Eastern Europe in a whirlwind!

Seems like we have been traveling like crazy lately. Since our last post we have been to Cesky Krumlov, Vienna, Budapest, Split, and now Dubrovnik. Haven't had much time to post as every minute seems precious. The trip is coming to an end and we still have much to see so we don't feel like we have much time to waste. So here goes....
Cesky Krumlov was a fun little town that unfortunately didn't have very good weather. We had planned on rafting the river but it looked a bit chilly for our likes. Good to get out of the city, though.
Vienna is a very sleepy big city. It doesn't seem like they have woken from the slumber they began just after WWI. The history on the Hapsburg empire was very exciting and they left a ton of excellent architecture for visitors to marvel at. We had planned on seeing an opera or something of the sorts but it was all shut down this time of year. While we were sitting on a bench enjoying a drink as the sun went down, Hazen noticed a travel agency that specializes in the Middle East. He popped in to see if they could give any insight into getting from Turkey to Egypt. He not only gave us tons of travel information but had us in for tea and boclava from Damascus. We chatted for about an hour and a half. It seems if you happen to meet a rude person while traveling you are always sure to meet at least three extremely helpful people to even it out.
Budapest was a riot. A town with nearly 10 million people that was a hive of activity while we were there. For those who live in small towns and can't comprehend 10 million people, like we had trouble doing, it is a lot of people and slightly overwhelming. We did manage to figure out the public transportation and we were off like a rocket. Hit an enormous music festival called Sziget. It was on an island in the middle of town. Most people had been camping for over a week as we only attended the final day. Big splurge for us but Hazen has always had a dream of attending a huge European festival. Tons of crazyness and again; overwhelming. Some of the highlights include Eagles of Death Metal (not Death Metal), Juliet and the Licks, and The Killers. Decided to relax a bit the next morning by taking in a Turkish bath. There are quite a few baths left over from when the Turks occupied the town and they are very popular. We spent about three hours jumping from lots of different baths throughout the ornately decorated complex. Hungary is an amazing place that deserves some more exploring but not enough time on this trip. On to Croatia (to da beach!)
Our anniversary was spent almost entirely on a train. The good news was that we were serenaded by some insanely intoxicated Portuguese travelers. Arrived just in time to catch the sun setting over the Adriatic to create the most beautiful sunset we have seen on the trip. This morning we headed straight down to Dubrovnik. We have been looking forward to this town for years. The place is definitely worth the hype. We have three nights here and it should be seven. While traveling through the country we witnessed the most beautiful countryside we have seen. I think we are in love. The Dalmatian coast makes our second favorite coastal spot, Cinque Terre, look like the beaches of Washington State! We have a private room on the hill above the old town and damn. Not many views like that in the world. No exaggeration. Spent the afternoon swimming and had a great candlelit dinner on the waterfront. The dinner was about 25% of what it would have cost back home in the same setting. Just picked a bottle of the local vine juice and headed to the room to watch the old town light up against the Adriatic. After three nights we are going to jump a big boat to Greece! Keeping the beach theme going. Sure was great to hear from people lately. Hope that continues. Love hearing what is going on back home especially as the trip goes on.