The first part of this review/blog has been compiled prior to the trip. This part is included under ‘The Planning’. The second part. ‘The Reality’ will be/has been completed after the location has been visited.
The Planning
At last, a city with hotels with reasonable price tags. Perhaps August is a cheaper time. Maybe at Christmas prices skyrocket. In fact, there are so many really good hotels suddenly the mad panic that had inflicted me when trying to find accommodation in Elba, Sorrento and Dubrovnik has dissipated and I am calm.
Reading the reviews on Trip Advisor, one thing stood out: every review raved about the hotels’ breakfasts. It doesn’t surprise me; it is something I would expect from the Austrians. At time of writing, I haven’t booked a hotel yet. I feel I have time. I’m at a crossroads of contemplation: do I book what look to be very decent, clean and highly rated hotels of which some are £40 per night and make up for the extortionate amounts paid in Dubrovnik et al and therefore ‘even out’ the average nightly hotel cost to a very palatable average or, do I pay a little bit more and even out the nightly average to a little more than I would like to pay on average per night during my overall stay. Decisions, decisions, decisions…
While contemplating, I thought I’d have a look at something I’m rather looking forward to when I get to Vienna: CAKE.
And, what else did I find on my research for cakes…? This review on Trip Advisor:
And so, I read on…It’s a smoker’s paradise! You can virtually smoke anywhere. A question on smoking in cake shops on Trip Advisor:
Q: “I detest smoking. Isn’t there a cake shop somewhere that at least has a non-smoking area?”
A: “yes, you can sit outside where you are more likely to get fresher air”
Non-smokers are sent outside! Oh, that is fabulous. You can imagine it can’t you?
Waiter, “Excuse me sir, are you not smoking?”
Customer, “errr…no, I’m a non-smoker”
Waiter, “I’m very sorry, you’ll have to go outside”
It seems that there are non-smoking laws but (a) they are confusing (b) there are more exceptions than actual applications of the rule and (c) – the best bit – (quote) “Austrians generally just ignore the laws and smoke anyway”.
Oh this is going to be bliss.
2015 Euro Flight 
In my local town in Austria, inhabitants have decided among themselves that some cafes are for smoking, others not. Strangely, non smokers frequent the smoking cafes as that’s where all the cool and beautiful people are (and the best cakes)…. And whilst on the subject of cake, be sure to try Gibanica (pronounced Gibanitsa) whilst in Croatia. I actually have dreams about this cake.
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