Vienna - A city of wonder

Christmas Eve --Today’s blog brought to you by Val.

Gary has done an incredible job of chronicling our little journey but since I so generously shared my cold with him, he is taking the night off. I am the designated blogger.

We had an absolutely lovely train ride from Munich (Muchen) to Vienna (Wien). The train was called a Rail Jet and sped along at 200 km. There is an engine on each end of the train – they do not turn the train around on a turnstyle – the conductor just moves to the other engine and heads off in the next direction. This means all the train seats were facing backwards. I admit I was getting a bit queasy seeing where I had been.

Side note- apparently Gar isn’t as sick as he claims. He just had to interrupt and point out on the map where he wants to go tomorrow; Wienerburg. Really? Will my oldest “son” ever grow up?

After arriving it only took about 40 minutes to get our bearings, purchase tickets for the tram-rail-underground system AND find our apartment. Gary is navigating us around Europe like a pro. I can’t find my way out of a Safeway.

Another side note – I have never seen so many dead animals on women as we have during this trip. It is quite upsetting to see the Robinson rabbit friends and other little forest animals fashioned into adornments. Don’t think the ASPCA has a branch over here.

We were looking forward to stopping in some specialty shops and purchasing our Christmas dinner fixins’ but we were walking all over Wien with our mouths hanging open and lost track of time. This city is as elegant and classy as Audrey Hepburn. All the stores were closing early for Christmas Eve. We hurried down to a large outdoor market similar to Pike’s Place. Only a few stalls remained open – we went into one that offered a variety of meats and asked about turkey. The gentleman paused for a second then said, “Ya, I’ve got turkeeee.” Goes to a box and pulls out half a turkey with feathers still clinging to it and SLAMS it down on the counter. “Eees goot meat!” We are the suckers that purchased this noble bird without giving thought to one detail – an oven – we do not have an oven. Stewed turkey anyone?So today was spent on in child-like wonder strolling about Wien and visiting a Christmas Market. Our plans to attend a midnight church service are out because we are both hacking like smokers.

My lesson – Tomorrow we have six eggs, some milk, some bread, and a bottle of champagne for Christmas dinner. I feel that I am the luckiest woman in the world to be sharing this with a man that I have loved as long as I can remember. I am lucky that our kids pushed us out the door and said JUST GO! I am lucky to have the most loving and supportive family and friends. Merry Christmas every one!