Wien (Vienna)

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As we approached the southeastern outer ring of Vienna, we decided to take the train into the Southbahnhof (train station) - to have more time to relax in Vienna before the planned evening visit to the Danube Island Festival.

Our first stop was a city square for a picnic lunch, where a study group of some sort, was doing a lecture tour about a pavement stone near our park bench ending with a long transcendental chant, which we took to be our welcome to Vienna.

Ray was excited to show the Ring, which is the circular street, which surrounds the old part of Vienna, and has all the monumental buildings on its various parts - the Opera, the City Hall, the Parliament, the State Theatre etc. We cyled through Vienna along the Danube Canal and across the various arms of the Danube river to our new neighborhood, Floridsdorf. It´s a modest neighborhood in terms of elegance, mostly rebuilt after wartime destruction, but quite convenient to public transport, shopping, with good bicycle access to Old Vienna. The apartment itself is splendidly set up for us, a terrific layout, well equiped, cool northside balcony, corner suite, washing machine, dishwasher, great kitchen, colours etc. We think they make up for the shortcomings of the neighborhood by a superb outfitting of the apartment.

The landlady is very chatty and helpful - they lend us this computer for the duration of the stay. She points out that the district prison (like 222 Main St.) is the view from the bedroom, while we are immediately above a kindergarten, next door to the district Protestant Church and around the corner from the Fire Station and Police. Andrew is happy with the apartment because of the well crafted German applicances and the extraordinay shopping opportunities in the neighborhood - we are at the end of the U6 line which has many shops right at the station area as well as a free shuttle bus to the large, modern and pleasant North American style Shopping Centre Nord.

We can walk to the Danube Island from our place and we do so the night of our arrival to watch the fireworks at the Danube Island Festival which takes places this weekend.

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Photos

Crossing the Danube
The last bridge before we arrive at our apartment.

View of UN City
A view of a modern district of Vienna which houses its United Nations organizations. Taken from bridge into our new neighborhood, Floridsdorf.

Floridsdorf
Taken by our landlady in front of apartment.

View from bedroom
District prison in view. Police, fire, city office for this district are all around the corner.
As well as a WW2 bunker which would be too dangerous or expensive to take out.

Neighborhood Shopping Street
One of the fine establishments in our neighborhood.

Fireworks on our arrival
We walk to the Danube Island for the Music Festival the night of our arrival.