Covered Brides of Jackson County
White Mountains
Day 6: Cabot and North Conway, NH
We stopped at Cabot Creamery, where they make great cheddar – we watched them do it and followed up by eating a good amount. The leaves were turning a nice color once we got here (October 1) and the “fall foliage” part of the trip is starting to get redeemed quite nicely. I think ”Bridges of Madison County” took place in Iowa, but Clint Eastwood could have come here and found all he needed.
Day 5: The New England Culinary Institute in Essex Junction, VT
New England Culinary Institute in Essex Junction
This is the learning part of the culinary program. We stayed at the New England Culinary Institute in Essex. Dinner involved a “cooking” demo by the culinary institute people, followed by a “dining” demo by our crowd.
Day 4: Stockbridge, MA
Covered Bridge
Norman Rockwell's Studio
We drove to Stockbridge in the Berkshire Mountains. I didn’t know, but should have guessed that Norman Rockwell of the Saturday Evening Post covers lived in this area. We visited his studio/museum which looks just like it should for the Saturday Evening Post.
Day 3: Newport, RI
Today was Newport, RI. We visited Ocean Drive where the robber barons that we learned about in high school social studies spent all their money on a spectacular string of mansions along the ocean. Vanderbilt was one of them.
Day 2: Gloucester
Gloucester, Mass
We spent the day doing the historic sights in Boston including Paul Revere territory around Old North Church. The highlight was a short drive away in Gloucester (Perfect Storm country) where we did a Harbor Cruise looking for George Clooney and finished up with an outdoor lobster dinner.
Old North Church
Day 1: Boston
My mom and I flew from Philly to Boston in time for a seafood dinner at the Union Oyster House, which they told us has been open since 1826, making it the oldest restaurant in the country. It was a nice place to meet the rest of the 30 some odd people who were on this tour with us.
Exploring Budapest
Up early to get to the airport. We had a semi tight connection in Frankfurt – which must be the biggest airport I’ve been in that doesn’t have any moving sidewalks or other people mover technology.
It was a long walk between planes but our Frankfurt to Philly flight was delayed a half hour so we could relax and get on board. Great trip. Good to be headed home.
Following the Tauck Guide
We stayed at the Meridien Hotel in the middle of the city and took some time to wander around the central city on our own.
We had had a chance to try the local wine in each stop, most of these countries have a well developed wine industries. We found a place for lunch on Andrássy Avenue, which is a major avenue with casual restaurants sprinkled in among designer boutiques. John and I shared a bottle of Tokay and some local salami and cheese. All good.
Locals at the Budapest Farm Market
We arrive in Budapest, which is easily the most sophisticated place we have visited on this trip.
Highlight of the Budapest stop came this morning when the group toured the Hungarian State Opera –the Opera House is a product of the Hapsburg era.
A Tauck special, we had a drop in visit and 3 or 4 short numbers from what must have been two of the established stars who showed up at 10AM on Sunday.
Everything else had to be anticlimactic – but we still had a good rest of the day. We visited the indoor market – a local version of Philly’s Reading Terminal Farmers Market – but bigger. Everyone got a chance to get in line behind the locals and taste some of the famous local pastry.
Hungarian Rider
We stop at a tiny port (Solt) in Hungary for some of the local culture. This is farm country with two traditional products – peppers that become paprika and spectacular horses and equestrian skills. The equestrian show included all of the local products – white and red wine, Pálinka, a dangerous local schnapps and flatbread baked in a big outdoor oven. It made for a nice preamble for the horses and riders, who were “big top” quality. The finale was a rider standing on one of a team of five horses – no saddles, just five sets of reins. He did a couple of laps around the “ring” without a hiccup. The five white horses were striking – the rider was amazing.
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