A Festive Winter Waltz WFIU Public Radio

A Festive Winter Waltz
WFIU Public Radio
Classical Budapest, Vienna, and Prague
December 4-13, 2016
“Oh! Mozart! Immortal Mozart, how many visions of a
brighter and better world you have imprinted on our souls.”
- Franz Schubert
Join classical music host George Walker and fellow WFIU Public Radio
listeners for a classical music journey to Budapest, Vienna and Prague.
Enjoy the beauty and pageantry of classical music as it was meant to be
experienced, in Europe’s most legendary symphony halls and opera
houses. Visit the great composers’ homes and walk in their historic
footsteps through Central Europe’s romantic musical capitals. Sip hot
spiced wine among colorful Christmas stalls in Vienna’s open air market,
enjoy a performance at the Budapest State Opera and stroll through the historic back alleyways
of Prague. Grab your muffler, don your boots and join us on this festive winter small group
getaway with WFIU Public Radio.
YOUR JOURNEY
3 Nights
3 Nights
3 Nights
Budapest
Vienna
Prague
Earthbound Expeditions Inc.
POB 11305, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 USA
T. 800 723 8454 / T. 206 842 9775 / F. 206 238 8480
www.EarthboundExpeditions.com
JOURNEY HIGHLIGHTS
Colorful Christmas markets  Private tours of the homes and museums devoted to Liszt, Mozart and
Beethoven  A total of four classical concerts to be performed in Budapest, Vienna and Prague  An
evening dinner cruise on the Danube River in Budapest  The State Opera Houses of Budapest and
Prague A special chamber music concert in the Monastery of the German Teutonic Order where
Mozart worked, performed and lived  Private guided walks in Budapest, Vienna and Prague with local
experts  Unique dining experiences in charming cafes, wine cellars and restaurants  Vienna's Fine
Art Museum  Backstage tour of the Budapest State Opera House highlighting the life of Gustav Mahler
 An insider’s tour of the residences of Mozart and Beethoven in Vienna  An in-depth look into the
history of Prague's Jewish community and quarter  A small, like-minded group of fellow WFIU Public
Radio travelers.
IT'S INCLUDED!













Travel with George Walker, longtime classical music host at WFIU Public Radio
Guided by an expert Earthbound Expeditions program director
A performance at the Budapest State Opera, the world famous Musikverien (home of the
Vienna Symphony), plus concerts in the homes of Liszt and Mozart!
Historic sightseeing walks in Vienna, Budapest and Prague with intriguing local guides
Evening dinner cruise in Budapest
Nine nights of accommodation in splendid, centrally-located 4 star hotels
All breakfasts, four traditional lunches and four multi-course dinners
Airport transfers in Europe for those arriving and departing with the group
Ground transportation by private motor coach
Gratuities for your guide and driver
All entrances to museums listed in your itinerary
A pre-tour educational reading/video viewing list
Alumni travel discounts applied towards future trips with WFIU Public Radio and/or Earthbound
Expeditions
Earthbound Expeditions Inc.
POB 11305, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 USA
T. 800 723 8454 / T. 206 842 9775 / F. 206 238 8480
www.EarthboundExpeditions.com
TRIP FACTS
10 Days/9 Nights (add one night for air travel)
$3,595 per person land based on double occupancy (based on 21-29 guests)
$3,795 per person land based on double occupancy (based on 13-20 guests)
Single Supplement: $590
Trip begins in Budapest on Sunday, December 4, at 7:00pm in the lobby of your hotel
Trip ends in Prague on December 13
Group Size: Limited to 29 WFIU Public Radio travelers
Airport Transfers: A complimentary airport transfer will be available from the Budapest
Ferenc Liszt International Airport to the hotel on December 4th. Earthbound will offer two
transfers, the first will be following the arrival of Lufthansa 1676 at 12:25PM and the second
following the arrival of Lufthansa 1678 at 3:35PM.
SAVE $300!
Save $200 when you reserve your space before September 15, 2016
Save an additional $100 if you pay the final balance by check
Not Included: Roundtrip Airfare, luggage fees, alcoholic beverages, gratuities for room service or
housekeeping staff, items of a personal nature, and items not mentioned.
YOUR CLASSICAL WFIU JOURNEY BEGINS…
*Meal key:
B = Breakfast
L = Lunch
D = Dinner
Saturday, December 3Day 1: Depart home city for historic Hungary
Sunday, December 4Day 2: Arrive in the city of Liszt…Budapest!
Isten hozta! Welcome to Budapest! Our musical journey through the treasures of Hungary, Austria,
and the Czech Republic begins appropriately enough in Budapest. Plan to meet your guide and
WFIU host, George Walker, at your centrally-located hotel for a welcome orientation and dinner fit
for a Hungarian king. Sleep in Budapest (D)
Earthbound Expeditions Inc.
POB 11305, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 USA
T. 800 723 8454 / T. 206 842 9775 / F. 206 238 8480
www.EarthboundExpeditions.com
“Music embodies feeling without forcing it to contend and combine with thought, as it is forced in most
arts and especially in the art of words.”
Franz Liszt
Day 3: Discover Budapest, the Liszt Memorial Museum & Cruise the
Danube: This morning we’ll meet our local guide for a leisurely historic
walking tour of the two cities, Buda and Pest. Our tour will take us from
the imposing castle district of Buda to Hungary’s stately parliament
building in Pest. This afternoon we’ll enjoy a special tour of the Liszt
Ferenc Memorial Museum. Liszt, the founding president and professor of
the Academy, accepted no salary for his teaching and donated a treasure
trove of personal belongings to the institution, including his Chickering
piano and composing desk. After our visit to the museum, we’ll be
treated to a special private concert in the Liszt Academy.
Your afternoon will be free to further explore this Eastern European gem, or reward yourself with a
relaxing Turkish bath at one of Budapest’s famous bathhouses. Tonight take in the stunning views
while enjoying your evening meal on a dinner cruise along the Danube River. Sleep in Budapest
(B, D)
Day 4: Heroes’ Square & Budapest State Opera House
After a leisurely morning, we will travel beyond the banks of the Danube deeper into Pest to
explore impressive Heroes’ Square with its mighty statue of the Angel Gabriel, its glorious Fine Arts
Museum and many architectural curiosities. Then we are off to the Great Synagogue in Dohány
Street, also known as the Tabac-Schul, the Yiddish translation of dohány (tobacco), after the
Hungarian name of the street. It is a monumental, magnificent synagogue, with a capacity of 2,964
seats (1,492 for men and 1,472 in the women's galleries) making it one of the largest in the world.
The afternoon is free to explore the city markets, museums and cafés before meeting your fellow
travelers for a performance at the gorgeous Budapest State Opera House of Francis Poulenc’s
masterpiece Dialogues des Carmélites, which received its premiere in 1957 at La Scala in Milan, and
maintains a unique place in the operatic canon. Enjoy the performance! Sleep in Budapest (B)
Day 5: Off to Vienna: A Day with Haydn and Liszt
Guten Tag! This morning we are off to the legendary home of Strauss,
Mozart, the Habsburgs and the waltz! Upon arrival we check into our
centrally-located hotel. Then take time to marvel at this merry city
resplendent with colorful lights before joining your fellow travelers for a
hearty Viennese dinner, hosted by your guide in an historic Esterházy family
wine cellar, frequented by both Mozart and Haydn in a by-gone era.
Sleep in Vienna (B, D)
Earthbound Expeditions Inc.
POB 11305, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 USA
T. 800 723 8454 / T. 206 842 9775 / F. 206 238 8480
www.EarthboundExpeditions.com
Day 6: In Pursuit of Mozart and Beethoven
Enjoy a morning walking tour through the lively streets of Vienna.
Accompanied by a local expert, learn why Vienna in the 18th century was the
musical capital of Europe. Today you will enjoy a guided tour of the Beethoven
Pasqualati House, where Beethoven is known to have composed his Fourth,
Fifth and Seventh Symphonies. From there, we’ll walk in the footsteps of
Mozart and tour the Figaro House.
The afternoon is yours to explore Vienna at your own leisurely pace. We
suggest a visit to one of the nearby festive Christmas markets, the House of
Music or the Belvedere Palace Museum, where the works of Art Nouveau master Gustav Klimt are located.
This evening’s private concert is at the Sala Terrena within the Monastery of the German Teutonic Order.
It is the very chamber where Mozart himself first performed in Vienna as a young man!
Sleep in Vienna (B, L)
Day 7: Vienna's Fine Art Museum & Musikverien
The Museum of Fine Arts ranks among the richest and most important art collections in the world. In its
corridors you’ll find dazzling works by Bruegel, Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Dürer, Raphael, Titian and
Velazquez. After our tour of the Museum of Fine Arts, enjoy an included traditional Austrian lunch. The
afternoon is yours to explore the charming streets and cobbled lanes of Vienna. Or enjoy a little shopping
at one of the cities many Christmas markets. This evening you’ll be treated to a concert in the world
famous Musikverien (home of the Vienna Symphony and New Year’s Eve Ball). The Bruckner Orchestra of
Linz will perform works by Haydn and Tchaikovsky. *Note: Tickets are first come/ first served. If you
reserve after mid August and tickets to this event are no longer available please note that another
wonderful concert will be booked for you in its place. Sleep in Vienna (B, L)
Day 8: North to the Towering City of Prague!
This morning we say “auf wiedersehen” to Vienna and we’ll
make our way north towards the soaring spires of Prague.
Arguably Europe’s most beautiful city, Prague is the birthplace
of Franz Kafka and the city Mozart loved best. It’s also your
home for the next three nights. Being that this is our first
evening in Prague, let’s enjoy a Bohemian feast together.
Sleep in Prague (B, D)
Earthbound Expeditions Inc.
POB 11305, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 USA
T. 800 723 8454 / T. 206 842 9775 / F. 206 238 8480
www.EarthboundExpeditions.com
Day 9: Old Town Prague & Jewish Quarter
Our historic walking tour of Prague begins in the medieval center. The Old Town Square has
been Prague's heart since the 10th century and was its main market place until the beginning
of the 20th century. Within the Old Town Square you discover a massive monument to Jan
Hus, the Church of St Nicholas, and the gothic Old Town Hall with its medieval astronomical
clock and calendar.
We then continue to Prague’s historic medieval Jewish Quarter. The Old New Synagogue
(built around 1270) is the oldest active synagogue in Europe and one of Prague's earliest
Gothic buildings. The Old Cemetery, founded in 1478, is Europe's oldest surviving Jewish cemetery
and is a highlight of the city tour. After the walking tour, enjoy some free time this afternoon to
explore the quaint lanes of this captivating capital. Meet this evening for our fourth included
concert.
Sleep in Prague (B, L)
Day 10: Charles Bridge & Wenceslas Square
We have a full and exciting day ahead of us, so let’s get going early! We start our walking tour with
Wenceslas Square. Originally a horse market, the Square is the main center of modern Prague and
has been the backdrop for a great deal of Czech history. In 1969, university student Jan Palach set
himself on fire in protest against the Warsaw Pact invasion. Then in November 1989, protest
meetings against police brutality were held here, leading to the Velvet Revolution, which
culminated in the end of communism for Czechoslovakia.
Enjoy a farewell lunch near Charles Bridge today. After enjoy a free afternoon and stroll the merry
streets of Prague. Sleep in Prague (B, L)
Day 11: Your classical journey concludes
An early morning group transfer is included at 6:30am. You will arrive at the airport at
approximately 7:00am which will give all guests enough time to catch a flight which departs Prague
after 9:00am. Taxis are also available for approximately 40 euro. Bon Voyage!
- Itinerary Subject to Change Earthbound Expeditions Inc.
POB 11305, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 USA
T. 800 723 8454 / T. 206 842 9775 / F. 206 238 8480
www.EarthboundExpeditions.com
MEET YOUR WFIU HOST, George Walker
WFIU Producer/On-Air Broadcast Director
George Walker began announcing for WFIU in 1967 while completing
an M.A.T. degree in English at Indiana University. Following a brief
career in journalism on the east coast, he returned to Bloomington.
Part-time work with WFIU and a return to school for classes at the
Jacobs School of Music led to a full-time job as the station’s chief
announcer. Over the years George has added opera and theatre
reviews along with interviews with regional and touring artists to his
regular schedule. George is a member of the Bloomington Chamber
Singers and uses his voice and guitar to help with services at
Congregation Beth Shalom.
CONCERTS: WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
Former Winter Waltz guests have enjoyed chamber music concerts in historic venues, operas in grand
opera houses, symphonies in stately symphony halls and the occasional ballet and/or advent concert.
You can be assured that we’ll do our very best to obtain the best concert seats available and will reserve
a pleasant balance of venues and events. Concerts will be announced approximately 60 days prior to
departure. SCHEDULE NOTES: Earthbound Expeditions is not responsible for any changes regarding the
program, performers, times and/or dates which the concert organizers may alter. If for reasons beyond
our control a concert is changed or cancelled, a substitute concert will be found.
CHRISTMAS MARKETS OF CENTRAL EUROPE
Each year Christmas Markets spring up around central Europe in the weeks before the
Christmas holidays, signaling the beginning of Advent. The centuries-old tradition reaches
back to a time when regular seasonal markets took place throughout the year. Christmas
Markets were a welcome occurrence during cold-weather months. They were joyful
occasions for weary villagers and added a bit of light to long winter nights. The first
Christmas Markets were little more than winter markets that lasted a couple of days.
Instead of the cozy stands that line Christmas Market alleys today, traders in some cities
laid their goods out in the streets. Through the years, each Christmas Market has stayed
true to its own particularities, with each specializing on local delicacies and traditional
products. It is likely that the Christmas Markets drew more visitors when religious reformer
Martin Luther instituted new customs for Christmas. Before Luther, the exchanging of
presents took place on the saint days of St. Nicholas, on December 6, or of St. Martin, on November 11.
It was Luther who suggested that children receive presents from “the Christ child,” hence the name
“Christkindlsmarkt,” a popular name for many Christmas Markets.
Questions and Reservations
800 723 8454
www.EarthboundExpeditions.com
Earthbound Expeditions Inc.
POB 11305, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 USA
T. 800 723 8454 / T. 206 842 9775 / F. 206 238 8480
www.EarthboundExpeditions.com
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Concert and Events: If a planned concert or event is cancelled for any reason, another concert or event will
be included in its place. This will not be cause for refund.
Hosted Journeys: If a host or special guest is unable to attend as planned, Earthbound Expeditions will do its
utmost to find another host who has similar interests, talents and expertise. The inability of a host to
participate in a tour is not grounds for a full or partial refund.
Reservations and Deposits: A per person deposit of $500 is needed to confirm your space on most journeys.
We prefer payment to be made by check, but we also accept Visa, MasterCard or American Express. You can
make your secure credit card deposit online, by phone or by mail. Deposits are refundable for 60 days from
the date received or 90 days prior to departure, whichever comes first. A $75 dollar per person processing
fee will be applied to all cancellations, regardless of when they are made. Once the deposit is processed, a
deposit packet is sent with pertinent journey details.
Final Payment: You will be sent an invoice approximately 75 days prior to departure, which will include any
currency price reductions or additions. A non-refundable final payment, payable by money order, check or
credit card, is due 60 days before departure. It is the responsibility of each passenger to make a timely
payment. A final packet of information will be sent approximately one month before departure. Pay online or
mail checks to: Earthbound Expeditions PO Box 11305, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110, USA.
Cancellations Land: All cancellations must be made in writing and are effective upon receipt in our office.
Deposits are fully refundable for 60 days from the processing date or 90 days prior to departure, whichever
comes first. Deposits made 90 days prior to a trip departing are not refundable. A $75 per person processing
fee applies to all cancellations.
No refunds are made for cancellations after the non-refundable deposit date. It is for this reason we strongly
encourage the purchase of Travel Insurance at the same time you reserve your journey with us. Please refer
to your specific journey details, especially private and hosted journeys, as policies may differ.
Health Matters: It is the responsibility of each guest to be aware of their physical abilities or limitations, and
to be in sufficient good health to undertake the trip. To make the most of your journey and participate in the
various planned group activities, you should be able to be on your feet and walk unassisted for three plus
hours (often over uneven cobblestones or pathways) at a reasonably pace with frequent standing. If you have
questions about the physical requirements for your journey, please email or call our travel office. If you find
upon arriving on a trip that you have misjudged your fitness level you may find that you’ll need to sit out
some activities. Your guide we will assist you in making alternative plans when appropriate. Where your
comfort or mobility concerns necessitate individual arrangements, you may incur small extra expenses
(example: taxi fares).
Any preexisting physical, mental, or emotional disability that may require attention must be reported in
writing prior to beginning the journey. Although it is not mandatory to participate in every planned and
included group activity, not doing so isn’t cause for a refund. For those desiring additional exercise, our trips
allow free time to explore at your own pace. On boats, planes, ships and ferries, guests will need to be able to
maneuver unassisted up and down gangways, stairs and in between decks. Smokers may smoke outside and
downwind of the group.
For more information go to: http://www.earthboundexpeditions.com/terms/terms-conditions/
Earthbound Expeditions Inc.
POB 11305, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 USA
T. 800 723 8454 / T. 206 842 9775 / F. 206 238 8480
www.EarthboundExpeditions.com