would have been incomplete without at least one overnight ride. We were in a little couchette with four bunks, but they were pretty spacious and comfortable. It was definitely an easy way to take a 12-hour train ride!
We got to Vienna bright and early, and began by exploring the city. There is a main road on which most of the sightseeing lies, so we did the loop via a combination of walking and tram-riding. All the buildings are absolutely beautiful, and things like Parliment, City Hall, the Hofsburg Palace (which houses a ton of stuff, including the Vienna Boys Choir and the Lipizzaner Stallion training grounds) and the Museum Square were really impressive. Everything here is so big and grand, it makes our cities look so lame!
We took the metro out to the northern corner of the city to go see Vienna's famous ferris wheel, which is over 100 years old and still running. It now sits in the middle of probably the strangest amusement park we've ever seen; with all the bizarre rides and decorations, walking through the park was a sight in and of itself.
After finishing the loop, we cleaned up and headed off to the Vienna Opera! The opera in Vienna distributes tickets for the evening performance an hour before the show. They are standing-room seats, but actually a really good location in the theater, and for about $4, we couldn't pass
up the opportunity! The show was a Wagner opera, and was really good except that the set and costumes were done in a really avant garde style (read: bizarre and distracting). However, the performance was very enjoyable, so we were glad to partake! We ended our Vienna evening with a traditional Viennese dinner at a popular local restaurant, complete with goulash and potato dumplings...all in all a great stop!We just arrived in
Prague, which so far has been very easy to get around and find sites (despite a language we can't understand with letters from an alphabet we don't know!) It just finished raining, so we're off to explore the sites!
See everyone soon!
Alison
Hi girls: Just re-read all your wonderful comments. You could easily write for the Chamber of Commerce for every city you have visited. Grandpa and I will be happy when you arrive back home??????Don't know if it will be any safer in N>Y> . Pionteks have arrived in N.J. Everyone anxious to see you tomorrow. I DO hope this will reach you in time. I know I'll get a call when you are here. Love you every day------Grandma.
ReplyDeleteHi girls: Just re-read all your wonderful comments. You could easily write for the Chamber of Commerce for every city you have visited. Grandpa and I will be happy when you arrive back home??????Don't know if it will be any safer in N>Y> . Pionteks have arrived in N.J. Everyone anxious to see you tomorrow. I DO hope this will reach you in time. I know I'll get a call when you are here. Love you every day------Grandma.
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