From Munich to Vienna

Schonbrunn Palace in the snow
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"Oh Vienna!" (that's a song you know...)

After it snowed all night everyone had a bit of work to get their gear through the snow to the bus in the morning.  We drove through some truckstops (seem to spend a lot of time on the "Kumuka bus of love") and arrived late afternoon in Vienna (or the land of Rex, depending on how much you like detective K9's) for our Schnaps tour and tasting.  I can now say I've tried straight absinth and it's not good...but the absinth cocktail was nice, as was the chilli schnaps - hot on the way in, hot on the way out!  (so the saying goes)  We also had gold schnaps, with 18ct bits in it to keep your insides glowing.

The land of Rex

We also went for a quick ride around the Vienna ringroad on the bus to view the main city sights.  It was amazing to finally see the city in "real life"!

The next day was our "free day in Vienna" and after a sleep-in we went to the Schonbrunn Palace after a walk in the snow.  It was a very surreal feeling to be walking through the white snow, and a little gross to walk through the sludgy stuff the cars were driving through!  The palace was fantastic, exhorbetantly fitted with furniture, paintings, cutlery, drapes and decorations.  After the palace we took the metro to St. Stephens Cathedral, the spire was being renovated so it was a bit disappointing to look at, but the inside made up for it.  We also took a tour of the catacombs, where the royal family (or bits of them) are kept.  There were also a few areas where mass graves had been uncovered, but it wasn't quite as creepy as I'd expected.

Following St. Stephans, we went to find some souvenires including "Mozart Balls", sounds a bit dodgy but they taste good - just chocolate and marzipan balls with Mozart on the wrapper.  Then we did the hot chocolate and cake thing - that you just have to do in Vienna, before heading back to the hotel.  In the evening we went to a musical performance including some well know works by Mozart and Strauss, some brief ballet and operetta, in an intimate setting.

And that was Vienna, another place to add to the list of places to go back to!