Vienna

Stefan and I went to Vienna - we loved breakfast at our hotel and all of the great art elements. We were situated right in the Museums Quarter and had so many wonderful attractions in walking distance.

Vienna is not my first pick of a great city to visit. While it is very regal and interesting, I felt that was only the core of the city. The outskirts were quite dingy and depressing. The zoo however was the best that I have ever been to - even better than San Diego. I instantly think of the zoo - even before the Sacher Torte that the city is famously known for.

While we walked around the city we saw the Hofburg Palace where Marie Antoinette was born, and lots of cute horses waiting to give carriage rides around the city. The architecture was beautiful with domed ceilings on public streets and insane details on the city streets.

We walked for quite some time and stumbled upon TGIFriday’s the US chain restaurant. I never was so happy to see a place like this. It was so much fun and a little touch of home. Fortunate for us it was happy hour so we got margaritas, potato skin appetizers, and a feast of a dinner (Stefan got ribs and I got buffalo tacos). I could not stop laughing – it was all so surreal. It really felt like we were transplanted into the US and that was wonderful. I am sure we looked like the quintessential Americans who aren't testing out the local culture, but this was a special treat.

I really liked the Karlsplatz subway that had digital clocks counting everything from schnitzels eaten in Vienna since January to land mine killings and dollars spent on war world wide.

From there I had no idea what we were in for. We went to Schönbrunn Palace that was so large. The Palace itself was 1,441 rooms! The grounds were insane. The parks seemed to never end and were beautiful. We stopped at the maze made from shrubs and then went to the Zoo.



The things we saw were just breathtaking – it makes me appreciate these animals and realize how much people should care for them. There was an orangutan that was so human like. He was curious to see what I had brought in my purse and that made me laugh. He kept making faces and pointing for me to show him more. I think he was bored.



Minutes after I told Stefan that seeing a peacock with it’s tail open was good luck we walked a little further and there was one in full display – and it was spectacular. He was all white, but not albino.