Doh a dear...

This morning saw us on a Hop On Hop Off bus around Vienna.  We had to run for the bus as we had stopped at a regular bus stop rather than the HOHO one.  Once on the bus, we decided to get off at the Opera House and have a look around there.  What we didn't know was that it was closed today.  We ended up going for a walk around the place and saw a couple of churches, St Stephens and St Michaels and also the Spanish Riding School which Alison really enjoyed.  We approached St Stephen's from around the corner so the first sight of it was stunning.  It just took my breath away.  Vienna is the city of statues.  They are everywhere and are very ornate and large.  As were the buildings.  Enormous and gilt with gold.  We saw statues for Goethe and Franz Josef amongst others.  We also saw a whole pile of flash cars with flags on them behind St Michael Platz in at the Government buildings.  Not sure why they were there but couldn't see our flag so apparently we weren't invited!

Sorry NZ, you can't come play with us!

A horse

St Stephen's

Then it was into a cab for the trip back to the railway station.  It seems that we were ripped off when we went to the hotel the other night as that taxi ride cost us 3x what today's did.  It seems we were taken around all the back streets.  Oh well, that seems to happen when you're a tourist!

Then it was back on the train to Salzburg.  Our conductor had hair like a lion's mane and Alison nicknamed him Barry Gibb.  We travelled alongside the alps but it was too dark to get any decent photos.  Maybe Thursday when we leave.  Tomorrow is the Sound of Music tour and something else in the afternoon.  I've been told but I can't remember.  The hotel we are staying in is just around the corner from a big Porsche salesroom full of VWs and Audis.  Not a Porsche to be seen!

The alps speeding by at 150ish k

The weather has been a bit warmer today.  It even got up to 6 in Vienna.  It is about 2 in Salzburg so not too bad.

Oh, and one last thing, Happy Birthday dad!