Blogs from Austria, Europe - page 271

Nested in the alps in central Steiermark, Mariazell is a recreational center and place of religious pilgrimage for not only Austrians but also many Eastern Europeans. It was first established as a church in 1157 by the monk Magnus who, according to legend, was brought to the place by a great miracle. The Monastery of St. Lambrecht had sent out many monks to the nearby country side, including our protaganist, to spread the faith to the heathen mountain peoples. Magnus was unfortunatly found by a pack of robbers who chased him through the woods. He at last reached despair when he came to a large rock in the road that hindered his pass, and he knew that he was going to be captured for sure. As one last attempt to save himself, he lifted his Madonna, ... read more

So we have made it to Austria! Git ti say, despite my German being terrible its pretty exciting to be here. Our hostel is AWESOME (Wombats), super clean and the best comfy beds and hot showers and not too bad folks, though theyre all Aussies. We have wandered our way round the Innere Stadt, the Hofburg was pretty huge and very impressive. I would love to be able to have seen it back in the day when they had balls and arrived in the horse drawn carriages we see everywhere. The Kunsthistorichesmuseum was our museum of choice and it did not dissapoint - lots of painting, an awesome scultpure exhibit and a very impressive Egyptian section which got me all excited and made me wish that I was going to Egypt in January like Tash and ... read more

Vienna, Austria: August 8th - August 10th Our arrival in Vienna in the evening was pretty straightforward & we even scored a free map to the city at the train station. We made it to our hostel which was nearby - a new university halls of residence, being rented out to the public over the summer break. It was a huge place with hundreds of rooms. On our arrival we were booked into a room on the second floor, but when we went in we immediately saw that someone else’s stuff was already in the room. When I went back downstairs to sort it out, the girl at reception told me it was impossible, as the previous people had booked out already. I told her to come & see for herself, which she did not, & ... read more

Geo: 48.2092, 16.3728Up early for the train. The reception guy was sleeping as I dropped off my key. Another guest was using the internet and quietly buggered off as I arrived. Guess he was trying to scam it for free! At the train station - people were drinking beer at 9 AM!!! Had some crowns to blow so I had a chicken sandwich for breakfast (way too salty). Grabbed a ham sandwich for the train. Left with only 1/2 a crown! Woo hoo! But only after buying a stick of Haribo licorice. At Vienna - the hostel is near the train station. Good area - grocery shops and lots of kebab stands and other cheap restaurants. Hostel is fairly nice - clean and good bar area with a guitar and piano to play. Off to the ... read more

Nor Vienna or Salzburg. Halfway though my European Tour, I’m starting to realize my budget tour, does not take in many major cities in many of the countries to be visited. For example, Austria will cover Innsbruck, but not Vienna or Salzburg, Italy to cover Verona and Venice, but not Rome, Florence, Milan and Pisa and Switzerland to cover Lucerne, but not Geneva and Zurich. At least Paris will be covered in France, though. Being from an island in the middle of the Pacific, I sort of assume, being in a country would automatically cover all major cities, not taking into account, it takes more than a couple of hours to get from one city to another, like it would on an island. Well, I really have no one to blame but myself for not studying ... read more