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Day 1 and 2 - Day 3 - Day 4 - Day 5 - Day 6 - Day 7 - Day 8 - Day 9

Day 6  - Vienna - Danube and Palaces

 

After our tedious 30 minute walk to the bus stop it was a short ride to the river port where we picked up a 2 hour cruise through Danube canal and on the Danube river.

Over a period of 900 years Vienna had over 80 devastating floods from the Danube, so with the city on the river banks being destroyed every 10 or so years, they decided to do something about it and built a series of canals and locks to control flooding.

So while this was in their interest, it did however impact on the aesthetics of the Danube in Vienna. Unlike Budapest, Prague and other cities on the river, Vienna riverfront is purely industrial. No beautiful  buildings overlooking the water, no fantastic old bridges, just seawall and industrial areas. Seriously boring.

No such thing as a no wake zone here. Also graffiti wherever you look.

Vienna River Police, must be on a budget...

All along the river there are these cute fish houses. Note the big net they lower into the water to catch fish. No water or power as they all have solar panels and rain water tanks.

Going through a lock on the Danube went up about 20 feet.

More fish houses but this time floating ones.

This was the prettiest part of an otherwise boring landscape.

You're kidding me! You know how cold that water is?

Boring bridge but some funky sky scrapers.

Once we docked again it was back on the bus and we headed off to see the palaces.

Here is a typical street scene in Vienna, this is the type of apartments people live in.

This is the main Royal Palace, it is HUGE! I tell you the name but it is unpronounceable! Germans like to string letters together to make long words.

Not only is the palace huge, but the grounds stretch out as far as the horizon!

The restaurant we had lunch at. It was the old carriage house.

We then caught the bus to the next palace called Belvedere, s smaller palace.

The grounds were smaller, but still huge and a nice view of the city.

Thus ended our last day in Vienna before we move on. In summary, Vienna is a very beautiful city and suprisingly inexpensive. It is also a smoker friendly city, with ash trays on every corner and smoking sections in train stations, etc.

I was disappointed in the Danube, was expecting a more beautiful river setting like Budapest and I did find the Austrian architecture a little unimaginative. Basically square or reticular buildings but then with fine detail carvings. Nothing spectacular.

But well worth a visit.

 

And finally....

Yes, this is me drinking a Budweiser in Vienna at a street side cafe - and NOPE, it is not anything like the Buds back home in the USofA.

This is a Czech beer with a good head, lots of bubbles and a slightly hoppy taste. Not at all like the water they call Budweiser at home!