A Pilgrimage to Eastern Europe

Budapest, Prague and the Samadhi Buddhist Meditation Center

Led by:

The Rev. Ed Townley
Unity Church of Dallas
Dallas, Texas

July 30 – August 12, 2008

DAY 1, Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - We will depart from the Dallas Ft. Worth airport on American Airlines for our trans-Atlantic flight.  We will connect in London and continue to Budapest on British Airways. Dinner on board. D

DAY 2: Thursday, July 31, 2008 - We will arrive at the Budapest airport where we will be met by a representative of Kuoni tours who will lead us to our waiting motor coach and transfer us to our hotel.  Breakfast and Snack on board the aircraft. Overnight Budapest. BSD

DAY 3: Friday, August 1, 2008 - After a hot buffet breakfast, we will meet our guide and begin a full day exploring the beautiful city of BudapestBudapest is actually 2 cities divided by the Danube River.  We will visit Heroes’ Square, see the magnificent parliament building where we will note that its design has a strong resemblance to London’s parliament building.  We will see the many beautiful bridges that connect Buda to Pest and enjoy seeing the many buildings which make Budapest one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.  We will visit Szent Istvan (St. Stephens’ Basilica) which is built in the neo Renaissance style.  The Basilica is 95 yards long and 60 yards wide.  Inside is a reliquary which contains the hand of St. Stephen.  We will visit the Fisherman’s Bastion, high atop Castle Hill, built on the site of a fish market and from which you will find breathtaking views of Pest across the Danube.  We will visit Matyas templon (St. Matthias Church) which is one of Budapest’s architectural gems.  We will visit the Holocaust Memorial and the Great Synagogue, which will hold as many as 3000 people and is the largest synagogue in Europe.  You will be free this evening to find one of the many excellent restaurants in the city.  Overnight Budapest. B

DAY 4: Saturday, August 2, 2008 - After breakfast in the hotel, we will have a full day free to explore Budapest on our own.  The public transportation system is excellent and the city is a great place for walking.  You may want to visit the Great Hall or the Central Market Hall as it is sometimes called.  This huge market built in 1897 is vastly entertaining.  There are stalls where colorfully displayed vegetables are sold, and there is a section for fresh meat, fish and poultry.  It is here, where you will find a vast array of paprika and other spices.  On the 2nd level, you will find gift items and in the basement you will find many shops selling oriental wares and foods.  Other options to consider today are a visit to one of the many thermal baths in Budapest or a boat ride on the Danube.  Overnight Budapest. BD

DAY 5: Sunday, August 3, 2008 - We will transfer by motor coach from our hotel to the train station where we will board a train and travel to Prague.  We will be met by a representative of Kuoni Tours when we arrive in Prague and we will board our private motor coach and begin our journey to the Samadhi Buddhist Meditation Center which will be our home for the next 5 nights.  Dinner and overnight at Samadhi Buddhist Meditation Center, Tupadly 82, 277 21,Czech Republic.  www.bhantewimala.com BD

DAY 6: Monday, August 4, 2008 - Samadhi Buddhist Meditation Center, Tupadly 82, 277 21, Czech Republic BD

DAY 7: Tuesday, August 5, 2008 - Samadhi Buddhist Meditation Center, Tupadly 82, 277 21, Czech Republic BD

DAY 8: Wednesday, August 6, 2008 - Samadhi Buddhist Meditation Center, Tupadly 82, 277 21, Czech Republic BD

DAY 9: Thursday, August 7, 2008 - Samadhi Buddhist Meditation Center, Tupadly 82, 277 21, Czech Republic BD

DAY 10: Friday, August 8, 2008 - Samadhi Buddhist Meditation Center, Tupadly 82, 277 21, Czech Republic BD

Day 11: Saturday, August 9, 2008 - Our coach will fetch us from the Meditation Center and, on our way to Prague, we will stop to visit Konopiste Castle.  We will have a horse drawn carriage ride to the castle which was founded by the Benesovec family in the forested region of the valley of the River Sazava in 1300.  It is a mature sample of the type of medieval fortification architecture represented by the French conception of a castle, a wholly unique building in this country.  Its rectangular ground plan was divided into a larger outer bailey in the west and the inner castle in the eastern part.  Seven round towers lined the periphery of the fortification walls.  We will continue into Prague where the remainder of the day will be at our leisure.  We will have dinner at our hotel.  Overnight Prague. BD

DAY 12: Sunday, August 10, 2008 - We will visit the Old Royal Palace which grew and gradually gained its present appearance from the time of its founding in the late 9th century.  The original wooden building with a stone foundation wall was converted into a stone Romanesque palace by Prince Sobeslav in the early 12th century.  Remainders of it have been preserved below ground level to the present.  The palace was adjoined on its eastern side by All Saint's Chapel, which was consecrated in 1185.  We will visit Daliborka Tower, a famous prison, which was fulfilling its function until the end of the 18th century.  Initially it was designated only for the nobility but later Daliborka held people of all ranks.  It earned its name after Dalibor of Kozojedy – its first inmate. Prague history is full of legends and there is also one about this late-Gothic part of the fortifications of Prague.  We will see Golden Lane, a street lined by 11 historic houses, which exhibit medieval armory and textiles and also sells tourist souvenirs.  We will see St. George's Basilica, the oldest church building within the Prague Castle complex.  It is also the best-preserved Romanesque church in Prague.  We visit the Church of our Lady of Victory, the Jewish Town and cemetery and the museum of the synagogue before dinner and overnight in Prague. BD

DAY 13: Monday, August 11, 2008 - After breakfast, we will have a half day guided sightseeing tour which will include a visit to St. Nicholas Church and a visit to the U Fleku Brewery including an opportunity for tasting the beer.  The afternoon will be free for you to shop or visit some of the other outstanding sites in Prague.  You will be free to enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants in the city. B

DAY 14: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 - After breakfast in our hotel, we will transfer to the airport for our return flight to the United States arriving back into Dallas Ft. Worth this afternoon. BL

Price: $2,869.00.  Price is based on double occupancy without airline taxes and fuel surcharges.  Roundtrip air from Dallas Ft. Worth.  Air transportation available from other cities.  Single supplement $699.00.

Final Payment due June 1, 2008

Cancellation Penalties
◊ March – June 1: $300 penalty per person plus any unrecoverable fees..
◊ After June 1, 2008: NO REFUND

An application for travel insurance will be included with the receipt for your deposit.  We strongly recommend that you seriously consider this coverage.

Pricing is based on the exchange rate of the Euro and dollar on March 18 of 1 US dollar = .639 Euro. If the exchange rate changes, the price of your trip will change.

Meals: B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner, S Snack

The itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions or at the discretion and direction of the leader or guide.