Cattle along the Elbe River	Schloss (Castle) Hirschstein viewed from our balcony on the Viking Beyla	Snowman on the bank of the Elbe River	Enjoying scenery along the Elbe River	Horses on the bank of the Elbe River
Banana Split for dessert at lunch	Albrechtsberg Castle (1854) in Meissen, Germany	At the Meissen Porcelain Factory in Meissen, Germany	Meissen Porcelain was founded in 1710	Porcelain wall at the Meissen Porcelain Factory
Meissen Porcelain trademark changes over 300 years	Details on Meissen Porcelain (like hands, fingers, flowers, etc) are added by hand	I found a Meissen Porcelain Monkey Band online for $18,500	1924 Meissen Porcelain piece made from a 1744 mold	Meissen Porcelain Virgin Mary
1858 Meissen Porcelain Candelabra	Meissen Porcelain titled 'Carnavale'	Walking tour of Meissen, Germany	Building in Meissen with marker showing the height of the water during the 2002 Elbe River Flood	The Meissen Rathaus serves as a living Advent Calendar with a window opened every day
Bottom right window after being decorated for day 3 of Advent Calendar	Opening the 3rd Advent window on the Meissen Rathaus	At the Christmas Market in Meissen, Germany	The Church of Our Lady (1205) in Meissen, Germany	37 Meissen Porcelain Bells were put in the Church of Our Lady in 1929 to celebrate the founding of Meissen in 929
The wine-restaurant 'Vincenz Richter' in Meissen is situated in a former cloth makers´ guildhouse from 1523	Meissen Christmas Market	Twin spires (1909) of Meissen Cathedral (1425)	Horse-drawn Carriage in Meissen, Germany	Interesting entryway in Meissen, Germany
Santa on a rope in Meissen	Our tour guide explaing the history of the Meissner Fummel (pastry invented in 1710)	Historic Gasthaus in Meissen, Germany	Meissen, Germany Christmas Decorations	Kids meeting Santa at the Meissen Christmas Market
Santa at Meissen Christmas Market getting a girl to sing O'Tannenbaum	Langos is a Hungarian dish with fried dough filled with cheese and other toppings	Meissen Christmas Market	Champagne and shots on the Viking Beyla	Onboard entertainers from Meissen, Germany
Beyla, from Old Norse Mythology, was a servant to the Norse god Freyr	Viking Beyla docked across from the Saxon State Parliament in Dresden, Germany	View of Dresden from the Viking Beyla	Outside the old city walls (16th century) of Dresden	Saxony State Ministry of Finance in Dresden, Germany
Dog statue and live dog in front of Saxony State Ministry of Finance in Dresden	Dresden Academy of the Fine Arts (1894)	The Augustus Bridge (1727) spans the Elbe River in Dresden, Germany	Dresden's Frauenkirche was built in 1743; destroyed in WWII; and rebuilt 1994-2005 using many original stones from the rubble	A statue of Martin Luther stands near Frauenkirche where he often preached in Dresden
Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) Christmas Market in Dresden	Gluhwein at Frauenkirche Christmas Market in Dresden	Neumarkt Christmas Market in Dresden, Germany	Dresden's Neumarkt Christmas Market has reprenentation of the German Guilds	The Moravian stars originated in Saxony, Germany and is a popular Christmas decoration throughout Europe
'Augustus the Strong' transformed Dresden into a major cultural centre	Between 1904 and 1907 the 335 ft wall was covered with 23,000 Meissen porcelain tiles to make it weatherproof	Dresden's Medieval Christmas Market is held in the Stall Courtyard of the Royal Palace	Dresden's Medieval Christmas Market	Bill at Dresden Medieval Christmas Market
Moravian Star at the Stall Courtyard of Dresden Royal Palace	Potato Chips on a Stick at the Medieval Christmas Market	Costumes at the Medieval Christmas Market in Dresden	Under the mistletoe at the Medieval Market in Dresden, Germany	Medieval Christmas Market in Dresden
A very good Irish Band at the Medieval Christmas Market	Medieval Christmas Market	Archery booth at Medieval Christmas Market	The 'Romantic Christmas Market' is the 4th we visited in Dresden	The 'Romantic Christmas Market' in Dresden, Germany
Having a Bratwurst at the Romantic Christmas Market	Bill at the Romantic Christmas Market in Dresden	Dresdener Stiezelmarkt is the last of 5 Christmas Markets that we visited in Dresden	Dresdner Striezelmarkt is 588 years old	Crowds at the Dresdner Striezelmarkt
The sign on the left loosely translated says 'I continue to accept Deutsche Marks'	The Dresdner Striezelmarkt had the best decorated booths of the entire trip	Roast Oxen Vendor	Oxen roasting on a spit	I guess this happens if you have too much Gluhwein
Lace vendor at the Dresdner Striezelmarkt	Curious decorations at the Dresdner Striezelmarkt	Seven Dwarfs at the Dresdner Striezelmarkt	Bakery at the Dresdner Striezelmarkt	Another curious decoration at the Dresdner Striezelmarkt
Nativity decoration at the Dresdner Striezelmarkt	Christmas Pyramid at the Dresdner Striezelmarkt	A view of the ferris wheel at the Augustus Christmas Market across the Elbe River in Dresden	Looking down Munzgasse Street in Dresden, Germany	Ferris wheel and Three Kings' Luthern Church in the Innere Neustadt district of Dresden
Attending a private concert at the Zwinger Palace in Dresden	Concert hall at the Zwinger Palace in Dresden	Concert pianist at the Zwinger	Four members of the Quintet at the Zwinger	View of statues from the Zwinger Concert Hall
The cellist getting on his bicycle after the concert	Albrechtsberg Palace (1851-54)	Panorama Restaurant at the Berghotel in Saxon-Switzerland National Park	Early morning sailing past a vineyard on the Elbe River	Pirna Rowing Club (1872) the first and oldest rowing club in the Freestate of Saxony, Germany
Pirna, Germany	Sonnenstein Castle (built in 1460) housed a mental hospital, which operated from 1811 to the end of World War II in 1945	Potzcha, Germany	Changing landscape as we sail south on the Elbe River	The beginning of the Sandstone Mountains in Germany
Bill with the Maitre d'Hotel on Viking Beyla	Bill with Tara (Viking Program Manager)	First look at the Bastei Bridge from the deck of the Viking Beyla	The Bastei Bridge is a sandstone bridge built in 1851 to link parts of the Bastei rock formation	Impressive house on the Elbe River in Germany
Sailing past Rathen, Germany	Altrathen Castle (probably 11th century) is located on a rock outcrop near Rathen in Saxon Switzerland, German	Natursalz-Oase is a spa located in Bad Schandau, Germany	Docked in Bad Schandau, Germany	Visiting Saxon-Switzerland National Park in Germany
Cretaceous fossil from Saxon-Switzerland National Park	Saxon-Switzerland National Park borders Bohemian-Switzerland National Park, but neither are close to Switzerland	The Berghotel in Saxon-Switzerland National Park	Beginning the Bastei hike of 487 steps one-way	The Bastei in Germany is a sandstone rock formation created over a million years ago
'Free climbing' in the Bastei prohibits any form of metal protection	Bastei Bridge attracts over a million visitors a year	The sandstone Bastei Bridge (built 1851) replaced the wooden bridge from 1824	Bastei Bridge leads to a natural opening in the rock	View of the Bastei rocks from the Bastei Bridge
View of Elbe River from the Bastei Bridge	In November 2000, approximately one-third of the rock shown broke off 800 tons of sandstone	Konigstein and Lilienstein table mountains in Saxon-Switzerland Nation Park	View of Konigstein Fortress (13th century) from the Bastei Bridge	13th century sandstone stairs are badly weathered
Stone balls fired from catapults to defend Neurathen Castle (a rock castle in the Bastei)	Standing in the vicinity of the ruins of Neurathen Castle	Looking at the Berghotel from across the canyon	The Monch is a rock pinnacle and popular climbing peak with a weather vane in the shape of a tin monk	Returning across Bastei Bridge
Very tough tree growing in sandstone rock	One of the muddy hiking trails in the Saxon-Swizerland National Park	Model of Neurathen Rock Castle in the 15th Century	Dinner aboard the Viking Beyla with Tony & Denise	Next Stop: Czech Republic (aka Czechia)
Arriving in Decin, Czech Republic	Morning in the shadow of Decin Castle, Czech Republic	Christmas decorations in Decin, Czech Republic	Leaving the Viking Beyla in Decin, Czech Republich	Hotel Vetruse and Restaurant (1847) in Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic
Checking into the Prague Marriott Hotel	Winged Lion Memorial in Prague is dedicated to Czechoslovak pilots who fought with the RAF in WWII	The Winged Lion celebrated the 76th anniversary of the homecoming of Czechoslovak pilots from Britain	Resistance Flag Monument in Prague is dedicated to the second resistance movement to the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia	Prague Castle (870 AD)
Old Car Tours in Prague	Slivovitz is a Plum Brandy	Walking through Prague	First look at Charles Bridge (1357-1402) in Prague, Czech Republic	Selling Marijuana in Czech Republic is illegal so this is just a tourist trap
The Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic	Czech puppetry is an important cultural and social phenomenon that spread in the mid-19th century	Lesser Town Bridge Tower (1464) is the ancient gate to the Lesser Town in Prague	On the Charles Bridge (1357-1402) in Prague, Czech Republic	View of Lesser Bridge Tower from the Charles Bridge in Prague
The statues of Saints Cosmas and Damian (1709) on the Charles Bridge in Prague	The statues of John of Matha, Felix of Valois, and Saint Ivan (1714) on the Charles Bridge	Statue of St. Vitus (1714) on the Charles Bridge in Prague	Gull on the head of St. Philip Benizzi (1714) on the Charles Bridge	Copy of 1709 St. Adalbert of Prague statue on Charles Bridge
Statue of St. Augustine (1708) on the Charles Bridge	View of the Ruldolfinum (1885) is associated with music and art	National Theater Prague (1881) viewed from the Charles Bridge	Old Town Waterworks (1883) is now the Bedřich Smetana Museum in Prague	The statue of John of Nepomuk (1683) on Charles Bridge in Prague
Base of the statue of John of Nepomuk is rubbed by people for good luck	Statue of St. Francis Borgia (1710) on Charles Bridge	Base of St. Francis Borgia statue on the Charles Bridge	Statue of St. Francis Xavier (1711, copy) on Charles Bridge	The Crucifixion and Calvary (cross made in 1629) on Charles Bridge
Very small Christmas Market in Prague, Czech Republic	Prague Castle across the Vltava River in Prague	St. Vitus Cathedral (1344) is located within Prague Castle	Statue of Charles IV in Prague	St. Salvator Church (17th Century) showing support for Ukraine
Our tour guide in Prague	Old Town Bridge Tower (1357) in Prague	Candy Shop window in Prague	Hotel Arus in Prague	Sigmund Freud sculpture in Prague, seemingly pondering whether to hold on or to let go
Inside Prague's Museum of Nativity Scenes	Small museum in Prague contains nativity scenes from various regions of the Czech Republic	One of many handmade nativities in Prague Museum	Not sure I understand why this is in the Museum of Nativities	Interesting nativity display
Nativity closeup from previous photo	Eskimo Nativity in Prague Museum	Very busy nativity appears to be carved from a single piece of wood	Window of shop called 'Duck Boutique' in Prague	'House of the Minute' on the Prague Old Town Square was built in the 1400's
Astronomical Clock in Prague is first mentioned in 1400	Prague's Astronomical Clock allows you to read Babylonian time, Old Bohemian time, Central European time, & Star Time	Death has an hourglass in one hand and rings a bell with the other one	St. John & St. Phllip are 2 of the 12 apostles that rotate through the windows every hour on the hour	St. Thomas & St. Paul in the windows of Prague's Astronomical Clock
St. Barnaby and St. Matthias on the hour in Prague Astronomical Clock	Prague's Christmas Market on the Old Town Square	Susan in front of the Hard Rock Cafe in Prague	Old Town Square Christmas Market in Prague	Jan Hus (leader of 15th Century Reformation) Memorial in Old Town Square, Prague
Carved Nativity at Old Town Prague Christmas Market	Prague Ham: it's what's for lunch at the Prague Christmas Market	Church of Our Lady before Tyn behind the Christmas Market in Prague	Facade of the Storch House (1897) with a painting of St. Wenceslas	Belgian Chocolate Shop in Prague
Powder Tower (1475) is one of the original 13 city gates in Old Town, Prague	Black Madonna Restaurant in Prague	Small Christmas Market near our hotel	National Museum in Wenceslas Square in Prague	The Dancing House Hotel was designed by a Croatian-Czech architect in cooperation with Frank Gehry
Visiting the Glass Bar on the 7th floor of the Dancing House Hotel	View of Stítkov Water Tower (1658) and Prague Castle from the Glass Bar in Prague	Prague Castle at Night	Entering Strahov Monastery (1140) on a hill above Prague	Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (1758) at Strahov Monastery
Mozart is said to have played the organ in 1787 in the Church of Our Lady of Ascension	The Strahov Monastery Library contains 130,000 volumes including over 2,500 published before 1500	Prague at night from Petrin Hill near Strahov Monastery	St. Vitus Cathedral at night from Petrin Hill in Prague	Prague National Museum at night
First stop on food tour is Bistro Spejle in Prague	Prague's version of fast food	Bistro Spejle is a tapas bar in Prague	Havelske Trziste Market is a local market in Prague since 1232	Walking through Havelske Trziste Market in Prague
Dinner stop on our Prague Food Tour	The Blue Duckling Restaurant has been housed in a 16th Century building since 1993	Dinner at the Blue Duckling Restaurant	Bohemian Roast Duck is a Czech specialty	The Palladium Shopping Mall in Prague was very near our hotel
The Municipal House (1912) in Prague is a 40,000 sq ft Art Noveau building used for concerts, galas, and other events	Only Czech architects, artists, and builders were engaged to design, oversee, and decorate the Municipal House	Kavarna Obecni dum in the Prague Municipal House is mentioned in 'Famous and Interesting Prague Cafes'	Last stop on Prague Food Tour is Kavarna Obecní dum Restaurant	Dessert selection at Kavarna Obecni dum Restaurant in Prague
Final stop on Prague Food Tour is for dessert	Cicovicky Dvur is a restaurant outside of Prague dedicated to the Bohemian culture	Clothing and decor reminiscent of Bohemian and Moravian influences	Band at Cicovicky Dvur Restaurant	Young vocalist at Cicovicky Dvur Restaurant
Traditional Bohemian Dancers at Cicovicky Dvur Restaurant	Folklore show at Cicovicky Dvur Restaurant	Dinner and show at Cicovicky Dvur Restaurant,Czech Republic	Dancers at Cicovicky Dvur Restaurant	Excellent demonstration of the Dulcimer
Bill got in on the dancing at Cicovicky Dvur Restaurant	Bill dancing at Cicovicky Dvur Restaurant	City of Prague Museum	Communist-era buildings have all been updated except for the one in the middle	Wenceslas Square in Prague, Czech Republic
Church of the Virgin Mary and St. Charles (1351-1377) in Prague	Michelska-Vrsovicka Water Tower (1907) in Prague	Czech countryside on the way to Poland	On the road from Prague, Czech Republic to Krakow, Poland	Olomouc, Czech Republic was once one of the best fortified cities in Moravia
The Liberation Memorial commemorates the liberation of Olomouc by the Red Army on 8 May 1945	A Health Center in Olomouc. Czech Republic still features Soviet-era statues on the building	Horní Square in Olomouc with the Holy Trinity Column (1716) and the Olomouc City Hall	Olomouc 15th Century Astronomical Clock is designed in an uncommon Socialist Realist style	The Olomouc Astronomical Clock was heavily damaged in WWII, but was restored 1947-55
Burgers and Beer for lunch in Olomouc, Czech Republic	Enjoying the burgers and beer in Olomouc, Czech Republic	Soviet-era building in Olomouc, Czech Republic	Something in a field near the border of Czech Republic	Last Stop: Poland
Floor to ceiling tree in lobby of the Radisson Blu Hotel in Krakow, Poland	'Szopka' is a construction featuring the nativity scene surrounded by representations of houses and monuments of Krakow	The Bishops’ Palace in Krakow with portrait of Pope John Paul II where he spoke in 1979	Christmas tree on small square in Krakow, Poland	Grodzka Street in Krakow, Poland
Rynek Glowny is the main square in Krakow, Poland	St. Mary's Basilica on Krakow's Main Square	Medieval Sukiennice Cloth Hall (14th Century) is now a bazaar of local tradesmen selling handicrafts	Hard Rock Cafe on Market Square in Krakow, Poland	Krakow Christmas Market Vendor
Our dinner vendor at Krakow Christmas Market	Den Gamle Synagoge (1507) in Krakow, Poland	Monument to the place in Krakow where Nazis shot 30 Polish Jews in 1943	The green house is the childhood home of Helena Rubenstein (founder of Helena Rubenstein Cosmetics)	Ariel Restaurant was the location where Steven Spielberg shot parts of his movie 'Schindler's List'
Memorial to 65,000 Jewish citizens of Krakow who were killed by Nazis in WWII	Remuh Synagogue (1557) in Krakow	Restaurant and Bookshop in historical building in Krakow's Jewish Quarter	In Krakow Heroes Square each of 33 chairs represents 1,000 Krakow lives taken by Nazi Germany	St. Bernardino Church in Krakow
Krakow's Wawel Royal Castle has parts dating to 970 AD	The Vistula River in Krakow Poland with Wawel Castle in the background	11th Century Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus in Krakow	Royal Route i s lined with bricks recognizing donors for restoration of Wawel Castle	Herbowa Gate (1921) is decorated with nine coats of arms of Polish , Lithuanian , Ruthenian and feudal lands
Inside the chapel at Wawel, you can see the Royal Tombs, where almost all Polish monarchs and national heroes are buried	Statue of Pope John Paul II on the grounds of Wawel Castle in Krakow	Clock and Silver Bells’ Towers at Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, Poland	Wawel Dragon Statue in Kakow normally breathes fire, but was not working today	Model of Wawel Castel in Krakow
St. Vitus Cathedral inside the grounds of Krakow Castle was founded in 930, but the current church dates to 1344	Christmas Tree inside the Wawel Royal Castle Complex in Krakow	Palazzo courtyard of the Wawel Royal Palace in Krakow	Gargoyle on the roof of Palazzo courtyard of the Wawel Royal Palace	This 'szopka' (Krakow Nativity) is displayed in Saint Mary Magdalene Square in Krakow
The Church of Saints Peter and Paul (1619) in Krakow	Statues in front of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul depict the 12 apostles of Jesus, with Saint Matthias in place of	Polish Pretzels for about 50 cents	Sandor, our tour guide for Poland, sprung for pretzels for the group	Enjoying a pretzel in front of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Krakow, Poland
Church of St. Andrew the Apostle (1098) is one of the oldest buildings in Krakow	One of many carriages in Krakow, Poland	The Basilica of Holy Trinity in Krakow dates to 1223	The Krakow Town Hall Tower was built around 1300	Horses decked out for Christmas in Krakow, Poland
The Krakow Cloth Hall dates to the 15th Century and is one of the city's most recognizable icons	St. Mary's Basilica (1347) in Krakow's Main Square	Plaque on St. Mary's Basilica depicts King Jan III Sobieski (reigned 1674-96)	Inside St. Mary's Basilica in Krakow	Stained glass inside St. Mary's Basilica in Krakow
Stained glass inside St. Mary's Basilica in Krakow	The Altarpiece of St. Mary's Basilica in Krakow was carved in 1477 & 1499	The two panels of the triptych (weighing 1,000 pounds each) were opened by this tiny nun	The Altarpiece of St. Mary's Basilica when opened is 42.5 ft tall & 36 ft wide with figures over 12 ft high	The center of the altarpiece shows the Dormition of Mary with the 12 apostles present
A bugler stands in one of the tower windows in St. Mary's Basilica in Krakow	St. Mary's Trumpet call is played on the hour every hour in the direction of the 4 city gates since the 14th century	Polish Donut Shop	Susan enjoying a donut on Grodzka Street in Krakow	Hand-carved Nativity in Krakow, Poland
Observation Balloon and Ferris Wheel in Krakow, Poland	Tour of the Wieliczka Salt Mine outside of Krakow, Poland (working mine 13th-20th Centuries)	Salt statue commemorating opening of this chamber in 1473	Rock Salt Statues depict the Legend of Princess Kinga in the 'Wieliczka' Salt Mine in Poland	Salt Stalagtites in the Wieliezka Salt Mine in Poland
Salt statue in chamber that opened in 1368	One-ton cylinders of salt were taken to the surface using pulleys and horses	Rock Salt depiction of Neolithic Saline works around 4000 BC	Here are a few of the 800 steps leading to the lowest level for visitors in Wieliczka Salt Mine	Statue in St Anthony of Padua Chapel -- one of several chapels in the Wieliczka Salt Mine
The first mass celebrated in the Chapel of St Anthony of Padua was held in 1698	St. Kinga's Chapel was carved in rock salt over 400 ft below ground from 1829-1896	Rock Salt monument to Pope John Paul II in St. Kinga's Chapel	Light Rock Salt statue of Mary is next to monument to Pope John Paul II in St. Kinga's Chapel	Relief of The Last Supper carved in the green rock salt wall of St. Kinga's Chapel
Salt carving of the Wedding at Cana in St. Kinga's Chapel	Rock salt carving of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus in St. Kinga's Chapel	Rock salt floor in Wieliczka Salt Mine	Underground lake in Wieliczka Salt Mine	A chandlier using salt crystals and 350 electric candles in Wieliczka Salt Mine
Rock salt statue of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in the Weimar Chamber of Wieliczka Salt Mine	Salt has taken over this ladder in a room at Wielickzka Salt Mine	Wieliczka Salt Mine has several banquets halls carved from rock salt that hold 90-400 people	St. John's Chapel in Wieliczka Salt Mine is used for small weddings and private masses	Susan, Tony & Denise in elevator from the bottom of the Wieliczka Salt Mine
Leaving the grounds of the Wieliczka Salt Mine	A little snow on our way to dinner in Krakow, Poland	Krakow Christmas Market	Snow's not keeping crowds away from Krakow Christmas Market	Inside a warm restaurant with a hot, white gluhwein
La Grande Mamma Restaurant Krakow	Carbonara & Lasagna at La Grande Mamma Restaurant on Krakow's Main Square	Watching a movie about Auschwitz on the way to visit Auschwitz & Birkenau Concentration Camps	Winter Wonderland on the road from Krakow to Auschwitz	Alvernia Studios is the largest modern film studio in Poland
Windmill in Poland	Waiting in line to enter Auschwitz	On the path into Auschwitz Concentration Camp	Sign over the entrance to Auschwitz is translated as 'Work Sets You Free'	Entering Auschwitz Concentration Camp
Paired electrified barbed-wire fences in Auschwitz	Map showing the main sites from which prisoners were sent to Auschwitz	Auschwitz statistics	Canisters from Zyklon B, a pesticide used in killing victims in Auschwitz Gas Chambers	Crutches and prosthetics taken from prisoners at Auschwitz
Piles of shoes from victims in Auschwitz	Luggage and baskets from people who were told they were being 'resettled in the east'	Typical living conditions for prisoners during their first few weeks at Auschwitz	Prisoners were only given a few minutes every day to use the toilet with fights to obtain a seat	Susan in hall with photos and basic information on Auschwitz prisoners
Drawing of activities at the 'Death Wall' at the side of block 11 in Auschwitz	In 1946, the 'Death Wall' was reconstructed by former prisoners of the camp as a memorial	Guard tower at Auschwitz	Room occupied by 'Kapos' who were trustee inmates who supervised the other prisoners	Booth where SS man conducted roll-call and collected headcounts of prisoners
Area for daily roll-call and headcounts of prisoners	Rail where 12 prisoners were all hanged at once in the biggest public execution in Auschwitz	First commandant of Auschwitz was tried, convicted, and hung here on April 16, 1947 (the day before Bill was born)	Inside the location of the Gas Chamber at Auschwitz	Crematorium at Auschwitz
Bunker and chimney of gas chamber and crematorium at Auschwitz	Birkenau was part of the Auschwitz complex and is sometimes referred Auschwitz II	Birkenau was the largest camp in the Auschwitz complex	Remaining chimneys from the women's side of Birkenau	Actual rail car sits at siding where prisoners were off-loaded in Birkenau
Upon arrival in Birkenau by rail, prisoners entered through this gate	International Monument to the Victims of Fascism at Birkenau was dedicated in 1967	Plaques at the International Monument to the Victims of Fascism are in 23 languages	English version of plaque at the International Monument to the Victims of Fascism at Birkenau	Path where prisoners walked to gas chambers thinking they were going to showers
Gas Chambers at Birkenau were dynamited in January 1945	Probably about 90% of the victims of the Auschwitz complex were killed in the Birkenau camp	Kitchen building in women's camp at Birkenau	Women were held in the 'Death Barrack' for days without food or water while waiting for the gas chamber at Birkenau	Inside the 'Death Barrack' where women slept 4-6 to a bunk
Norbertine Monastery and the Church of St Augustine and St John the Baptist in Krakow was consecrated in 1181	Christmas decorations along the Visutla River in Krakow	Bridge across the Vistula River in Krakow	Going to dinner at the Ariel Restaurant in the Jewish Quarter of Krakow	Ariel Restaurant occupies the 18th Century 'Rabbi House' in Krakow
Dinner in the 'Performance Dining Room' of Arial Restaurant	Dinner with Tony& Denise	Zywiec Brewery started operating in 1856 (good beer)	Listening to traditional Klezmer music (attributed to the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe)	Leaving Arial Restaurant after dinner
Morning view from our hotel room on our last day in Krakow	Leaving Krakow on the way to Warsaw, Poland	Stop at Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa, Poland	Jasna Gora Monastery (founded in 1382) is Poland's holiest shrine	Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II at Jasna Gora Monastery
Saint Michael the Archangel at Jasna Gora Monastery	Entrance to the Basilica at Jasna Gora Monastery in Poland	Exhibition by Lidia Bojnowska called 'Mother and Son'	Altar of St. John the Evangelist (18th Century) at Jasna Gora Monastery	Accurate reproduction of the Black Madonna which is rumored to have been discovered in 326 AD
Pilgrims who visit the Black Madonna walk around the icon on their knees	Important offerings on the Altar of the Black Madonna include gifts from Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis	Holy Shrine of the Black Madonna in Jasna Gora Monastery	The Black Madonna is covered in 11 'dress-like' coverings used for special occasions	Crutches and walking sticks left by those who have been healed after prayer in the presence of the icon of the Black Madon
Mass in overflow chapel at Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa, Poland	Ceiling of overflow chapel at Jasna Gora Monastery	Upper courtyard of Jasna Gora Monastery	Christ King of Universe Statue at Jasna Gora Monastery	At Jasna Gora Monastery of the Black Madonna
Metal door at Jasna Gora Monastery	Polish Perogies for lunch	Sandor treating us to Polish Plum Brandy	Arrival at Sofitel Warsaw Victoria	Christmas decorations in Sofitel Warsaw Victoria
Church of St. Joseph of the Visitationists (18th Century) in Warsaw, Poland	Christmas decorations in Warsaw, Poland	Night time walk in Warsaw, Poland	The Presidential Palace in Warsaw (1643) survived WWII intact since it was used as headquarters for German Forces	Warsaw Santa
Nighttime in Castle Square, Warsaw, Poland	Crowds on a snowy night in Warsaw, Poland	Warsaw Christmas Market	Warsaw Christmas Market Ice Rink is not open yet today	Warsaw Christmas Market Christmas Tree
Kids playing in the snow at the Warsaw Christmas Market	Breakfast room in Sofitel Warsaw Victoria	Interesting decorations in Warsaw	Our Warsaw Tour Group	Hard to recognize the Frederic Chopin Monument in the snow in Warsaw
Statue of Jozef Pilsudski who was responsible for the independence of Poland in the 1920s in Royal Baths Park, Warsaw	Trams in Warsaw, Poland	Palace of Culture and Science (1955) was originally known as the Joseph Stalin's Palace of Culture and Science	Palace of Culture and Science was built as a 'gift of the Soviet people for the Poles' and was a symbol of Soviet power	Monument to the Ghetto Heroes (1948), Warsaw
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews	The Jan Karski bench honors the man known to the history books as the 'man who tried to stop the Holocaust'	Supreme Court Building in Warsaw, Poland	Krasinski Palace built in 1677–83 in Warsaw	Little kid dressed for the weather in Warsaw, Poland
Warsaw Uprising Monument is dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944	Field Cathedral of the Polish Army (1660-1701)	Stained Glass window in Field Cathedral of the Polish Army	Warsaw Barbican (1540)	Old city wall and fortifications in Warsaw were probably started around 1280
Inside the Warsaw Barbican	Looks like a pre-school field trip in Warsaw	Warsaw was deliberately annihilated in 1944 because of Polish resistance to German Occupation	Warsaw's Old Town Market Square was faithfully reconstructed after WWII	Reconstructed building on Warsaw's Old Town Market Square
Building on Warsaw's Old Town Market Square	Warsaw's Christmas Market on Old Town Market Square	St John's Archcathedral (originally built in 14th Century and restored after WWII)	St. Martin's Church (established 1353 and rebuilt after WWII)	The Royal Castle in Warsaw (built in 1619 and destroyed twice in 1656 & 1944)
Christmas tree at Warsaw's Royal Castle	King Sigismund's Column (built in 1644 and restored after destruction in WWII)	Outside of Warsaw Palace	Three 'Bills' in our tour group	Susan with Mr. Perogie in Warsaw
The Carmelite Church (completed in 1681 and only partially damaged in WWII)	Church of the Visitandines (1761) in Warsaw	Indoor Pool in Sofitel Warsaw Victoria	Plane de-icing in Warsaw before takeoff to return home