Day 18 - AT

Cookie says...
This mornings mission was to find some big ferris wheel that Julz had read about and I wanted to get to the blue Danube (our family home is Danube Drive). Found the wheel alright... how do you spell tourist trap? And it was in the middle of a theme park that was straight out of the eastern bloc. There were some neat models explaining the history that the wheel and St Stephens (big church in the middle of town) saw including WW2 and invading Turks.

After leaving we found the Danube but it wasn't quite what we expected. Instead of a pleasant river that was blue, it was a fast moving dark mass of water flowing through man made canals.

I've seen cleaner areas in Inala, sorry mum!

We continued our walk into town where we checked out a little more of the city then headed back to the hostel to have a nana nap and get the time-lapse gear.

Mikey, we found a cute outfit for you!

After setting up the computer and camera, we sat chatting, joking and watching the strange looks we and the camera were getting. It was a little cool so it was good to find somewhere for dinner (Wiener Schnitzel and beaf Stroganof - yum). Crashed at the hostel and worked out what we had to do to train it to Salzburg.

Julz says...
Ok, so I admit, the large ferris wheel that overlooked the city was a bit of a dive - but I figured it just re-inforced our view that Vienna really isn't that nice (especially in winter). However, Peter's quest to find the Danube (all bright as beautiful as the waltz claims) was just as uninspiring, so I figure we were pretty even.

We wandered around town for a few hours and then headed back for the camera gear (and a small sleep). Cookie assures me the time-lapses are worth it, but my first experience of one is freezing my butt off outside some whopping great big church getting strange looks from the locals. After the first hour of frostbite, I started asking myself if I was actually insane! Thankfully, we are heading to Salzberg tomorrow, and so we should be able to see what a nice-looking town in Austria is like!

Cookie says it's character building, it's FRICKEN FREEZING!!!

Day 17 - AT

Cookie says...
Woke early and stepped out into Vienna. First thoughts were that we were in Adelaide as everything was closed. Soon discovered that every second person smokes and spits in the street. Also noted that the base of trees in the streetscape are canine lavatories.

First up we headed towards some palace and walked around it through the big (but devoid of life) gardens however it was still a popular location for the locals and tourists alike. Locals were jogging or hiking (with walking sticks of all things - turns out it's called Nordic hiking) through the grounds and tourists were being tourists doing touristy things on a tour.

Next we made our way back into town via tram and underground (it's a quick small network here) and found a monument to Beethoven that Julie was looking for. We saw a nice, big church in our travels and decided to do a sunset time-lapse tomorrow and then for lunch it was a case of when in Rome so we had beef goulash and sacher sausages. Quite simple meals but very nice.

Time for some time-lapsing!

As with my last European trip it was time for some culture. This time we watched a ten piece band with some dancing and singing which was alright.

Me riding on their tram system

Julz says...
First place to visit today was Schloss Schonbrunn palace, and after walking through the large gardens (albeit not as pretty as in summer), we headed into the centre of town.

A garden palace in winter (very colourful and inspiring hey!)

We were stopped by some local concert ticket sellers, and after examining the selection, we decided to treat ourselves to a classical Vienna concert, featuring all the greats (Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss).

Lunch was in a quaint little cafe with traditional Austrian food and warmth for Cookie (who had discovered rather quickly that he hadn't packed as much warm gear as he should have). Headed home for a snooze (via some big arse random church), and then back in for the concert, which was fantastic. Quality classical musical is not hard to find here, especially when you have only the best musicians from the Vienna symphonic orchestra teamed with fabulous opera singers and ballet dancers. Although Cookie claimed he was only bravely sitting through it for my benefit, I know deep down he enjoyed it and appreciated the cultural experience.

From the concert

Oh, and I didn't realise how stupid Cookie can be! (see 'I am a tram' image inserted above)...

Day 16 - AT

Cookie says...
Pretty simple day. Woke early and trained it to Luton Airport where we boarded our flight and landed in Vienna, Austria in the arvo. After finding our hostel we had dinner at a Turkish place on the same block and had a quiet night in planning our assult on the town tomorrow

Julz says...
First day of holidays and after Cookie complained about the size of the bathroom, we were off and racing. Its interesting travelling with someone who actually talks to drunk random strangers on the train.

The flight was delayed but after figuring out the Vienna underground train system, we found the hotel ok. Cookie is such a gentleman, and let me drag my own suitcase across the interesting Vienna pavement (yup, I have waited 6 months for a boyfriend like this). Oh well, maybe he will make up for it tomorrow...