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Vienna, Austria
Day 12, Weds July 18
Day 13, Thursday July 19
Images of royalty, ornate buildings and outdoor cafes fill my mind when I think of Vienna. This is the crowning jewel on our fabulous European adventure. I can't believe it is almost over but today we must say goodbye to Joost. His smile and sense of humor was a perfect addition to our tour.
Mom Wow!
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Third Man Museum and the old film projector.
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History museum and the beautiful art
Door of the Day
Vienna Opera House
Good bye Joost!
Refreshing iced coffee at Cafe Mozart.
As we drove to Vienna we made a stop at Mauthausen concentration camp that was in use from 1933-1945. Everyone had their own audio guide and walked through at their own pace to reflect on what happened to the innocent people confined here. The statues are from different countries to commemorate the lives lost.
Wow! The architecture here leaves me speechless. (And that is hard to do!) We met our local guide, Gerhard, and went on a city walk learning about the history of Vienna and the ruling families that lived here. He showed us the plague column that an emperor erected to thank God for saving his city after a savage plague. So much to see here and everywhere we look the buildings are amazing. It was a long day of walking so after the city tour we went to a local grocery store and bought some fruit and cheese to take back to our room. We ended the evening at a local cafe, enjoying a glass of wine and people watching.
It's day 13...the last full day on our tour! I can't believe this is the last day with our fabulous guide, Tara. After breakfast she showed us how to use the U-Bahn (a Vienna City Pass is included in the tour and covers transportation in the area) and we were off to meet Gerhard. His museum, The Third Man Museum, is a fascinating place full of war stories and movie memorabilia. We then climbed aboard a local bus and went to the Vienna Opera House. A beautiful place full of elaborate ceilings and tapestries. I could almost hear the champagne glasses clinking as opera patrons waited for the show to begin.
Gerhard wasn't done yet! He had so many stories to tell us as we walked around his city. We paused for a coffee break and he showed us some good places to enjoy famous Vienna treats. Mom and I went to Cafe Mozart (where Graham Green wrote 'The Third Man') and had a delicious iced coffee. We ended our time with Gerhard at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, home to great works of art, ornate hallways and more elaborate ceilings.
Back at the hotel we rested a bit and then met our tourmates for our final dinner together. We ate at Griechenbeisl which was established in 1447! The meal started with bone broth, tafelspitz (so yummy and tender) and chocolate for dessert. Before I knew it, it was time for a group picture. Lots of hugs were shared as people began to walk back to the hotel. Tara took some of us to a local festival with live music. We didn't stay long since it was going to be an early morning to catch our ride to the airport. It was fun to walk the streets back to our hotel and take in the sights and sounds of this magnificent city and reflect on our journey these past two weeks.
We stayed two nights at the Hotel Am Stephansplatz. It was a very nice room and look at this awesome view of St. Stephens! It is just a few steps away from the front door of the hotel.
Auf Wiedersehen meine freunde! Good bye my friends, it was wonderful meeting all of you and I hope our paths cross again.
Another scrumptious breakfast buffet. I certainly gained a few pounds with all the food available at breakfasts throughout this tour.
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