Sep 12 - ... to Vienna: Orienting ourselves to the musical city
Hotel: Imlauer Hotel
BEING stretched out in business class, I dozed, tossed and turned, and then awoke for breakfast as I read more of 'The Help.'
It got fairly exciting around 8 am when they said we were about fifteen minutes from Wien. The clouds had cleared so I could see towns, the Danube and the beautiful Alps.
After landing we were whisked to the terminal and lo and behold ours were the first bags to show up. Then for 3.60 Euro we took the S-train into the city to Pratersterne station and then the U-bahn to our hotel on Rotterngasse 12 (spelling?) where our room #103 was ready for us which was great. We dropped our bags then rested a bit and checked our e-mails. Marie-Anne had sent me a message as had Mom and Dad. This is my first trip that I am able to be so incredibly connected. Yes, in the past I have been able to update a blog as I go and even chat with msn, but this time, I have my own handheld device that can be used in almost every hotel, have access to any open wi-fi as well as have the ability to chat on Skype. Amazing.
Kevin with his Bike Friday in the case. For those not in-the-know, that's a folding bicycle in that suitcase.
We headed to the U-Bahn #2 after walking past the big ferris wheel to the bike shop to test the crappy and heavy bikes. Crap! MA and I will have to get folders sooner than later. Bromptons most likely; Bike Friday also possible or even Dahons or their new competition Tern.
The train took us to the centre of the city to St. Stephen's where we got some AP's and did the tourist thing along with thousands of other tourists. Being our first day we were really only getting our bearings and not full-fledged tourists yet!
We had gotten pretty hungry so we wandered to a restaurant where I had breaded chicken and fries along with a Stiegl beer! Just like back in 1992 when I was here last. There was lots of food but I gobbled it all up.
Since 1492 Stiegl has been combining water, hops, malted barley and yeast to make a light ale.
We went in search of the Stadtpark but sadly Strauss' statue is out of the arch while they do repairs. We still got nice shots of the Hofburg, Rathaus and a number of other incredible buildings in the central core. What an incredibly ornate city. I quite like it.
Still here, though missing his arch which is currently being repaired. Will I have to go back to see it re-assembled?
By about 5 pm we were zonked so we subwayed back to the hotel where we surfed, dozed and rested before wandering out for a snack and a beer. This time I just had a soup and a beer made in Wien. Night had fallen so I got a few night shots of the old buildings and the full moon, then we wandered back to the room where I did my first trip laundry. Then I surfed before bed and read 'The Help.'
A trio of Wiessbiers. I didn't used to like them but now find them nicely crisp and refreshing.
