Europe Day 20 – September 8th

20 Celsius and Cloudy

This is the twentieth of twenty posts documenting Margaret-Ann and John’s 2011 trip to Europe.

For their last day in Vienna, Edith, Christina, Margaret-Ann and John ate breakfast at the very popular Café Leopold Hawelka, where, although they didn’t see him, it’s claimed that the 100 plus year-old owner shows up every day to welcome customers. From there, they walked to the Stephansdom and climbed the 374 steps to the observation level in the Spire for some breathtaking views of Vienna. Special kudos to Christina, who, like her brother Sepp, has a bit of a fear of heights, but managed to make it to the top.

After the Stephansdom, it was back to the hotel to check out and then a short bus ride to the airport. After very fond farewells, Edith and Christina flew back to Stuttgart and Tübingen, and Margaret-Ann and John to Paris (where they spent the night before flying back to Toronto the next morning).

And so ended day twenty of Margaret-Ann and John’s 2011 European trip. This is the last posting for this trip. Please see "Margaret-Ann and John's Epilogue" below the last picture.

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Margaret-Ann and John’s Epilogue

Our three week trip turned out to be exactly what we thought it would be – a truly excellent adventure; made even more memorable because of the extraordinary efforts of very special relatives!

To Rudi & Barbara, Sepp & Sigrid, Waltraud & Sonny, Edith and Christina, thank you so very much for the pleasure of your company. We would be thrilled to travel with you again, maybe here in Canada the next time!

We hope you have enjoyed viewing these blog posts as much as we did composing them – such wonderful memories! Thanks, again for helping making it possible!!!

Love

John & Margaret-Ann

Europe Day 19 – September 7th

22 Celsius with Sun and Cloud

This is the nineteenth of twenty posts documenting Margaret-Ann and John’s 2011 trip to Europe.

The day began with the group returning to Oberlaa for breakfast, then walking to the Spanish Riding School in the Hofburg to watch the morning training session of the Lipizzaner stallions.

The group toured the Hundertwasser (a very talented artist/designer/architect) Museum and dined at the Federico II Pizzeria where, once again, Margaret-Ann learned that true Italians never cut their pizzas into slices.

After lunch, it was a short walk to the Hundertwasser House, an eye-opening experience, where Waltraud and Sonny had to say goodbye to the group and return to the hotel to get ready for their return flight home to Mühlacker (Sonny, a school principal, had to be back at work on September 8th). Everyone thanked them for their preparation and efforts in making this a wonderful experience in Vienna. Those remaining wandered through the stores at Hundertwasser House and John watched Margaret-Ann, Edith and Christina do some shopping (it’s in the genes).

Edith, with her trusty guidebook in hand, became the guide for the remaining group and successfully navigated them to the Belvedere Palace where they strolled through the Gardens, before returning to the hotel to freshen up.

It was a splendid evening as they dined at the Bermuda Bräu, near the hotel in the Bermuda Triangle area, where, in fact, they almost lost Christina who had difficulty finding her way back to the patio after visiting the restroom. John kept Edith and Christina laughing most of the night simply by trying to say the word knödel; he still doesn’t understand what is so funny.

And so ended day nineteen of Margaret-Ann and John’s 2011 European trip. Keep checking the blog for more postings of this trip.

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Europe Day 18 – September 6th

25 Celsius and Sunny

This is the eighteenth of twenty posts documenting Margaret-Ann and John’s 2011 trip to Europe.

Waltraud, Edith, Christina, Margaret-Ann and John took a bus to Bratislava, Slovakia for a walking tour of the Old Town area (Sonny was left to his own devices in Vienna, with strict instructions from Waltraud not to add to his collection by buying another guitar).

After the two hour tour (see pictures below), that included lunch at the Zichy Café, the group walked up to the Bratislava Castle for some panoramic views of the Old Town and Danube River. Then it was back down into the Old Town where John watched the ladies do some shopping (it’s in the genes) in the main square, before boarding the high-speed catamaran for the ninety-minute boat ride back to Vienna.

After meeting the group at the dock near Schwedenplatz, Sonny rejoined the group, which then went for ice cream back at the Café de l’Europe. Then it was a U-Bahn ride to the  unique Gasometer area where former gas storage tanks have been converted to living, working, entertainment and shopping spaces.

Later, the group dined on the patio of a restaurant in the Bermuda Triangle area near the hotel before retiring for the evening.

And so ended day eighteen of Margaret-Ann and John’s 2011 European trip. Keep checking the blog for more postings of this trip.

Roll the cursor over the pictures to read the captions. Click on a picture to enlarge it, then click on the back arrow button in the top left to return to the blog.