Because of the weather, Monday afternoon was a pretty quiet time. While the laundry was going, Carol and I climbed partway up the mountain toward Wengen, so that I could get some view pictures. Of course, with the low clouds and mist, the views were not as dramatic as they were on Tuesday.
Lauterbrunnen Valley is still pretty in the rain. When we returned from the hike – through the woods and over the river, if that sequence is allowed – the laundry was done. We returned to the hotel room for a couple of hours, where Carol read and I did work. Given the amount of work I had to do at that time, perhaps the rain was fortuitous.
At 6pm, we drove to Staubbach Falls (there is huge divide locally -- some locals call it “Roger” and others call it “Rusty” – it can get ugly), and then down to the end of the valley. There, I spotted a signpost for a hike to a hidden waterfall. It was a brief, but beautiful hike (Maddy and Carol skipped it – Maddy because of her toe and Carol because she’d had enough hiking for the day). The waterfall (one of 72) was hidden in a tree-filled glade. It wasn’t one of the many you could see diving down the cliff walls of the valley, but was older and had cut quite a swath into the mountain. It – like Trummelbach falls – pounded angrily. Staubbach Falls – and the other off the cliff falls like Murrenbach.
We headed back to the hotel for my conference call and dinner. While it was clearly the quietest day of the trip (because of the rain), we still had covered the valley very thoroughly.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
Into Every Life, A Little Rain Must Fall. Although Sometimes It's Waterfalls.
Monday dawned rainy in Lauterbrunnen. Given that its an outdoors locale, that makes filling a day much, much harder. Our plan had been to hit Trummelbach Falls and then head up to the top of Jungfraujoch. Well, there's no point in going to the "Top of Europe" (as it calls itself) if you can't see any of Europe!
The cameras up top showed nothing but socked in views, so we skipped that idea. We drove the three kilometers to Trummelbach. Didn't really know what to expect. The valley has 72 falls, but this one apparently is inside the mountain.
Um, it turned out to be spectacular. We took the elevator most of the way up, and then hiked up to the top. The whole way, the falls pound and scream inside the mountain, having carved out amazing falls and cascades. I've never seen anything like it. The spray kicked up, soaking us at different vantage points. The water roared angrily, spinning and bouncing and pounding away. The photos won't capture the sheer beauty of it.
It is a series of ten glacial waterfalls, carrying the snow melt from Eiger, Jungfrau, and Monch. It bills itself as the only waterfalls inside a mountain in Europe and yet accessible. We spent quite a long time (no rush with the weather) enjoying the spray. With ten vantage points, and points in between, there was plenty to see.
There was one vantage point cut through the rock, and we continually got soaked by the heavy spray. Torie was only wearing a sweatshirt, and it was soaked through. The rest of us had some more protection from the soaking affects of the spray. We hiked all the way down from the top, stopping along side paths to check out the views.
After that, we drove to the end of the valley, checking out the dozens of easily spotted (and some hard to spot) waterfalls cascading down the cliffs of the mountains that hem in the valley. The rain was spitting on and off -- one moment I'd have to run the windshield wipers, while the next it was clearing. Each of those clearings were only a mirage, however, as it pretty much rained on and off all day.
We parked by the river and walked a couple of kilometers to check out some of the falls, including Murrenbach, which is the longest falls in Europe. Maddy went back to the car early, because her broken toe is bothering her again. Hard for it to heal right when she did swim team all summer and now is walking all over Prague, Vienna, the Tyrolean Alps, and now the Swiss Alps.
There was a laundromat at a youth hostel near our hotel, so Carol got laundry going and we went to the Oberland Hotel for lunch. We were in Switzerland, so Carol and I had the cheese fondue. While overpriced (isn't all the food here?) it was tasty -- and compared to other overpriced food, not much different in price.
(Old Guy Rant Alert!) When I was a college student in 1984 and trained/hitchhiked around Europe, it was actually affordable. I spent less than $20 a day -- after factoring out my train ticket. That includes hotel, food, and entrance fees. I did stay in Lucerne -- which was the most expensive place I went. Even with a good exchange rate, Europe would be expensive now. Where has affordable Europe gone? Obviously I'm staying at nicer hotels now, but everything is expensive -- no cheap restaurants to be found. Oh well, there was no internet back then, so some things are better.
The cameras up top showed nothing but socked in views, so we skipped that idea. We drove the three kilometers to Trummelbach. Didn't really know what to expect. The valley has 72 falls, but this one apparently is inside the mountain.
Um, it turned out to be spectacular. We took the elevator most of the way up, and then hiked up to the top. The whole way, the falls pound and scream inside the mountain, having carved out amazing falls and cascades. I've never seen anything like it. The spray kicked up, soaking us at different vantage points. The water roared angrily, spinning and bouncing and pounding away. The photos won't capture the sheer beauty of it.
It is a series of ten glacial waterfalls, carrying the snow melt from Eiger, Jungfrau, and Monch. It bills itself as the only waterfalls inside a mountain in Europe and yet accessible. We spent quite a long time (no rush with the weather) enjoying the spray. With ten vantage points, and points in between, there was plenty to see.
There was one vantage point cut through the rock, and we continually got soaked by the heavy spray. Torie was only wearing a sweatshirt, and it was soaked through. The rest of us had some more protection from the soaking affects of the spray. We hiked all the way down from the top, stopping along side paths to check out the views.
After that, we drove to the end of the valley, checking out the dozens of easily spotted (and some hard to spot) waterfalls cascading down the cliffs of the mountains that hem in the valley. The rain was spitting on and off -- one moment I'd have to run the windshield wipers, while the next it was clearing. Each of those clearings were only a mirage, however, as it pretty much rained on and off all day.
We parked by the river and walked a couple of kilometers to check out some of the falls, including Murrenbach, which is the longest falls in Europe. Maddy went back to the car early, because her broken toe is bothering her again. Hard for it to heal right when she did swim team all summer and now is walking all over Prague, Vienna, the Tyrolean Alps, and now the Swiss Alps.
There was a laundromat at a youth hostel near our hotel, so Carol got laundry going and we went to the Oberland Hotel for lunch. We were in Switzerland, so Carol and I had the cheese fondue. While overpriced (isn't all the food here?) it was tasty -- and compared to other overpriced food, not much different in price.
(Old Guy Rant Alert!) When I was a college student in 1984 and trained/hitchhiked around Europe, it was actually affordable. I spent less than $20 a day -- after factoring out my train ticket. That includes hotel, food, and entrance fees. I did stay in Lucerne -- which was the most expensive place I went. Even with a good exchange rate, Europe would be expensive now. Where has affordable Europe gone? Obviously I'm staying at nicer hotels now, but everything is expensive -- no cheap restaurants to be found. Oh well, there was no internet back then, so some things are better.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Photo Batch #2
Here's another 527 photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/100645676355705866100/EuropeDownload2?authkey=Gv1sRgCMb7pLvbvOjAAg
For those willing to watch, I'd suggest you hit slideshow. I will download some photos to the blog some point soon.
https://picasaweb.google.com/100645676355705866100/EuropeDownload2?authkey=Gv1sRgCMb7pLvbvOjAAg
For those willing to watch, I'd suggest you hit slideshow. I will download some photos to the blog some point soon.
The Imperial City
We're in the small village of Lauterbrunnen, high up in the Lauterbrunnen Valley. It's the country, so everything there is to do is to be done outside. And it rained all night, and, according to weather.com for Interlaken (which is the nearest town on weather.com -- Lauterbrunnen doesn't exist according to the site), it's supposed to rain all day. It's going to be a quiet day. Which does give me the chance to let the girls sleep in and for me to catch up on the blog.
So, now I must go back in time to write up our last half day in Vienna, before heading to Melk (see earlier blog postings). The hotel in Vienna allowed us a 1pm checkout of one room, so before heading out, we put all of our bags in the girls' room and then headed to the U-bahn.
Once we figured out the ticket machine, the U-bahn (subway) was incredibly easy to use. After changing trains in Karlsplatz, it was six stops to our goal of Schonnbrunn Schloss (Palace). Originally planned to be greater than Versailles, it was scaled back when budgetary considerations took over. Still, it has 1400 rooms and grand gardens -- so it is not like they went from grand to weak.
Our combo tickets from the previous not only saved us a significant amount of money, they allowed us to skip the lengthy ticket line, and cut to the front of admissions line. It's like a Disney Fast Past, only Disney hasn't designed anything this over the top.
The audioguides come with the price of admission again. Very brilliant design and execution. Each time you see a number in a room indicating a new display, you punch in the number, hit go, and the hold the device up to your ear and listen. Even Torie decided to use the audioguide at the Palace.
The self-guided tour covered approximately 41 rooms, so it was long enough to be interesting, but not so long as to turn boring. A world UNESCO site, it really is a stunning place. It was used primarily as the "Summer Palace" for the Hapsburgs. The amount of money and staff it took to support the Hapsburgs is amazing. One interesting point -- they preferred to use marriage, not war, as a means of expanding their empire. It worked too, although the side effect of in-breeding and genetic risk ended up weakening the brand. The palace was primarily built up by Empress Maria Theresa, but was also used by Franz Joseph and Sisi, so it gave them another chance to tell the same story.
After the tour, we went out into the back gardens, which were quite impressive. We wandered around, past the Schonbrunn fountain and the fake Roman Ruins built in the 1700s as a horticultural feature. We came to the main fountain (Neptune), which is quite grand. We tried to find the maze, the job of which was a maze itself. We found it, but with the pressure of 1pm coming, decided to skip it for the walk up the hill to the Gloriette, an amazing structure high on a hill behind the Palace. It provided amazing views back into Vienna.
The trip back on the U-bahn was simple. Julia, Torie and I picked up sandwiches for lunch -- which we all ate in the hotel room after Carol and Maddy got a new suitcase for Maddy (the one she started the trip with fell apart). While we did not walk as much as usual this day, walking to and from the Palace, coupled with the gardens, and then the later walk to Hertz, we still covered a decent amount of ground.
So, now I must go back in time to write up our last half day in Vienna, before heading to Melk (see earlier blog postings). The hotel in Vienna allowed us a 1pm checkout of one room, so before heading out, we put all of our bags in the girls' room and then headed to the U-bahn.
Once we figured out the ticket machine, the U-bahn (subway) was incredibly easy to use. After changing trains in Karlsplatz, it was six stops to our goal of Schonnbrunn Schloss (Palace). Originally planned to be greater than Versailles, it was scaled back when budgetary considerations took over. Still, it has 1400 rooms and grand gardens -- so it is not like they went from grand to weak.
Our combo tickets from the previous not only saved us a significant amount of money, they allowed us to skip the lengthy ticket line, and cut to the front of admissions line. It's like a Disney Fast Past, only Disney hasn't designed anything this over the top.
The audioguides come with the price of admission again. Very brilliant design and execution. Each time you see a number in a room indicating a new display, you punch in the number, hit go, and the hold the device up to your ear and listen. Even Torie decided to use the audioguide at the Palace.
The self-guided tour covered approximately 41 rooms, so it was long enough to be interesting, but not so long as to turn boring. A world UNESCO site, it really is a stunning place. It was used primarily as the "Summer Palace" for the Hapsburgs. The amount of money and staff it took to support the Hapsburgs is amazing. One interesting point -- they preferred to use marriage, not war, as a means of expanding their empire. It worked too, although the side effect of in-breeding and genetic risk ended up weakening the brand. The palace was primarily built up by Empress Maria Theresa, but was also used by Franz Joseph and Sisi, so it gave them another chance to tell the same story.
After the tour, we went out into the back gardens, which were quite impressive. We wandered around, past the Schonbrunn fountain and the fake Roman Ruins built in the 1700s as a horticultural feature. We came to the main fountain (Neptune), which is quite grand. We tried to find the maze, the job of which was a maze itself. We found it, but with the pressure of 1pm coming, decided to skip it for the walk up the hill to the Gloriette, an amazing structure high on a hill behind the Palace. It provided amazing views back into Vienna.
The trip back on the U-bahn was simple. Julia, Torie and I picked up sandwiches for lunch -- which we all ate in the hotel room after Carol and Maddy got a new suitcase for Maddy (the one she started the trip with fell apart). While we did not walk as much as usual this day, walking to and from the Palace, coupled with the gardens, and then the later walk to Hertz, we still covered a decent amount of ground.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
More riffs on Austria -- and Switzerland
It's hard to believe we've only been in Europe for a week -- we've seen and done a lot, covering four countries (if you count Liechtenstein, and I do -- why start an major international incident?) and three currencies.
In Austria, all you have to do in a bar or restaurant is order a beer "ein bier, bitte" and they bring you a very good beer. There's no lengthy list to choose from -- it's all good, and I just trust the bartender to make me happy. Here at the hotel in Switzerland, they asked if I wanted German or Swiss beer, so I had one of each. (Shhh. . .the German beer was better.)
Things they do better in Europe than in the States:
As soon as we hit Innsbruck to head west to Switzerland, there was road construction, slowing us down ten minutes. The Autobahn isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Vienna's U-bahn (subway) was very easy to use -- more on that in a future posting about our last half day there. Hopefully will write that tomorrow morning.
The hotel rooms all have twin beds pushed together, with this very weird dual sheet/comforter thing. Mrs. Iron Tourist believes it helps them fight bed bugs better. The rooms also need more outlets, but other than that, everything has been either fine, or great (especially the rooms at the Jagdhof).
Love my zip-off hiking pants. Had to toss out my beloved Keens, however -- I washed them the day before the trip, they weren't completely dry, and they mildewed and stank to high heaven. Didn't want folks thinking that I hadn't showered in a month or so.
The lake water in Lucerne is extremely clean.
The breakfasts at the Jagdhof were great -- an omelet and crepe station was the highlight, although the fresh orange juice squeezer wasn't far behind. The girls would tell you that the chocolate/hazelnut Nutella is the pinnacle of breakfast success, but I'm not convinced.
We got cut off by some jerk with Zurich plates yesterday -- I was only doing 80 mph, and he swerved not more than four inches in front of me -- obviously sending a message to me. The message I received is that he is an asshole (pardon the language, this is a family blog, but that was extremely dangerous). It was the second shot of adrenaline that day -- coming four or so hours after the paragliding.
The Austrian imperial thing was quite interesting about Vienna -- it's hard to believe they ruled for 600 years, and that the second to last Emperor did it for 68 years -- from age 18 till death at 86. That would be like someone reigning from 1943 to 2011 -- some changes have occured since then!
In Austria, all you have to do in a bar or restaurant is order a beer "ein bier, bitte" and they bring you a very good beer. There's no lengthy list to choose from -- it's all good, and I just trust the bartender to make me happy. Here at the hotel in Switzerland, they asked if I wanted German or Swiss beer, so I had one of each. (Shhh. . .the German beer was better.)
Things they do better in Europe than in the States:
- Cars stop at crosswalks reflexively when people are getting ready to cross -- except in major cities where there are traffic lights. Peds should have the right of way in the States too.
- The lights flash green before going to yellow/red. A little more warning. And, they flash yellow before turning green, presuming to give us time to shift from neutral into first gear.
- Al fresco dining. While Paris is famous for it, everywhere we've been, even when the day has been cool, there have lots of people dining outside. There's just not enough of it in the States.
As soon as we hit Innsbruck to head west to Switzerland, there was road construction, slowing us down ten minutes. The Autobahn isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Vienna's U-bahn (subway) was very easy to use -- more on that in a future posting about our last half day there. Hopefully will write that tomorrow morning.
The hotel rooms all have twin beds pushed together, with this very weird dual sheet/comforter thing. Mrs. Iron Tourist believes it helps them fight bed bugs better. The rooms also need more outlets, but other than that, everything has been either fine, or great (especially the rooms at the Jagdhof).
Love my zip-off hiking pants. Had to toss out my beloved Keens, however -- I washed them the day before the trip, they weren't completely dry, and they mildewed and stank to high heaven. Didn't want folks thinking that I hadn't showered in a month or so.
The lake water in Lucerne is extremely clean.
The breakfasts at the Jagdhof were great -- an omelet and crepe station was the highlight, although the fresh orange juice squeezer wasn't far behind. The girls would tell you that the chocolate/hazelnut Nutella is the pinnacle of breakfast success, but I'm not convinced.
We got cut off by some jerk with Zurich plates yesterday -- I was only doing 80 mph, and he swerved not more than four inches in front of me -- obviously sending a message to me. The message I received is that he is an asshole (pardon the language, this is a family blog, but that was extremely dangerous). It was the second shot of adrenaline that day -- coming four or so hours after the paragliding.
The Austrian imperial thing was quite interesting about Vienna -- it's hard to believe they ruled for 600 years, and that the second to last Emperor did it for 68 years -- from age 18 till death at 86. That would be like someone reigning from 1943 to 2011 -- some changes have occured since then!
Happiness was Liechtenstein in My Rearview Mirror
(I will admit, the ability to modify nearly any song title to fit a blog post takes a particular talent. Not a good talent, but a talent nonetheless.)
It's early morning in Lucerne, and I am desperately trying to get caught up on the blog before waking the others. Our hotel -- Der Seehotel Hermitage -- is outside of the city and on the Lake's edge, so the view from my desk is of Mt. Pilatus towering over the lake. Off in the distance are snow-covered peaks, while the town is partially visible to the right.
Yesterday, after parasailing (see blog post below), we drove three plus hours from Neustift to Lucerne. The ride was relatively interesting and boring at the same time. Interesting because we were surrounded by the Alps. Boring because at times we headed through miles long narrow tunnels where the goal was not to hit the side or the cars around you.
As it turns out, our route took us through Liechtenstein, which is approx. 62 square miles hosting 35,000 people. It is a constitutional monarchy run by a prince. That's pretty much more than you need to know about the country. Anyhow, at the border, some people were getting out of their car and running into the border station -- maybe they wanted their passports stamped by the country (who knows!). The car in front of us got pulled over. Carol prepared by pulling out our passports, and seemed disappointed when we were simply waved through.
After getting to Lucerne in the late afternoon, Torie and I went for a swim in the very cold Lake Lucerne. Once we got swimming, we warmed up a bit, but it was clearly mountain snow melt temps -- probably mid-60s or lower. Coldest water Torie's ever swum in, and possibly colder than when I went swimming in Maine as a kid.
We then drove into town, saw the famed Dying Lion monument in the rock -- very arresting, walked the city walls that are open to the public, and then went to the famous bridges of Lucerne (or Luzern as the Swiss spell it).
We had dinner at an overpriced restaurant along the river. The food was fine, but the price was steep! Carol and I shared a bottle of local wine. Julia asked if it was good -- I drily noted that Switzerland is famous for its watches and its chocolate. So, while we skipped Czech wine, we did have Austrian and Swiss wines. There's a reason I don't get email offers on Austrian or Swiss wine. Been there, done that. No need to do it again.
Walking around the old city -- even with nearly all the stores closed -- was beautiful, passing by fountains, designs on houses, and restaurants with tables set out in the square. After returning to the hotel, Carol and I had a relaxing drink on the patio overlooking the mountains and the lake. Lucerne really is a pretty place.
It's early morning in Lucerne, and I am desperately trying to get caught up on the blog before waking the others. Our hotel -- Der Seehotel Hermitage -- is outside of the city and on the Lake's edge, so the view from my desk is of Mt. Pilatus towering over the lake. Off in the distance are snow-covered peaks, while the town is partially visible to the right.
Yesterday, after parasailing (see blog post below), we drove three plus hours from Neustift to Lucerne. The ride was relatively interesting and boring at the same time. Interesting because we were surrounded by the Alps. Boring because at times we headed through miles long narrow tunnels where the goal was not to hit the side or the cars around you.
As it turns out, our route took us through Liechtenstein, which is approx. 62 square miles hosting 35,000 people. It is a constitutional monarchy run by a prince. That's pretty much more than you need to know about the country. Anyhow, at the border, some people were getting out of their car and running into the border station -- maybe they wanted their passports stamped by the country (who knows!). The car in front of us got pulled over. Carol prepared by pulling out our passports, and seemed disappointed when we were simply waved through.
After getting to Lucerne in the late afternoon, Torie and I went for a swim in the very cold Lake Lucerne. Once we got swimming, we warmed up a bit, but it was clearly mountain snow melt temps -- probably mid-60s or lower. Coldest water Torie's ever swum in, and possibly colder than when I went swimming in Maine as a kid.
We then drove into town, saw the famed Dying Lion monument in the rock -- very arresting, walked the city walls that are open to the public, and then went to the famous bridges of Lucerne (or Luzern as the Swiss spell it).
We had dinner at an overpriced restaurant along the river. The food was fine, but the price was steep! Carol and I shared a bottle of local wine. Julia asked if it was good -- I drily noted that Switzerland is famous for its watches and its chocolate. So, while we skipped Czech wine, we did have Austrian and Swiss wines. There's a reason I don't get email offers on Austrian or Swiss wine. Been there, done that. No need to do it again.
Walking around the old city -- even with nearly all the stores closed -- was beautiful, passing by fountains, designs on houses, and restaurants with tables set out in the square. After returning to the hotel, Carol and I had a relaxing drink on the patio overlooking the mountains and the lake. Lucerne really is a pretty place.
Fly Like An Eagle
Friday morning we were up early, because we had to pack, check out, and head up the mountain for our 10am and 11am paragliding. We had Reinhard and Michael as our pilots.
I must confess to some apprehension at times, but Torie was particularly fired up to do it. She and Julia went first -- running down the mountain a few steps before taking off and sailing into the valley. When we compared notes afterwards, their experience was similar to mine (and Maddy).
After flying around up high for a long time, we lazily headed down, skimming over trees, heading to other side of the valley. It was a magnificient experience. I highly recommend it for anyone to try. As I noted, I was a bit nervous, but once we got into the air, it was a great experience and I had no concerns. Michael and I could even carry on conversations -- I had thought the wind would be too much.
And, I didn't John Denver the landing. As we got very close to the ground, it seemed like we picked up speed, but we landed no problem -- three or four running steps and stop. Maddy landed at nearly the exact same moment. We gave each other the thumbs up -- it was definitely a euphoric moment, driven by an adrenaline high. We headed to the car, I zipped off my legs (they recommended long pants for the flight to keep warm -- it was much warmer in the valley by that time, so I zipped off the bottom of my pants that I have for hiking, and we headed off for Lucerne, Switzerland.
I must confess to some apprehension at times, but Torie was particularly fired up to do it. She and Julia went first -- running down the mountain a few steps before taking off and sailing into the valley. When we compared notes afterwards, their experience was similar to mine (and Maddy).
Julia and her pilot Michael
A view from high in the air
Torie & Reinhard landing
After hooking up to the gear and the parasglider, we ran a few steps to get the glider up in the air, and then picked up speed. I slipped on the steep slope, regained my balance, and kept running. Very quickly we were up in the air, lifting higher. We caught the updraft off the mountains, circling continuously in the air high above the valley. It was brisk but not overly cold.
Maddy geared up, getting ready to go. That's
not snow in the left of the picture, that's
Reinhard's paraglider.
As we circled, I waved to Maddy, but she wouldn't let go and wave back. After a bit, however, she relaxed and would wave. Heck, she and Reinhard even did some spirals on the way down -- Michael did a little, but not many.
While we were still up high, we were joined by two golden eagles, which soared up and around us. All the while, Michael was taking pictures, letting go at points to get good shots (which you see here). Meanwhile, Reinhard was shooting short videos, which we looking forward to seeing, and posting perhaps if I can figure out how, when back in the states.
One of the eagles that joined us on flight
The Iron Tourist with his trusty pilot
A view from up high
After flying around up high for a long time, we lazily headed down, skimming over trees, heading to other side of the valley. It was a magnificient experience. I highly recommend it for anyone to try. As I noted, I was a bit nervous, but once we got into the air, it was a great experience and I had no concerns. Michael and I could even carry on conversations -- I had thought the wind would be too much.
And, I didn't John Denver the landing. As we got very close to the ground, it seemed like we picked up speed, but we landed no problem -- three or four running steps and stop. Maddy landed at nearly the exact same moment. We gave each other the thumbs up -- it was definitely a euphoric moment, driven by an adrenaline high. We headed to the car, I zipped off my legs (they recommended long pants for the flight to keep warm -- it was much warmer in the valley by that time, so I zipped off the bottom of my pants that I have for hiking, and we headed off for Lucerne, Switzerland.
Jagdhof Dreams
At some early point in the drive from Melk to Neustift, we picked up the foothills of the Austrian Alps. And the foothills turned into mountains. The A1 runs along the plains of Austria, but the Alps are to the South and grow closer and closer as we near Salzburg. By Salzburg you are surrounded by the Alps. The road to Innsbruck (home of the 1976 Winter Olympics -- and 1964, but that was before my time) is amazing, and then from Innsbruck to Neustift is breath-taking, as we climbed out of the town in the lower valley and went into the higher valley.
As aforementioned, we like the Jagdhof right away. The girls fell in love with the place -- their room is in another building, quite far from ours. We have a view up the valley -- mountains on both sides, the mountain river running fast just outside our hotel, and at the end is a snow-capped mountain with rocky peaks.
(By the way, in an earlier post, I had complained about our travel agent's handling of our arrival in Vienna. Now, she deserves major kudos. My original vision for this trip was to stay in Salzburg during these days -- but apparently the Music Festival sells the place out. We were offered two rooms for one night for approximately $1,000 per room outside of Salzburg. Um, no thanks. Our travel agent recommended something different -- Hotel Jagdhof. Definitely a great hotel, with amazing service and in a beautiful setting. They don't get many American tourists here.)
So, for Carol's birthday, one of the last things she would want to do is go hiking. So, of course, I took us all hiking. First, I did let everyone sleep in -- I had been up till 12:30 on a series of conference calls, and, after the lengthy drive, I was tired. So I slept in till 7:30, and in honor of Carol's birthday, let her and the girls sleep till 9:20! (Yes, I'm getting soft in my old age.) After a very good breakfast. . .best of the trip. . .we started off to the Elfer lift that takes us partway up the mountain.
Unfortunately, the desk clerk did not speak great English, and my German is VERY limited, so she pointed us in the wrong direction. We walked to the next town (it wasn't too far), and I stopped in a bar to ask directions. "Wo ist Elfer" implied to the woman working the bar that I sprechen Deutsch. So, we had a lengthy conversation where she switched from German to English and back to German, and I looked confused. However, she did communicate the key point, which was that it is in the other direction. So we walked to the river path and followed it back past Hotel Jagdhof and into town. At that point we could see the gondolas going up the mountain (remember, we're hemmed by mountains on three sides, so it was hard to see around the mountains!).
No biggie - the walk to the next town and then back was quite nice. We went up the Elfer lift up Elfer Mountain and hiked to Elfer Hut. You can never have too many Elfers in your life. The hike was not long, but it was very, very steep. We zig-zagged our way up to the hut, which sounds small, but it is actually a three story building that has a cafeteria-style restaurant on the first level, and hotel rooms on the next two. We enjoyed our lunch at a picnic table on the side of the mountain, which was approximately 7200 feet up, with commanding views of the Stubaital region all the way down 16 miles to Innsbruck and the mountains that tower over that town. Clouds were moving in a bit, but the sun was beautiful.
Before the climb, we had stopped to watch the paragliders taking off from the ski slope. It was beautiful to watch, and Torie successfully talked me into signing four of us (Carol rationally declined) for tandem rides the next morning.
After hiking back to the lift -- which was nearly as strenous, not because of breathing, but because of the thigh muscle burn because of the steepness, we gondola'd back down to Neustift. Walking back the mile or so to the hotel, Carol and I stopped at the weekly farmers' market and purchased some delicious fruit of an undeterminable kind strudel that we ate on our drive to Switzerland the next day.
Given that it was Carol's birthday, I had booked a couple's massage in the spa, and that was quite relaxing. Then we all went swimming in the indoor-outdoor pool and sat on the lounge chairs on the lawn, reading, enjoying some wine (well, that was just Carol and I) and soaking up the views. I can't say we were soaking up the sun, because it was cool enough that we had to cover ourselves with towels.
Dinner was quite good again, and they brought a cake to the table in honor of Carol's birthday. It had a candle-like thing that approximated contained fireworks -- we need to be able to buy these candles in the states!
It was going to be hard to leave Jagdhof and the Stubaital region of Austria.
As aforementioned, we like the Jagdhof right away. The girls fell in love with the place -- their room is in another building, quite far from ours. We have a view up the valley -- mountains on both sides, the mountain river running fast just outside our hotel, and at the end is a snow-capped mountain with rocky peaks.
(By the way, in an earlier post, I had complained about our travel agent's handling of our arrival in Vienna. Now, she deserves major kudos. My original vision for this trip was to stay in Salzburg during these days -- but apparently the Music Festival sells the place out. We were offered two rooms for one night for approximately $1,000 per room outside of Salzburg. Um, no thanks. Our travel agent recommended something different -- Hotel Jagdhof. Definitely a great hotel, with amazing service and in a beautiful setting. They don't get many American tourists here.)
So, for Carol's birthday, one of the last things she would want to do is go hiking. So, of course, I took us all hiking. First, I did let everyone sleep in -- I had been up till 12:30 on a series of conference calls, and, after the lengthy drive, I was tired. So I slept in till 7:30, and in honor of Carol's birthday, let her and the girls sleep till 9:20! (Yes, I'm getting soft in my old age.) After a very good breakfast. . .best of the trip. . .we started off to the Elfer lift that takes us partway up the mountain.
Unfortunately, the desk clerk did not speak great English, and my German is VERY limited, so she pointed us in the wrong direction. We walked to the next town (it wasn't too far), and I stopped in a bar to ask directions. "Wo ist Elfer" implied to the woman working the bar that I sprechen Deutsch. So, we had a lengthy conversation where she switched from German to English and back to German, and I looked confused. However, she did communicate the key point, which was that it is in the other direction. So we walked to the river path and followed it back past Hotel Jagdhof and into town. At that point we could see the gondolas going up the mountain (remember, we're hemmed by mountains on three sides, so it was hard to see around the mountains!).
No biggie - the walk to the next town and then back was quite nice. We went up the Elfer lift up Elfer Mountain and hiked to Elfer Hut. You can never have too many Elfers in your life. The hike was not long, but it was very, very steep. We zig-zagged our way up to the hut, which sounds small, but it is actually a three story building that has a cafeteria-style restaurant on the first level, and hotel rooms on the next two. We enjoyed our lunch at a picnic table on the side of the mountain, which was approximately 7200 feet up, with commanding views of the Stubaital region all the way down 16 miles to Innsbruck and the mountains that tower over that town. Clouds were moving in a bit, but the sun was beautiful.
Before the climb, we had stopped to watch the paragliders taking off from the ski slope. It was beautiful to watch, and Torie successfully talked me into signing four of us (Carol rationally declined) for tandem rides the next morning.
After hiking back to the lift -- which was nearly as strenous, not because of breathing, but because of the thigh muscle burn because of the steepness, we gondola'd back down to Neustift. Walking back the mile or so to the hotel, Carol and I stopped at the weekly farmers' market and purchased some delicious fruit of an undeterminable kind strudel that we ate on our drive to Switzerland the next day.
Given that it was Carol's birthday, I had booked a couple's massage in the spa, and that was quite relaxing. Then we all went swimming in the indoor-outdoor pool and sat on the lounge chairs on the lawn, reading, enjoying some wine (well, that was just Carol and I) and soaking up the views. I can't say we were soaking up the sun, because it was cool enough that we had to cover ourselves with towels.
Dinner was quite good again, and they brought a cake to the table in honor of Carol's birthday. It had a candle-like thing that approximated contained fireworks -- we need to be able to buy these candles in the states!
It was going to be hard to leave Jagdhof and the Stubaital region of Austria.
Friday, August 12, 2011
The Scary Church of Death
Back to our one full day in Vienna. . .
After the Hofburg Palace, we wandered around looking for a place to eat as a light rain started. We popped into a church that was part of the palace -- a very modern/starkly designed cathedral. It was arresting in its own way. After trying one restaurant (Albertiner-Keller) which was jam-packed (SRO) with tourists, we checked out the Mozartcafe, but that was full up as well. We turned around and went back to a quiet place on Augustinerstrasse, right between Josefsplatz and Albertinaplatz.
Turns out it is a rather large, but not very full, Italian restaurant. The owner is Italian, and spoke to us in three languages: German, Italian, and English -- none of which we understood well. But it all worked out, and we had a nice family time, laughing and joking. Very relaxing. The girls also taught Carol and I, after first torturing us, the elephant game. If you don't know the elephant game, that's okay -- I will be sure to torture you with it for a while.
After lunch, we popped into the state library. It is amazing and a must stop on any trip to Vienna. Unlike the monastery in Prague, we could wander around through the library (the shelving, statues, and other finery were roped off, as they should be) and gawk at the four hundred year old globes, the statues, the old books, and there was some information on the history of the different countries that made up the Hapsburgs lands.
It was remarkable.
By the time we came out, the light rain had stopped, so we wandered around the grounds of Hofburg Palace for a bit, and then headed off to Karlskirche. The church was listed as one of Vienna's top ten sights by our DK guide to Vienna (along with Stephansdom, the Hofburg Palace, the Museumquartier, the Belvedere, and a number of places we did not get to -- gives us a reason to come back some day). However, the guidebook failed to mention it is best referred to as the Scary Church of Death.
It's not the Scary Church of Death because it was built in the early 1700s to honor Karl Borromeo, the patron saint of the fight against the plague. It's because of what's on the inside. The outside is quite memorable -- scenes from the plague, minaret-like columns that are quite distinctive looking and reminiscent of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
We paid our entrance fee and went on in. We immediately took the elevator up -- the guidebook said it afforded amazing views of Vienna (sort of), and a close look at the frescoes. The elevator is a standalone shaft going up one side of the church. It's glass, so we could see how high we were going. At first it was neat -- hey, there's a good look at the organ. But, we kept going up and up, which was a bit unnerving in the glass elevator. Then, the platform that it took us to shook. Yes, the large platform shook. We were high up in the dome, right even with the lower frescoes.
There were stairs to climb -- wooden platform -- right in the middle of the dome, that led up to the very top. It was a scary feeling, looking over the side. There is a Mrs. Iron Tourist was the smartest of us all -- once she realized the platform shook, she beat a hasty retreat back down the elevator. The rest of us headed up the stairs to the top. Going up was both very cool and very scary. There we were, right among the frescoes. But, with a shaky wooden platform below us, and significant drop below that, it was a wild feeling. We reached the top (Torie had charged on ahead) and all admitted we were quite shaken by the situation.
Our trip back down the stairs was probably the slowest walk down ten flights of stairs ever. And that just brought us back to the shaky platform. The elevator trip down did not seem as scary, but we were all relieved when we reached the church floor. I was pale, the girls were breathing hard, good times. We took some time to gather wits about us -- and the church was quite beautiful. We will always remember the Scary Church of Death.
Next, we went off in search of Stadtpark (City Park). After a couple of wrong turns that simply added to the mileage of the day (see how easily I turn my mistake into a virtue -- more exercise!), we came to a beautiful fountain the Soviets had dedicated to themselves as liberators of Vienna. Everyone was running out of gas, so we stopped in the Intercontinental Hotel for pastries and drinks. It was an expensive, but well-earned rest break.
Refortified, we walked into Stadtpark, which was quite beautiful. Unfortunately, the famous gilded statue of Johann Strauss is, like large parts of Vienna, under repair, so Johann was not there. We did find the Franz Schubert statue, but it was not very interesting. We walked the couple miles back to the hotel -- I had actually suggested taking the U-bahn, but the girls thought it would be too much like our train station experience the previous day, but at least we spotted the Hertz location where we would pick up our rental car the next day.
We had dinner at Boheme, which was located on a wonderful pedestrian street in the Museumquartier. Continuing my crusade to tag Vienna as the city with the longest names, we went from Mariahilferstrasse to Karl Schweighoferstrasse to Siebensterngasse to Spittelberggasse. Don't ask me the difference between a strasse and a gasse (other than one has an "str" and the other has a "g").
Unfortunately, there was only one waiter, and -- given how long it took for the food to come out -- perhaps he doubled as the cook. Service was slow, and the food was only so-so. Oh well. The previous night's dinner had been so good, this leveled the food off.
After the Hofburg Palace, we wandered around looking for a place to eat as a light rain started. We popped into a church that was part of the palace -- a very modern/starkly designed cathedral. It was arresting in its own way. After trying one restaurant (Albertiner-Keller) which was jam-packed (SRO) with tourists, we checked out the Mozartcafe, but that was full up as well. We turned around and went back to a quiet place on Augustinerstrasse, right between Josefsplatz and Albertinaplatz.
Turns out it is a rather large, but not very full, Italian restaurant. The owner is Italian, and spoke to us in three languages: German, Italian, and English -- none of which we understood well. But it all worked out, and we had a nice family time, laughing and joking. Very relaxing. The girls also taught Carol and I, after first torturing us, the elephant game. If you don't know the elephant game, that's okay -- I will be sure to torture you with it for a while.
After lunch, we popped into the state library. It is amazing and a must stop on any trip to Vienna. Unlike the monastery in Prague, we could wander around through the library (the shelving, statues, and other finery were roped off, as they should be) and gawk at the four hundred year old globes, the statues, the old books, and there was some information on the history of the different countries that made up the Hapsburgs lands.
It was remarkable.
By the time we came out, the light rain had stopped, so we wandered around the grounds of Hofburg Palace for a bit, and then headed off to Karlskirche. The church was listed as one of Vienna's top ten sights by our DK guide to Vienna (along with Stephansdom, the Hofburg Palace, the Museumquartier, the Belvedere, and a number of places we did not get to -- gives us a reason to come back some day). However, the guidebook failed to mention it is best referred to as the Scary Church of Death.
It's not the Scary Church of Death because it was built in the early 1700s to honor Karl Borromeo, the patron saint of the fight against the plague. It's because of what's on the inside. The outside is quite memorable -- scenes from the plague, minaret-like columns that are quite distinctive looking and reminiscent of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
We paid our entrance fee and went on in. We immediately took the elevator up -- the guidebook said it afforded amazing views of Vienna (sort of), and a close look at the frescoes. The elevator is a standalone shaft going up one side of the church. It's glass, so we could see how high we were going. At first it was neat -- hey, there's a good look at the organ. But, we kept going up and up, which was a bit unnerving in the glass elevator. Then, the platform that it took us to shook. Yes, the large platform shook. We were high up in the dome, right even with the lower frescoes.
There were stairs to climb -- wooden platform -- right in the middle of the dome, that led up to the very top. It was a scary feeling, looking over the side. There is a Mrs. Iron Tourist was the smartest of us all -- once she realized the platform shook, she beat a hasty retreat back down the elevator. The rest of us headed up the stairs to the top. Going up was both very cool and very scary. There we were, right among the frescoes. But, with a shaky wooden platform below us, and significant drop below that, it was a wild feeling. We reached the top (Torie had charged on ahead) and all admitted we were quite shaken by the situation.
Our trip back down the stairs was probably the slowest walk down ten flights of stairs ever. And that just brought us back to the shaky platform. The elevator trip down did not seem as scary, but we were all relieved when we reached the church floor. I was pale, the girls were breathing hard, good times. We took some time to gather wits about us -- and the church was quite beautiful. We will always remember the Scary Church of Death.
Next, we went off in search of Stadtpark (City Park). After a couple of wrong turns that simply added to the mileage of the day (see how easily I turn my mistake into a virtue -- more exercise!), we came to a beautiful fountain the Soviets had dedicated to themselves as liberators of Vienna. Everyone was running out of gas, so we stopped in the Intercontinental Hotel for pastries and drinks. It was an expensive, but well-earned rest break.
Refortified, we walked into Stadtpark, which was quite beautiful. Unfortunately, the famous gilded statue of Johann Strauss is, like large parts of Vienna, under repair, so Johann was not there. We did find the Franz Schubert statue, but it was not very interesting. We walked the couple miles back to the hotel -- I had actually suggested taking the U-bahn, but the girls thought it would be too much like our train station experience the previous day, but at least we spotted the Hertz location where we would pick up our rental car the next day.
We had dinner at Boheme, which was located on a wonderful pedestrian street in the Museumquartier. Continuing my crusade to tag Vienna as the city with the longest names, we went from Mariahilferstrasse to Karl Schweighoferstrasse to Siebensterngasse to Spittelberggasse. Don't ask me the difference between a strasse and a gasse (other than one has an "str" and the other has a "g").
Unfortunately, there was only one waiter, and -- given how long it took for the food to come out -- perhaps he doubled as the cook. Service was slow, and the food was only so-so. Oh well. The previous night's dinner had been so good, this leveled the food off.
Vienna Favorites
Julia: The Story of Sisi
Maddy: Schonbrunn Gardens
Torie: Schonbrunn Palace
Carol: Sisi Museum
Glen: The state library
2nd Favs:
Carol: Karlskirche
Torie: Scary Church of Death (Karlskirche)
Maddy: Sisi
Julia: Schonbrunn Palace
Glen: Der Demel
Maddy: Schonbrunn Gardens
Torie: Schonbrunn Palace
Carol: Sisi Museum
Glen: The state library
2nd Favs:
Carol: Karlskirche
Torie: Scary Church of Death (Karlskirche)
Maddy: Sisi
Julia: Schonbrunn Palace
Glen: Der Demel
The Melk Run
We're now at the point in the blog where I no longer post sequentially -- it jumps around because I'm behind. Don't worry -- I will cover it all, but, loyal readers, it may take a bit.
We checked out of the hotel in Vienna and traipsed through the streets of Vienna, with our rucksacks (that's European for backpacks -- your language lesson of the day) on our back and dragging our suitcases the mile or so to the Hertz location for the rental car.
After signing the various forms and pledging my first born in case of an accident, we walked the block and a half to the car. The clerk was very nice, but she said we would spot the car "because it is the only Italian car on the block." I've pondered this, but I'm still not sure what that means.
I promptly could not get the car to shift into reverse. Um, that was frustrating. I may have cursed a bit. I kept trying to jam the stick up and to the right, but it wasn't doing anything but shifting into first gear. Carol went back and fetched the clerk, who came and pointed out that the ring on the shifter had to be lifted up to shift into reverse. Oh. That's a new design feature to me. After that, the six speed Ford was easy to drive.
Then we had that annoying wait for the GPS to calculate the route -- and since we were between large buildings, it was not picking up the satellite. I saw a sign for the A1, and took it -- it was the right way to go. It took a bit to fight our way out of Vienna, but we eventually got on the highway west.
We stopped in the Danube river town of Melk, which features a grandoise monastery perched high on a hill above the small town and the river. The library room (again!) was stunning, as was the church. The weirdest part was the two skeletons of unknown martyrs on display. Lori Weigel had suggested a stop in Melk, and it was a nice contrast to the city -- a country town with a must not miss monastery.
Then, it was back on the road -- with a long trip ahead of us -- to Neustift and the Hotel Jagdhof in the Alps. The reviews on TripAdvisor were generally positive toward the hotel, although some complained that it was kitschy. Not so (to us). It's the equivalent of a ski lodge in Colorado -- decorated with local flair. This is the Tyrolean Alps in Austria, not a Marriott in Indianapolis.
Dinner was great -- very nice food and service. At the restaurant, you are assigned your own table throughout the course of your stay for breakfast and dinner. Kind of a nice concept. The girls want to hang out at the pool and the spa tomorrow (which is actually today).
We checked out of the hotel in Vienna and traipsed through the streets of Vienna, with our rucksacks (that's European for backpacks -- your language lesson of the day) on our back and dragging our suitcases the mile or so to the Hertz location for the rental car.
After signing the various forms and pledging my first born in case of an accident, we walked the block and a half to the car. The clerk was very nice, but she said we would spot the car "because it is the only Italian car on the block." I've pondered this, but I'm still not sure what that means.
I promptly could not get the car to shift into reverse. Um, that was frustrating. I may have cursed a bit. I kept trying to jam the stick up and to the right, but it wasn't doing anything but shifting into first gear. Carol went back and fetched the clerk, who came and pointed out that the ring on the shifter had to be lifted up to shift into reverse. Oh. That's a new design feature to me. After that, the six speed Ford was easy to drive.
Then we had that annoying wait for the GPS to calculate the route -- and since we were between large buildings, it was not picking up the satellite. I saw a sign for the A1, and took it -- it was the right way to go. It took a bit to fight our way out of Vienna, but we eventually got on the highway west.
We stopped in the Danube river town of Melk, which features a grandoise monastery perched high on a hill above the small town and the river. The library room (again!) was stunning, as was the church. The weirdest part was the two skeletons of unknown martyrs on display. Lori Weigel had suggested a stop in Melk, and it was a nice contrast to the city -- a country town with a must not miss monastery.
Then, it was back on the road -- with a long trip ahead of us -- to Neustift and the Hotel Jagdhof in the Alps. The reviews on TripAdvisor were generally positive toward the hotel, although some complained that it was kitschy. Not so (to us). It's the equivalent of a ski lodge in Colorado -- decorated with local flair. This is the Tyrolean Alps in Austria, not a Marriott in Indianapolis.
Dinner was great -- very nice food and service. At the restaurant, you are assigned your own table throughout the course of your stay for breakfast and dinner. Kind of a nice concept. The girls want to hang out at the pool and the spa tomorrow (which is actually today).
Riffs on Austria
I'm now at the point where I'm more than a day behind on the blog. . .It's Carol's birthday, so I let everyone sleep in. . .the hotel is amazing. . .and the views of the Alps are even better. We have a good sized deck off our room, with a mountain river going past and views on all three sides of different mountains. We are south of Innsbruck in the small mtn valley town of Neustift.
There are about a dozen Neustifts in Austria, according to the GPS -- thankfully I had checked it out in advance and knew the name of the state.
People in Vienna and so far in Neustift seem much happier and outgoing than in Prague. As beautiful as Prague is, I don't remember one person in Prague who made an impression on us during our dealings with them.
Half of Austria is under reconstruction -- some of the key rooms in both of the palaces, the outside of the Stephansdom, and the roads. The Autobahn was fun to drive -- when I could average 85-100 mph. Other times it slowed to a crawl because of construction or wide trucks. Other than cursing and telling the other drivers to get their acts together, I was calm and didn't show any signs of road rage during those slowdowns. Well, other than the cursing and telling off the other drivers.
We've not been able to find any laundromats, so Carol has been handwashing our clothes in the sink and letting them airdry.
Well, off to breakfast and a hike in the Alps. More blogging later.
There are about a dozen Neustifts in Austria, according to the GPS -- thankfully I had checked it out in advance and knew the name of the state.
People in Vienna and so far in Neustift seem much happier and outgoing than in Prague. As beautiful as Prague is, I don't remember one person in Prague who made an impression on us during our dealings with them.
Half of Austria is under reconstruction -- some of the key rooms in both of the palaces, the outside of the Stephansdom, and the roads. The Autobahn was fun to drive -- when I could average 85-100 mph. Other times it slowed to a crawl because of construction or wide trucks. Other than cursing and telling the other drivers to get their acts together, I was calm and didn't show any signs of road rage during those slowdowns. Well, other than the cursing and telling off the other drivers.
We've not been able to find any laundromats, so Carol has been handwashing our clothes in the sink and letting them airdry.
Well, off to breakfast and a hike in the Alps. More blogging later.
Czech it Out
Favorites in Prague:
Carol: The Charles Bridge
Julia: The window of Defenestration of Prague
Maddy: The Charles Bridge at night
Torie: Prague Castle
Glen: Old Town Square, including the Tower.
Second Favorite Part of Prague:
Carol: The Astronomical Clock
Julia: Prague Castle
Maddy: Prague Castle
Torie: The mummified hand in the St. Luke’s church
Glen: The Loreto
Where the Streets Have Long Names
It took a bit -- probably two hours or so -- but Vienna started growing on me to the point where I really did like it a lot. It's not the medieval city of Prague, but it is certainly a grand city. It took a pastry shop and then a palace to change my early impressions of Vienna (Austria, not Virginia for those not up on what this blog is about).
We started from the hotel, and walked through the Burggarten on our way to the Innere Stadt (inner city). Cutting over to Kartner Strasse (one of the shortest street names in Vienna -- our hotel is located on Mariahilferstrasse, and that's an average length name -- much less the long ones!). Kartner Strasse was interesting -- stores of all sorts along a pedestrian only street.
The Stephansdom Cathedral was generally wrapped up in restoration work. Going inside the Cathedral, it was not as interesting as I expected, and the set up was confusing. There were free parts of the church, and then the paid parts. The line was disorganized, and it looked like it was simply the place to rent audio guides. We went up the South Tower elevator to the top, which afforded good views of Vienna across the actual Danube.
I should have taken a few moments to figure it out -- paid the full admission fee, so we could also walk up the 342 steps of the North Tower (which is, oddly, much taller than the South Tower -- an asymmetrical Cathedral -- I'll bet you are as surprised as I was), and walk throughout the Cathedral. Although, to be fair to me (somebody has to be), the Cathedral was quite dark and, at least on that day, not overly inspiring.
After that, Torie talked me into a horse drawn carriage ride. I acquiesed, figuring it would give us both a break from walking (with a full day ahead) AND allow us to see the Inner Stadt. It was supposed to be 30 Euros for 20 minutes, but we only got a 12 minute ride, with no commentary from our horse guy (horse dude?). I didn't tip. The ride was fine, but we did not get a sense of what we were seeing.
We went behind the Cathedral to Mozathaus, where he wrote "Marriage of Figaro," which always makes me think of Bugs Bunny. We didn't go in, because not even Julia (our classical music fan) wanted to spend the time. We walked over to the grandoise momument to the Plague, popped into Peterskirche for a quick look, and then headed toward Hofburg Palace.
On our way to the monument, in the square outside the Stephansdom, we were approached by an overly aggressive handbill hander-outer. Most of the handbill folks (for Mozart or other concerts, not strip bars like in NYC) took a polite wave-off. This fellow was pushy, and he finally asked (in a rather rude fashion), after the third "no thanks" if we didn't like music. Carol said we were leaving town that very day, and I wanted to say, but didn't -- "no, we don't like you." Well, upon further review, my preference for civility should have been vetoed by my sarcastic side -- I should have said it.
We stopped for a snack and drink at Der Demel, perhaps the most famous of the Vienna Cafes. Despite the cool weather, we sat outside, watching people go by, and enjoying our pastries. I had their famous Apple Strudel. I needed to use the WC, so I went inside to find it -- what a revelation. Large room after large room packed with people enjoying their coffee and pastries. At the bar, one man was even drinking red wine (at 11:00 am? Well, it is five o'clock somewhere! Albeit not my idea of a good way to start the day). The WCs are upstairs on the third floor, and on the way up, I explored the second story as well -- also huge, grand rooms with people. This is what the mansions must look like on the inside, albeit without the delicious pastries.
I started liking Vienna better. From there it was a short walk to the Hofburg Palace. The palace is amazing on many levels, from the sheer size, to the collection of silver, gold, and ceramic table settings saved from the Imperial days. The audio guides (which come with the tour) were quite interesting, although we had to skip some or we would have been there all day.
The display on Sisi's life and death (she was assassinated by an anarchist while Empress of Austria) was quite interesting, but to me the best part were the rooms used by Emperor Franz Joseph, and by Sisi. Very interesting, particularly with the audio guide. And the 68 rooms or so that we went through were just a smidgen of the palace's rooms. The imperial part of Austria's past was something I had not spent much time on in my learnings, so it was like starting from scratch.
And all this before lunch.
We started from the hotel, and walked through the Burggarten on our way to the Innere Stadt (inner city). Cutting over to Kartner Strasse (one of the shortest street names in Vienna -- our hotel is located on Mariahilferstrasse, and that's an average length name -- much less the long ones!). Kartner Strasse was interesting -- stores of all sorts along a pedestrian only street.
The Stephansdom Cathedral was generally wrapped up in restoration work. Going inside the Cathedral, it was not as interesting as I expected, and the set up was confusing. There were free parts of the church, and then the paid parts. The line was disorganized, and it looked like it was simply the place to rent audio guides. We went up the South Tower elevator to the top, which afforded good views of Vienna across the actual Danube.
I should have taken a few moments to figure it out -- paid the full admission fee, so we could also walk up the 342 steps of the North Tower (which is, oddly, much taller than the South Tower -- an asymmetrical Cathedral -- I'll bet you are as surprised as I was), and walk throughout the Cathedral. Although, to be fair to me (somebody has to be), the Cathedral was quite dark and, at least on that day, not overly inspiring.
After that, Torie talked me into a horse drawn carriage ride. I acquiesed, figuring it would give us both a break from walking (with a full day ahead) AND allow us to see the Inner Stadt. It was supposed to be 30 Euros for 20 minutes, but we only got a 12 minute ride, with no commentary from our horse guy (horse dude?). I didn't tip. The ride was fine, but we did not get a sense of what we were seeing.
We went behind the Cathedral to Mozathaus, where he wrote "Marriage of Figaro," which always makes me think of Bugs Bunny. We didn't go in, because not even Julia (our classical music fan) wanted to spend the time. We walked over to the grandoise momument to the Plague, popped into Peterskirche for a quick look, and then headed toward Hofburg Palace.
On our way to the monument, in the square outside the Stephansdom, we were approached by an overly aggressive handbill hander-outer. Most of the handbill folks (for Mozart or other concerts, not strip bars like in NYC) took a polite wave-off. This fellow was pushy, and he finally asked (in a rather rude fashion), after the third "no thanks" if we didn't like music. Carol said we were leaving town that very day, and I wanted to say, but didn't -- "no, we don't like you." Well, upon further review, my preference for civility should have been vetoed by my sarcastic side -- I should have said it.
We stopped for a snack and drink at Der Demel, perhaps the most famous of the Vienna Cafes. Despite the cool weather, we sat outside, watching people go by, and enjoying our pastries. I had their famous Apple Strudel. I needed to use the WC, so I went inside to find it -- what a revelation. Large room after large room packed with people enjoying their coffee and pastries. At the bar, one man was even drinking red wine (at 11:00 am? Well, it is five o'clock somewhere! Albeit not my idea of a good way to start the day). The WCs are upstairs on the third floor, and on the way up, I explored the second story as well -- also huge, grand rooms with people. This is what the mansions must look like on the inside, albeit without the delicious pastries.
I started liking Vienna better. From there it was a short walk to the Hofburg Palace. The palace is amazing on many levels, from the sheer size, to the collection of silver, gold, and ceramic table settings saved from the Imperial days. The audio guides (which come with the tour) were quite interesting, although we had to skip some or we would have been there all day.
The display on Sisi's life and death (she was assassinated by an anarchist while Empress of Austria) was quite interesting, but to me the best part were the rooms used by Emperor Franz Joseph, and by Sisi. Very interesting, particularly with the audio guide. And the 68 rooms or so that we went through were just a smidgen of the palace's rooms. The imperial part of Austria's past was something I had not spent much time on in my learnings, so it was like starting from scratch.
And all this before lunch.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Scenes from A Very Full Day in Vienna
Cherubs in the Burggarden of the Hofburg Palace
Neue Berg -- part of the Hofburg Palace
Inside the Hapsburg's Library. Wow. None
of the Photos Do It Justice
Outside the Main Palace
Karlskirche, also known as the "scary church
of death" by our family. It looks innocent from
the outside, but don't let that fool you.
Artwork in the dome of the Scary Church of Death
Note the rainbow in the fountain.
Note Torie standing on tiptoes
to make herself the tallest.
Prague Scenes
Old Town Square and the Tower
Two Views of Prague Castle
Church of Our Lady in Pyn
Gelato Time, Of Course
Julia by her happy place -- the actual scene, and
window of the Defenestration of Prague
The Jewish Cemetary
Statue on the Charles Bridge. The entire
bridge is a UNESCO site.
The Loreto. . .and blue sky!
High above Prague, just below the monastery
Two of the disciples appear during the striking
of the hour of the famed astronomical clock
in the Town Hall
Picasa is Su Casa
If you are bored, or family, here is the link to all of the photos through the first day in Vienna.
https://picasaweb.google.com/100645676355705866100/EuropeDownloadOne?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfOgPDNoZz2jQE&feat=email
If you click on the link, I'd suggest you then go to slideshow. Keep in mind, a number of the shots were taken by Maddy and Torie, so if some of the photos make you go, "huh?" -- those are probably theirs!
https://picasaweb.google.com/100645676355705866100/EuropeDownloadOne?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfOgPDNoZz2jQE&feat=email
If you click on the link, I'd suggest you then go to slideshow. Keep in mind, a number of the shots were taken by Maddy and Torie, so if some of the photos make you go, "huh?" -- those are probably theirs!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The Pressures of Being the Iron Tourist
Vienna really grew on us throughout the day yesterday. And, I'll probably post on it tonight. My usual routine of getting up early to write and download pictures was interrupted by work this morning. Plus, after covering a lot of ground in Vienna yesterday, I'm a tad tired.
I've had no luck with adding photos -- for some reason my camera won't communicate with the computer -- which is a problem I've never had before. Bought a card reader at a camera shop yesterday (thanks to Mrs. Iron Tourist for spotting the store!).
And now, one anonymous comment on the blog suggests that I work my family so hard on these trips that its surprising that I have not been defenestrated! I'm sure that was written in jest -- I think! Or, it was written by my daughter Julia. (It's still the highlight of the trip for her, seeing the window that created a word. The word is fun to say at least! C'mon, use it in a sentence at least once today.)
Anyhow, we'll be off to Schloss Schonbrunn (Castle Schonbrunn) for the morning, and then to Hertz Rental Car to head to the Alps. Our plan is to stop in Melk to see the monastery and the real Danube! My only concern is getting the heck out of Vienna by following signs that we don't really understand.
Back to blogging tonight!
I've had no luck with adding photos -- for some reason my camera won't communicate with the computer -- which is a problem I've never had before. Bought a card reader at a camera shop yesterday (thanks to Mrs. Iron Tourist for spotting the store!).
And now, one anonymous comment on the blog suggests that I work my family so hard on these trips that its surprising that I have not been defenestrated! I'm sure that was written in jest -- I think! Or, it was written by my daughter Julia. (It's still the highlight of the trip for her, seeing the window that created a word. The word is fun to say at least! C'mon, use it in a sentence at least once today.)
Anyhow, we'll be off to Schloss Schonbrunn (Castle Schonbrunn) for the morning, and then to Hertz Rental Car to head to the Alps. Our plan is to stop in Melk to see the monastery and the real Danube! My only concern is getting the heck out of Vienna by following signs that we don't really understand.
Back to blogging tonight!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
There's a Difference Between A Fine Whine, and A Good Wine
And I had them both last night.
There always comes a point in the trip where I want to wrap my hands around the neck of my travel agent and squeeze (chill alert: I've never actually done it, and never actually will). Last night was that point.
We arrived in Vienna at the train station, and were totally confounded by the lack of information. There were exactly zero signs for taxis. I wanted to take the subway (U-bahn), but the maps were not clear at all. So we picked a random exit via which a lot of people were leaving (mostly so they could get outside and smoke a cigarette). Nothing in sight but buses. I'm not opposed to buses per se, as long as someone else is riding them. (Plus, I wouldn't know which one to get on).
We had asked our travel agent to arrange a transfer (usually by minivan or the like), but she breezily said, take a taxi. Except there were no taxis.
So we went back in, dragging our wheeled luggage behind us, and I was ready to blow a gasket (that famous Bolger temper). The man at the information desk pointed, said turn left, then turn right. So we did. And that took us to train platforms 2 & 3. So, we were outside, but nowhere near where we needed to be. I went back to the gentleman, and explained we were looking for taxis, not trains.
To give him credit, he popped out of his booth, and walked us over to where he meant (it was a little alleyway past the first turn, and led to an elevator). It looked like the part of the train station where locals send tourists just so they can get mugged.
He also said the taxis were 50 meters away from the top to the right. Well, as a swim fan, I'm well acquainted with 50 meters, and this was not 50 meters. Dragging our luggage behind us, we went the 300 meters to the cab stand, where immediately the last taxi filled up with people and left. Finally one came -- except we wouldn't fit. Plus, the driver didn't know where the hotel was, even though we are on a main street in Vienna. Stuffing random Euros into Carol's hand, I sent Julia, Maddy, and Carol off to their fates. Torie and I grabbed the next cab to come along, and at least the cabbie knew the hotel and the city.
We probably lost a good (actually, a bad) 45 minutes trying to find our way out of the train station and to the cab stand. Nice signage, Vienna!
Walking into the hotel was an immediate, and pleasant relaxer. The woman at the desk was immediately friendlier than anyone we met in Prague. I think in Prague they are not as friendly because they deal with tourists all day long -- here the people we've met seem genuinely happy to see us, as opposed to it being part of their job.
After a bit of time in the room after the long train trip, we headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner --Glacis Beisl (don't worry, I can't pronounce it either). It was clearly not a tourist place -- I'm betting we were the only non-locals there. The service was good -- the waiter was friendly, and the food was great -- Maddy and I had Viennese Schnitzel, Carol and Julia had the beef goulash, and Torie had, as usual, the most expensive thing on the menu.
Mrs. Iron Tourist and I shared a nice bottle (not a great one, but a nice one) of Austrian Pinot Noir, which tastes like Burgundy with a little water added.
The only mistake was that we choose to sit outside. That was an error not because it was cold (we were suitably dressed), but because people seated out in the pleasant garden area smoked. And, we were seated near the area where the people inside came out to smoke. Even outside the secondhand smoke was annoying, disgusting, and distracting. Later in the evening, the smoking ranks thinned out and it was more palatable.
I also made the mistake of asking our waiter (who was clearly proud of his decent English) about what to see in Vienna. He summoned two other waiters, and we got this long dissertation that made little sense, but they were clearly excited to be asked, so we let them ramble.
Speaking of rambling, the hotel in Vienna, Das Tyrol, seems perfect for us. The hotel in Prague, the U Pava, had a great location, but the reviews on Trip Advisor were so mixed our expectations were very low. The place was fine -- since we were on the main floor, the constant smoking in the lobby did not drift up to our rooms (but it drift up to someone else's room), and the clerks were all as non-friendly as advertised. But, the rooms were fine, the breakfast did the trick, and we were in between Old Town and the Prague Castle area -- both short walks away. I wouldn't recommend the hotel, but I also wouldn't recommend against it.
Btw, if you can't tell from this post, you are better off with a good wine than a fine whine.
There always comes a point in the trip where I want to wrap my hands around the neck of my travel agent and squeeze (chill alert: I've never actually done it, and never actually will). Last night was that point.
We arrived in Vienna at the train station, and were totally confounded by the lack of information. There were exactly zero signs for taxis. I wanted to take the subway (U-bahn), but the maps were not clear at all. So we picked a random exit via which a lot of people were leaving (mostly so they could get outside and smoke a cigarette). Nothing in sight but buses. I'm not opposed to buses per se, as long as someone else is riding them. (Plus, I wouldn't know which one to get on).
We had asked our travel agent to arrange a transfer (usually by minivan or the like), but she breezily said, take a taxi. Except there were no taxis.
So we went back in, dragging our wheeled luggage behind us, and I was ready to blow a gasket (that famous Bolger temper). The man at the information desk pointed, said turn left, then turn right. So we did. And that took us to train platforms 2 & 3. So, we were outside, but nowhere near where we needed to be. I went back to the gentleman, and explained we were looking for taxis, not trains.
To give him credit, he popped out of his booth, and walked us over to where he meant (it was a little alleyway past the first turn, and led to an elevator). It looked like the part of the train station where locals send tourists just so they can get mugged.
He also said the taxis were 50 meters away from the top to the right. Well, as a swim fan, I'm well acquainted with 50 meters, and this was not 50 meters. Dragging our luggage behind us, we went the 300 meters to the cab stand, where immediately the last taxi filled up with people and left. Finally one came -- except we wouldn't fit. Plus, the driver didn't know where the hotel was, even though we are on a main street in Vienna. Stuffing random Euros into Carol's hand, I sent Julia, Maddy, and Carol off to their fates. Torie and I grabbed the next cab to come along, and at least the cabbie knew the hotel and the city.
We probably lost a good (actually, a bad) 45 minutes trying to find our way out of the train station and to the cab stand. Nice signage, Vienna!
Walking into the hotel was an immediate, and pleasant relaxer. The woman at the desk was immediately friendlier than anyone we met in Prague. I think in Prague they are not as friendly because they deal with tourists all day long -- here the people we've met seem genuinely happy to see us, as opposed to it being part of their job.
After a bit of time in the room after the long train trip, we headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner --Glacis Beisl (don't worry, I can't pronounce it either). It was clearly not a tourist place -- I'm betting we were the only non-locals there. The service was good -- the waiter was friendly, and the food was great -- Maddy and I had Viennese Schnitzel, Carol and Julia had the beef goulash, and Torie had, as usual, the most expensive thing on the menu.
Mrs. Iron Tourist and I shared a nice bottle (not a great one, but a nice one) of Austrian Pinot Noir, which tastes like Burgundy with a little water added.
The only mistake was that we choose to sit outside. That was an error not because it was cold (we were suitably dressed), but because people seated out in the pleasant garden area smoked. And, we were seated near the area where the people inside came out to smoke. Even outside the secondhand smoke was annoying, disgusting, and distracting. Later in the evening, the smoking ranks thinned out and it was more palatable.
I also made the mistake of asking our waiter (who was clearly proud of his decent English) about what to see in Vienna. He summoned two other waiters, and we got this long dissertation that made little sense, but they were clearly excited to be asked, so we let them ramble.
Speaking of rambling, the hotel in Vienna, Das Tyrol, seems perfect for us. The hotel in Prague, the U Pava, had a great location, but the reviews on Trip Advisor were so mixed our expectations were very low. The place was fine -- since we were on the main floor, the constant smoking in the lobby did not drift up to our rooms (but it drift up to someone else's room), and the clerks were all as non-friendly as advertised. But, the rooms were fine, the breakfast did the trick, and we were in between Old Town and the Prague Castle area -- both short walks away. I wouldn't recommend the hotel, but I also wouldn't recommend against it.
Btw, if you can't tell from this post, you are better off with a good wine than a fine whine.
You've Got to Hand It To Them. . .
After breakfast on Tuesday the 9th, our last morning, we headed under Charles Bridge, took a shortcut via Kampa Island, and headed for the John Lennon Wall. A hero to young Czechs after his murder in late 1980, someone painted his face on a secluded wall – and attempts to whitewash it did not hold, as the original came through and was repainted. Finally, after the fall of Communism, the owners of the wall gave up. I thought it might be a pretty amazing sight to behold, but unfortunately it is now primarily just a wall for graffiti. It was the most disappointing place we visited in Prague. I’m not a huge Lennon guy (although he’s better than that other influential Lenin), but it seemed intriguing. It was not.
There was a movie scene being shot in the square right below the Charles Bridge on our side of the river. We watched one take, and then walked into town (our seventh and second to last crossing of the bridge – seems like more). The girls decided not to do souvenir shopping (although Julia and Torie each eventually bought t-shirts. Btw, approximately 90% of the t-shirts reference drinking, so I’m glad they went with more neutral: “Prague, Czech Republic” shirts.)
We went into three churches – the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, St. Nicholas (a different one than yesterday), and St. James. If you only have time for one, go to Tyn – it’s yet another spectacular church with artifacts from the 1400s. However, the attraction of St. James is the 400 year old mummified arm of an unsuccessful thief caught red-handed in the church trying to steal jewels. Apparently when he said he’d give his right arm to be remembered in history, the church folks took him seriously (just kidding about that last line, but not the gist of the story).
Back to the hotel (with one quick stop for the last Gelato in Prague), pack up, and off to the train station. Looking out the window now at Austria, and there are a significant number of wind turbines off in the distance. An hour till Vienna, and hopefully wireless coverage so I can post this to the blog!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
