- Austria's public transportation is one of the easiest to use! One pass covers the bus, metro, and tram lines for a set amount of time, making getting around Vienna super easy.
- Citybike is another form of transportation around the city, and a really great idea! We used these bikes to make a lap around the ring that circles the city center, and saw many great sights along the way.
- The Gloriette, a structure on the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace, was built using the stone remains of a Viennese castle, the Castle Neugebäude, at the decree of Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, in 1775.
- A Polish church, St. Josefskirche, stands on the top of Kahlenberg Hill. It was refurbished by Polish monks in 1906 to commemorate Jan Sobieski's role in the Battle of Kahlenberg. Pope John Paul II visited it in 1983.
- Schönbrunn Tiergarten is the oldest zoo in the world - it was founded in 1792!
FOUR new dishes:
- Schnitzel: This deep-fried Austrian specialty can be made with a variety of ingredients, including pork, veal, beef, or chicken. The schnitzel we ate was made of chicken, and breaded in something untraditional: corn flakes!
- Bread with cheese or honey: Perhaps not too different from what we would eat at home, this simple dish was nevertheless enjoyed as our breakfast many times. The Austrian bread was really dense and dark brown; the cheese tangy and sharp; the honey sweet but not too sweet.
- Sachertorte is chocolate cake with dark chocolate icing, with apricot jam filling. We saw this at many restaurants and cafés - even at the zoo!
- Manner Schnitten! This wasn't technically a 'new' dish to us, as we had sampled some of this delicious Austrian delicacy on Martin's boat, but as it's made in Vienna we're including it! These thin wafers are layered with hazelnut creme, and are very tasty. One member of the crew (..Amanda) brought home quite a few Manner Schnitten!
THREE interesting people:
- MARTIN! Ok, so we didn't actually meet him IN Vienna, but he's FROM Vienna! We first saw Martin on Vanuatu, and crossed paths many times after that. He remains one of the crew's most favorite new friends, and we follow his progress on Anima III avidly!
- Fini! We met Fini through Martin, and just had to see her when we visited her hometown. Fini doesn't speak English and we don't speak German, but the language barrier didn't interfere with us having a good time! She took us on an excellent trip to the Schönbrunn Tiergarten, where we saw a baby giant panda, a baby elephant, orangutans, and seals!
- Fellow opera-goers. On our last day in Vienna, we attended the opera to see 'Aida.' Standing tickets can be bought for only 3 Euros! Although we were at the very top row, we still enjoyed listening and watching the opera. We spied one little old lady who had her routine in the standing section down pat: after the lights dimmed and the attendant left, she pulled a cushion out from her purse and promptly sat down on the stairs!
TWO things older than America:
- Stephansdom, or St. Stephen's Cathedral, immediately captures the eye as you enter Stephansplatz, the square in which it stands in Vienna. The cathedral was likely built on the ruins of previous churches, and was dedicated to St. Stephen in 1147. Much construction and expansion took place during the following centuries, making Stephansdom the grand, iconic cathedral it is today.
- Schönbrunn Palace was originally a mansion, called Katterburg, built in 1548. In 1686 Emperor Leopold I gained possession of it, and decided to build an elaborate estate for his son. An array of royal families have lived in, expanded, and renovated the Schönbrunn Palace since then. It is now a museum, and many visitors come to tour the halls and grounds each year.
ONE wonderful country - Austria!
