Day 32

Tuesday August 28

7:30am - set my phone to wake myself up. Not sure why, except that tomorrow I have to get up before 5:30am so I figured it'd be good to not sleep too late

8:30amish - went to breakfast. Wasn't that hungry, didn't eat that much.

9:00amish - took tram 1 to the opera and then the U-4 subway to Naschmarkt - but I took it in the wrong direction lol, so I got off after one stop at the Stadtpark and then went 2 stops in the right direction. The market was much smaller - no flea market during the week - and much much quieter. The annoying sellers were still out, trying to get you to come over and try their stuff, etc. I wasn't much in the mood for that, plus the bees were still there around the dried fruit so I just walked to the end and left. Walked a few blocks and found the Café Sperl, supposedly one of the best coffeehouses in the city, and one of the oldest. Very beautiful place inside. There's one guy who runs it and has a bunch of waitresses. I had a "melange" which is like a cappuccino, and an apfelstrudel. I know, I don't like fruity pastries, but I figured while in Vienna might as well try the other famous dessert - and it was cheaper here than anywhere else I'd seen (less than the coffee, in fact - 2.80 to 3.30 lol). The coffee comes on a little silver tray with a glass of water and 3 sugar cubes, which were just enough. Ok it was tasty but it tasted no different than other good coffee. I am just not a connoisseur I guess.

Sat for a while and soaked in the atmosphere. ORF, an Austrian TV network, was there and interviewing people. Perhaps for a special about the café! It was fun to watch that all happen. A feature of these coffee cafes is that they have lots of international newspapers so I picked up the UHT (only English one they had) and read through it, reminding myself why I hate the news :p

10:30amish - paid and left. The next major street over is a big shopping street called Mariahilferstrasse. Checked it out and it was a LOT longer than I anticipated it being lol. So I walked to the end, then crossed and walked back. It's so interesting to me that on one street you will have multiple outlets of the same store. Same as the Stroget in Copenhagen. It really just makes no sense. Anyway.

11:40am - Got to the end which led out to the ring right near the Museumsquartier where I was yesterday. Took the Tram 2 the two stops to my hotel and relaxed for a few min and put together the picnic stuff I still had in my fridge.

12:30pm - left the hotel and took the Tram 2 one stop to the Stadtpark, the main city park. Saw the Strauss statue and the Schubert statue and found a nice shady bench and ate. 2 benches down there were these two older guys and I'm pretty sure at one point, one of them farted and they laughed. Oy vey. Walked through the rest of the park, which is beautiful, and caught the Tram 2 again a few more stops.

1:15pmish - started the Fodor's "back streets" walking tour which started a bit away from the St. Stephan's church square at another church, Maria am Gestade. Pretty. Followed the tour through old medieval side streets behind the main squares, ending up around where I was a couple days ago for dinner. Walked right by Zanonis and was good and didn't get an ice cream ;) At one of the last stops it was a(nother) church and outside, a bunch of nuns were eating lunch and laughing. I don't know why, but it was a most amusing scene.

3:00pmish - thirsty and tired, I just came back to the hotel after stopping in a little store to get a packaged pastry to take on the train with me tomorrow. That and a banana I took from breakfast today should be enough with what I already have. Plus my fridge here has a little freezer that actually freezes, and my Schonbrunn water bottle actually fits into there so I will actually be able to freeze it for cold water on the train. Nice. Just gonna relax here and find somewhere close to the hotel for dinner since I have to get up so early tomorrow :(

5:30pm - went for dinner. Wasn't in the mood to find a place and all that jazz so I went back to the Rosenberger Market Cafeteria and had a grilled chicken breast, some potatoes, and a little plate of salad. Brought a bottle of water with me so total 12.40

6:45pm - the lady at the desk says the tram to the station runs at the time I need to leave tomorrow (about 6am :( :( :( ) and that reception is open 24 hours so I will just deal with everything tomorrow.

Gotta pack :(

8:15pm - my suitcase is a whole lot fuller and I am not sure why, yikes LOL. Well at least I don't have to check it anymore. Here's to hoping for trains that are not so full that I can just keep it beside me…. |:.

I gotta get up at like 5:15am tomorrow. Oh my lord. BUT I AM GOING TO ITALY! Woohoo!!! Pretty sure my hotel in Venice does not have internet, I could be surprised like I was in a couple others but I doubt it. So I dunno when I will be able to update again but rest assured I will be writing it all down and everything!