We have a big sleep in rising at 9:40am to have a shower. Then we realise that we are supposed to check out at 10am - uh oh. A crazy 40 minutes follows which includes us showering, packing our bags (which includes folding all the washing that the hostel did for us yesterday). Strangely the hostel didn't seem to care that we were 20 minutes late checking out. Oh well. We spend the next 10 minutes in the bathroom cleaning our teeth and doing our hair in order to prepare for the day ahead. It's a travel day which means that the bus is rolling in at 12pm for our 12:30pm departure to Vienna. It leaves time for a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and potato hash for Shona, add in baked beans on toast and some sausages and you have Mike's meal. Wash it down with orange juice and best of all, it's only 5euro when converted back. Sweet! While we eat we think about the festivities going on back in Auckland to celebrate Maryanne and Carmilo's wedding. It would be 9pm at home, so probably time for speeches? We finish eating and the bus arrives so we walk down to where it's parked and jump on with the usual strategy. Shona gets to the door queue first with the day packs, her busabout card and passport ready to be checked before entering the bus. Mike waits with the two backpacks and puts them in the under coach storage last. Then he jumps on. It means Shona can get our preferred seats on
the bus next to the chargers for our laptop and by putting our bags on last we are usually first in queue to check in at the other end. We only have one night in Vienna and so we head out to the palace to check out the gardens. They are manicured and totally stunning. There are lots of Viennese runners running through them. There is also a zoo, but it is closed and we wish we were here one more day in order to be able to check it out. Our Austrian friends from San Sebastian said that we need to have a Sachertorte which is a rich chocolate cake and of course it needs to be accompanied by coffee. The Austrians were the first to introduce Europe to coffee. The Turks brought it with
them when they invaded and left it behind when they were overthrown. We navigate the subway to a place recommended by the hostel but were disappointed by both the coffee and the cake. Sachertorte is not that rich (rather like a chocolate sponge with chocolate icing) and the coffee was better in Amsterdam - but at least we've tried them. Another recommendation by our Austrian friends was the Travelshack - an Australian bar in Vienna owned by Andrea's brother. He ends us serving us our first drink (midori and pineapple and a stein to prep Mike for Oktoberfest) and is rather stunned when we ask do you have a sister called Andrea. Our explanation goes down well and it turns out that their sister is also working behind the bar. She comes and talks to us about her crazy life. She is a vocalist and her boyfriend is out of town at the moment. He is one of the top 5 bass players in the world. He has toured with Elton John, Madonna and other famous names. He was asked to tour with Christina Aguliera but turned her down because all she needs is a sore arm and she will cancel her concert, not making it worth the effort. So he is currently in Brazil travelling with a popular performer. Catherine also brings us a shot of weiner blut (pronounced vienna blood) which is a popular Austrian schnapps. It smells of pure alcohol and tastes like it, but the after taste is lovely. Next up is a shared shot of Schonbrunner Gold beca
use it has bits of gold in it. It's delicious! Needless to say we are feeling good after the shots and as other busabouters walk into the bar we have a good time trying to hammer nails into a piece of wood with the wrong side of the hammer. The shots and beer send Mike to a very happy place, whilst the midori isn't strong enough to get to Shona so she navigates us home safely. Oh point on the walk between the cake and the bar - we see the Austrian sports stars walk of fame. Shona only recognises the first person - Thomas Muster a tennis player, but it's fun to see all the hands and feet in the concrete.
the bus next to the chargers for our laptop and by putting our bags on last we are usually first in queue to check in at the other end. We only have one night in Vienna and so we head out to the palace to check out the gardens. They are manicured and totally stunning. There are lots of Viennese runners running through them. There is also a zoo, but it is closed and we wish we were here one more day in order to be able to check it out. Our Austrian friends from San Sebastian said that we need to have a Sachertorte which is a rich chocolate cake and of course it needs to be accompanied by coffee. The Austrians were the first to introduce Europe to coffee. The Turks brought it with 
them when they invaded and left it behind when they were overthrown. We navigate the subway to a place recommended by the hostel but were disappointed by both the coffee and the cake. Sachertorte is not that rich (rather like a chocolate sponge with chocolate icing) and the coffee was better in Amsterdam - but at least we've tried them. Another recommendation by our Austrian friends was the Travelshack - an Australian bar in Vienna owned by Andrea's brother. He ends us serving us our first drink (midori and pineapple and a stein to prep Mike for Oktoberfest) and is rather stunned when we ask do you have a sister called Andrea. Our explanation goes down well and it turns out that their sister is also working behind the bar. She comes and talks to us about her crazy life. She is a vocalist and her boyfriend is out of town at the moment. He is one of the top 5 bass players in the world. He has toured with Elton John, Madonna and other famous names. He was asked to tour with Christina Aguliera but turned her down because all she needs is a sore arm and she will cancel her concert, not making it worth the effort. So he is currently in Brazil travelling with a popular performer. Catherine also brings us a shot of weiner blut (pronounced vienna blood) which is a popular Austrian schnapps. It smells of pure alcohol and tastes like it, but the after taste is lovely. Next up is a shared shot of Schonbrunner Gold beca
use it has bits of gold in it. It's delicious! Needless to say we are feeling good after the shots and as other busabouters walk into the bar we have a good time trying to hammer nails into a piece of wood with the wrong side of the hammer. The shots and beer send Mike to a very happy place, whilst the midori isn't strong enough to get to Shona so she navigates us home safely. Oh point on the walk between the cake and the bar - we see the Austrian sports stars walk of fame. Shona only recognises the first person - Thomas Muster a tennis player, but it's fun to see all the hands and feet in the concrete.
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Hmm, all those baked beans Mike, somehow reminds me of Blazing Saddles, I hope they don't affect you the way they did in the movie, if so, Shona you have my sympathies.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have mastered the bus system! And Janine - it sounds like it may be the alcohol that we should be worrying about affecting Mike!
ReplyDeleteOne serving of baked beans is hardly likely to have an effect Janine... and apt timing for the comment about alcohol Andrew -we're reading this having just come home from what might be the world's biggest beer hall!
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