Category: Vienna

FLYING FROM VIENNA TO ROME
Our travel day from Vienna. Instead of taking a water taxi down the Danube River, we hired a land taxi for $50 cheaper. Not that pretty of a drive. The driver came from Slovakia. I wish I had more time to read up on the recent history of this part of the world. Lots of changes in the past 20, 10, 5 years. The border crossing between Austria and Slovakia was a simple hand-wave. It would be nice if all national borders were like this. We definitely would have visited Jerusalem is the Jordan – Palestine – Israel Border was so simple. The Bratislava airport is so quaint – reminds me a little of the Cordova airport. Not that small, but small enough that they shut down for lunch and they had a green patch of grass that we went a played in outside and watched the planes take off and land. Not much traffic and all brand new. Clean. We now we experts on the Ryanair system, so I lined up first in the que and had no problems finding seating together on the North side of the plane that wold give me views of the Alps. We flew low over the countries of Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and the Adriatic. Dwana has always wanted to visit Croatia. This was as close as we were going to be this trip. We flew over so much history and natural wonders. Earth lived upon for millenniums. Flown over in an instant. The Adriatic looks bigger in person. We touched down in Rome HARD! But still the passengers in the cabin clapped – another Ryanair tradition. Running for your seat and clapping at landing. Nice travelling with only 4 small bags. I almost missed our Terravision shuttle bus because I was collecting water. We caught the Metro to Cipro station and entered into our new place … with the Pope as our neighbor.

Finally a green walk.
Our last full day in Vienna. So, we walked, caught the Metro, took a bus, and took a tram. I did not know what the day was going to hold. The weather was sunny in the morning so we packed a picnic and tried out the Metro to venture to the Vienna Woods. We took a Metro to Hallistadt station. Caught the 38A bus to Kalenberg and exited at the top of the hill. After gazing out over all of Vienna including the Danube, we started our walk down through the woods. So cool to be in woods again. We having been hanging around the city centers too much. Back to nature. The woods were so needed and so exciting for Ezra and Viena. They picked up sticks, and leaves, and Viena even carried around a cardboard box to use as a sled. We ate our picnic lunch along the way – always better when you eat outside. Ezra even snacked on some of the vineyard grapes. The walk was all downhill and in the shade of the woods most of the way. So glad we decided to go on this walk. The end of the walk took us through the Grinzing Winery where lots of famous people sponsor grape vines for peace. Our 3 euro Tram ride was waiting for us at the bottom of the hill and dropped us near the city center. We then walked to the University of Vienna and the Museum District and then back home past the Palace and the St Stephen’s Cathedral. All in a days walk. People are always hanging out near the cathedral. I wonder if this has always been true. We finally had a successful attempt at Gelato. Ezra likes vanilla and Viena like chocolate. Everyone one slept great for our last night in Vienna.

More than just look up.
A down day. Every walk we attempted involved tears … even when ice cream was involved. Ezra and Viena must really be missing the toys of the last place. Sometimes I think I have the only children that cry around ice cream. Having 100 flavors to chose from all in German did not help. So, Ezra left in tears after 2 unsuccessful tries of ice cream accommodation. Oh well. Better luck next time or just try to find a place with only 2 flavors – chocolate and vanilla. I have been trying to exchange a rouge 22000 sri lankan rupees. Oops. We are without internet, so travel planning around transportation and housing has been more difficult. I run to the local Tmobile shop for free wifi. The bank of Austria also has free wifi but they do not exchange Sri Lankan Rupees. We do not need to use the internet for places to see in Vienna because they are all right here. We have been listening to Mozart and Strauss on the radio in the backpack as we walk around Vienna. this saves us around 100 Euros since now we do not need to go to the concert set up for tourists. The weather has been a combination of grey clouds blue skies and a chill in the air. We had breakfast in the sun on the street near the canal. We took a simple afternoon evening walk around Old Vienna. The children love playing in the tub. A big nice tub is great compared to the tiny shower stall we had in Rome.

We did alot of walking today. The best way is to start off with a playground.
All the stores are closed today, but not the bread shop at the bottom of the stairs. District II has a high population of Jewish people. The young boys and yung men are easy to spot on the streets by their clothes and hairstyle. We walked early in the morning to the playground in Prater Park. Lots of Austrians out this morning exercising – running, walking, biking, or rollerblading. Very active. Very sunny this morning. We have not seen this many people out exercising in the morning since Southern California with a northern California attire.About 50F outside. We played at one of the many Prater playgrounds and ate our breakfast of breads and fruits. Not many eggs sold here. The playground equipment , especially the high wire practice area would not pass US safety codes. Still no public toilets. They must have their reasons. Viena was rollerblading with the other rollerbladers. A nice fresh chilly sunny fall morning. We are here for our 5 days of chill-feel here in Vienna. We came back to our place to find Luka and his dad. All of the children played together. Luka is 1 and a half and shares many birth properties with Viena. Luka was born at home on March 3rd in the living space where we were playing. Figure the odds of that one. Luka’s dad is from Italy and he shard some Italian pasta making secrets with Ezra. After lunch, we packed up and walked across the Danube canal to our new place in District I. The place was virtually empty. A bed. A kitchen set. A table. A bathtub. The bathtub was excellent. And the best part of all, was the location right near the St Stephen’s cathedral. Very opposite our last place that was well-furnished and had lots of toys. We spent the afternoon and evening walking around the very crowded streets of Old Vienna. the streets are great for walking because they do not allow cars. What a concept. So nice to walk around street in the absence of cars. I do not where the cars park or how everyone arrives – bu metro or by bus or taxi. Sunshine and autumn inclinations. Vienna is the same latitude of Newfoundland. We found Mozart park. Statues and big building rayed in sunshine – a street performance between moving Metro trains.

A day spent at the Prater. I did not know they celebrate Octoberfest early in Austria.

Dwana found the 2nd hand childrens clothing store. Viena found a pair of roller-blades. Ezra found all the toys in our new place. Everyone is quite content here in the chilly grey city of Old Town Vienna. We are staying in District II but we move to District I tomorrow. I love having a fresh bread shop at the bottom of the stairs. Dangerously close. Viena and I smelled the fresh bread as soon as we reached the street on our early morning walk together. Ezra and Viena have been in a Christmas playland since a little bo lives here. We saw the big Ferris Wheel. Maybe we will go there later. After Viena and Ezra played in the inside playland, we went on a walk to the Kettlemarket. Lots of locals out at the market buying fruits and vegetables, flowers, honey, bread and cheese. Viena has been asking for rollerblades – forever – since her last pair “disappeared” in Maui. So when we finally found one s her size at the second hand store we had to buy them. The small things that bring big smiles. So now smiling Viena is rollerblading the streets of Vienna. She loves rollerblading the wide sidewalks smooth sidewalks of Vienna. We have not had these wide sidewalks in a while. Quite a change from the scooter driver sidewalks of Kuala Lumpur. Vienna is colder , but not biting cold, even with sprinkles of rain falling from the grey sky. We walked to the Prater and rode the Ferris Wheel (Foley), bumper cars (Ezra), Roller Coaster (Viena) and the Train (Dwana) Entertainment for all. Ezra loved the bumper cars. He wanted to ride again. Viena loved the roller coaster. She wanted to ride again. Dwana loved all the warm clothes the kids were wearing from the 2nd hand store. The afternoon sun was shining through the clouds on the Ferris wheel. Lots of Austrian out having an early start to Octoberfest in September on a Saturday night. We have not seen all the open-drinking in a while. Not in Bali (KUTA BEACH exception). Not in Thailand. Not in Malaysia. Not in Borneo. Not in Sri Lanka. and especially not in JORDAN. We are in Austria – land of the big mugs. In Austria, in the crowds, I am not as easy to sopt as I was when walking around the streets of SE ASIA. Not many children out today. Those children who were out had their own wheels – stroller.

We finally arrived in Vienna. A little colder here. Viena is all smiles.

We rose at 6AM and shortly afterwards our bags were packed on our backs and another door was locked and closed behind us and we were once again “homeless” walking the early morning streets of Rome on the way to Vienna Austria. A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum and past the Colosseum for the final time. The windy angular streets of Rome are becoming familiar to me by now. Yesterday’s discovery of the Oppim Hills playground was a truth to this fact. Today, we walked 90 minute to Termini Station where we waited for another 90 minutes for our bus to Ciampino Airport where we waited another 2 hours. Sound fun. The flight over South Central Europe was scenically wonderful. The lands are all green and carved up farmed quadrangles. Green flat forested land cleared geometrically for farming. The Ryanair flight flew low over the land. Ryanair flying is an experience in itself. Everyone needs to fly Ryanair once in their life. I have never seen so many people running across the tarmac so they can board the plan first and grab their nice window seats or select seats near family in our case. Ryanair charges for everything, even seat selection. To check a bag is 50 to 100 dollars. We boarded the jet with our allotted 4 small bags and of we flew. We could feel the temperature change in the plane as we flew North. We landed in Bratislava and took a taxi into Bratislava center. We had another 2 hours before our water taxi into Vienna so we walked around the harbour area of Bratislava and were pleasantly surprised. We found a quaint little town section full of cable cars, old style cars and an European style McDonalds. People we dressed in coats and hats and scarves and gloves – a different climate then we have been in. The temperature change we felt in the plane was not just altitude but latitude. In the airplane we could see the clouds start to gather the farther North we flew. The Croatian Islands were something new to my eyes. The rains began as we sat on our boat on the Danube River – Our European Alaskan Ferry Experience. Viena was all smiles embracing the rains atop the watercraft. The rains fell and the skies grew grayer as we cruised upstream on the wide brown river of the Danube passing castles and ruins from times ago. Our new host Susanna greeted us at the harbour in Wien. This is so nice when we are greeted in unfamiliar places. We walked the Danube canal to our new place. Home Sweet Home. Such good hospitality. Viena has arrived in Vienna and there are toys everywhere.