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Published: December 5th 2012
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It was well after lunch by the time we got underway to Vienna and we were both relieved that the Garmin worked faultlessly.
The Gally Apartment was clean, serviceable and almost comfortable! We had no issues with Mr Gally despite warnings from others on the “Tripadvisor” website and, in fact, we found him helpful. His advice was always perfunctory but covered the requirements and answered our questions about where to find a post office or a doctor.
We have stayed in some dodgy locations, but this was the first one (that we know about) where there is a brothel in the same street. Fortunately no one was peddling their wares on the street so, apart from the neon sign, it was relatively discreet.
The rest of our travelling day and the following morning were spent organising medical certificates and emailing information for the freighter trip. This took us a surprisingly long amount of time!
Eileen was still not completely recovered from her migraine on our first day so in the afternoon I went out sightseeing and to locate Schiller Park, where an outdoor tango milonga was scheduled. As it turned out the rain put paid to the
event.
Our apartment was a short walk to the tramline, then a short tram ride to the underground station. Central Vienna is full of impressive buildings, museums and art galleries. I visited St Stephan’s Cathedral, the Spanish Riding School, the Heldenplatz, the Gemalde Galerie art gallery behind Schiller Park, and then after a circuitous trek, the Museum of Modern Art (MUMOK). When I returned Eileen prepared a meal and we had a quiet night.
The highlight of our trip to Vienna was meeting up with our friends from the Navimag ferry in Chile; Elisabeth and Peter. First we caught the underground train and Peter met us at the station to walk us to their lovely apartment near the centre of Vienna. It was adjacent to Votivkirche and Sigmund Freud Park. Elisabeth cooked us the loveliest Austrian meal including, naturally enough, wiener schnitzel.
We met their two large dogs and a young large dog which is in their care. Two are quiet and well behaved while the youngest and biggest is a character, occasionally causing some mischief. Peter and Elisabeth are both vets and so the dogs are in great condition.
Elisabeth is a trained acupuncturist so
when she heard that Eileen had been a little ‘under the weather’, she suggested Eileen try some acupuncture. Elisabeth made this ‘first time experience’ easy for Eileen who later reported some benefit from the treatment.
We arranged to meet them again when Elisabeth finished work the following day. In the morning, after getting our medical certificates, we headed to the Schönbrunn Palace. This was a real treat and we enjoyed looking through the palace and the many impressive rooms. The grounds were equally impressive but we did not linger long as rain was threatening.
We met Elisabeth and Peter mid-afternoon. The four of us and the three large dogs went on a walking tour of Vienna. Peter leading the way, took us down the main shopping area past St Peter’s Cathedral and the Spanish Riding School. We went to a typical Viennese bar for a Viennese coffee, ale, goulash and strudel.
A little further on, we walked through a doorway, along a corridor, through a door, past a lady sitting at a small table and then in single file (including the dogs), we descended several flights of stairs to a restaurant in the building’s cellar. This is
where Elisabeth and Peter introduced us to a drink called sturm which is a bit like cider but made with grapes. We both thoroughly enjoyed the sturm and the Vienna style antipasto platter while we laughed and chatted. Meanwhile the three large dogs lay under the table, occasionally getting up for a drink of water from the dog bowl provided by the waiter. I am not used to seeing such remarkably patient and well behaved dogs!
All too soon it was time to go. Eileen and I agree that we would like to return to Vienna to explore and experience more of this vibrant city.
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