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Published: June 19th 2008
Photo 1
most of the group overlooking BudapestDay 8,
the Vienna hotel had internet in the lobby on a little internet kiosk, but not for my laptop, so you will get the last few days. We started in day 8 in Budapest and left our hotel and drove up to an overlook of the city for a last look at Budapest. After that we headed to Vienna. After a fairly uneventfull drive we arrived in Vienna and checked into our hotel. Because of the Euro Cup soccer our hotel was out by the airport away from the city. After we got checked in we drove downtown. Our bus dropped us off very near the city center, so the first thing we did was wak to the cathedral called Stephans Dom. Atto, our guide, gave us a walking and orientation tour of the central city. We walked through the shopping street and up to the the main palace complex where many of the museums and things to see are. Much of that area is blocked off and giant tvs are set up to watch the matches. Austria is one of the host countries so there are people from all over Europe in Vienna to watch Soccer. After our little
Photo 2
Waiting for dinner walking tour we had some free time to look around a bit before we met again for dinner. After dinner we went off to the hotel.
Day 9
Today we wnet to Vienna for the entire day. We started our guided tour at the palace of Schronbrunn (sp?) It was a summer palace for the Hapsburg rulers. The palace was nice, but the garders were even nicer, but we did not have really much time to see that After we left the palace we got a driving tour of the city and learned som history. For some reason we were all a bit tired and even I nodded off for a moment or two on that driving tour. Our tour ended in the city center and then we had free time the rest of the day. For the afternoon free time the kids did a good job and mixing fun and learning. Many of them went to different museums and historical type places, yet still found time to go shopping and buy icecream (a tour past time) and chocolate. Some of the things that were done include visiting the crown jewels, a few went to the spanish riding school
Photo 3
Schronbrunn palace stables, several toured some of the chrches in the area, climb the church tower, while others visited an art gallery. We met at 4:00 just to make sure everyone was safe, then we had another chunck of free time. For the free time a large group of us went over to the old ferris wheel an amusement partk. We took a ride on the wheel for some great views of the city, then seveal of them went on a few other rides. During this time some others went to the big outdoor market and found other interesting things to see and buy. So after a long day on the town, we met back up for our bus ride to the hotel.
Day 10
This is always a sad day for me when the day hits double digits because it means the trip is getting close to over. Anyway today we had a very fun day. We drove from Vienna to salzburg passing some very beautiful scenery, but the main item for the day was to watch the Sound of Music. We were headed to where the hills are alive with it. We arrived in Salzburg about noon and had
Photo 4
Some of the group in front of the palace. Sorry I am not putting any names on these, I upload them from thumbnails and they are hard to see who is in the photo. a bit over 3 hours for free time and lunch. The first thing we did was went to Mirrabell gardens where a big chunck of doe-ray-me was filmed. we took a group photo on the steps where the von trap kids with maria jump up on down on singing away. Only of few of them would break out into song, but it was fun. After that a group of us headed up to the castle on the hill and took a tour of that and enjoyed the view. Others explored the old town finding places from the movie and finding things to eat and buy. Salzburg is a very fun little city. I think most of us would have loved to spend an entire day there. We had to leave because we were headed to another of my favorite places, a little palace just outside of Salzburg called Helbrunn palace. There we took a tour of the trick fountains. an Arch Duke 400 years ago had this palace buitl with a ton of little trick fountains that were designed to entertain and soak his guests. It probably is the first water park. Everyone loved getting sprayed with water and dodging
Photo 5
a few more in from of the palace the streams of water that seemed to spray at you from about everywhere. Even from the antlers of a cement Elk hanging from the wall. After our tour we had a great time playing on the castle grounds and park. there was a zip line we had a blast on. After we were done playing ot the park, we boarded our bus for the ride to our hotel. Our hotel tonight is in a very nice little town about 20 minutes outside of Salzburg. This hotel is by far and away the most charming. Where the others were mostly chain type hotels, this is a quiet little hotel in quiet little town. I didn't get any photos of the hotel today, but I will get some in the morning before we leave. Well I will try and add bunch of photos since that is what your are probably the most interested in, and hopefully I will have at least one or two more chances to add to our little blog. Today many of the photos were directly uploaded from my memory card so I couldn't tell who many of them were. hopefull there are some of everyone.
till next time,
Photo 6
The back of the palace Scott.
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