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Vienna

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Hofburg Palace- this is just one wing of this HUGE complex.

Joost dropped us off 5 or 6 blocks from our hotel and we said our good-byes to him.  Again, Iris called for a taxi to transport Dennis, and I walked with the group.  Our hotel was located on the Graben, a pedestrian street just a couple of blocks from St. Stephen's cathedral, right in the center of town.  That made our exploring so much easier!

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After a refresh in our room, we were met by Gerhard, our local Vienna guide.  He gave us an orientation walk through a bit of Vienna so that we would be able to find our way around.  Following our tried-and-true strategy, I went on the walk and Dennis stayed near the hotel.  When I returned, Dennis and I went for dinner and a stroll along the Graben, down to St. Stephen's - beautiful!

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We loved the roof of St. Stephen's, with its geometrical tiles.  The interior is gorgeous as well, with its soaring Gothic pillars.

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The Holy Trinity plague monument, built by Leopold I, in thanks for saving his city from the plague.

Following breakfast the next morning, Gerhard again came to lead us on a more in-depth walking tour of the city.  We even got to ride the underground subway system and a bus!  We toured the 3rd Man Museum (Gerhard's "baby"), the Opera House, the Hofburg Treasury and much more, while he told us about Austrian history and answered our many questions.

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The entry-way to the State Opera House.

The crown of the Holy Roman Emperor, in the Hofburg Treasury.

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I walked back to the hotel and met Dennis, who had been keeping himself busy wandering in the hotel neighborhood.  Since it was lunchtime, and we were located just a block or two from Demel, the famous Vienna coffee/pastry cafe, we opted to have pastry and a coffee for lunch, fulfilling another of our must-do's.  Probably not the most nutritious meal, but it was worth every calorie!

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Dennis chose a fruit cheesecake while I opted for a hazelnut chocolate cake.  Wow!  Absolutely wonderful!

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Another thing we had been looking forward to was attending an organ concert at St. Peter's, a church located just a block from our hotel.  It was truly wonderful, and quite a few of our fellow-travelers were there.

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Not only was the music wonderful, but the interior of this church was simply magnificent!

We spent the remainder of the afternoon wandering around, taking in the local color, until it was time to get ready for our farewell dinner.  As we gathered outside our hotel, we were treated to a religious procession passing by.  It was fun to see the  monks, priests, nuns and musicians walking by. 

 

We lingered over dinner, exchanging contact information and visiting, then strolled back to the hotel to get ready for tomorrow's departure.  A wonderful day!  We'd had a great trip, despite our "oops" issues.

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