This trip was planned 9 months ago and was originally going to be 8 or 9 days in Vienna and Prague with my good friend Ray. A lot has happened in my life since then – most notably my divorce after 26 years of marriage and subsequent decision to move to Europe to start a new life of travel and adventure. I had been thinking about moving out of the U.S., at least for a portion of the year, as early as the fall of 2016 when American voters elected the devil reincarnate as president. No more politics, I promise.
I had visited Malta in February of this year on what was truly a lark. I was visiting my son Bryce in Rome where he was studying abroad during the second semester of his junior year at Creighton University in Omaha. I decided to extend my trip a few days and decided to go to the Ryanair website to look for options. Ryanair is a discount airline operating primarily in Europe, similar to JetBlue or Allegiant. I was looking for a destination within an hour or two of Rome that was relatively cheap. The first destination on the list was Malta and the one-way fare was €25! I decided to look no further and booked a flight for Bryce and me. Because of the low fare, I splurged on a private tour guide and booked a beautiful hotel room. Long story, short… I fell in love with the beauty and history of the island in one short weekend. Little did I know at the time that I would be moving there less than a year later.
So, I decided to extend the trip beyond Austria and Czechia to include a trip to Malta to scout housing options and from there to Lithuania. Why Lithuania, you ask? To which I reply: Why not? Actually, there’s a bit more to it than that. After a trip in 2024 to Sweden and Denmark that I enjoyed immensely, I decided that I was going to visit all the Baltic countries at some point during my world travels.
Day 1 – Friday, August 22
A few weeks before the trip, I learned about a website called InterNations.org. Essentially, it is a networking site for expats all over the world. Since I am about to become one, I decided to join. Through the site, I got invited to several activities in the Chicago area and met some really interesting people, one of whom introduced me to couch surfing (more on that later). I decided to check out the InterNations group in Vienna and discovered a group of their members was getting together our first night in town for a local folk festival (think Oktoberfest, but on a much smaller scale). So, I signed up.
I arrived mid-morning and made my way to the hotel in Vienna. It was in a great location just a few steps away from a U-Bahn (subway system) stop. A few hours later, Ray arrived. We got settled, walked around a bit and then headed to Neustifter Kirtag. There we met 6 or 8 expats and enjoyed visiting over bratwurst, Hungarian Lángos, and a couple of beers. One of group was a 20-something year old Chilean named Claudio who lives in Vienna and works as a Spanish teacher. We hit it off immediately and hung out together most of the evening.
Day 2 – Saturday, August 23
I love hanging out with the locals. I’m a retired college football official and a number of years ago, I met a very large German (he’s 6’7”) named Mats from Hamburg who was also at an officiating clinic in Dallas that I was attending. We’ve since become friends and I’ve traveled with him in the past. In fact, I asked him to join us on this trip but he was unavailable. He did, however, put us in touch with a Viennese football (American, not soccer) official who agreed to show us around. Thomas Hofbauer spent the day with us and was the perfect host. We visited Schönbrunn Palace, Wien Museum, a Flakturm and had a delicious Wienerschnitzel for lunch. That evening, we met up with Claudio for Mexican food.
Day 3 – Sunday, August 24
Sunday was another glorious weather day filled with miles of wandering to see more beautiful sights including Schlosspark Belvedere which houses a large collection of Gustav Klimt paintings. We ended the evening at a sports bar watching soccer with Claudio, our new friend from Chile, and the local members of the Barcelona FC fan club.
Day 4 – Monday, August 25
This was our last full day in Vienna. More sightseeing and a late afternoon meetup with Claudio where he took us to the Prater (a famous amusement park), then down to the Danube River and finally, just before it closed, we rode to the top of the Donauturm (Danube Tower). A fabulous way to end a wonderful stay in Vienna.
Day 5 – Tuesday, August 26
We checked out of our hotel and headed to the train station. Vienna public transit is so clean, efficient, and safe – a refreshing contrast to the “L” in Chicago! After a picturesque ride of about four hours, we arrived. Our apartment was within walking distance to the station. For lunch, we had authentic Czech goulash. So good!
A few weeks earlier, I had used the InterNations app to find a member who lives in Prague. Turns out, Radu Coman is a Romanian who previously worked for Microsoft in Seattle. I asked for some sightseeing advice and the conversation eventually led to a dinner invitation. Ray and I had a wonderful dinner (except for the smoked eel appetizer – ugh!) with him and his wife at a very popular local restaurant. Afterward, they accompanied us on a lovely, after-dark stroll near the river.
1. Hladinka (Smooth Pour)
This is the standard Czech pour, featuring a generous, creamy head of foam (typically about three fingers) atop a golden lager.It is poured in one continuous motion to achieve the perfect balance of beer and foam, sealing in freshness and flavor. Hladinka is known for its crisp and refreshing taste, often paired with hearty Czech dishes.
2. Šnyt (Cut/Small Beer)
The Šnyt features a higher proportion of foam to beer, roughly two parts beer to three parts foam, with a small empty space at the top of the glass. It offers a less filling, more refreshing experience than a full Hladinka, making it a popular choice for pairing with meals or as a lighter option between full pints.
3. Mlíko (Milk Pour)
The Mlíko is characterized by a glass filled almost entirely with dense, creamy foam, resembling a glass of milk.
It offers a surprisingly sweet and smooth taste with minimal bitterness, highlighting the aromas of the hops and malt.
Mlíko is traditionally consumed quickly, almost like a shot, to fully enjoy its unique texture and flavor before the foam dissipates.
Day 6 – Wednesday, August 27
My first full day in Prague started with a workout at a nearby gym where I bought a 4 day pass. Then a stop at a nearby grocery store where I bought some beautiful, fresh berries and hard rolls for breakfast at the apartment.
Activities for the day included a boat tour, the famous Charles bridge, hanging out on the river for a beer and a snack, hike up to Prague Castle. For dinner, Ray and I attended a dinner hosted by the local InterNations chapter. There we met several local expats including an interesting chap from Russia.
Day 7 – Thursday, August 28
Another beautiful day in Prague. The Communist Museum proved to be incredibly educational and interesting; the electric trike tour was awesome, and for dinner pizza followed by live theater.
Day 8 – Friday, August 29
The first day in Prague with less than ideal weather. We experienced a few light rain showers during our trip to Terezín, about 90 minutes from Prague on a tour bus. A very sobering day, indeed. The evil that human beings can inflict on fellow human beings is simply mind-blowing.
Day 9 – Saturday, August 30
Saturday was our last day in Prague with a late flight to Malta getting in about 11:00 p.m. Ray and I spent several hours at the zoo in Prague before heading to the airport.
Day 10 – Sunday, August 31
We stayed near the airport last night. Today we ordered a Bolt (a competitor of Uber operating in Europe) to take us to Valletta, the capital city. There we dropped off our luggage in a souvenir shop and explored on foot. Later we took a ferry to Gozo (the other inhabited island of Malta) Gozo wiki. By late afternoon we had arrived at our Airbnb in Xagħra. Xaghra – wiki
Day 11 – Monday, September 1
Monday was a big day. We explored the square in Xhagra in the morning and then met with a local realtor named Melissa Grech. She is a native Maltese with a delightful personality and accent. The plan was to look at properties on Gozo on Monday and Tuesday and on Malta on Thursday. At this point, my intention was simply to decide what area of Gozo or Malta I might want to live in and return at some future point and select an apartment. When I had corresponded with Melissa prior to the trip, she let me know that the apartment market moves fast and that any apartments I looked at would most likely not be available when I returned in November or December.
We looked at four properties on Monday with a couple more showings scheduled for Tuesday. All the apartments are completely furnished. I found two of the properties to be amazing – a 2-bedroom in Victoria for 1,600 Euros (about $1,850) a month and a 1-bedroom on Marsalforn Bay ( Marsalforn – wiki ) for 1,100 Euros (about $1,275). By mid-afternoon I had already decided that I couldn’t let the Marsalforn apartment slip through my fingers so I contacted Melissa and told her to cancel the Tuesday showings and start preparing the lease.
Ray and I spent the afternoon at the Cittadella ( Cittadella_(Gozo) wiki ) and had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant ( Kartell Restaurant ) that is a five minute walk from my new apartment.
The main square in Xhagra:
The penthouse apartment in Victoria was great, but…
This turned out to be the one:
Afternoon spent at the Cittadella:
We ended the day with a wonderful dinner and a walk around the area near my new apartment:
Day 12 – Tuesday, September 2
I started the day with a Bolt ride to Victoria to work out at what may turn out to be my regular gym. In the afternoon, we visited Dwejra ( Dwejra – wiki ), which just so happens to be one of the top scuba diving locations in the world! My newest hobby, perhaps? We spent several hours that evening at the March of the Coronation in Xhagra, which is part of the Festa Marija Bambina (a Catholic celebration).
Our last night on Gozo:
Day 13, 14, and 15 – Wed., Thurs., Fri., September 3 – 5
On Wednesday, we made our way back to Birgu, Malta to check into a different Airbnb. I found a new gym to work out in and we explored several areas including Valletta and St. Julian’s. The sights are simply amazing!
Our Airbnb in Birgu
Other sights in Malta…
Day 16 – Saturday, September 6
So… a little background to set the stage for the next couple of days. A few weeks before my trip, I heard about a website called Couchsurfing.com. couchsurfing.com In a nutshell. it’s like Airbnb for travelers, but you stay for free in whatever accommodations a host is willing/able to provide – a couch, an air mattress, a private room, etc. The idea intrigued me greatly, so I investigated it and decided it sounded like a great adventure awaiting me. There are two ways in which a traveler can secure lodging – one way is to hunt for prospective hosts by reading their profiles and contacting them directly; the other is to post a “public trip” where the website sends a communication to all available hosts in that region. I did both, not 100% sure that I would follow through if given the opportunity. Of the 5 hosts I contacted directly, only 3 responded and all declined my request. So a few days before heading to Vilnius, I booked an Airbnb for four nights.
I was checking my email the day before the trip and I see a message from Couchsurfing.com. A host is offering me a room! I quickly scan her profile and see that she lives in Klaipeda. She has hosted 56 surfers from 33 countries and has stayed as a guest in 6 countries. I assume this is a suburb of Vilnius and I quickly accept the invitation. Only later do I find out that Klaipeda is a 4 1/2 hour train ride from Vilnius. Screw it, I’m going! Here is her profile:
I was up at 4 a.m. to catch a very early flight to Lithuania. Ray caught a later flight back to the States. I arrived in Vilnius around noon and dropped off some of my luggage at my Airbnb. From there, I grabbed some lunch at an outdoor cafe in a park on the way to the train station. At about 9 p.m., I arrived in Klaipeda. I took a Bolt to her apartment, a Soviet-era walkup (of course, she lives on the top floor) built in the 70’s. After an awkward hello, Dalia invited me in. The apartment was modest, but neat. She asked if I was hungry and fed me some leftover chicken soup and hearty dark bread. It was a huge bowl of soup and when I told her I was finished with some soup still left, she said: “What? You no like??” Her grandson was staying at his mother’s so I had his bedroom all to myself. As I readied for bed in the lone bathroom, I noticed something strange – no sink! Just a toilet, washing machine and bathtub. So I tiptoed out to the kitchen and brushed my teeth there.
Day 17 – Sunday, September 7
I woke up early and Dalia offered to make me breakfast. She made me an omelet with bread and coffee. The coffee was wonderful. I couldn’t believe it when she told me it was instant. I invited her to accompany me sightseeing but she had things to do and declined. I told her I would buy her dinner in town after I got back. She protested, but eventually agreed. I headed to downtown Klaipeda in a light drizzle, stopped for a cappuccino to let the rain stop and then hopped on a ferry for a very short (500 yards maybe?) to the Curonian Spit Curonian_Spit – wiki. From there, I took an hour-long bus ride to Nida.
Nida was so picturesque! I spent several hours walking around watching the sailboats, eating sushi from an outdoor kiosk (delicious!) and climbing to the top of the lighthouse. At the top of the lighthouse, I struck up a conversation with a young couple from Vilnius. Since I was heading there the following morning, I asked if they would like to have dinner with me there on Monday night. Much to my delight, they agreed.
After returning to Klaipeda, Dalia and I went to dinner. She put on what I assume was her best dress. So cute! She was a wonderful host.
Day 18 – Monday, September 8
I got up early and took the train back to Vilnius which turned out to be perhaps the best place I visited on this trip. I arrived around noon and set out to find a gym. Lemon Gym This one was unique – 100% automated. There was no staff. In order to get into the gym, you had to download an app, register and purchase your membership. The app then generated a QR code that allowed you entrance. Very cool!
After that, I wandered around the Old Town, very near where I was staying.
For dinner, I met my new friend Mantas (his wife was unable to join us). After dinner, he led me on a private tour. I was was struck by how fiercely proud the Lithuanians are of their homeland and culture. Living in the shadow of the former U.S.S.R. and now Putin has not been easy for them. Something you should probably know if you ever visit here. They HATE the Russians! Vilnius at night is spectacular.
Day 19 – Tuesday, September 9
I booked a bike tour for today and, despite my paralyzing fear of heights, a hot air balloon ride for the next day. The tour was fantastic. I was the only American in the group. We covered a lot of ground in 2 and a half hours! We even visited the Republic of Užupis. Read about the constitution here: Uzupis – wiki
I got an email mid-afternoon asking if I could do the balloon ride later that afternoon. The weather forecast was calling for high winds on Wednesday and would most likely have to be cancelled. My anxiety level went up noticeably as I responded with a “yes, I’ll be there…”
I had lunch at an authentic Lithuanian restaurant and had cepelinai. Cepelinai – wiki Delicious, but so heavy. I would have gone back to the room for a nap but knew with the adventure awaiting me that there would be no chance of falling asleep.
The balloon ride proved to be one of the highlights of the entire trip. I was joined by eight others in the basket including three active duty American sailors and three young actors from California who were there shooting a movie. It’s a love story that will be streamed in 3 to 5 minute snippets on TikTok. Who knew there even was such a thing?
It took me quite a while to relax and enjoy the ride and all the while I was snapping pictures I videos, I couldn’t stop thinking: “Just don’t drop your d*** phone!!!”
Day 20 – Wednesday, September 10
This was my last day in Vilnius. I got in one last workout and spent a couple hours at the Museum of Occupation and Freedom Fight Museum website. It was another chilling reminder of the incredible depths of depravity some humans can reach and the pain they can inflict on their fellow man. This building once housed the KGB (secret security police of the former U.S.S.R.) and the Gestapo during the two year period during WWII when Nazi Germany occupied Vilnius.
I spent the late afternoon and evening enjoying more of the beautiful sights including a steep walk up to the Hill of Three Crosses. History of the Three Crosses. I ended the evening with a delicious dinner of Indian food. Cozy Restaurant – Vilnius Once was enough for the cepelinai!
Late meal on my final night in Vilnius. Feeling a bit melancholy at this point. I’m ready to get back to the States after three weeks of travel but realizing that this fabulous adventure is nearing the end.
Day 21 – Thursday, September 11
Today I take an early flight to Nuremburg, Germany where I will spend the day before heading back to Chicago via Frankfurt the following day. Little did I know that on my last full day in Europe, I would become a YouTube sensation.
It all started when I decided to head to the Old Town and grab some lunch. I just happened up a restaurant called Zum Guldenen Stern Restaurant website. It looked deserted, but at about 2 p.m., most of the lunch crowd had already eaten. Shortly after I sat down, I heard an American voice behind me, ordering his lunch. I struck up a conversation with him and eventually asked if I could join him. The rest, as they say, is history…
I made a new friend in Emeka. We spent the afternoon together sightseeing and completely oblivious to the fact that I would end up in his YouTube and TikTok videos. Emeka’s videos are shot primarily in Germany but he occasionally travels to other countries to try the local cuisine. I invited him to Malta and he assured me he’s coming for a visit! After he headed home, I found the Tucher brewery/restaurant and enjoyed chatting with the locals “auf Deutsch” (in German). For some strange reason, my German gets better after a couple of Hefeweizen!
Day 22 – Friday, September 12
After an uneventful and on-time arrival back in O’Hare, here I am waiting to tell the Customs officials that I have nothing to declare except this: “I just got back from having the time of my life”.
But wait, there are more and perhaps better adventures to come!
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