Hooray for Parents

In their day to day life, in Tucson Arizona, my (Amy) mom and dad (D&G) are as active and energetic as they come.  They golf, hike, volunteer, work out, garden and are non stop social butterflies.  While traveling with us from Prague to Krakow, while nursing colds, they didn’t let up from their typical level of activity.   

After their luxury Danube River Cruise they had to transition to winging it with their vagabonding daughter and son-in-law.  Probably pretty shocking!  Yet, they didn’t blink an eye when it came to hauling their own luggage, showing up in a town without reservations or making all decisions on their own.  They grinned even when the mattresses were kind of hard or the room a bit noisy. 

Together we experienced the highs and lows of travel and the art of patience.  I’ll never forget spending these days with my parents.  They were patient and flexible; two of the most important traits to have while traveling as nomads. To add a level of complete honestly to this blog, I have to admit that I was caught off guard by the amount of worrying I did about them.  As worrying usually goes, it was all for not.  But it added a layer of stress that I didn’t anticipate.  I worried that our accommodations weren’t good enough, that we weren’t out and about enough, that they were tired and didn’t tell me, that we stayed up too late and didn’t get up early enough, etc.  You get the idea.  I felt completely responsible for their experience when I know better than that.  Being a daughter is tough duty sometimes, especially when traveling with mom and dad in former communist Europe.  Regardless, it was a fabulous time and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Biking through the Czech Republic countryside to explore castle ruins.

Sampling Polish vodka

Rafting down the Vltava River through Ceske Krumlov narrowly escaping sure death

Touring and tasting Czech pivo (beer)

Crying as we toured Auschwitz and Birkenau

Searching for miles for the best ice cream and gelato this side of the Atlantic

Hiking with all the vacationing Czechs in the Tatra Mountains of Czech Republic

Enduring the claustrophobia inducing Wieliczka salt mines

Torturing each other on medieval torture devices

Marveling at the riches of religious leaders          And eating.  Fine dining to chowing!

Although  it’s been said that relatives and fish stink after 3 days; we all wrapped ourselves in plastic, tin foil and newspaper and thoroughly enjoyed our time.  D&G; fabulous people, parents, partiers.