Trip Day 9 - first full Vienna

I need to say it: Thank you all who write a comment. You know I am writing the blogs mainly for us for the time when we will not be as mobile any more and then at least have the memories to enjoy. But of course it is more than an added bonus that the blogs seem to bring some joy and interest to others too. Thank you!

Friday

Because we were worried about the temperature in the room and the lighting for the night, we were very surprised how well we slept.

Breakfast was included in the hotel and we just had to show up for a buffet.

Our room was in the first floor so we decided right away to always take the stairs instead of lift.

The view from our window. This is the Votive Church.

At 9 am our first tour began. We had a local guide. We started with a bus tour. Of course he pointed out important buildings left and right. Taking photos was pretty impossible.

But then the walking tour started and we got our whispers. Love those as I have commented on in previous tours and blogs. Those are just great. 

So much eye candy around. So many things built for important people or people who thought they were important. 

And then here the huge message: Democracy must be renewed every day. As our family and friends in England, Germany and hier in Austria too tell us … people in every country worry about the politicians. 

I think this is where the Vienna boys’ choir sings. 

And this is the place for the Spanish Riding School. 

Ha-ha, no idea about this building. Just looked nice. 

Our guide pointed this cafe out. His favorite. Julius Meinl. The coffee beans are Arabica, this explaining the boy with his hat. 

I liked the pigeons looking so comfortable. 

The famous St Stephen’s Cathedral. 

We were given time to go into it. It was overwhelming. 

Thanks to some of my friends I am always in awe about organs. I thought this one looked especially gorgeous. 

After that we needed a break. We all went to the Conditorei Sluka and our trip leader Bernie told us to order the drink we wanted. I needed something hot and warming and had “Eierlikör Punch”. Oh, it was good. 

We walked past a lot of little Christmas Markets. They were opening about this time. I saw several which were charity stalls fundraising for their cause. I liked the wording in this sign. 

  

Bernie offered to lead those who wanted to a lunch place. It was nice and the food ok but service was incredible unbelievable slow. We had good conversations though. 

I had today’s special chili con carne. It arrived room temperature, not even warm. So did everybody else’s food. What a shame. 

Most and Bernie finally had to leave because they went on an optional tour. 

James and I walked back to the hotel. Next to it is the “Votive Church” so we went in. 

We were glad we did. It was not so terribly overrun with tourists and you could actually meditate for a moment. 

We liked these smokeless prayer candles and we each lid one. 

Next to the special looking organ was a special gift store. Everything was religious items (mainly nativities) carved from olive tree wood in Israel. I bought something and the young man and I started talking. He told me that he was from Bethlehem, actually had been a tour guide there. When the  recent war started he was part of 25 families to come here because tourism there was dead now. Oh, what is happening in the world?

And then we walked across the street to our hotel. 

We rested a bit and we even played a card game downstairs at a table in the lobby. It was fun. 

At 6:15 pm we left to walk to the Volksoper. We had booked tickets at home some time ago for the performance of “Die Lustige Witwe” by Franz Lehár. 

At the intermission we had a look into the orchestra pit. Quite large.

We enjoyed the performance very much. 

It was about 10 pm when we started to walk back again. Brrr, was it cold. 

When we passed a kiosk which offered hot Glühwein we could not pass it and bought “to go”. But the lady did not have fitting lids. When we tried to walk with it I was afraid to spill the hot on my hand. We found a side on the kiosk out of the wind and also shared one bratwurst. 

We continued to get back to the hotel as quick as possible. It was so cold but somehow the walk still felt good. 

At the hotel we felt we should celebrate the lovely evening and stopped at the bar for a nightcap. 

That was quite a first full day in Vienna!

Night night!