The lovely international train station in Budapest...
The dining car on the train to Bratislava from Budapest...2hrs 30min journey.
Arriving in Bratislava to meet Manj, my friend.
This meal for 4 people, with 4 huge pots of ginger tea was under 20Euro!
We tried walking from one place to eat to another, but it was very icy under foot, so we went into the first restaurant we saw!
Desert coming up!
We had lunch in one restaurant, then went for coffee in another, where we sat for the entire day with Manj. It was too icy outside to walk anywhere, as we were afraid of one of us slipping over.
Val and Delmy enjoying a beer while waiting for our train to go back to Budapest.
Then we headed home, arriving 10.30pm after a great day going from Budapest to Bratislava return. Tomorrow, we head off to explore the natural springs and hot baths/spas here in Budapest
The beautiful Mathias church on castle hill in Budapest...hugely beautiful...
Parliament House from the Bus, in the rain...
One of 2 Opera houses in Budapest.
We swapped sides on the bus and saw more lovely buildings the second time around.
The city ice skating park...
So much theatre and art and culture here too...Another museum!
The residential area in the city...
Now for our cruise...
Hop-on-Hop-off drops us off here at the pier for the boat cruise up the Danube.
Pier 11...
All aboard!
Going under the bridges...
The massive castle precinct on the hill on the Buda side of the Danube.
To go up on the open deck or not? Hmmmnnn...
The glorious Parliament building in Budapest.
A beautifully symmetric building...
The Marguerite Bridge to the Island of the same name.
The sun did try to shine!
Another graceful bridge over the Danube.
Can you believe this gigantic structure rests on such thin ankles? Check out the smallness of the connection between the bridge and the pylons!
Even in the rain and snow, there is still so much beauty...Finishing off the bus tour now.
Up on the hill on the Buda side of Budapest...Their history is amazingly interesting, surviving attacks from the Goths, the Mongols, the Turks and more down thru the over 2,000 years of known history of this ancient city area.
The funicular we will be riding on Sunday...all being well with the ride!
Now, THAT'S a building! Part of the old Castle...
The end turret on the castle wall. Franz Joseph had a lot to do with unifying the people of Hungary and making things safer for them back in the 1800's. They made him King of Hungary in appreciation and he was crowned King in the beautiful Mathias church in the first pics...
Everywhere behind snow clad trees are more beautiful buildings.
Eerily amazing...one of 9 bridges across the Danube...All were destroyed in WW2 by the retreating Germans who bombed them all useless. All were rebuilt to mostly the old blueprint and 2 new ones built in the 60's.
The city has many markets but these are the biggest covered markets...with a brightly coloured tram going past!
Heading from the bridge to the covered markets, via this little garden area.
I am very surprised to see the change forwards since my first visit here a few years ago. They are well and truly up there with the top cities in the world now. Budapest is reportedly the 10th most beautiful city in the world.
Just walking along in the snow...
Freshly falling snow on the plants. First snow of the season.
Lunch...munch...
Crunch and all gone!
Don't anyone dare laugh at my jumper! It's very warm!!!
We had a nice 3 course meal for 9Euro in a lovely restaurant to-night...
Sweet, spicy chicken and rice...
Yummo desserts!
The proof is in the pudding they say!
All done in after a great day...relaxing with a hot spiced wine and a chocolate roll. We are off to Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, to-morrow, to see Miss Bratislava!
In the subway in Budapest...We missed the train!!! But another one comes every few minutes.
Coming out of the subway in Budapest central.
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...in the snow, while it's snowing!
Heading off to catch the Hop-on-Hop-off bus in Budapest for a 2 day pass, including 2 river cruises.
The beautiful St Stephens church in Budapest.
Waiting for our tour to begin.
A really interesting building. Budapest looks so different in the snow!
From the steps of the St Stephen's church.
In the B&W scenery to-day, this looked eerie!
So many beautiful big chunky buildings. we are on the bus tour now and it's snowing quite heavily.
Hero's Square...the first snow of the season in Budapest will melt in 36 hours if no more falls to-morrow.
So many beautiful buildings. Budapest goes back over 2,000 years!
Budapest's destruction in WW2 was massive. they lost a lot more of their historic buildings than did Vienna. The people were conscripted or volunteered to rebuild the buildings after the war, to match the ones that were destroyed, thankfully.
All of these are taken from the bus whilst moving and snowing heavily...
Now it's raining, so the snow will probably be gone to-morrow...for a few days?
We got off the bus tour for a few hours and went into the markets for lunch and a look around.
Having some traditional Hungarian food here...
Hot wine and a traditional dish, somewhat like a very fat pizza, in a way. Both for under $5 Ausd!
Every butcher shop in Hungary must be here! The markets cover 2 floors, 1st floor, meat and fresh produce only, upstairs food to eat there and some traditional hand made or woven clothing, home ware and some souvenirs. Tomorrow we are getting back onto the bus to do the tour again, from the opposite sides of the bus. Then we'll do the 2 Blue Danube river cruises, one at 1pm and the other at 6pm for the evening lights of Budapest.
Found a few pics that slipped thru the cracks in Vienna...This is at the world famous Figlmuuler restaurant in Vienna...the world's largest schnitzel.
At the Opera House restaurant...goulash soup...only 4.50 euro.
The musical loo in Vienna's main subway...
Val, a bit scared on the Ferris wheel in Vienna.
Outside the Palace Hofburg precinct, a wooden toy and artifacts shop.
One of the many concert venues in Vienna...
One of the Museums in the Museum Quarter, in Vienna...
Val at the Ball in the Hofburg Palace...
Time to get up and get moving! Off to Budapest now...We had a great time in Vienna...one week was too short.
The other half of Delmy's room!
Our awesome kitchen in Vienna in our lovely apartment.
Leaving from our front entrance in Vienna...It has just started snowing!
At the bus station in Vienna, headed for the 3hr, 22Euro trip to Budapest by Eurolines bus. A quick walk to the train station from our apartment, a few metro stops and we were here. Lifts, escalators and easy transferring from platforms, make budget travel the ideal way to go!
Then a short taxi ride (11Euro) from the bus station in Budapest to our apartment, made the move easy. The day was miserable with heavy fog, raining,5C temp, then it snowed as we arrived in Budapest!
Off to the Hofburg to see the Sissi Collection and the Royal Apartments...
Now we are out at the Schonnbrun Palace to see the Imperial Summer apartments
The Gloriette up on yonder hill that Franz Joseph built for Sissi to sit and read in...
Leaving the Schonnbrun for our last night in Vienna...
Same shot position as the above shot...taken at the end of October 2013. Amazing the change a few leaves make!
The fridge in our apartment had no freezer, so we had to get Delmy to go downstairs and gather snow to put in the boiler pot to cool down our celebration bottle of bubbly!
So when we bought ice-cream for dessert, we had to eat it while tea was cooking!
Our last Vienna dinner...Chilli con carne, rice, cheese, cucumber and pickles...using up all the leftovers in the fridge! We head off to Budapest for a week to-morrow morning...so watch for more great pics of our awesome trip.
Upstairs in the Kapella to see and hear the Vienna Boys choir sing Mass. A great way to see them for a reasonable fee...15 euros each instead of hundreds!
Up and gone for an early start after the ball. We were on our way at 8am for this magical event. Vienna boys choir in Vienna and in a church! How much better can it get?
This is the Vienna mens' choir...
How lucky were we? awesome! The Vienna Boy's choir...
A close up!
Morning Tea coming up...
Wiling away a few hours on Sunday from 11.30 am -1pm at the Hofburg Cafe, listening to piano music...life gets tedious, don't it!!!
Some nice goulash soup. we worked out a bowl of soup and a roll was 4.50Euro, same as just a cup of coffee...so guess what we kept ordering!
Then Val lashed out with a rum based mousse in a chocolate coated hand made waffle shell...too totally decadent. 4.50 Euro...
Then Delmy went for a sugar hit, with 3 different slices. They serve them as taste sizes...6Euro for the lot.
Then we went for a walk around the area...
Minus 9 to-day...still no snow! We walk around Vienna after morning tea and go buy some hot roasted chestnuts from a street vendor. The next 2 pics are taken from this round white area, left of Delmy's shoulder, in this pic with the knobby things around it. Right outside the Palace!
This amazing discovery is under the main part of Vienna, discovered while excavating for drainage for the roads...Wow!
Right in the middle of the street! They fenced it so you can see the history of past civilizations... amazing!
Off we go to City Hall now...
Pulling down the last of the Xmas decorations. Vienna is heavily Christian, hence no shops open to-day...only restaurants.
The sun came out briefly...
Yummy roasted chestnuts.
City hall and the ice skating rink there in Winter!
This park is really for the people!
The same park in Autumn!
Kids area...
Sunday afternoon, minus 9 C and it's still packed out.
Next door to City hall is the lovely Parliament building in Vienna. Designed after a Roman theme of virtues and justice.
Heading home now. We catch the metro just across the road and head home.
The first snow is falling, just as we arrive back at 4pm after a big day again! Yahhhy! More pics of our last day in Vienna to-morrow.
When you wake up to bubbly, smoked salmon and Sacher Torte, you know it's going to be a great day!
All dressed up? for the Ball...we walked the few meters to the metro, then got out at the Opera house, a few metres from the Palace.
They wore their long johns under their ball gowns...
Yup, she's really going to the Ball!
Upon arrival, we proceeded to shed our outer layers...temp was only minus 4 outside... but lovely inside.
It's all about outward appearances here!
Leaving the girls to finish dressing, I proceed to be awed once again by the beautiful Palace interior.
Waiting in an advantageous position to watch the evening proceedings, I found my own Sissi!
This is the best spot to view the debs from. I got there 1 hour early...8.30pm for 9.30 pm presentation.
Next time, I think I'll take a table here...costs about 150 Euro extra. Ball costs 110 Euro, then extras, like table and chairs etc are added = 250, to 350 Euro. the Doctors ball, they donate the proceeds to a sick children's fund they support.
All ready and waiting...
VIP's come first...
Then heads of hospitals around area...
Then over 100 debs and beaus...
Do I not have a great vantage point?
They performed "Singin' in The Rain"
Waiting while the VIP's addressed them...
Then off to my fave room, the SISSI room, to find the girls again.
Found them...they scrubbed up OK, don't you think?
We made it!
Check out one of my "ears"... hahaha...
It's midnight, but the ball goes from 8pm to-5am! We left about midnight ish...
OK...the show is over, lets go home! Cinderella takes off the glass slippers to don the plastic joggers!
Off to see the ball at the Hofburg on Saturday night, so we are checking out how to get there in the dark, by metro. It turns out, it's easier by train than a cab!
Walking a few streets from our apartment to the Hofburg Palace. We are only about a klm from it walking...or 4 stops on green metro and 3 on brown line, long way round!
Just lovely buildings...
This cutie doll's house building looked like it was the servant's quarter attached to a bigger building!
A very unusual building for Vienna...
Raining again, but nothing stops here for cold, rain or snow.
A museum in the Museum Quarters...
More of the beautiful museums here in Vienna.
Part of the study library...
Dwarfed by the size of the palace doors! At least we know how to get to the ball there now.
Inside the Kapella at the Hofburg, where we will get to see and hear the Vienna Boys choir perform Mass on Sunday morning.
The Hofburg complex is huge and you only get a clear perspective when something familiar lines up outside it...
The beautiful National Library in Vienna...still part of the Hofburg Palace!
The library has over 200,000 books and is only 3 lovely rooms long, but so very beautiful.
I love the colours here...pastels and wood.
I took 2 pics of this ceiling and both look different if you move away from the light a bit...
A lovely place to spend an afternoon. It costs about 6 euro for admission.
A real photographer would have a field day here with the lovely lighting...
Off to lunch now at the Figlmuller, where they serve the biggest schnitzel in the world!
This is where we are off to now for apple strudel and coffee...It's about 5 klm from the Prata by Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus tours.
A lovely old church, the largest in Vienna.
The modern side of Vienna, over the Danube...
Crossing the Blue Danube River...
Up in the revolving restaurant...way too high, but nice all the same!
This is what we came for!
Raining to-day, but we still can see enough...
Val and her strudel...
We tried to capture the lovely simplicity of this vase of flowers...
Leaving the other side of the Danube area now and heading back to the older city area at 4pm. for a bite to eat, then a concert in the Auersberg Palace at 8pm.
Almost thought I was in Phantom Land with Carlotta and the fallen Chandelier there for a moment!
We arrived back at the Opera House drop off point and had a quick dinner before heading off to a Mozart and Strauss concert in another Palace at 8pm.
We walked the few hundred metres to the Palace, past Parliament House.
Up the stairs into the Palace concert room.
We were early, so had a few moments to catch our breath before the no pics allowed while performing, concert.
After the concert we went home by metro train, which stops about 75 mtrs from our apartment in Vienna! tomorrow we do a walking tour of Vienna, to drink in the beauty of the architecture, so watch for pics of it.
We are on board box car 26 for a ride on this giant Ferris wheel in the Prata in Vienna.
Val and Delmy, not quite sure about this yet!
Up, up and away!
There is a huge fair ground/theme park here too, which I never knew existed.
The other box cars look tiny from up here!
It goes very high...
This one had a dining table in it for those who want a romantic evening under the stars!
Having our picture taken with my hero, the late Franz Joseph and his wife Sissi, Empress Elizabeth.
I didn't realize what this piggy was winking at until Val explained, he was the Piggy Bank...the ATM machine is in his belly. Hahaha... More pics to-morrow from the Donatrun, the highest building in Vienna. We went to the top and had Apple Strudel there in the revolving restaurant!
A picture from the poster inside on our way up to the top...Sneak preview for to-morrow!