Vienna, Austria

Homeward bound! We had a flight to Austria at 2pm, which meant we could have a relaxing breakfast, pack, and get to the airport without rushing. We rejigged our luggage cause we were overnighting in Vienna. We had booked through Expedia, and weren't sure if our journey was considered one continuous flight where our baggage would be checked through to Toronto. So packed the carry-on for what we needed in Vienna, and everything else in the bigger suitcases. We didn't have any bulky souvenirs so it was an easy pack.

Checked out of the hotel and drove to the airport. Google maps dropped the pin to the airport at some back entrance, and was trying to take us down some dirt roads. We ended up ignoring Google and just followed the major roads to get to the airport. Neil Stephenson in Reamde describes it much better:

The GPS unit became almost equally obstreperous, though, over Richard's unauthorized route change, until they finally passed over some invisible cybernetic watershed between two possible ways of getting to their destination, and it changed its fickle little mind and began calmly telling him which way to proceed as if this had been its idea all along.

The car rental guys were waiting in the parking lot, so it was pretty quick and easy to return the car.

It's a small airport and check-in didn't start until two hours before our flight. We browsed the souvenir shops and drank our water while still outside security. Finally the counter opened. Turns out our big suitcases did get checked through to Toronto, so it would be easier for us in Vienna.

We flew Austrian Airlines to Vienna. The flight was just over an hour, long enough to be served a heated meal, which was actually really good!

Got another passport stamp in Vienna. Then just walked through to the exit and grabbed a taxi to our hotel. This traveling-with-just-carry-on thing is pretty convenient!

The sun had already set by the time we reached our hotel. Quickly changed into our warmer stuff (boots, scarves etc) and headed out for a whirlwind tour of downtown Vienna. I felt like I should have read the in-flight magazine, where they have stories like 'Twelve Hours in Vienna'.

It just started to rain as we left. It was also very windy so we didn't bother with umbrellas, just our hoods. Walked towards St. Stephen's Cathedral, about 20 minutes from our hotel. I was surprised by the number of tourists out and about, particularly in souvenir shops. We found the one souvenir we wanted, a snow globe. Snow globes were invented in 1900 in Vienna; the original company still makes them.

St. Stephen's had a mass in progress, but luckily they still allow tourists in at the back. It's a huge cathedral, one of the landmarks in Vienna. At some point we'll be back in Vienna and will see it properly. For today we settled for some exterior night-time pics, sheltered from the wind and rain in an ATM overhang, and the brief visit inside. We also walked by a few other highlights, including St Peter's Catholic Church, the Hofburg, Albertina Museum and the Vienna Opera House.

We had dinner at Plachuttas Gasthaus zur Oper, apparently one of top places in Vienna for schnitzel. Good thing we had reservations cause they were non-stop with people, mostly tourists who probably googled the same sites as me :) We both had the schnitzel, conveniently highlighted on the menu. (Some other tables had ordered other items, which also looked good, but I think here you're supposed to have the schnitzel). I'm no aficionado, but it was excellent. I had a Marzënbier which went quite well with the food.

The next morning we had time for breakfast at the hotel, before heading back to the airport. We were already checked in, so just had to go through security and get to the gate. The flight home was uneventful, the end of our two-week trip.