Surprise! We’re in Vienna. Well, technically speaking we are in Hungary now, but we were in Vienna. We had no intention of visiting Austria during our RTW trip, but had to in order to get to our desired destination, Budapest. It took four hours, a bus and two trains from Český Krumlov, but before we knew it, we had arrived.
Vienna was a lovely surprise. Granted, we did spend our only full-day of sightseeing slightly hung-over, but you have to make sacrifices sometimes, right? Life is short. Two Americans, one Korean-born Australian and one Argentine in Austria = a jolly good time. Jägerbomb anyone? We have no idea where Diego and Lisa are now, but we wish them safe travels.
So, what did we see on this glorious day in Vienna, you ask?
Naschmarkt
An incredible outdoor market that stretches on for blocks, with stall after stall of flowers, spices, pastries, sipping vinegars, produce, meat, seafood, and more. Most importantly, it provided a much needed hummus fix for Amy.
Naschmarkt entrance. You can read about the history of this market here.
Colorful tulips. Christina, I was thinking about you when we walked by this stand.
That’s a lot of kraut!
Rows upon rows of tasting vinegars
An interesting observation we made in Vienna is that Austrians are constantly eating on the go; there are countless food stands strewn across the city, and it seems as though every third person you see is eating on the move. Anyone giving Americans a bad rap this behavior should visit Vienna. Naturally, we had to give eating Vienna-style a try, so picked up some fantastic noodles-in-a-box from the Naschmarkt.
Yum.
Ringstraße
The heart of Vienna is encircled by roads that are collectively called Ringstraße (Ring road). We spent a few hours walking it and were astounded by how grandiose everything is; architecturally it is one of the most impressive European cities we’ve seen thus far. Pictures simply do not do it justice. It is quite an experience to literally be stopped in your tracks by the magnificence of a building, every single block, for five straight kilometers.
The Austrian Parliament Building situated on Ring road
The Vienna City Hall, also located just off of Ring road
The stunning Upper Belvedere Palace, near Ring road
People Watching
Honestly, no place we visit is without this activity; however, people watching in Vienna seemed to be of particular interest. Every park had a sign posted that attempted to communicate “do not walk on the grass” with stick figures, but none of them seemed to get the point across. There were bodies littering the grass and soaking in the afternoon sun; ideal for people watching.
All in all, our less than 48 hours in Vienna were pure and simple fun. We didn’t feel obligated to do and see everything since our time was limited. Hell, we didn’t even have Viennese coffee. What we did manage to do was get a pleasant taste of the city that left us wanting more.
Hi Amy and Mike got your post card in the mail from the Czech Republic. What a Marvelous Picture of the town. It makes Oregon look rather plain, doesn’t it? Hope you are having a great time and Staying Healthy and Happy. Oregon is cold and rainy now. We are leaving in a week for Sunny Arizona to spend two weeks with My Uncle Donny and Aunt Renee. Can’t wait the temp’s have been in the 80’s. Oh for warmth on our old bones sounds so good. Love you both Joyce and Tom
Seems it was a short and sweet visit. Beautiful tulips.
Glad you sound so enthusiastic about your travels.
Besos , mama
Did you try the tasting vinegars? They are becoming quite popular in Portland. The Olive Vine carries a few that are locally made; my favorite is “Nectarine Shrub” ~ very good mixed with tonic or sparking water, with a lime wedge. Love all your pictures 🙂
That drink sounds delicious. We didn’t have a chance to try all of the vinegars in Vienna, but looking forward to at The Olive Vine next time we’re in Portland.