Day Sixteen: Vienna

After doing some washing in the bath tub last night I suddenly realized I should have cold-washed my jeans. That way, there wouldn’t have been big, black drips running the length of the bath. Luckily it came out; I don’t want to know the hotel’s reaction if it hadn’t!

We headed into the city of Vienna for a drive where Megs pointed out various monuments and parliamentary buildings. Then we were off the bus at Maria Theresien Platz, walking towards the Hofburg palace. We saw a monument in memoriam of the Jews that suffered under Hitler’s tyranny, a sobering reminder that we’re visiting the Mauthausen concentration camp tomorrow.

We passed Hotel Sacher then it was off to the three story Swarovski store to pick up some of the prize crystals in their home country. Justine was feeling unwell again so we decided to pick up some familiar food in the form of Austrian McDonald’s. I had a Big Mac, which left a lot to the imagination in terms of juicy, Australian meat.

After our lunch Tiffany, Justine and I headed down to the Imperial Silver Collection, Sisi exhibition and Imperial Apartments held in a museum in the Habsburgs winter palace. We got to use our youth cards for the first time and saved a whole Euro! It was intriguing to learn about the disapproved Empress turned cult figure. Being able to wander around the palace, we saw various furniture, clothes and décor of the royal family. And while there are only so many minutes you can listen to someone talking about plates and cutlery, I found the gift of future in-laws from Louis XV to Maria Theresa quite beautiful. First they exchanged plates, then their children.

After the Sisi Apartment it was off to the Schnaps museum. The Schnaps owner/scientist (come on, he was wearing a lab coat) led us through the company that passes through the generations of his family. We then got to try some of their combinations, including some rocket fuel, absinthe, butterscotch cream, hazelnut cream and Schnaps with gold flecks inside. They were all quite delicious, despite some of the stronger ones burning on the way down. I bought some rocket fuel to keep us occupied for the rest of the trip.

It was then off to the Schoenbrunn palace, the summer residence of the Habsburgs. It was huge, larger than the winter home. The three of us walked around the palace and through some of the gardens, but the weather was looking very threatening so we opted to go into the café and warm up with some royal hot chocolate.

While Justine and Tiffany chose to go with some others for a McDonald’s dinner (I know, twice in one day!), Lee, Andrew and I headed across the road to the shopping centre and ate at Lounge 88. The food was actually quite delicious. I wanted to try an Austrian sausage, but seeing as it wasn’t on the menu opted for a chicken wok and rice. It was so good to eat vegetables, even if they were smothered with oil! Then after that it was back to the hotel to sit at the bar for a while. There Justine made friends with a nice British business man. The perks of staying in a business hotel? I think so.