Vienna

Spent all day driving on 22 August driving to Vienna through some beautiful countryside. I am sick of the bus (Daniel).

The tour director has really started flogging the optional excursions which totalled 1,600 euro each. Ouch. We are not doing too many but that seems to disadvantage us as the whole thing is geared to get you to them.

On 22 August, we wandered round Vienna by ourselves while the rest of them went to dinner in the Vienna Woods. We saw a chamber orchestra playing Strauss and Mozart. Jane saved the show by releasing an skinny girl from the toilet cubicle at intermission. Jane thought she might have been a drug addict due to her appearance and urgency in leaving the cubicle but she was the ballerina for the performance! The show was excellent.

Today, we had a guided tour of the Hapsburg city. It is beautiful and impressive. We went to the crypt of the family which is full of bronze coffins and it would have been great if they had an english guide. Not much in english here.

We have just toured the Hofburg apartments where Emperor Josef and Empress Sisi lived. It was OK but a bit dull. Tomorrow we drive to Budapest which is not too far away.

Thanks to those who have left messages. We have appreciated them as we are a long way away. Jane still misses her boys although she saw a Austrian Schnauzer today.