FUN-photos: Prague to Trieste – September, 2013
November 11, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Prague to Trieste – September, 2013
Our trip started on September 16th. We flew to Prague from London on the 17th. Then we trained to Munich for opening day of Oktoberfest. From there we rented a car and drove to Dachau and on to Füssen to see the Neuschwanstein Castle. (#17 on the list vying for the New 7 Wonders of the World) Next we headed to Salzburg and Vienna where we dropped the car. Then we headed to Budapest and on to Trieste by train. We spent the night in Villach, Austria to eliminate the overnight train.
If you click on the first picture it will allow you to create a slide show. And it turns out they are in ascending order (in other words, the first is actually the last) So if you click the back arrow you will see them in order. Enjoy!
FUN-travel: Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary
October 2, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary
Day 13 – Saturday, September 28 – Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary – clear blue skies, mild, cool – high 50’s
Parliament
What I LIKE
- 6:30 – wake up
- 7:15 – Americano w/hot milk today
- 8:30 – taxi to train (get more on time bonus pts!)
- only takes 10 minutes (1 hr early makes Chris happy)
- hang out @ station – quite nice w/lots of shops & food options – clean & bright w/big windows
- 9:30 – board
- 9:48 – take off on time
- no crowds – have big table with 4 seats (double facing seats)
- lovely australian couple across from us
- 12:49 – arrive on time
- 1:20 – nice driver – nice Mercedes – takes Euros
- 1:30 – arrive hotel Palazzo Zichy – taxi cost $16 – give him $20 = $27 US
- hotel very nice, newer (4 yrs) w/modern edge
- 1:45 – off to ATM
- 2:00 – beer break – Soproni & Zlaty Bazant pints = 690 ft = $3.30 US
- take afternoon stroll to check out restaurants nearby (most offer outdoor patio tables)
- 3:05 – pizza & beer break @ the pointer pub – salami w/hot chilis, Stella Artois & Guiness = $12 US
- *4:30 – hotel lobby bar
- Chris wonders what took me so long – new travel rule – come looking for me! (oh & he said he thought he heard construction noise too)
- 5:00 – room R & R
- 5:30 – reception knocks on door w/coupon for 2 free drinks @ bar for my bathroom ordeal – validated that it really can’t be opened from the inside & emergency alarm doesn’t work!
- 8:00 – still full from pizza so just snack in room & have some good “Unplugged”
What I DON’T LIKE
- no ATM @ station & bad exchange rate
- total taxi line chaos in Budapest – people not waiting their turn (bad taxi karma awaits them)
- taxi’s not really regulated (anyone can put a sign on their car)
- beer not that good (we think Belgium is the best)
- *get stuck in bathroom on lower level – pocket door won’t open – start banging hoping someone hears – 5 mins & mild panic sets in! – emergency alarm on wall – finally pull it & nothing happens!– continue banging & reception opens door & thinks I’m crazy – reason it takes them so long – they think it’s from construction going on next door – then it dawns on them it’s 5 pm Saturday – (also, think to myself – one reason you don’t want to travel alone as no one will miss you)
FUN-fact – Hotel Palazzo Vichy was completed in 1899 as the Vichy family home. It is 3 stories high and had a basement/cellar and featured a central court yard. Once you enter through the main doors, on the left side is an impressive iron railing staircase leading up the 3 stories, while on the right side there are 6 floors. These were probably for the servants and children. Today the lobby is on the main floor where the central courtyard was and the dining room is downstairs along with some meeting rooms. There is a glass roof just above reception so the rooms get fresh air.
More FF – They offer FREE coffee, espresso, tea, water & snacks in lobby bar all day long until 5 pm when the bartender comes on.
FUN-travel: Vienna, Austria – Full Day 2
October 2, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Vienna, Austria – Full Day 2
Day 12 – Friday, September 27 – Vienna, Austria – Full Day 2 – cloudy turns sunny – cool high 50’s
National Museum
What I LIKE
- 7:15 – wake up
- more hot Starbucks compliments of my love
Hofburg Fountain
- 12:00 – lunch @ Gyros – not far from hotel – gyros plate w/rice, bread (no pita) & greek salad, diet coke = $20 Euro (RS pick)
- off to Hofburg palace – huge complex near Opera house where Hapsburg emperors lived
- filled w/museums, imperial apartments, church, national library, Spanish riding school, & crown jewels
- 1:20 – Treasury tour – opt to see royal regalia featuring crown jewels, gowns, & assorted bling in 21 darkened rooms w/audio guide
- Chris is beside himself w/all the beauty inside (not!) doesn’t really like museums – can get him to maybe one a city
- no rain
- 2:30 – walk around other half of ring (did half yesterday before rain) to canal
- stroll thru pedestrian only main shopping street – Karntner Strasse
- Spar stop for more “Unplugged” for Budapest (Chris says wine there is sweet) & snacks for train
- 5:00 – happy hour @ hotel – stiegl beer
- 7:00 – head out for dinner
- *giant outdoor screen on opera house projecting live performance for free
- 7:15 – dinner @ Palmenhaus – RS says “modern Austrian surrounded by palm trees & not tourists” – endive salad w/pears, grapes, nuts & pecorino cheese – salmon w/pesto, Mediterranean vegetables & rosemary potatoes – roasted chorizo sausage w/eggplant, tomatoes & pita – 2009 Schlumberger cab/merlot – baileys & coffee for mama! she wanted to come here & never did = $127 US
- 9:30 walk back – opera still on & square is full of people watching
More Hofburg Palace
What I DON’T LIKE
- canal walls filled w/graffiti – thought it would be much nicer area
- *German subtitles – have no idea what’s going on, other than someone’s heart will be broken & somebody will die
FUN-fact – The Treasury has one of the world’s most stunning collections & contains a really impressive 2,680 karat emerald table adornment. Its two stones grown together with little legs and the top has cap with gold filigree. In addition, they claim to have one of the nails that held Jesus on the cross.
RS = Rick Steve’s
Opera House
FUN-travel: Vienna, Austria – Full Day 1
September 30, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Vienna, Austria – Full Day 1
Day 11 – Thursday, September 26 – Vienna, Austria – Full Day 1 – cloudy, sporadic light rain & wind – low 60’s
What I LIKE
- 8:00 – my love brings me a really hot starbucks venti
Opera House Ceiling
- nice chill out day – no hurry
- 11:30 – shower & get ready
- 12:00 – explore & eat
- today is Indian – found on TA (trip advisor)
- boycotting Hop On Hop Off bus
- Vienna easy to walk
- 12:45 – lunch @ Indien Village – great service! – tarkal dal & chicken vindaloo w/rice & garlic nan – 2 pints = $61.00 US
- *2:00 – ready to explore some more
- rain actually very light @ this point
- 2:30 – end up @ Opera house – by chance tour starts @ 3:00
Opera House FUN-facts:
- season is 10 months
- only closed 4 days during then
- 22 carat gold leaf décor adorns building along with marble allegorical statuary, breathtaking tapestries, stunning ceiling paintings and astounding wall ornamentation
- crystal chandelier in auditorium overwhelming – weighs 12 tons, is 7 meters in diameter, has 1200 bulbs & crystals weigh 3000 kilos (over 3 tons)
- has 1,709 seats plus 567 spaces for standing room
- standing room seats sold day of for 3 to 5 Euros ea
- boxes for Viennese ball are $18,000 Euros ea
- bombed during WWII – only 3 rooms still original
- has 180,000 costumes
- 4:00 – back to hotel (really close) for room R & R & Happy Hour
- open bottle of “Unplugged” got @ Spar grocery store
- dinner – eat leftovers from lunch
- **8:40 – Chris heads back to Spar for snack for me
- gets take away salami pizza instead from tram vendor @ corner– VG only $2.80!
ILI (I’m Loving It) – The Ring is truly ***** hotel, turndown service w/wonderful dark chocolate (& they say Belgium is the best) king size bed, Nespresso coffee machine, water, wine glasses, robes all included @ no extra charge!
What I DON’T LIKE
- 5:45 – wake up
- *it’s raining & didn’t bring my raincoat
- **Spar closes @ 8
FUN-fact – The Vienna State Opera opened in 1869 with a performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
FUN-travel: Salzburg to Hallstatt to Vienna, Austria
September 29, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Salzburg to Hallstatt to Vienna, Austria
Day 10 – Wednesday, September 25 – Salzburg to Hallstatt to Vienna, Austria – sunny & 60’s
What I LIKE
- 7:45 wake up
View Across Lake in Hallstatt
- another good night sleep
- hot coffee on patio
- ready to go early (I’m feeling some more points coming on)
- *check out
- 9:25 – take off for Hallstatt
- muscles still sore – clearly ones not used that much!
- **have gps & map
- beautiful drive thru forested mountains & alpine meadows
- the hills are alive w/the sound of music!
- leaves starting to change color
- ***11:00 – arrive Hallstatt – story book village on lake filled w/swans
- stop @ grocery store (free parking) for snacks
- +11:50 – attempt to program Garmin for Vienna hotel – put in city center & head out using shortest route from map
- river flowing next to road
- 12:30 – another big lakeside drive
- able to program car drop off address
Hallstatt
- 3:00 – enter Vienna proper
- 3:30 – arrive city center
- WATCH (what are the chances) – our hotel is 3 blocks from car drop! Ritz Carlton right next door
Vienna
- would never spend that much on a room
- drop luggage @ The Ring Hotel first then car
- location, location, location!
- 4:00 – get settled in our big, beautiful, quiet room w/10 ft ceilings & king size bed
- 4:05 – head to happy hour for 2 pints @ Café Schwartzenberg
- GI – (great idea) – should download travel books into iPad instead of carrying – will look into that @ home
- no high rise bldgs in old town
- 5:00 – hungry & Friday’s is across the street – fajitas! jalapenos! salsa! YUMMY!
- 7:00 – Spar grocery store stop for the usual stuff
- they have Unplugged wine for only $15 Euro
What I DON’T LIKE
- *feeling ripped off – breakfast was $11 Euro pp extra and we opted out – told the charge for our 4 coffees per day totaled $22.40 Euros
- **miss correct onramp @ roundabout – takes us 20 mins to recover – morning traffic thru little towns – gps is not perfect
- ***no place to park
- +won’t take address we have & wants to take us on longer route
FUN-fact – Salzburg is one of the best-preserved city centers north of the Alps and become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Not so FF – At check in, when we said all we wanted was coffee, we were told, “That’s not a problem.” There was never any indication of a charge, or if there was, how much it would be. Had we known, we would have gladly paid $44 Euros. They missed getting another $22 Euro and we walked away saying… NA = Never Again! And feeling “shame on us for not asking.” Between that & the hop on bus experience Salzburg didn’t make the list for a most pleasant stay and should have.
Rathaus, Vienna