We are still in the early stages of planning our trip to Europe and our Working Button and Bead Tour of Jablonec nad Nisou. We now have 2 tour dates organized....May 13 through 20, and May 20 through 21, 2014, with 15 guests on the first tour and one on the second (she gets a special 2 day tour). Our itinerary has been laid out and bead & button appointments set. All thats left is the buying of our plane tickets and car rental.
J-Me spent all day and all night planning the route with hotel stays and things to do.
After Marathon hours on the web, our plane tickets and car rental are now bought, all tucked away next to our passports.
First: we will fly into Prague and pick up our rental car. We have a cute little stationwagon 4 door manual Skoda. Station wagon, because we need the space for suitcases and extra people. Manual drive because, well, thats what was offered. Anyway, hopefully it is not red!
We will drive like maniacs to Poland, Lithuania and onwards to Latvia, where we have a wonderful fishermans cottage waiting for us outside of Riga, on the beach. Just 100 meters walk away. We love beach combing. Just imagine the amber gems we will find here! We can't wait!
Russia and their invasion of Crimea, Ukraine is scaring some of our guests, including one guest who is coming in for 2 days only on our second tour and hoping to cancel her Viking cruise of the Ukraine and get a refund which she can then apply for our full tour. Another guest is just nervous about Russia and Ukraine being so close to Czech Republic. There is really no reason to worry, as Czech Republic is a member of the EU and NATO and Russia does not dare to invade a EU member. (Least not yet)
We are still getting last minute requests for information about the tour. There are a few spots available for the 2nd Tour dates.
J-Me is doing research every day on her ancestors from Latvia, who came to America in 1906. She has been doing research for at least two years now and has built up quite a collection of information. The owner of the fishermans cottage we are staying in in Latvia has offered to help locate her ancestors. The biggest obstacle has just been overcome ... the language barrier. The next problem... her ancestors name is the equivilent of Smith. That will make it a little difficult.
April-
Our plane tickets are purchased. Our hotels are all booked, our bags are packed and we will be ready to leave on May 2.
We are so very excited to have a wonderful adventure this year.
It seems that Guy has been planning a few more countries to go see while on this trip.
We are planning to go to Austria to interview a older gentleman lampworker who we met years ago. He is now retired and we want t get his story before no one knows it.
We will then drive to Croatia and spend a few days there. And who knows?! We may go to Hungry. Slovakia and more. We have the time as we are already over in Europe.
Watch for updates soon!
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