ungkler: Waltzing Through Vienna

Austria : Vienna
Winter 2011

Habsburg's winter residence at the Hofburg in Vienna
(Feb-2011)

Journal Entry... I could have gracefully waltzed my way into Vienna, but the bitter winter made it a silly thought of mine. I was bundled up in my parka and knitted scarf pulling a heavy luggage. Austria sits right next to the alps, so go figure the winter cold.

17-feb: Side trip to Vienna...

OBB intercity bus
at Venice station

Hubby wanted to see Vienna for a side trip from Italy. There's a backdoor route to Vienna (Austria), from Venice (Italy). Journey started with a 3-hour intercity bus ride to Villach (Austria), a mad dash for the train at Villach station coming off the bus in under fifteen minutes, and a 4-hour train ride to Vienna... or a total of seven hours, but well-compensated by a postcard winter wonderland alpine scene.

OBB train
at Villach station

Hubby and I would have had the entire second class train cabin (where our reserved seats are) if only we had thought early of drawing the curtains shut. Other passengers were in search of available seats, and two of them - a male and a female who were strangers to each other and to us - had squeezed their way inside the cabin amidst our bulky luggage, and grabbed seats eating up on leg room I'd wished I can have all to myself during the train ride. Hubby was then forced to lift one oversized luggage up the overhead railing to make space for two people; it would be a hassle to put up a protest under the circumstances. Next time, I won't forget the trick with those train curtains*wink;)

Alps scene on the backdoor route from Venice to Vienna

Hubby and I arrived in Vienna proper in the evening. A waiting taxi at the train station brought us to Schottenring. Check-in: #ViennaCityApartments. Apartment is located in the historical district of Vienna: Innere Stadt. The significant landmarks inside the Ring: Rathaus (city hall), Hohes haus (parliament bldg.), Burgtheater (national theater), Universitat Wien (public university), Hofburg (imperial palace), Stephansdom (cathedral)... were all within a walking distance.

Ice skating at the Rathaus on a winter day

The Rathaus (city hall) all lit up with festive lights at night

Food trip
at the Rathaus

Vienna's Rathaus stood out in the night from its eye candy lighting. An ice rink had been set up in front of the Rathaus and the yearly enthusiasts are seen skating around it having fun in the cold outdoors. The cold winter weather in Vienna was not the normal cold, it was biting it cut through my thick clothing pricking on skin. Hubby and I were running and jumping to generate a sweat to no avail... Vienna was freezing cold in winter!

Window shopping in Vienna

Those who can't ice skate, like me, ended up taking photos. Hubby went to grab food from a food kiosk selling a variety of sausages, i.e., frankfurters, bratwursts, etc., straight from the grill. Trivia: The sausage was concocted by a German butcher in Frankfurt, and found its way to Vienna's (foodie) culture. Strolling around in negative (-8) degree temperature to be exact, hubby and I circled the Inner Ring, enunciating hard to pronounce street names we'd pass along... Karntnerstrasse... Rotenturmstrasse... Mariahilferstrasse...

A complimentary bottle of Osterreich Gold in Vienna

Photo-op with Alfred
at Vienna apartment

The apartment owner, Alfred's treat was waiting for us on the apartment dining table. It was a complimentary bottle of Osterreich Gold - gold leaf swirling around in white wine, like a "snow globe". If only the wine bottle was not heavy, I'd keep it for souvenir and not drink it. Alfred carried on with a Viennese style of humor. The night hubby and I arrived for check-in, Alfred in a serious tone goes, "Ah...there's a problem with your reserved apartment. It is not available. So, I am giving you an upgrade to the suite-Apartment 8. Would that be a problem?" Not at all, Alfred, not at all... LOL. Prost!

19-feb: U-Bahn to Naschmarkt... Link to>>> Journal Entry: U-Bahn to Naschmarkt #italy #vienna #winter2011

21-feb: Day trip to Schonbrünn... Link to>>> Journal Entry: Imperial Palaces #austria #vienna #winter2011

22-feb: Arrived Milan... Link to>>> Journal Entry: 360-degree of Milan #italy #milan #winter2011

oOo
PHOTOSTITCH

#Austria #Vienna #winter2011

Backdoor transit, Venice to Vienna...

Check-in: Vienna City Apartments...

Around Innere Stadt...

Night in Vienna...

Check-out apartment...