Vienna, Austria

Vienna has done everything possible to make us dislike it but we have been determined to have a great time!

Issues:

Number 1.Our first night in our dorm room was full of stinky, snoring men so it was safe to say we really didn’t sleep that well.

Number 2.Got up in the morning to explore and went to get some money out of my Travel Card account and was not able to. Little worried. But that’s ok because we have our calling card and we’ll just ring and fix it all up. Calling card doesn’t work. Fine. Spend 5 euros to call the card people to find out they have blocked my card to do an identity check on me. It is blocked because they did not receive the form and correct papers back by the due date….they sent the paper work to my London address. Where I am not since I’m travelling, with my Travel Card. FOOLS!! To clear this up I have to send them a fax of my passport, drivers license and a document with my UK address on it….right. Called Katie (Liz’s sister) on skype to see if she could help as all our paperwork is at her house. Turns out we were nicely organised as we had copies of all 3 things in a bag at her place. FEW! Still haven’t found out if I’m cleared or not yet. THANKS KATIE!!!

Number 3: Liz has broken out in giant red itchy bumps….she has picked up bed bugs. At 8.30pm at night trying to find a chemist to get calamine lotion and antihistamines was a feat. And we failed. Poor Lizzie went to bed so itchy. Up early the next morning though to get treatments. Poor Lizzie is still suffering... we are shaking our fists at whichever hostel did this to her!

But after all this, we have still managed to really enjoy Vienna. There is lots to do here and we have done everything we wanted to. We walked around the Ring Road which encircles the main part of the city and houses all the important buildings. The Hofburg Palace, State Opera, Parliament, Museum Quarter and lots more. We then walked a bit out of town to look at the Hundertwasserhaus which is this great apartment block which this particular artist/architect designed. It’s all different colours and everything is uneven and just great. Really different. After this we went back to the Opera to line up for nearly 2 hours to get standing tickets for 4 euro each!! The Opera we saw was called Ariadne Auf Naxos and was all in German and even though we had translation screens in front of us, it was a little hard to read that and watch. But we can now say we’ve been to the Opera. Feet were bloody sore after that!



Our next day took us to Praterstern which is a big fun fair park with heaps of rides and games and junk food. A permanent Ekka if you will. It was really quiet and not many rides were open so it was a little eerie but we had a look around and then walked back into the city. On our way there, we stopped for coffee and some on Vienna’s Sacher Torte. Best chocolate cake. Visited St Stephen’s Cathedral in the centre of the city and then headed out to a Heurige (wine tavern) called 10er Marie to test out all this wine people keep going on about. And I have to say it is worth going on about!! Liz had this white wine which had only been made that day. We think. But it came out in mugs and looked like cloudy apple juice but tasted so good! I had some red wine which I really liked. And it was so cheap. A Mug (250mls) cost us 2 euro 20 cents! Cheap drunks we were! Plus there was a festival in the streets just outside this tavern so there was heaps of great music so we had a great night.

Saturday was another wandering and exploring day ready for our big Sunday of going to Mass!! That’s right, you heard me, Mass! We got up super early to get a decent standing spot to hear the Vienna Boys Choir sing in the Chapel attached to the Hofburg Palace. We froze and our feet were a little sore by the end of it but it was well worth it. The Choir was one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard. We only got to see them for 1 song as they were in a different room for most of the service but it was enough just to hear them. As the day has been bloody cold here, we warmed up with some delicious coffees and then lazed around reading and relaxing at the hostel.

Tomorrow, Salzburg….The hills are alive with the sound of music. I AM SO EXCITED!!!