On arriving in Vienna (Saturday) we were very tired. It has been a long flight and bed was calling. I ventured out and wandered around the Museum Quarter which is a stone’s throw from our hotel. I also walked up the main shopping street and just familiarized myself with the area. Sunday was exceptionally quiet in the city. All the shops in our area were closed and the streets deserted. Of course that’s true for most cities. Yes, there would be life right in the centre but we had tomorrow. Instead we simply wandered around and relaxed. We did however venture to take a ride on the famous Vienna ferris wheel ( the ‘Wiener Riesenrad’ in Leopoldstadt).
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The ferris wheel with its wooden carriages
Vienna is smoker-friendly. I love the tabac shops with an array of different cigarettes. I have had to start smoking different cigarettes (mainly). In Dubrovnik I found a brand that I liked. They are called ‘Walter Wolf’. Today, I have discovered Benson and Hedges Black. I adore the box not only for the colour but the way in the inner box slides out of the outer box a little like a matchbox.
I’ve also been sampling different beers. A particular favourite so far is Haus Marke, a beer with a beautiful aroma of grapefruit and mango and a deep rich flavour. I’m going to miss that beer.
The hotel is nice. It’s location is very good and the breakfast buffet is a feast of variety. It is renowned for its breakfasts. The room is great too. Very large and comfortable.
Below: The bedroom at the Rathaus, Wein and Design Hotel
Vienna has a host of coffee houses. Many of which you can smoke in. For me, this is like a heavenly gift: coffee, cake and cigarettes. OMG….what is there not to like? And, the places themselves have a subdued and dark allure conjured up by the décor and furniture. Today I had coffee and apple strudel while sitting on an outside table.
Below: The interior of the Leopold Hawelka coffee house and the apple strudel served on a table outside 
We don’t have lots of time in this city and so decided to aim to do only certain things. High on my list of priorities was to buy a travel kettle and a screwdriver. What a typically touristy thing to do! We went to the Schonbrunn Palace, walked around the gardens, played in the mazes and took a tour inside the palace which was packed with sightseers. Below are some photos of the grounds of the palace.
The architecture in Vienna is wonderful. Grand imposing buildings. It’s a shame we didn’t plan the visit better. I’m sure that we would have got much more out of this city if we had properly researched it and made a proper timetable. Never mind, Vienna isn’t far away and it is the sort of place that will be so pretty at Christmas. Below is a very small selection of the various buildings of Vienna.
2015 Euro Flight 