Wine in Wien

Well, it's official. I've finally started taking up smoking. Second-hand chain smoking that is. It seems like we can't get away from it. It's absolutely horrible, especially when you have a sinus cold.. OK enough complaining!

We are currently on our second and last day in Vienna which went by way too fast. Two weeks just isn't long enough!!! Yesterday we arrived via a maniac shuttle driver in just 3 hours. On the shuttle I met a 24 year old girl from Marin County who is travelling Europe alone for two months! Big props to girls who travel alone!!

The "old" Vienna is yet another amazing old city with incredible architecture. While not as "dark" as Prague, it has a more ritzy appearance. Yesterday we went on a quick city bus tour which pretty much sucked and rob ended up falling asleep (like he does when we are on any mode of transportation). It did however give us a good general overview of the old city.

In the evening we had dinner at Halle Cafe Restaurant in the Museum Quarter. This is where all the students hang out outside in the freezing temperatures socializing and drinking gluhwein. If it was this cold in California you wouldn't find anyone outside!!! Crazy Austrians!

After a delicious dinner we met up with the Marin County girl and some Aussies we met previously in Cesky Krumlov for a pub crawl. Unfortunately (or perhaps in hindsight we were fortunate) we missed the first hour which was all-you-can drink beer/wine.

We ended up making it to three of the four pubs and on the tram ride home at 2:00 am we were actually checked for tickets!!! This was the first time in all the different city buses, trams and undergrounds that someone actually cared!
Today was actually sunny weather and we spend the day with our lovely Couchsurfing host, Michaela.
She graciously toured us around the huge Schönbrunn grounds (home of the emperor) and took us outside of the city into the forest where we had an amazing view of Vienna and surrounding Austria. Unfortunately it was a bit foggy, but still very much enjoyable.


Lucky for us we are here during sturm wine season. Sturm wine is fermenting grape juice which is soooooo yummy!!! I wish they made this stuff in California.