31st August 2010, Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary

Today we woke to rain, rain and more rain!! Since we got back from the cruise to Berlin about two weeks ago we have had on and off rain. But today is COLD. It is 12 degrees and we think we may have to buy a heater for the camper. Although you can heat the water (with the gas) and put it to blow and it is like a heater. It only costs us about 10 euro for gas for about a month so I guess we could use that. I am really cold though - Mel your slippers are coming in handy.

We got organised and went to the hostel to pick up the Murray family and take them to the airport - they were off to London. We then headed off towards Budapest and about 70km out of Vienna we saw a big sign Designer Outlet Shopping Centre so decided to pull off and have a look.

I got the most gorgeous Italian shoes (well I think so) They will be good interview shoes for Brisbane! Got a few other little things. It was an amazing shopping centre - however the childrenswear was very expensive. Gorgeous little Burberry outfit but a cardi was about $90 NZ. (I didn't buy it!) Geoff got a couple of tshirts.

It rained all the way so I was glad of my knitting as no photo opportunities really.

We are staying at a great camp near the city with free internet - yay will Skype tomorrow.

Cute little Burberry outfit

A new way of doing your ties boys??!! They were all done like this in this shop

The Italian shoes - photo doesn't show the big square shiny silver piece on front.

For 100 euros you get 26,400 Hungary Forints - wow (will be taking my calculator tomorrow)

The border - just empty booths now.

An eagle monument on hill as you come into Budapest

27-30th August 2010, Vienna, Austria

27th -29th August 2010 – Vienna Convention

A few Kiwis here including Wayne & Sue Duncan, Geoff & Linda Murray, Julia & Rebecca as mentioned before, Kevin & Diane Oliver. Also met Genevieve Newall from Bryon Bay, near Graeme and Colleen, she is working in Austria for a year. Nice to meet up with and hear Bree Hamilton, Paul Schofield and Rachel Taylor. Merle – we said hi to Anne Offenburn for you!

A special three days here in Vienna and learning to speak some German!




30th August 2010, Vienna, Austria

Meet up with Genevieve, Linda, Geoff, Julia & Rebecca, Bree and also bumped into Rachel in town today. Had morning tea at the famous Sacher hotel (and the traditional cake) then a lovely Italian meal for lunch. Rachel then took us to a fabulous (I think another must in Vienna) café for pm tea – more cake and a coffee!

Linda, Geoff, Julia, Rebecca and us just walked around some of the beautiful buildings in Vienna and then caught the train back to Hutteldorf.

Tonight managed to do a load of washing and get organized for going to Budapest in Hungary tomorrow.

Genevieve and I at the Sacher Hotel

Lunch with Bree, Geoff & Linda, Julia, Rebecca and Genevieve

Julia and Rebecca - sightseeing & photos
Statute of Mozart - note the flowers in the treble cleft

Advertising for a Vienna concert

26th August 2010, Vienna, Austria

Today we caught the bus down to the U Bahn (train station) and realized the station was about 500m from the hostel we needed to be at on Friday. The buses run really regularly so it is going to work really well.

Caught the U Bahn into town and then hopped straight onto a tram that circles the city centre and gives you an idea where things are etc. We have bought week passes for all the public transport here.

Jane, first impressions of Vienna I thought I was back in Rome. It doesn’t have the Colosseum etc but the Vienna parliament is nearly (not quite) as good as the Piazzo Venezia in Rome. In fact I loved the city as much as Rome as it was all gorgeous buildings within a very small area and nowhere near as crowded as Rome. Very clean city also.

Very very nice shops. There is free open air concerts on every night this week as the theatres are closed for the summer months of July and August. We were too tired to stay in the city tonight so may not get to one.

Very hot today, we were glad to sit and walk in the shade (not like me!).

Parliament


A tractor in main town Vienna!

Open air concert



Scales are everywhere - we both hopped on - just a few kilos less not the 10 we were hoping for!

Paintings on top of the Parliament buildings








domed roof




Swan lake in Swarkorsi Crystals
An opera toilet - the toilet plays opera music and costs 0.60 euro!

25th August 2010, Salzburg, Austria

Well another fantastic day and another beautiful city. Uneventful night on the side of the road but as usual didn’t sleep so well, so an earlyish start. Drove closer to city but parking was very difficult. On the way to finding a park found a post office so stopped and posted four things I had been waiting to do! I can’t believe how hard it is to find a post office when you want one.

We eventually found a great car park on the other side of the river from the Old Town but just a short walk to the town over a foot bridge.

We couldn’t get over how dressed up everyone was. You could pick the tourists in their shorts and sandals. The locals were so very very well dressed - the men in long pants, shirts, loafer/boat shoes and the women in mostly long pants and blouses, nice shoes – immaculate.

Just a nice amount of people in Salzburg and just a nice temperature – quite hot in the sun.

There were markets on in the square so picked up some nice ciabatta rolls and some beautiful ham, we went back to the camper and made up a little picnic and sat by the river overlooking the old town of Salzburg and the big 11th century built Festung Hohensalzburg castle on the top of the cliff – it was just amazing – loved it.
Then we headed off to find the Schloss Mirabell which was on our side of the river. Beautiful grounds with Greek statues and an awesome view to the Festung Hohensalzburg castle.

Statue of Mozart

Mel, even expectant mothers and children are in purple and grey this winter!

Our river picnic spot

The Schloss overlooking the town

Jan and Gil - xmas settings!

The flashest McDonalds yet!

Finally set off for Vienna. Had a call from Jenny and Kevin they were hoping to be in Salzburg later today so just missed them – may try to catch up in Italy later on.
On the way to Vienna about 30km out of Salzburg passed an awesome lake, a beautiful ice green surrounded by mountains. The turnoff to it was before we saw the lake so missed probably the most scenic part but we pulled off the motorway at the next turn off and went down to the Lake.

the lake we "discovered"

A komatsu branch!

Six lane highway all the way to Vienna


We finally arrived at Vienna (only 3 hours actually) and went straight to the hostel where the convention is to be held. We bumped straight into a whole lot of friends including Geoff and Linda Murray from NZ. We then sussed out a camping ground close by (3.2km) and we will figure out how to get to the hostel for Friday. We have the option of a short bus ride and then walk or we could hire bikes at the camping ground or we could walk all the way. We will sort it out tomorrow.