Vienna at last!

Yes 8 hours were more like 10 but then what train journey doesn't seem like that! Excitement was still with us...the taxi trip was quite short and before we knew it we were stepping out into the main thoroughfare of Vienna. Our hotel was only a few steps away. Again our booking wizard had decided to pull out all stops and have us there right in the middle of Vienna...walking distance from everywhere. Wow! Were they celebrating something these Austrians? Of course the decos from Xmas and New Year were still in place.

 We stepped out...rugged up in our best Antarctic  gear...it was minus something or other...and we didn't quite know what to expect. The decorations took our breath away and people everywhere seemed to be so friendly and trustworthy. Everyone was out and about and all had a jollyness about them. It put us in a good mood too...and why wouldn't it? But one difference...they actually had snow here in Austria...and everywhere we looked the streets had been cleared and non-slip 'stuff' had been sprinkled about...how considerate...amazing council workers or whatever...! And the tourist hadn't been forgotten. Steam breathing the horses waited with patience...yes the traditional way was still available...the romantic horse-drawn carriage beckoned us but no, we were intent on walking around tonight.
We did spy the Opera House and the museum known as Albertina not far from our hotel OMG! I don't believe this! That is my name: Albertina! But why? All sorts of questions bothered me when I saw that. Even the statues against right wing politics and wars filling a park had remembered the rest of the world.

 And there we were in what seemed like to us the most cultural city in Europe...no we recalled Berlin and then the GDR as it was...Leipzig and Dresden...the palaces etc. oh dear! Let's eat! This is becoming too much to handle on an empty stomach! We can't be here?
We spied a steak place...you know...the seventies... piece of steak done to your liking plus a potato and sour cream...wow! We could look towards a nice steak! Meat is sooo expensive in Switzerland!! And guess what? The owner of the restaurant was an Asian...what? But we're in Austria aren't we?