Blogs from Austria, Europe - page 4

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Europe » Austria » Salzburg » Salzburg May 8th 2023

From the NY Times: The war in Ukraine has transformed Europe more profoundly than any event since the Cold War’s end in 1989. A peace mentality, most acute in Germany, has given way to a dawning awareness that military power is needed in the pursuit of security and strategic objectives. A continent on autopilot, lulled into amnesia, has been galvanized into an immense effort to save liberty in Ukraine, a freedom widely seen as synonymous with its own. No more so than my last trip to Europe in November, the war has changed Europe forever. And I think it has changed many of us across the ocean as well. I now hesitate to visit countries on the Russian and Ukrainian border. I see more armed soldiers than just about any time since the Cold War. In ... read more
EU map

Europe » Austria » Tyrol » Innsbruck April 23rd 2023

Da ich privat und geschäftlich viel reise, interessiere ich mich u.a. auch für den Brenner Basis Tunnel. Im Januar 2018 bin ich ja erst von Neapel und Venedig kommend über die derzeitige alte oberirdische Strecke weiter nach München gefahren. Gestern war in einem Bauabschnitt im Ahrental (bei Innsbruck) Tag der offenen Tür und ich nutzte die Gelegenheit zu einem Besuch. Es wurde empfohlen bei einem Einkaufszentrum der Tiroler Hauptstadt zu parken und dann mit einem der vielen Shuttlebusse zur Baustelle zu fahren. Wenn man jetzt denkt, dass es in jede Richtung einen Tunnel mit Gleisen und in der Mitte einen Rettungstunnel gibt und das wäre es dann, der irrt sich gewaltig. Also dort im Ahrental ist einer von 5 Abschnitten, an denen gerade gebaut wird. Also nicht nur einer von jeder Seite. Dafür gibt es einen ... read more
Am Tag der offenen Tür im Brenner Basis Tunnel.
Am Tag der offenen Tür im Brenner Basis Tunnel.
Am Tag der offenen Tür im Brenner Basis Tunnel.

Europe » Austria » Tyrol » Mieming January 2nd 2023

Dear All Greetings, and a Happy New Year to all reading this! May it be filled with lots of new adventures and travels for the year ahead! I am writing another couple of blog entries to relate another mini trip I took over the Christmas holidays, this one after Christmas and around the New Year itself. After a lovely little time in the tiny principality and micro-state of Europe, Monaco, and the Cote d'Azur of France, I was heading off this time for another lovely little time in the Tyrolean Alps of Austria and another tiny principality and micro-state of Europe, Liechtenstein! My theme for my winter travels is covering the micro-states of Europe, as well as aiming to visit every European country - not long to go now! Thus, on New Year's Eve itself, I ... read more
Untermieming Parish Church
Stams Monastery
Triumphpforte Arch

Europe » Austria » Lower Austria » Melk September 22nd 2022

Melk and Durnstein are located at opposite ends of the Wachau Valley along the Danube. The main attraction of Melk is a huge castle which was deeded to the Benedictine monks 800 years ago when the Prince Bishop of the area decided to move to Vienna. The abbey is enormous and hosted Maria Theresa, Queen of Austria-Hungary three times during her reign (she traveled with over 200 people from her court wherever she went). It is currently the main tourist attraction of the area; it has a school with 900 middle to high school kids; and has 24 monks ranging in age from 31 to 94. The long term prospects for the order in itself are poor since they have not gotten any recruits for over a decade. The bet is that when all the monks ... read more
Durstein, Austria.

Europe » Austria » Vienna September 12th 2022

This is our second day in Vienna, and perhaps we should have planned our time better, but this morning instead of venturing into the city center, we are embarking on an ebike ride along the Danube into the countryside. Neither of us had ever ridden an ebike, but earlier this summer we did a 26-mile ride on our regular bikes, so we figured we could handle it. Our group consisted of 14 passengers including us, and 3 tour guides with Wolfgang taking the lead and the others following in the rear to make sure no one got lost. Having never seen an ebike, I assumed it was some sort of electric motorcycle, but it was not. It’s basically just regular bicycle, in our case it was an 8 speed with a selection knob on the right ... read more
Our First Break on the Danube Shore
Bandaged and Ready to Go
Ferry Across the Danube

Europe » Austria » Vienna September 11th 2022

It was a rainy when we woke up in Vienna this morning. After a few hectic days, we decided that today would be more of a day of rest. We started our morning with the close-up walking tour of Vienna. The difference between the close-up walking tour and the regular walking tour is that the regular tour drove around Vienna in the bus and you looked out the window, and they dropped you close to St-Stephens Square near the church. The close-up tour was more adventurous, which means instead of getting on the bus, we walked to the subway station with our tour guide Antonija and rode the subway into town. There were 14 of us brave souls who went on the close-up tour with its promise of 10,000 steps (Jody got 10,000 steps, I only ... read more
Vienna - Hapsburg Palace
Vienna - Subway Views
Vienna - City Views Hotel Sacher

Europe » Austria » Lower Austria » Krems an der Donau September 10th 2022

Today we officially left Germany for the last time and crossed into Austria. We began our day with a walking tour of the Melk Abbey. The Melk Abbey was originally founded by the Benedictine monks in the 11th century and has been in continuous operation up to the present day. There are currently 24 Benedictine monks living on the premises and it still operates a Catholic School in most of the building for several hundred students. It is considered a private school since the education is Catholic and it charges a tuition of 104 Euros per month. The building was expanded to its current size and baroque architecture in the 17th and 18thcenturies. There was a fire in 1974 that damaged portions of the building that resulted in a major restoration in the 1990’s. Unfortunately, photography ... read more
Melk Abbey - Jody at Front Facade
Melk Abbey - Inside View
Melk Abbey - City Views From the Top

Europe » Austria » Upper Austria September 7th 2022

Today was World War II history day as today we are visiting the sites of Nuremburg. Jody was particularly excited as she has been reading a lot about Hitler and the Holocaust, and we heve both been watching a lot of WW1 and WW2 documentaries lately. The included tour was a visit to old town Nuremburg, bu we were both looking forward to the optional tour to the Nazi Rally sites and the Nuremburg courtroom where the Nazis were charged with war crimes after WW2. We began our tour this morning by meeting our local tour guide who’s name we missed, but she was a lovely elderly woman who was originally from Minnesota and who had moved here for love when she was 18 and has never been back to the states. She was very knowledgeable ... read more
Zeppelenfeld - Main Podium
Kongresshalle - Across the Lake
Kongresshalle - Interior View

Europe » Austria » Vienna August 28th 2022

SUN, 28 AUG 2022 – Day 16: Vienna: Optional Free Day - Enjoy a free day to explore Vienna! Awash with imperial splendour, Vienna was once the centre of the powerful Habsburg monarchy, which dominated central Europe from the 16th-18th centuries. History fans should check out the incredible palaces of the era - Schönbrunn Palace and the Belvedere. Classical music lovers can enjoy a concert by one of the greatest composers of the Viennese classical period, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Overnight – Hotel Roomz Vienna Gasometer... read more
Out and about in Vienna, Austria
Classical Music Concert – Vienna, Austria
Classical Music Concert – Vienna, Austria

Europe » Austria » Vienna August 27th 2022

SAT 27 AUG 2022 – Day 15: Bratislava - Vienna - Moving on to the Slovakian capital, Bratislava! Surrounded by mountains, vineyards, ski runs and wilderness, Bratislava is a charming city. Your tour leader will take you on an orientation tour to see some of the main sights. Once in Vienna, a local guide will take us on a walking and driving tour of the Austrian capital. As a centre for art and culture in Europe for centuries, Vienna was host to some of the world’s leading musical minds at one time or another – including luminaries like Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. But along with its classical heritage, magnificent concert halls, palaces and museums, Vienna is also a modern city, with a vibrant café, restaurant and nightlife culture. Overnight – Hotel Roomz Vienna Gasometer... read more
Walking Tour and Free Time in Bratislava, Slovakia
Walking Tour and Free Time in Bratislava, Slovakia
Walking Tour and Free Time in Bratislava, Slovakia




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