Central Europe 2018

At last - clear skies! Our transfer to a new city - and a new country - went as smooth as clockwork.  We’re getting the hang of the trains - but getting a taxi can be a challenge.    In Lauterbrunnen there were no taxis - we just had to walk to the station the village is so small;  in Innsbruck there was a taxi rank just around the corner from our apartment; we were in a hotel in Salzburg, so reception ordered a taxi for us - but in Vienna: there were no taxi ranks nearby, no reception to help us, and we couldn’t pronounce the address of our apartment so ordering on the phone is fraught with difficulties.  Anyway, after much research I found an app for my phone: MyTaxi which is used over much of Europe.  So I could order a taxi with the App - I even paid for it on the app!  My only worry was: does it work? Will it turn up on time?  What happens if it doesnt?  What then - will we miss our train? But it worked!  Half an hour before due tim...

Heading for the Museum sector today.  Several thunderstorms are forecast so thought it a good idea to plan on being undercover.  As it turned out they didn’t eventuate! We started at the Albertina Museum - Monet and Picasso to begin with.  But they weren’t my favourites - these were:  The first by Giocometti, (entitled Peace) cant remember the other one. The Albertina Museum is house in an annex of the Imperial Palace so we got to see some more of the Royal apartments - this time we could take pictures. Now off for some more food!  We found the Naschmarkt (Night-market) - colourful and buzzing with activity on a Friday lunchtime.  Lots of fresh food stalls: With food stalls and restaurants to suit everyone’s tastes.  We ate some Viennese savouries while people watching. We planned another Museum - the Museum of Modern Art (MUMOK) - our feet were sore but rain was threatening so we took a pick from the Museums at the Museum Quatier - mainly because it l...

Well, it was raining this morning when we awoke, but by late morning the skies cleared, so we headed into the city again. We had to start with food, but instead of your normal lunch we had instead - coffee and cake. Not just any coffee and cake - just the most expensive coffee and cake we’ve ever had!  The cafe at the Hotel Sacher, famous for the specialty of the house: the Sachertorte. (A chocolate cake with apricot filling). One of the best coffees we have ever tasted too! In pretty plush surroundings. Then on for a tour of the famous Vienna Opera House: (This is what you do when you get bored of standing in a queue) Fabulous building which is surprising modern in most parts, because parts were destroyed in a bombing in WW2.  The main auditorium and staircase survived thankfully. We were fortunate to be able to watch the scenery being set up for the evenings performance.  What a fabulous experience it must be to watch an Opera here, one of the largest opera houses in th...

A golden day at last - beautiful sunshine.  Perfect for a lazy saunter around town.   Would you believe it, no sooner had I emailed Mandy to remind her to pack a brolly, than I discover I left mine in last nights restaurant!  So as rain is forecast for later today it has become a matter of urgency that I buy another! So we combine that shopping expedition with finding Helen’s sandwich shop - the one recommended by Rick Stein.  Which we did very easily - thank you Helen!  It’s a great spot. A massive array of delectable little open sandwich’s to choose from - 1.30 euro each.  So we selected a plateful each, accompanied by a glass of wine (most locals were choosing either a tumbler of wine or a small glass of beer).  At first it was standing room only in this tiny shop, with people spilling out on to the footpath.  But then we swiftly grabbed one of the 4 or five tables with seats crammed together.  They are like gold and swiftly taken when vac...

Spent the whole day here more or less.  No chasing all over the city on foot - we just walked all day around Schönbrunn Palace and gardens.  A beautifull day, but with storms forcaste, so we had to carry rain gear just in case. The sheer scale of this place is overwhelming - set in 400 acres.  It’s the main draw card, so the crowds started on the underground trip there!  Standing room only.  Even though its not full season yet, we had to queue for tickets and were allotted a time slot for entry into the Palace.  We had to check the backpack into the cloakroom, queue for the toilets and dodge group tours.  AND we couldn’t take photos anywhere inside the Palace.  What a shame. Baroque decor, thousands of family portraits 10 feet tall, gold filigree, chandeliers - the lot! But we managed to escape the crowds and tour groups - tucked away in a corner of the vast gardens we found a cafe, where we “had a moment of reflection”.  We felt so fortunate...