A day in Vienna

Written by JB Jr.

Not having traveled alone with my Dad for over 13 years, I didn't really have too many expectations of what it would be like. I think of myself to be the seasoned traveler as this is the 2nd year I have had off in 7 years and so consider it my job to look after the old man, as he is now into his 60's – roughing it, sleeping in hostels and eating cheap junk food isn't really his thing – thank goodness for that as I am a bit tired of that travel style too and I will have enough roughing it for the rest of the traveling this year.

We walked a lot yesterday and too my surprise, Dad was up and at it this morning and raring to get out of town to the Schloss Schonbrunn, one of the highlights of Vienna, this is the summer palace and hunting lodge of the Hapsburgs, who were the imperial family and was constructed for the Empress Maria Theresa. A stunning palace and formal gardens about a 20 minute Underground ride out in the suburbs.

Dad being an excellent photographer, this is a great opportunity for me to pick up some tips so that I can make use of the new camera I purchased in the US in January. I have already learnt the framing technique today and can see the benefit in some of the shots.


This is a 2 week trip and we don't want to peak too early so have limited ourselves to only one sightseeing trip today and a stroll through town as well as the mandatory coffee and Viennese cake stop. We have just spent £16 on two bits of cake and 4 Nescafes – a bit steep (no joking really the Cafe Diglas was fantastic, I recommend the Chocolate Banana cake – outstanding!)

I have realised that I know nothing really about Austria other than there is some good skiing, Mozart, some good looking horses and the Austro-Hungarian empire. It is a well-off country but I have no idea why, what are its main exports? Wikipedia here I come!

Tomorrow we leave for Budapest in the morning on the “Avala” train, only a 3 or so hour trip.

Pic: Its a good job the minature railway wasn't running!

Lots of photos available here

Southampton to Vienna

Written by JB Sr.

A 2 hour delay on flight to Paris CDG, but Orient Express (the real OE not the overpriced steamer with Louis Vuitton clad aristocrats) left on the minute and arrived in Vienna 15 hours later also on the minute! Sleeper compartment was compact and bijou but very comfortable, great scenery in Eastern France as the sun went down and in Austria as the sun came up.

We brought our own dinner – baguettes and fine Brouilly; one of the 9 Crus of Beaujolais – who can name the other 8?. My son managed to name 6, so his vastly expensive education wasn't entirely wasted! We slept really well and had a good breakfast in our sleeper, included in the price, but the packets of rye bread, like most things that we know we ought to eat because they are so good for us, were totally inedible, possibly an incorrect packaging of nylon pot scourers!

Vienna is simply excellent, but then I guess most cities are if you see them in the sunshine. The underground railway, is modern, clean efficient and cheap and the city itself is very fine with lots of street cafes, with a thoroughly authentic Austrian feel.

Most impressive of all was that our hotel room was ready for occupation at 9:00am – how often does that happen? We walked much of the historic centre that morning, but this was punctuated by multiple coffee and consequential toilet stops (the old guy isn't the one with the bladder problem – I have had the operation.)

We managed to escape from Mozart's house without being tempted to buy the golf balls bearing his immortal silhouette.

We set out on this trip to sample at least 1 humble dish a day, with cheap wine. Lunch was a fabulous Wiener Schnitzel with wine spritzers as they didn't serve beer and dinner was set in a fabulous 'Keller' in an old part of town (The Zwolf-Apostelkeller) where they served fabulous wine and a large plate of typical Austrian cold cuts.

Only one of us climbed the Donautrum tower for some panoramic views of the city, as someone had to stay down and stand guard of our belongings.

The train across the Danube to the hotel for tea. A great first day in Wien.