Day 34 - Vienna

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Wake up and get ready to leave for our tour of the Eagles Nest (where Hitler built a tea house on the top of a mountain to entertain and plan stuff). Eat emails and there is one from Avalon about our tour. Oh oh, low water and I have to call them straight away.... Finally get through, they have low water between their last cruise and ours (in Germany) so sounds like they might be late in re-positionimg the boat. They said we still had to meet them tomorrow for a 1400 bus transfer to Bratislava. Ok, will,see what happens then by the sound of it. Have to stay positive that they can get the boat to Bratislava.

Off we go to meet the bus. Stop and get something to eat (breakfast not included with or bookings). Show our ticket (via ipad) and told to go to the first bus. Sure, then the bus arrives, we get on and the front seat is available so we sit there. Good choice, great views and get into chat withdraw tour dude as well. We go through the outer suburbs then into the country side. Beautiful green fields, cows, hay just been cut, very pleasant. Then we turn off and start climbing.mreally climbing, and the driver does well with the 69 seater to get up and around some of the corners.

Get to the car park where we have to change to buses that are operated by the park people. We have bus 1 and some into bus 2. Standing at bus 1 and the tour dude sends us to bus 2, already with a queue of people waiting to get on. Hmm, no front seat this time. But wait, we get herded on first so guess what... Front seats again. This time we climb over 900 vertical metres in 7 km. quite steep and these dudes know how to handle the corners very nicely. Views are spectacular. Get to the next part and we join our group tongonintonthentunnel and then up in the lift that takes us up to the tea rooms. Lift is huge, takes about 40 or more people. Ithis lined with gold plated walls, or maybe brass, but very shiny. Get out and we have instructions to go through the restaurant, turn right, then left and downstairs to a special room. We get there but others don't. Eventually the tour dude finds everyone and then explains more about this building. The room we are in was actually Eva Braun's sitting room where she entertained guests while Hitler was doing his thing in a room just above here.

We are given about an hour to roam the area. Walk up to a cross to take in the views. Even more spectacular. Wander back down and into the lift for the descent. Not sure how high the lift goes, over 100 metres I think, but it takes no time at all. Back to the buses and down the mountain. We then go in Birchstesgarden township. Pretty little town where we get an hour for lunch or to wander about. We do that and then have a drink and back to the bus. Back to Salzburg. We now have over 3 hours before our train back to Vienna. Allowed ourselves too much free time. We have seen as much of Salzburg as we want so decide to go to the station and change our booking. No problems, just have to pay another reservation fee - €7, not too bad and we are on the 1508 train now.

Train arrives and we find our seats. Forward facing as well so even better. Back to Vienna, to a hotel we stayed in on the first tour then to the laundromat again to wash clothes before the river cruise. Not much chance to wash on the boat. Train trip is good again, views of the countryside are very pretty. Little villages dotted amidst the rolling green fields. And all at over 200kph. Arrive safely at Vienna and jump into a taxi for the trip to the hotel. We are staying at the hotel we finished off the Globus tour with, the Austria Trend Savoyen. They had huge rooms and it was in a area close to the laundromat.

Arrive there and the guy in the desk asks if we have stayed there before. Yes. He says he seems to remember me, haha. Anyway, we chat and get our room. It is as good as before and we are only paying $147 a night. Cheap for this town. Get organised, shower, change and go to wash. Train again and the feeling is easy. Get there and there are lots of machines available. As we arrive an Arabian coupe with their nanny and 2 kids arrive - hmmm. Anyway, washing in, sit back and wait. Interesting communication, or lack of between the man and the nanny. She looks very unhappy, the mother uninterested and the father laying token time with the young child. The things you see in a laundromat.

Washing done and all,of a sudden the Green and Clean people arrive to resumption, clean and do whatever they do. Chris compliments the lady about the laundry. She is taken aback but says thanks. Just about to go when the lady comes our with a brassier bag for Chris as a small gift. Nice token for small compliment.

Back to the hotel and spread the washing out to air. Off to a beer garden down the road for dinner - starving..... Walk in and get put on a large table beside 2 other guys. They are about to leave but say that our choices for dinner are good and we should enjoy the meals. Nice touch, most Viennese seem to be really friendly.

Beers arrive, then the food. I have Vienner schnitzel and Chris the house specialty, ham hock with stuff... Schnitzel is huge but really nice. Comes with steamed potatoes. Really tender and tasty. Chris says her meal is nice also. I get a taste and the ham is very sweet and well cooked. Good choice.

Back to the hotel and bed beckons.

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Photos

Birchstesgarden
One of the captions on the walls of the tea house. Leave it up to you to translate......

Birchstesgarden
See, we are on holidays together. One of the views of the surrounding mountains.

Birchstesgarden
Looking back down into the valleys from the Eagles Nest.

Birchstesgarden
The tea house and views of the are around it. Hitler built the tea house here for the views.

Birchstesgarden
In the tunnel with the cavernous lift in the background. Shiny bits show how ornately it is lined.

Birchstesgarden
Inside the tunnel leading to the lift that takes you up the last part to the Eagles Nest tea house