Vienna

Last weekend was our group trip to Vienna which happens to be the capital of Austria. We took the bus there which left at 7:45 am sharp. There is no being late in this country buses and trains leave punctually. After riding for 3 hours in the bus we arrive at Vienna. Just enough time for a brief stop off at the hotel before the group begins a walking tour. So much to see! Tons of really cool looking buildings and in the center of it all was the main residence for the royal family.

That night Holly, Maria and I decided to go see the Magic Flute (one of my favorite Operas) At the Vienna Opera House. We were able to snag the last couple standing places right under the emperors box. For 4 Euros, it was a super good deal.

The performance was amazing and it was so cool to hear a celesta (a type of keyboard instrument) playing live along with the amazing singers.
Three hours of standing took its toll so we decided to go back and go to bed a little early.

The next day was the tour of the art museum. We saw some very famous paintings and got to observe the neat architecture of the building. After the art museum, Holly and I decided to go to the famous ferries wheel. Very cool but very scary.

After we met back up with Maria, Maria and I decided to head to the Nash market. It was full of colors and tons of food. We spend a good two hours trying to make our way through the market to see everything. Afterwards we met back up with Holly. Holly and I decided to go checkout the royal crypt but got sidetracked when we ran into the National Library.

This place had to be one of the coolest libraries I have ever seen. Bookshelves that went all the way to the ceiling and tons of paintings all over. After we take a few pictures, we finally headed to the royal crypt. We went down and for a crypt you were allowed to be super close to the tombs. It was creepy.... Interesting but creepy. Not to mention the one I really did not enjoy walking past was the last grandson of the ruling line who had just died in 3 months ago... pretty sure I have had my fill of grave yards and crypts for a long while.

After a quick dinner we headed back to the hotel exhausted. The final day in Vienna the group went to the summer palace. If I could afford it, this would be my dream house.

The whole palace was so elegant and every room had its own flare to it. The gardens and the maze added to its charm. The group finally made it back to Salzburg late in the afternoon and it was a such a relief to see the fortress.

This weekend it's off to Venice. Hopefully the train strike won't delay our travels! Until next time.