The overnight sleeper train to Vienna was anything but restful. The entire trip consisted of constant stopping, going in reverse, hooking/unhooking of cars, bumping, lurching, grinding, screeching, whistles, changing of tracks, and loud yelling by railway workers. It seemed a miracle that we ever went forward at all for any length of time or a bigger miracle, that we ever arrived in Vienna! At least I was horizontal instead of upright. Arrived at 6:00 a.m. and had a tough time finding my hostel. I usually have a tough time finding hostels in the morning due to the combination of a fitful night's sleep and no coffee. Finally found it but had to camp out in the common area until the 1:00 check-in. While hanging out watching t.v., I met Dutch, from Rotterdam. Interesting guy, world-travelled, fun!

Took off later in the day and walked around the city. Vienna is easy to navigate and if one does get lost, it's easy to get back on track. The main shopping street, Kaerntnerstrasse is very modern, full of high-end stores, and beautiful people dressed in beautiful clothes. Further down towards the Museum Quarter I found one grand and gorgeous building after another. I checked out St. Stephen's Cathedral, Parliament, Majolica House, St. Charles Church, Kunst Haus Wien, St. Peter's Church, the Museum Quarter, and Imperial Palace all within a few hours. Lovely Baroque and Gothic Architecture!

Next day Dutch and I bought tickets on the Vienna Circle Line tram. For 9 Euros you can circle the city endlessly and get on and off where and when you want. It also has a free audio tour included! Forget the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus here! This is the best deal around! We spent half the day at the Kunsthistorisches Museum viewing it's impressive fine art collection. It had a substantial Dutch collection so I lucked out being with someone who was quite knowledgeable and had an appreciation for Dutch art. The hostel turned us onto a fabulous, hole-in-the-wall, authentic Viennese restaurant that served frisbee-sized weinerschnitzel (pork cutlet pounded thin and tender then dipped in bread crumbs and fried to a crispy golden brown), fluffy garlic mashed potatoes, crunchy sauteed vegetables, and giant steins of Stiegl beer.

We were in luck as the Annual Harvest Festival in Heroes Square was being held in Vienna the weekend we were there complete with locally grown food, country music, folk dancing, waltzing, all kinds of wonderful homeade bacons, jams, cheeses, wines, sausages, breads, pastries, and beer-a-plenty! The tractor parade (pulling floats loaded with fresh vegetables, tipsy brass bands, and cheery, waving farmers dressed in traditional Austrian outfits) was a new experience for sure!

Went to a performance of the famous Lipizzaner Stallions at the Spanish Riding School. Really enjoyed the performance. Amazing jumps and moves the horses make. Unfortunately, photography wasn't permitted. Schonbrunn Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the last stop before heading out of the city and it was magnificent! Went on a self-guided audio tour of the palace and the gardens. The Austrian Republic became the owner of the palace after the downfall of the monarchy in 1918.

So long Vienna! Loved you!