Dr. Seuss Had it Right: "Oh, the Places You Go!"
by BARBARA DICKINSON

In my last Prime Living column I wrote wistfully of a desire to smell roasting wurst and to quaff glasses of fruity new wine, in familiar haunts of Deutschland, naturalich. As fate would have it, my wish was fulfilled. Although my visit to Germany was merely through point of entry (Frankfurt-am-Main Airport) my final destination was Prague and a whirlwind visit to Poland. I am now an expert on three Czech and Polish offerings: braised sausages with kraut, goulash soup and the liquid gold that is each country’s national drink, pivo (beer).

To retrace a bit, let me say that I have family and friends in Prague and this was my sixth trip to visit my son and his family. They are returning to the U.S. in early 2005; this was a now-or-never visit and the last chance to catch the Tooth Fairy as she visited five- year-old twins in the process of losing baby teeth.

In 13 years of visiting the Czech Republic I have seen many changes, most of them for the better. Prague is cleaner, brighter, more efficient in routine daily affairs, vibrant, and altogether more appealing than I have ever seen. I tried to think as a tourist as I roamed in and out of narrow streets. There were new businesses to explore, cleaned-up alleys that beckoned, old haunts that welcomed. Many new restaurants and small eateries hummed with energy and seemed to be filled with attractive, eager wait staff.

On the negative side, I stood in line for 10 minutes in a small flower shop trying to buy a bouquet for my daughter-in-law. The clerk, engrossed in filling a single order, neither rushed what she was doing nor acknowledged three other customers waiting patiently. Nor did she call for assistance from the rear of the store. She merely looked up indifferently when my son and I left empty-handed after 10 more minutes. The clerk simply did not care if she made one more sale. Perhaps years of communist rule are hard to shake off.

More of the Czechs, however, seemed to have a spring in their step and were wearing fashionable clothing. As of May 1, 2004, the Czech Republic became a member of the European Union. The citizens are enjoying this new status, and they show it.

Poland has been on my list of must-see countries for a long time. It did not disappoint. Leaving Prague in the family van, packed with twins and their sibling, mom, dad and granny, we headed northeast on indescribably poor roads for a six-hour trip to Breslau, or Wroclaw, the city of islands and churches. It is Poland’s fourth largest with 636,000 residents.

I was bewitched by the art and architecture of this charming city of gargoyles and Gothic and smitten with what must be the largest public square in Eastern Europe. As my grandchildren raced and romped around the classic yet modern fountain, I gaped at the seamless blend of ancient buildings with new and bristling blue-chip businesses. Poland is another country enjoying the brotherhood of the European Union.

Krakow was our second destination, and here we enjoyed the amenities of a private apartment for two nights. The place was palatial, clean, exquisitely located for touring the city and cheap. This is Krakow’s answer to burgeoning tourism. And no wonder-what a beautiful city!

If Warsaw is all commerce, Krakow is all charm.

There were parks with wide sidewalks and ample benches, castles and dragon’s dungeons, and horse-drawn carriages that calm even the crankiest grandchildren. We picnicked on the banks of the meandering Wisla River and walked leisurely to the tiny museum boasting Leonardo da Vinci’s “Lady with the Ermine.” (I am conscientiously omitting the number of stops for ice cream, Pivo, Pizza and potties.) There she was, the beautiful and mysterious lady, smiling down at each of us. There is some question as to whether this is or is not a genuine da Vinci. At 2 o’clock on a Saturday in September, with no guard in sight and three small grandchildren enthralled, I had no doubts.

Krakow may be best known as the setting for Stephen Spielberg’s memorable“Schindler’s List”. We traced some of his scenes in the haunting Jewish quarter, eerie yet serenely quiet on a Saturday night. Krakow will remain a high point of my travels and a city that I long to revisit.

To recap: The cuisine? My best sausages were in Poland, favorite and flavorful goulash in Prague, cooked and served in a bowl of brown bread. Beer? Best everywhere.

A serious upgrade in air travel (through a fluke and a generous travel agent), sunny skies that enabled me to see Prague sans smog for the first time, and new vistas that spoke to my heart....all combined to make this THE best trip ever to Prague.

Barbara Dickinson is a Roanoke Valley author and freelance writer.