Blogs from Austria, Europe - page 299

Hopfgarten is an excellent base to enjoy outdoor activities like walking, cycling or parapenting. Great to finally do some exercise. The rain stopped and the sun came out so we were able to do our mountain biking. Had breakfast at 8 of bacon and eggs, honey smacks with yoghurt and peaches (am eating some very random combinations of food for breakfast). Got our mountain bikes and met our guides at 9.30, then began our ride. Rode about 5km, half way to half way, and stopped for our group photo and to get some water from a stream that was freezing cold. The scenery was so amazing, the valleys are so green and the white capped mountains, the little cottages dotting the countryside, and cows with cowbells. Got to the top eventually, and had a bbq ... read more

A whole day to take it all in. Our sightseeing tour shows you the fabulous Palace of the Hapsburg's, the State Opera House and fashionable Kartnerstrasse with a chance to try authentic apple strudel and Viennese coffee. Another public holiday, so all the shops were closed but at least we could sleep in as we didn't have to rush into town. Got into the city at about 10 and drove around the Burg Ring, and got dropped off at the Maria Therese statue and Amanda walked us through Hopfburg Palace to the opera house, where we had free time until 3.30. Went to St Stephen's cathedral, and Julia and I took the tiniest lift ever up to the top. The views of Vienna were great, not that there's much to see though. went to the ... read more

Have arrived, exhausted and sick, but on the mend hopefully. Am learning yet another keyboard arrangement after Ive learned the Italian one: i.e. Sorry for the lack of apostrophes. I cant get over how beautiful the IES palace is in Vienna. Ceilings, floors (thought of you, mom), staircases, everything. And then of course the city itself is beautiful in a kind of delicate, fairy-tale, royal, and above all CLEAN way. I had to laugh when I got here and started walking around, realizing how incredibly different from Milano it is. And then I tried to stare down traffic and cross the street, as Ive learned to do so well, and nearly got mowed down. At least they dont seem to have as many Vespas. I dont have enough digits left to count my near-death-by-Vespa experiences. Now ... read more

15th December 2005. While we didn't see very much at all in Innsbruck, the bus ride there had to be the most fun. BECAUSE. THE SOUND OF MUSIC, PEOPLE. When we entered Austria, the tour director played "the most famous song from Austria". Actually it's a song from Hollywood, set in Austria, and thus becomes the most famous song associated with Austria. Edelweiss. And thus, everybody on the bus started singing Edelweiss. AND THEN! CUCKOO! CUCKOO! It's the yodelling song! And thus the whole bus started going, ODELAYEEODELAYHEEEHOOO! High on a hill was a lonely goatherd ODELAYEEODELAYHEEEHOOO! Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd ODELAYEEODELAYHEEEHOOO! Yes, the Australians are a funny bunch. I think on our way into Austria, we stopped at some gas station, and SNOW! There was SNOW! Fresh snow which was so ... read more

A new year, a new country, a new experience - how did I get to 28 without ever having crossed a border by car? Especially when I've crossed so many. Well it was completely uneventful, even with my dodgy looking battle scarred passport, we were quickly waved through. Hungary to Austria is now a very different border than the one twenty years ago - the memories are still clear for those living in this region. I was off to go skiing with some of my girlfriends family in the small resort of Lachtal. Nice little privately rented challet all organised by the girlfriends folks, this is travelling at it's laziest - where someone else does all the organising, cooking - my only responsibilities were drying up the dishes, and taking out the rubbish - which actaully ... read more