Overnight train from Amsterdam to Vienna
In an attempt to be more GREEN in our holiday travels, we decided on a train to Vienna. Nobody slept that well, but it was a very interesting experience and everyone should try it at least once. The views were beautiful out the window as we travelled and itwas a great luxery to get dropped in the center of Vienna at the train station instead of way outside of the city at the airport. We stayed 2 night in Vienna exploring before renting cars and driving to Slovakia.
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We have been unnoficially planning another hut-to-hut hiking trip since our last one to Slovenia in 2019 and OFFICIALLY start planning this together with the other family about8 months before the summer. This is our infographic we presented for discussion at Thanksgiving dinner with all the kids. |
benches made down into beds for the night |
each family booked their own cabin |
first stop, Cafe Central... one of the best in Vienna |
exploring the city center |
fancy macaroons and coffee for the Queen for breakfast |
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Belvedere Palace gardens |
inside Belvedere Palace |
Palace and Gardens of Schonbrunn |
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Visiting Lyra's furry family
Lyra was born in Slovakia and that is where her passport is from. We visited Vienna for 3 days back in 2016 to pick her up from Maria, who drove to Vienna to meet us. This was her first trip back to meet and stay with her family while we hiked in the Tatras.
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so many cousins and nieces and nephews! |
Maria <3 |
Axa and Raj <3 |
the old video from 2016 of the very first time Sarah and Lyra met |
Hut-to-hut hiking in the Tatras
The highlight of our trip was to hike for 3 days in the Tatras. The total distance of the hike was 21km. On the first day, we parked our cars at Biela Vodaparking lot and hiked in to Chata pri Zelenom Plese, a beautiful hut on the edge of an emerald green lake in a magical valley. Day 2 was another 7km to Chalet Plesnevec, offering magnuficent views of the valley. Good food and nice beers were enjoyed at both huts!
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3D rendering of the hike using ALL TRAILS app (highly recommended) |
at the trail head |
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1st Hut - Chata pri Zelenom Plese |
the kitchen prepared all food at the same time and all guests ate together at the same time. Very hearty food for hikers! |
the first hut was an 8 bed room and we all stayed together |
group family photo :) |
the hike was easy to moderate and fantastically beautiful |
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2nd Hut - Chalet Plesnivec. It had great views! |
It was also a bit quieter and much fewer guests |
Axa catching one of many frogs that trip |
Raj sporting his Taco Bell shirt :) |
AirBnB Cabin
After our whirlwind visit to Vienna and hiking in the mountains, it was to to slow down and relax at our cabin. It was centrally located in the country to allow for nice daytrips.
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BBQ and outdoor activities :) |
Many 2024 Paris Olympics events were watched from this room |
crack the egg! |
Axa running the table (this picture was actually at the hotel we stayed at when we were on our way to the Tartras |
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the cabin was complete with an outdoor fire pit |
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gaming!!! (Liar's Dice) |
Castles of Slovakia
There were many amazing castles to see in Slovakia! Orava castle was possible the best castle ever, as it was not only completely renovated, but had room after room decorated in items from the period.
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Devin Castle was the first castle we visited and is located just outside of Bratislava, the capital. It was first mentioned in 864 by the invading Franks. It was not just a castle but an entire walled village and series of buildings. |
a little video to try to show how beautiful and green the country is |
don't remember the name of this castle. there were just so many |
The theatrical scenery of Orava Castle have been luring film makers for nearly 100 years (e.g., Dragonheart, Nosferatu, King Thrushbear) |
one of the many redecorated rooms of Orava Castle |
simply amazing! |
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alchemist room |
More Hiking!
There are many many great hikes outside of the Tatra Mountains. We found a real gem in the Slovak Paradise national park called Sucha Bela, criss-crossing a stream and hiking/climbing up cascades of waterfalls. Breathtaking.
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this hike was like nothing we had done before |
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Icing on the cake was to discover we could rent mountainbikes to travel back down instead of hiking :) |
Bratislava, Slovakia
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and is known for its beautiful Old Town, medieval castle, and the picturesque Danube River.
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Napoleon's army besieged Bratislava in 1809. According to local lore, one of his soldiers fell in love with a local girl and stayed in Bratislava. |
The Blue Church - Church of St. Elizabeth (Art Nouveau) |
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Salt Room at our hotel |
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my favorite photo to take each holiday <3 |
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enjoying the HEARTY local cuisine |