Day 20
Vienna
After a pleasant 2 and a half hour train trip (great train) through the Austrian countryside at a maximum speed of 200km/hr, we arrived at Vienna. (I think Herr Mozart would have taken considerably longer in the 18th C, at 10km/ hour). We found the tram we had to catch to get to our accomodation and once again, just made it.
The receptionist at the hotel was very helpful and he even gave us free tickets to the Music museum.
We are in a newly renovated part of the hotel in a suite with a seperate bedroom and huge (50m2) main room. It's the biggest place we have stayed in so far. Even bigger than the apartment in Paris, which we thought was spacious.
After popping down the street for some lunch supplies (once again enjoying the variety of groceries at great prices, e.g 89c for cold 500mls of diet coke), we grab a roll and then head into the city, on the tram, to visit the Music museum.
We arrive at 'Oper', the central tram stop, and walk through the busy, but not rushed, plaza. Phil chats to a man dressed as Mozart and organises for us to see a concert that night.
We then head to the museum. It is not a boring museum, this one has interactive displays and is really aimed at kids. The girls love it. To top it off, the last display ends with a chance to conduct the virtual Vienna Orchestra. It's a bit like an xbox game where the orchestra speeds up or slows down depending on how well you keep in time. They love this as well.
After a quick bite to eat in the city we jump back on a tram and back to our hotel to get changed and go back for the concert.
This has been worth the experience. It's a bit of a 'greatest hits of Mozart' (and some Strauss, everone knows most tunes) type concert with the orchestra dressed in period costume and a very relaxed atmosphere. The conductor even gets the audience to clap along in some spots. We all enjoy this immensely.
Back on the tram and home to bed with tired girls, especially Maddy who is finding it hard to settle.
Loving Vienna so far. Off to St. Stephens in morning, after our next buffet breakfast, we almost feel overwelmed by them all. I guess we'll cope.