Eurotrip Part II: Vienna

This is the view from our hostel way up on a hill. It was a pretty grey day but people were still out throwing sticks for dogs etc. Thanks to Alex for this hostel rec. Although way out of town, we never would have seen this view otherwise. Vienna is much bigger than I expected.


After dropping our stuff and taking long-overdue showers, Grace and I headed down into town to grab a snack and meet Lexi, Alexis and Erin at the train station. We found a farmer's market outside the metro stop.


We invested in some delightful Viennese pastries.

With full bellies and a sugar high to compensate for jet lag, Grace and I met Lexi, Alexis and Erin at the train station. We had a lovely girly birthday dinner down the hill from the hostel for Lexi's belated birthday.

Aww, this birthday girl is happy with her schnitzel.

The next day, we had a FULL day of site-seeing.

Palace:




The chapel part was free so we went in there:


There was a sleepy cherubim:

Dawww.

Downtown Vienna looks like Minas Tirith--lots of white stone. We wandered around the city center window shopping and finally stopped for coffee to wait out the rain so we could do the Rick Steves walking tour.





Grace and I stopped in to see these very dead Hapsburgs:


They're pretty much all there. It's intense. Then we met back up with Erin, Alexis and Lexi for more cake! Linzer torte is the classic Austrian delight but I preferred this strawberry thing.

After that we went on the walking tour! Here's Lexi reading to us about this plague monument.

Did you see Leopold's massive underbite? We can't even begin to imitate it...

We also saw more beautiful churches. Seriously some of the most beautiful churches I have ever been in.


And finally...guess what this is!


If you guessed Opera House, you're right! Next stop: Venice. . .via night train.