After some windy cycling South from Brno, I was glad to be in Vienna. This is a city of class and quality. The buildings are a showcase of architecture from Baroque, neo-Gothic to modern glass skyscrapers. Every street is pristine. The food is good and the people are friendly. I even got a guided tour to my hostel by a cyclist who knew the city.
I spe
nt most of my time here chilling out. I went to see the Vienna Residence Orchestra play some Mozart and Strauss in the Palais Auersperg. Mozart had also played in the same room some 250 years earlier. It was a flawless performance and the dancers and opera singers were in typical 18th century costumes which made it all the more entertaining. They wouldn’t let me take pictures though.
After I went to Cafe Central for some coffee and pancakes whilst listening to their in-house pianist who plays from 5 till 10pm everyday. There’s a lot of music events in the city and even in the streets the buskers are top class. There’s a film festival just now in the city as well. I went for a look but pretty much all I could see was people watching a giant T.V. and getting drunk!
Yesterday I went to the Schonbrunn Palace and wandered around Schlosspark. The place is massive; at least a few square kilometres. You’re not allowed bikes in so I had pretty sore feet after wandering around there.
Cycling in the city is second only to the Netherlands. The good thing is that not so many people cycle here so the paths are all free. The city is almost flat aswell but the odd hill is welcomed whilst you overtake enemy vehicles from your own private lane.
Unfortunately I could only stay here for a few days and I am now in a different country already! It’s not that crazy though, Slovakia is only 60km or so from Vienna. But I definitely will be going back there, maybe when I have more money. And class.
