After a delicious breakfast, it wasn't too long before we left the Wachau and the vineyards behind. The sun shone on us with all its might, which was exhausting, but we kept up a good pace. The going wasn't as direct as it had been on the other days. Many times we found we must go in-land in order to cross a channel entering the Danube.
The top I'm wearing was a lovely gift, and a highly practical garment, but I like it even more now that I can actually see the back :) Our trip wasn't a fashion occasion but I'm glad I had the sense to wear something nice on at least one of the days. It was mentioned, or intimated or just plain said that I might want to update my wardrobe. Well, when you get a good piece of advice, it's best to take it (to heart) and so the sorting out begins... Sigh.
I wish I'd plunged into the river earlier a few times and we noticed riding was cooler than stopping. We were making our own breeze. It was almost unbearable to pause for the photo below, but we needed this shot. Klosterneuburg is basically the beginning of Vienna and where we needed to drop-off our bicycles. So I'd say this is our celebratory photo!
We actually did arrive in Klosterneuberg by 3:30 as we had planned, then took the train into the center of Vienna for a tour with my cousin Imke. I find the number of tourists a bit overwhelming right in the center of the city, but Vienna is a beautiful and vibrant place. It's a venerable city of classical values still carrying on the musical and intellectual habits that have always formed its central core, inline or juxtaposed suitably, to the ebb and flow of modern cosmopolis. I'm biased as you know, but how could any Österreicherin not be?
The Hotel Sacher is famous for its Sachertorte. It's a chocolate layer cake with apricot filling. So you see I come by this layer cake thing naturally. It's in my veins. Which reminds me... of a cookbook I received which helped to inspire the beginning of this blog, three years and one month ago. It's a redeveloped cookbook from the kitchen of a famous Viennese caterer. There's one tiny photo in that original and first blog entry, showing a bowl of her soup with meatballs and a tiny, grilled, triple-stacked sandwich. I must revisit that book when I get home...
We then spent a quick but ever so lovely time with my amazing family in the Murztal. :)
Thanks to Imke the whole visit was easy and organized. She is such a super person. I do adore her.
And what did Jordan think? You could ask him.
At first he announced the food to be bland (should we blame this on beginning in Germany?) but as it turns out it seems he meant mild. Was he expecting hot peppers? I do not know. Chillis are not really an Austrian 'thing'. Based on the way he ate up for the rest of the trip (we've now been well fattened) it must have nonetheless been flavourful and delicious. ;) And the beer? Yes, he approved of that!
He also mentioned Austrians speak their mind. I think he may have been trying to tell me something?... Well, the veins run deep.
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