Oh, gee...I never knew!
I decided I couldn't plan my Bavarian trip online and had to go into town to the railway station and do it, as they had some super duper fares which wouldn't happen for me online.
What an eye opener!
I'm still in shock!
I caught the train into the Westanbhauff...or something like that...from the train stop down the hill...but from a different platform and ended up in another world!
Wow...is all I can say.
These blessed Austrians have it all sorted out, you know.
The railway head station is just like an airport duty free shopping zone, but without the outrageous prices that duty free charge...
You all know you can buy alcohol stuff from Dan Murphy's in Australia, heaps cheaper than duty free at the airports, perfume from Terry White Chemist at half the duty free prices etc...and this train port is like a huge Dan Murphy's...only for everything!
I'm completely blown away!
I am.
Anyways...found a nice girl at a ticket counter at the massive 4 stories high train station and told her the problem/challenge I had with their website not allowing me to buy the tickets I wanted online.
She proceeded to find me all the cheapest fares available over the next 30 mins for my entire Bavarian trip and I walked away with my complete Bavarian adventure for just 87 Euros!
I was one happy chappy indeed.
But I must not get carried away as I just bought a bottle of apple juice (so I thought) and opened it and took a big mouthfull glug and ...yuk...it was apple cider vinegar!
First time I've goofed up on food that badly!
Hahaha...
I am so happy...as this part of the trip would not come together for me and has been bugging me for the past 2 months.
It just would not gel for me...
But to-day, it did...with over the counter help and ticket purchases.
So, now it's onwards and upwards.
I only wish my daughter would get her head right and come over here, as this is her life I'm living,far too much cheese for me.
Anyways...here are a fabulous bunch of pictures for you from to-days little 3 klm walk from that train centre back into the place I know so well...St Stephensplatz, Karlsplatz and home to the Hutteldorf Hostel.
I decided I couldn't plan my Bavarian trip online and had to go into town to the railway station and do it, as they had some super duper fares which wouldn't happen for me online.
What an eye opener!
I'm still in shock!
I caught the train into the Westanbhauff...or something like that...from the train stop down the hill...but from a different platform and ended up in another world!
Wow...is all I can say.
These blessed Austrians have it all sorted out, you know.
The railway head station is just like an airport duty free shopping zone, but without the outrageous prices that duty free charge...
You all know you can buy alcohol stuff from Dan Murphy's in Australia, heaps cheaper than duty free at the airports, perfume from Terry White Chemist at half the duty free prices etc...and this train port is like a huge Dan Murphy's...only for everything!
I'm completely blown away!
I am.
Anyways...found a nice girl at a ticket counter at the massive 4 stories high train station and told her the problem/challenge I had with their website not allowing me to buy the tickets I wanted online.
She proceeded to find me all the cheapest fares available over the next 30 mins for my entire Bavarian trip and I walked away with my complete Bavarian adventure for just 87 Euros!
I was one happy chappy indeed.
But I must not get carried away as I just bought a bottle of apple juice (so I thought) and opened it and took a big mouthfull glug and ...yuk...it was apple cider vinegar!
First time I've goofed up on food that badly!
Hahaha...
I am so happy...as this part of the trip would not come together for me and has been bugging me for the past 2 months.
It just would not gel for me...
But to-day, it did...with over the counter help and ticket purchases.
So, now it's onwards and upwards.
I only wish my daughter would get her head right and come over here, as this is her life I'm living,far too much cheese for me.
Anyways...here are a fabulous bunch of pictures for you from to-days little 3 klm walk from that train centre back into the place I know so well...St Stephensplatz, Karlsplatz and home to the Hutteldorf Hostel.
The snow has all melted overnight and it's making the rivers run like crazy!
Swirling waters...remind me of my family in Australia where they have been flooded out too...
Now, I'm not quite sure what this add is all about...it's outside the entry to the train station here at the Hutteldorf end...Your guess is as good as mine!
Love this...It's a computer shop in the super duper railway centre...
Amazing...4 levels that I saw in this rail centre...Like a giant airport duty free area. Awesome and cheap...but no duty free. Amazing.
I bought a chicken stir fry and rice for lunch in the rail centre...they actually cook it in front of you...fresh as...only 6 euro 20 cents.
Sex shops (and advertising, it seems) are as natural as a hat or shoe shop over here. Same as alcohol...you buy it next to the lettuce and bread. We have things to learn about this stuff, for sure, in Australia!
Walking out of the train station and I look up to a blue sky and this...a bit scary from this angle!
Now, I'm going to walk the next 3klm back into the centre of Vienna right through the main shopping Strasse. See...all the snow melted in 24 hrs. Amazing!
1 foot of snow, vanishes overnight!
Spires pop up from every corner...
Now, this one is for the girls...Check out the evening purse...It doubles as rings. It's only 39 Euro too...
Love this. There's summer and winter colours. Want one for next ball season here...
Tina...I thought of you when I saw these dangerous instruments! 45 euro...
Summer collection evening and day purses available now...They take mobile phones and a huge amt of female clutter.
More elegant buildings...
Green plastic spoons and forks create this great window decoration...
I have no idea how these pics all turned out so well as it's just coming 4pm...The sun is about to set!
You can just see the last remnants of a foot of snow from yesterday in this Paris type picture.
A nice surprise in the middle of town!
Then all the streets opened up and I was in what's known as "The Museum Quarter"
Very different, yet similar in thought to Prague. Vienna is very imperial and very elegant in style.
Wow...this came out sooo well. The sun was setting and I did not think it would show up at all!
Shot 2 from down the road just in case!
See the magic details on the buildings. These are all Museums. Will visit them all next time.
Here's another one!
And another...
And another...It's the Museum Quarter...heaps of amazing museums all in one area.
This is why I love Emperor Franz Joseph. He made all types of paths for horses, for bikes, for walking, for trams...Love the guy!
Just something you go under...Probably old city wall gates.
And more Museums...
Pretty hedge plants...
The Parliament House of Vienna...
I'm walking right up and into it. No guards.
Very pretty...
We found a guard at the top...but he stayed out of sight and let us walk all over the huge steps and touch the columns.
All these statues represent some virtue of character...which is to be reflected in the Parliamentarians.
And these too...
Don't quite know what all this means, but it means something to the Austrians at their Parliament House!
This is waaaay up top of their Parliament building...All waving good-bye to me. Actually, you can see the guards here. I never saw them at the time as I put this on telephoto settings. Very unobtrusive.
Just walked past the Parliament building and this pops up. Have no idea what it is, but it's pretty impressive.
Wow...Vienna certainly is Imperial!
Then, right in front of me is the City Hall! This is where Andre Rieu did one of his Vienna Xmas Concerts from. They also have an ice skating rink here over the winter period...
Imagine Brisbane City Council going to all this trouble for the happiness of people and to keep the kids occupied!
That gorgeous building is the Hofburg Theatre...Never knew they had one!
This is amazing. They cover all the park with boards and seats and restaurants and people come and skate, eat and look!
It's just on sunset, but at night the lights are awesome.
They built a viewing bridge over the skating rink, so you can photograph it!
It's like a great fun park...
People donning their skates to go for a skate around here...
What a setting!
Wow! Vienna, you win at style and a class act for sure!
The Hofburg Theatre...Like an ice-cream cake...
The sun is setting on a very amazing day...Snow all melted and +13C...weird!
Another Viennese masterpiece...A real sunset, right in the middle of town!
Then I found this shopping colonnade...
Different angle, same colonnade!
Then I looked around and saw heaps of people sitting on seats in the town square, just soaking up the atmosphere...Wow, this must be amazing in summer. You can hear musicians playing and the hummmm of people chattering away. Awesome.
A no flash version of the same pic as previously...
Moving on, I saw this too...Have no idea what it is...
...But it's 25 past 5 in the afternoon!
Now, I'm right in the heart of Vienna!
They put the netting over this statue so the snow does not land on it and freeze and break bits off it...
Wonder how thick this gold leaf is...?
Another side to this centre piece of Vienna.
Now I'm walking to St Stephens Cathedral and the Metro underground station to go home to the Hutteldorf Hostel at the end of the metro line...at Hutteldorf!
This add is in the Underground ...Love it....Say her name out loud. "You... shack...over..." I know it's petty, but these types of things make my day! hahaha...Plus, she is pretty!
OK...So, now I'm back and all sorted out and am so very happy again.
This is the basics of the Bavarian trip.
I leave here on Saturday and go to Lake Bled by train, arriving 6pm
Then I have 2 nights at Bled, Sat and Sun
I leave Bled on Monday afternoon and go to Innsbruck for Monday night and on Tuesday, go to Munich to pick up my trip to Neuschwanstein Castle for all day Wednesday.
In Innsbruck I will check out places my grandson wanted to snow board at, as he was going to come, but didn't this time. I bought him a snow board package for the day for a Xmas present.
So, now, all I have to do is book the trip to London from Munich for Friday or Saturday, as I fly out of London on Sunday morning at 7am for Copenhagen...dohhh...how did I ever do that for 7am over here when it's still inky black?
Temp to-day...Amazing. People in cardigans, no jackets or coats...+13C...Unbelievable!
Dorm buddies...Thought I was going to be alone to-night, but a girl from Bratislava just came in...10pm...and ruined my night alone! She's asleep now and does not snore!
Spend to-day. 6E 20 for lunch, 11E for nibbles for Bavaria, 87E for train tickets to Bled, Innsbruck and then to Munich and 3E for some juice and the apple vinegar! Hahaha...Total...107 Euro...=137 Ausd.
So that just about takes me out of Europe.
I have a few hostels to book at about $20 Ausd a night or so, have nuts and dried fruits to chew on and my train trip is all paid for plus my Neuschwanstein trip is paid for too.
Am so happy now, that's all done.
Just have to book my way from Munich to London in the morning and it's just about over Rover, as the England and Scotland portion is so easy and sooo cheap, I'm half booked for them anyways.
Such a relief to have that Bavarian bit all done and dusted!
'bye for now...
xxx
This is the basics of the Bavarian trip.
I leave here on Saturday and go to Lake Bled by train, arriving 6pm
Then I have 2 nights at Bled, Sat and Sun
I leave Bled on Monday afternoon and go to Innsbruck for Monday night and on Tuesday, go to Munich to pick up my trip to Neuschwanstein Castle for all day Wednesday.
In Innsbruck I will check out places my grandson wanted to snow board at, as he was going to come, but didn't this time. I bought him a snow board package for the day for a Xmas present.
So, now, all I have to do is book the trip to London from Munich for Friday or Saturday, as I fly out of London on Sunday morning at 7am for Copenhagen...dohhh...how did I ever do that for 7am over here when it's still inky black?
Temp to-day...Amazing. People in cardigans, no jackets or coats...+13C...Unbelievable!
Dorm buddies...Thought I was going to be alone to-night, but a girl from Bratislava just came in...10pm...and ruined my night alone! She's asleep now and does not snore!
Spend to-day. 6E 20 for lunch, 11E for nibbles for Bavaria, 87E for train tickets to Bled, Innsbruck and then to Munich and 3E for some juice and the apple vinegar! Hahaha...Total...107 Euro...=137 Ausd.
So that just about takes me out of Europe.
I have a few hostels to book at about $20 Ausd a night or so, have nuts and dried fruits to chew on and my train trip is all paid for plus my Neuschwanstein trip is paid for too.
Am so happy now, that's all done.
Just have to book my way from Munich to London in the morning and it's just about over Rover, as the England and Scotland portion is so easy and sooo cheap, I'm half booked for them anyways.
Such a relief to have that Bavarian bit all done and dusted!
'bye for now...
xxx
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