Wilkommen to Wein

Got a good night's rest and went down for our complimentary breakfast.  Good spread and we were able to pack a lunch as well.  Since this hotel was in the city, we decided to check out and leave our bags at the hotel and walk around a bit.

Walked down through the Museums Quartier through the Maria Therelien Platz into the plaza of the Natural History Museum and the Art Museum.  Not having a clue at all about this city, we opted for the Old Timers Tour.  Not so much money and we figured we would learn something.  So off we went in a 1949 fire wagon.  Good info but not so good for taking pictures since the roads are covered with tram tracks the ride was a bit bumpy.  Basically it was the same ride that we got from the cab driver except it was daytime and we got a narrative.  We did get a sense of the place of what we wanted to see and didn't want to see.

This city is under total construction.  Everywhere you go they are rebuilding, building, or excavating something.  It's a bit disconcerting.  Getting off the tour we ran into a Austrian band in the square.  That was a hoot.  Hung around for a while and then tried to find the Jewish Museum, having to go through the Stevinsplein, which is a huge tourist center, only to find the museum under construction.  Decided to get away from the crowds and walked up to Johann Strauss Concert Hall, which has lovely gardens.  Ate our lunch on a park bench.  Pressed on to Beethoven Square and then down to the Opera House.  Had a cafe and called it quits for the tourist thing. Made it back to the hotel, picked up our luggage and we were on our way to our next location.  Navigated the underground pretty good and found the hotel with not too much trouble.  Although this hotel is a bit larger, again, the room is very euro simple.  We have a ton of stuff from the bike company.  I hope we can sort it all out.

Met Richard for dinner - although he wasn't eating anything.  A touch of Montezuma, I'm afraid.  We went to the mall (which is the only place around here) and found the one Austrian restaurant.  I had the Weiner schnitzel and Geoff had something I can't pronounce, let alone spell, but it looked and tasted like sausages.  Richard sat and talked for a while and then he took off.  We did decide to do a boat trip together tomorrow down the Danube.

There is this very famous giant ferris wheel in Vienna, which was built about 100 years ago.  It resides in a very lively amusement park.  We had talked of going there tomorrow but a nighttime ride on a giant ferris wheel sounded like fun.  Hopped on the U and we were at the park in no time.  This thing is enormous - almost 200 feet high.  You go up in a cable car that holds about 10 people very comfortably.  It was wild seeing the park from way up there.  After that, we got on the regular ferris wheel with the open bucket and got some more views.  Walked around and gawked at all the rides and the amazing things people put their bodies through.  We had a very nice night at the fair.

We are all tucked in now.  Night, night

Next time... The Blue Danube