The Magical Mystery Literary History Tour travelers include architects, writers, editors, paralegals, software designers, computer engineers and self-described "geeks," homemakers, dancers, teachers, account executives, shop foremen, administrative assistants, water purification specialists, a doctor and even a clinical psychologist, helpful additions on any group tour, even a magical one.

They also include members of my family: my husband Byron LaDue, who posted an earlier blog entry (Kafka Project does Prague), my sister, Trudi Diamant, born in Germany and now living in Florida, and my cousin Karen and her husband Bob Willis of Virginia, have also joined the Kafka Project's mission to recover a lost literary treasure.

I have asked our group to contribute to this Kafka Project blog, in order to share with you the varied experiences we are having. While I've been able to participate in several of the city tours and meals--I try not to miss one of the great feasts we've been having--a good part of my time has been laying the groundwork for the upcoming research and getting the word out to the media. In Prague especially, the press coverage has been impressive, and many helpful new contacts have been made as a result. 

Hello Gentle Readers and Fellow Online Adventurers:

We are now in Krakow, Poland, having arrived late yesterday evening. Our hotel, the Pod Wawelem, is in a perfect location, just minutes from the Old Town Square, and at the foot of Wawel Castle. This next entry has been written for you by Glenda Winders, editor of Copley News Service in San Diego. Glenda has been a friend and editor for many years, and I am honored to have her as a member of the Kafka Project and our Magical Mystery Literary History Tour to Eastern Europe. Here is her report:

From Glenda: One of my favorite ways to organize a travel experience is to follow in the footsteps of a favorite literary or historical figure. I've tracked Boudicca through England, Keats through Rome and Robert Louis Stevenson through the Napa Valley, but I've never had the privilege of traveling with a scholar and writer who is an expert on the subject at hand. Seeing the places that were important to Franz Kafka and Dora Diamant and hearing stories about them from Kathi Diamant have absolutely brought this couple to life. Today, with Kathi pointing out significant places from our coach and reading passages from her book as we rolled through the Czech Republic on our way to Poland, I sometimes had the feeling that if I turned around and checked out the seats behind me, I just might catch a glimpse of Franz and Dora, holding hands tightly and listening intently to what she had to say.