The trip of our lifetime: Vienna

Showing posts with label Vienna. Show all posts

Trying to summarize a trip like this is a daunting task. There were so many memories
that I can recall and so many more that I need to review all the blogs just to trigger. This
was by far the most amazing experience of my life and it wouldn't have even happened
if it wasn't for Anna, so a big shout goes out to her for that. The challenges of our trip
are recalled just as fondly to me as the joys if it. The intense heat of Malaysia and
Singapore; the overnight trains in Thailand; the crash in Wellington that claimed the life
of "Nathan The Emu" and the resulting events that it triggered. Almost every expectation
we had about the places we were visiting were completely dashed, and this isn't said
lightly as we did a lot of research before hand on each country. One question I get
asked a lot is this, "what was your favorite place you visited?". As you can imagine, this
is not a simple question to answer. There were so many wonderful moments that I can't
think of one place that really grabbed me more than the others. I can say my experience
in Ukraine was quite singular in that I was welcomed with open arms to the Anna's
clan and all the kindness and food that came with it had a huge impact on me. Since
each place and experience that went with it was unique it’s tough for me to pick one
over the other.

What I will offer is a list of the 10 that stand out for me in no particular
order.

Thailand
Singapore
Rothenburg OBT
Vienna
Prague
Bali
Great Ocean Road
Hobbiton
Kuala Lumpur
Melbourne

I’d go back to any of these places in a heartbeat! The one thing I can tell you is that
in all of the places we went we experienced many different religions from western
christianity to eastern buddhism to islam. All the places in the world are changing and
developing. The impact on me was astounding to see that my outdated perceptions
were completely wrong. It was a good thing to know that even though many places have
their old traditions, they are also embracing the new world as best they can. They all
love really good action movies and going out with friends and family and great food!
Standards of living were definitely not all equal, which made me very thankful I come
from Canada and quickly became very sympathetic to those who fight very hard to
come to Canada, United States, or any country that has a higher standard of living or
a middle class. Despite adversity in all these places we found the people were always
strong in spirit and happy for what they do have. No matter how little they had they were
always generous with food and accommodations.

Best country to drive in was definitely Germany. They have the best road system I
have ever seen. No traffic hangups. Lights for everyone from cyclists to pedestrians,
and great drivers who NEVER clog the left lane! The most beautiful and challenging
was New Zealand. Australia has the Great Ocean Road, but New Zealand was pretty
everywhere. So many sheep, undulating hills, valleys, rivers, and mountains. It's really
breathtaking to see. New Zealand also has the worst drivers of all the countries we
drove in. Sorry guys. Insurance isn't compulsory and the age of full licensing is very low.
Best country of nature exploration is Australia. It has the most unique ecosystem in the
world, and so many beautiful places to explore. We find ourselves constantly stopping
at the side of the road to explore trails, observe animals, and just enjoy the natural
beauty of it all.

Best country for sitting on a patio and having a coffee would be Vienna, with Germany
as a close second. Cafes are always full of people and the streets are always lively and
fun to observe. Germany was similar, but Vienna had a certain liveliness to it that was
hard to match. The sheer amount of places to see, festivals to experience, and cultural
activities happening at any given time are mind boggling. It makes Toronto look like the
North Pole in the middle of summer! We found some of the best parts of Vienna were
free to explore and enjoy. The only downside against it was that it was one of the most
expensive places to have a coffee as well.

Best place to eat besides with Anna's family on Datcha is Chiang Mai, Thailand. Why?
It's cheap and the curries are amazing! I couldn't get enough of them. So many varieties
and all of them taste incredible. We were rarely disappointed. Now this doesn't apply in
Bangkok or the islands. Chiang Mai spoiled us considerably. Behind Thailand, I'd say
Germany. Such high quality food and not nearly as expensive as you might expect. If
you hit up a grocery store you'll save a tonne while enjoying some great food.

Best place to appreciate modern architecture was Singapore. Europe has a lot of old
architecture, which is absolutely beautiful, but Singapore is the most forward looking
place of all we've been. Modern, unique, and very ambitious in all respects. Everything
from the Marina Bay Sands hotel to the airport to the alien trees are all statements of
innovation and creativity. Easy to get lost in it all. The city is special in that it offers so
much both during the day and in the evenings. The architecture takes on a whole other
life when the sun goes down as well.

Friendliest people: This one is very difficult. It is a tie between New Zealand and Bali.
The people of Bali are very spiritual and open. They always greet you with a smile and
are have overcome great adversity without affecting their beliefs and way of life. It is not
uncommon to end up in someone's dining room for dinner. New Zealanders were also
exceedingly friendly. There were times we needed help and they bent over backwards
to help us, many times at great expense to themselves. They really go out of their way
to be friendly. They're proud and outgoing, but not arrogant.

I can say we definitely learned a lot from our travels. Having seen all the countries we
have truly impacted how we see the world today. There is much beauty in the world and
diversity that you can't imagine until you see it for yourself. We're very lucky we live in a
time and in a country where we have access to travel and accommodations around the
world for relatively little money. In the past only the wealthy travelled, but today almost
anyone can, and should. Let yourself get lost in it and you'll see, like we did, that the
world and people in it are not nearly as different as you think. In fact, those differences
are fading with each passing day. One thing I've learned, is that I have a lot to learn.

Thank you all for following our blogs over the past year. I hope this isn't the last trip of
our lifetime that we take.

Stay tuned for Anna's last words
Ali

PS. Enjoy ...FOOD!

Ah Vienna. The cultural center of the world during most of the classical era. Of course I'm sure Italy and France would argue this point, but we're in Vienna so we're arguing it's here! We arrived via "Rail Shuttle". The train system here is very advanced. Expensive, but advanced. We had concerns leaving Munich that due to the landmark floods taking place throughout Europe that we wouldn't be able to even get here. The tracks to Salzburg have been shut down due to the flooding and we heard service would be interrupted. But all it did was make us a bit late. The train travel through the countryside in excess of 230km/h in buttery smooth silence.

We arrived and noticed something, all the buildings are old. Not 1960's old, but 1760's old. Like, almost every building looks like it witnessed a time of horse drawn carriages, powder white wigs, and the dramatic fall of the corset. It is quite neat as you feel very connected with history. This is especially true downtown in an area called "The Ring". It is here where the world famous Vienna Opera House is located as well as a number of churches, university, and the museum quarter. It is also where you will find a lot of tourists from literally everywhere. It is a massive tourist district with high end shopping, lots of gelato and schnitzel with loads of patios for sitting and enjoying a coffee or beer, which are both the same price by the way so the choice is truly yours. It seems most people here choose the beer. The buildings are grand and many are being restored all the time. There are an abundance of horse drawn carriages all around this area constantly pulling people everywhere. The horses are just as well dressed as the drivers. The churches here are stunning with some impressive stained glass work. What's really nice to see is the abundance of parks and green space available to anyone who wants to sit. On a Wednesday afternoon these parks were full. They are very well taken care of with loads of bike paths everywhere. It seems that the cyclist has just as much clout on the road as the car for there are almost as many dedicated paths and traffic lights for them as there are for the motorists. Vienna definitely encourages walking and cycling over cars and it shows.

When looking at the amount of festivals taking place it is quite dizzying to take in all the activities. There are a lot! We briefly bumped into Vienna pride by the museum quarter where they had setup mock beaches, and the Bicycle Festival. Yes, a huge festival for urban cyclists. Not douche bag extreme mountain bikers or spandex clad triathletes. Regular urban cyclists. They even had bike polo games under way.

We also had to pay a visit to the Swarovski Wien ("Wien" is how Vienna is pronounced here) store. This is where Swarovski is based after all so they had to have a place that signifies their presence here in Vienna. Luckily they did. The place is a 3 floor store with many items that are not to be found in any store anywhere else. They also had on display many unique art pieces such as crystal encrusted carp and dragons, the wall of crystal panthers, and many over the top fashion statements as well. I lost Anna there for a bit.

Walking along the Danube river was pleasant. It reminded us that aside from the classical history of Vienna there is a vibrant contemporary art culture here as well. The graffiti artists here take their art very seriously, and it seems the gov't lets them. There are some impressive pieces of art along the river that literally cover all the walls along the river path. This isn't a place you will find a lot of tourists. A number of little cafes and restaurants are located here with mostly locals and artists taking in the scenery and gathering to discuss their art. A number of photo and video shoots seemed to be happening while we were there as well. Vienna has always been a hub of creative thinking and ideas, something that hasn't changed in close to 300 years.

One of the great sites of Vienna that we fell in love with is Schonnbrun Palace. It is truly a palace. Originally commissioned as a hunting lodge in the early 1700's this palace was built to accommodate 1500 comfortably. It is truly massive! This palace has a great history all it's own. It was in this palace where Mozart gave his first concert to the royal family at age 6. It is also where President Kennedy met with the Russian Prime Minister Khrushchev for peace talks in the 60's. Napoleon spent some time here in the early 1800's the two times he conquered Vienna. The palace is truly grand both on the outside and inside. We took a grand tour and had a chance to explore the interior and learn all about it's history and some of the interesting people who lived there and ruled Austria. The rooms are large enough for grand balls and concerts and has seen it's fair share. The detail of all the artwork and construction is exquisite right down to the ornate stoves used to heat each room. Sadly we have no pictures to prove our point, as we were not allowed to take any.

What's even more impressive than the palace are the grounds themselves. As grand as the palace is (oh it's grand) it is a mere spot on the landscape of the grounds that surrounds it. These sprawling gardens go on for several kilometers. Grand fountains, 3 story aviaries for birds, huge sprawling green houses, a labyrinth, hedge mazes, large statues of naked men & women in togas, and loads of paths and flower gardens that just go on and on. We spent a great deal of time here and decided to settle on a bench, read, and become part of the environment. It was truly relaxing and enjoyable. The best part of this all is, if you don't take the tour, the gardens are free to anyone who wants to visit.

At the end of our exploration of the palace we took in some true Viennese culture by watching a show at the palace. In one of the palace's many halls a chamber orchestra was performing as they do every evening. They were a 15 piece orchestra performing pieces by Mozart and Strauss. The performance included opera singing and ballet giving the evening a good mix of entertainment. With no microphones or any amplification it is similar to what a classical performance would have been like in Mozart's time.

Vienna is an incredible place with so much culture and life everywhere. No wonder the UN picked it as the #1 place in the world to live. It's blend of history and contemporary art is exciting to see. Definitely a must see on anyone's travel list.

See you in Prague!

Labels

Featured post

Japan

Translate

Older Posts

Popular Posts