Vienna

The bicycle part of my trip is at an end.  It went so quickly like a bat of an eye.  The weather could not have been more perfect.  Sunny days with light winds and warm temperatures.  Fruit trees and vineyards were heavy with grapes, pears and apples.  Our leaders gave wonderful support and supplied snacks including fresh fruit twice a day.  Yesterday I rode 37 miles along the Danube River in addition to climbing the stairs to tour the Melk Benedictine Cathedral and monastery.  In the evening we had a fairwell dinner in a restaurant that had once been a wine pressing room.  This is the wine area of Austria called Wachau Valley.  We sampled some great local products.  Sunday we rode a boat on the Danube beginning in fog but clearing as we progressed to disembark and ride the bike paths alongside for 29 miles before boarding a bus to Weisskirken where we stayed in a historic inn from 1513.  Our room was on the 3rd floor, no elevator!  It was a charming place with a great breakfast.

There is much more to tell but I just wanted to give a bit of the flavor. (Just remembered yesterday in the distance at Durnstein after crossing the Danube in a very small ferry we could see the ruins of the castle where Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned.  It was destroyed by invading Swedes at the end of the 30 years war for you history buffs.)

Today we went to the Sachre Cafe for the famous sachre tort and cafe and also had wonderful potato soup.  Tonight several of us will go to a music performance at the Hofburg Palace.  They will depart for US tomorrow and I will move from this 4 star hotel Stephanie to my one star Rick Steves recommended Pension Hargita.  I have a 72 hour transit pass and plan to make lot of use of it in the next few days.  Friday I take the train to Germany to visit friends the Lells (see October 2008 blog for the previous visit) until Monday when I will return to Vienna for my flight home early Tuesday.  Weather today still very warm though more windy.  No rain the whole trip so far.  Unbelievable.  Photos to follow on my return.