Not again!!!!!

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After dropping off part of our tour group in another part of the city, they stood there looking helplessly at their maps. I was glad we decided to do the optional excursion to Schönbrunn Palace. On the way there, we were somewhat enjoying the bus ride when all of a sudden, we heard a "screeching noise" accompanied by a "thud". Ouch. Our bus driver, Franco who had excellent driving skills had hit a cab! He got out and while checking out the situation (along with our bus), a blond female came out of nowhere to assess the situation also. She ended up being the driver of the cab. He told her where he/we were going and for her to meet there. (near the palace) Our week old bus did have a scratch but I'm not sure what damage the cab had. Sure enough, the "lady cab driver" came to discuss the situation while we waited for our guide.

Oh NO, not HER again!!! Yes it was the same female guide from the day before! Well, there was nothing we could do about it except to follow her to the palace where we did get an INSIDE tour. Schönbrunn Palace started as a hunting lodge in 1696. It later came in the hands of Emperor Charles VI who gave it to his daughter, Maria Theresa. Our guide ended up skipping about 10 rooms in which other people went in these rooms with headphones (without a guide) and was on her cell phone when she should have been "guiding us". She left us with free time which was about half an hour. All we had time to do was walk to the Obelisk Fountain. We did hear an orchestra practicing behind the palace. We were glad when the tour ended, although I would have liked to have seen more of the grounds. When we got back to the bus, Franco had the scratch smoothed out and you could barely tell it was ever there! Vienna must really dislike President Bush because we also saw on the roof of a building, "Go Home Bush" in big white letters, along with the comment from the previous day.

We were dropped off in the same place as the day before with < 2 hours to spare. We ate at a restaurant by St. Stephan's where we had a cute blond waiter. We had a good meal consisting of lasagna and carrots and were able to use the bathroom without a fee. lol We went to the ice cream place again and this time I got a cone with dark chocolate. Delicious! Aside from Vienna having good ice cream, fresh water from the faucet and the waltz being fantastic, the city left a bad taste in our mouths. I didn't hate Vienna but a few bad mishaps happened here with other members of the group as well (besides the bus incident and crappy guide). For instance, one woman became sick and had to be dropped off at our hotel early in the middle of the city tour, which Franco handled very nicely. Another lady, from Scotland, fell and had terrible bruises on her legs.
It was then time to leave Vienna and we were happy to be on our way to Prague!

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Photos

Schloss Schönbrunn
much crowded place

Round Pool
near the gardens

Mallard swims peacefully
in the round pool

Obelisk Fountain
built in 1777

water flows
from a central mask of the Obelisk Fountain