Postcards from the Past: Austria

Alpine Wonder

When and Where: 11/1998 – Bregenz

09/2022 – Vienna

12^th Country Visited; 7^th European Country Visited

Interesting Facts:

- Vienna is a creative and cultural hub of Europe.

- The sewing machine and post cards were invented in Austria.

- One of four Austrians live in Vienna.

- 62% of the country is covered by the Austrian Alps.

During my 2022 solo European adventure, I spent two days in Vienna. I had accommodations near the central train station Wien HBF. I arrived in the early evening on a train from Budapest. Exiting the enormous train station, I was confused and a young gentleman approached me and helped me navigate my way to the nearby hotel. I was pleasantly surprised by the hotel; it was the nicest I stayed in during my whole European adventure.

I woke up early the next morning and headed to Bratislava Slovakia for a half day adventure. Arriving back in Vienna around 1pm, I took an Uber to the center of the city. I walked around for about a half hour in awe of this beautiful city. Similar to Prague and Budapest, it is a grand city with a unique charm and vibrancy. There are old Baroque buildings interspersed with modern skyscrapers. When I think of Austria, I think of the Alps. Much to my surprise, Vienna is flat. Vienna is billed as the cultural capital of Europe and the worldwide capital of classical music. Like most other European capitals, it is clean and safe. It is also somewhat easy to navigate and has outstanding infrastructure. As I made my way about the city, Billy Joel’s song “Vienna” was stuck in my head, replaying over and over.

I toured the city extensively. I chose a Hop On-Hop Off bus tour and in addition, easily walked 5 miles in between stops. My first destination was the ornately decorated St. Stephen’s Cathedral; the mother church of the Diocese of Vienna. The church as it stands today was completed in 1537, however construction had commenced 400 years before. The two spires which were built in the early 1100’s, survived a fire in 1237; the rest of the church was destroyed. The church was designed in the Romanesque and Baroque styles and is covered by a glazed tile roof which is ornately patterned with rich colors. I also made a stop at the neo-Gothic Votive Church which was completed in 1879. The opulent white structure is smaller, but more stunning than St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The church was built as a token of gratitude for a failed attempt to assassinate Emperor Franz Joseph.

I made it back to the central part of the city near the Cathedral. I walked around the square taking in the smell of fresh baked goods in the open market. I stopped at McDonald’s for a quick meal as I often do on vacations. I can count on McDonald’s food quality to be consistent worldwide. Shortly after eating, I headed over to the lavish Austria Parliament Building which is situated among a cluster of museums. I toured the grounds and gardens. The Parliament is among the 5 most beautiful capital buildings I’ve seen in all my travels.

My final stop for the day was the was the Schonbrunn Palace, which was the main summer residence of the Hapsburg rulers. The opulent palace was built in the late 1500’s. The sprawling estate has a massive entranceway. Entering the court, there are ornate fountains and extensive well-manicured gardens. I was in awe of the sheer size and imperial feel of the building. Visiting the Palace was the highlight of my visit to Vienna.

As I arrived back at my hotel, I found a nearby outdoor café to sit and enjoy dinner. While eating, a mouse kept circling my table. The mouse was brazen and wouldn’t back off when I stomped my feet. I quickly ate my meal and had the plate removed. The mouse eventually went away, leaving me to enjoy a nice glass of white wine. The next morning, I planned to continue touring Vienna, however the weather was not cooperative. A heavy rain persisted for hours, leaving me stranded in the hotel. In the early afternoon, I caught a train for Prague. Overall, I enjoyed Vienna.

Back in 1998, I visited Zurich and Munich with my friend George and his family. Driving from Zurich to Munich and back, we had to pass through a border town, Bregenz Austria, to clear immigration from Switzerland into Austria (The European Union). On the way back, we also had to clear immigration to cross back into Switzerland. Both ways, our stop was brief. It was freezing cold and we didn’t explore much other than a souvenir shop. Bregenz is a small town in the Alps and the mountains in the background were stunning. I doubt I would ever visit again, unless I was taking the same route between Zurich and Munich. At some point, I would love to explore more of Austria, but I don’t have a desire to go back to Vienna.