vienna

Vienna was nice, and alot bigger than i thought, although i did manage to do most of what i wanted in the day and a half i was there. i only missed out two buildings which weren't crucial anyhow. Having spent quite alot in Berlin i decided to be more economic in vienna, having brought a day pass for all the public transport i took an ordinary tram around the inner ring instead of doing a guided tour. I cant get over how much they use trams here in austria, i'm convinced more people use them than the underground. But they are handy because the underground doesnt cover everywhere and you dont get to see any of the city on the underground either.

Having really only one day in vienna i decided to do the crucial things to me first - like the regeneration of the gas chambers into a shopping mall, cinema and light entertainment district. It looks great on the outside but i thought the interior was disapointing - just like another shopping mall with lots of glazing and brash colours. I then in my madness decided to go on the old 1900 ferris wheel the other side of the danube (i had no idea the danube was evn in vienna!!!). I started to regret it when the other people in the old wooden carriage only connected to the substructure by some rods and bolts started constantly moving from side to side. swaying the whole carriage constantly and making me feel like i was on a boat! not good. The view though was amazing across the whole city. Then i caught a tue to the city centre and spent the rest of the day walking around and i went into st stehens dome. Where i could not belive how rude some americans are!!!!!! A massive sign saying please cover your shoulders!! luckily i had a t-shirt on that day, and still they came in it literally two belts!!! and then talkeed really loudly whilst the mass service was taken place!!! you can see why young english speaking people have a bad reputation abroad! I was naturally disgusted!!

people in the old wooden carriage constantly moving swaying the whole carriage!

For that evening i had booked tickets for the Sound of Wien concert, which was meant to be at the salon concert hall but had been moved to the military museum. This wasnt aproblem initially, and luckily i got on the first bus - which was only fair as i had been waiting the longest!! but the people who didnt get on that missed the first two pieces of the concert! The c0oncert was good tho - but i was expecting like an orchestra not about 1 people but to be honest they were plenty loud enough!! for odd pieces they were accompanied by dancers or opera singers.

Having packed up - again it all fitted into the small case - i thin it has stretched since i first tried to put it all in! i headed off to the south west of vienna to see a couple of buildings, since i had slept in longer than i shoud have done i only got to see one, before i had to be back at the hotel to check out and catch my train to graz - luckily it was alot shorter than the train to vienna - only two hours and not 9!!

Thats all for now!