tuxette's Journal: Trip Report - Vienna Day Three (and a bonus)

First, the most pathetic picture of tuxette you'll ever see: here

OK, now that you've had your laugh, on to the travel journal...

Day Three - 3rd of April

I started by going to the Palmenhaus in Schönbrunn Park, right next to the zoo (since I was too tired to see it yesterday). They had a special setup focusing on exotic fruits, so I ended up getting a nice fruit salad. They had a lot of interesting plants - citrus trees full of fruit, banana plants, pineapple plants, etc. They also had these mannequins in lingerie there for some odd reason. Didn't quite get that, and the person(s) in charge of that display were not at their post...

Afterwards, after walking around the grounds of Schönbrunn for a little while, headed back towards city center. I stopped by the Naschmarkt, a charming area full of stalls selling fruit and vegetables, olives, cheese, meat, etc. The vendors were very eager to give samples of their wares - a nibble of cheese here, a cheese-filled pepper there, pieces of dried cranberries and coconut, adn so on. I found a little wine shop there and ended up buying a bottle of Austrian white wine for 20 euro. The guy in the shop recommended it, and claimed he saw it other places being sold for 50...riiiiight. (It was a good wine, yes, but most certainly not a 50 euro wine.) Incidentally, this is the only place where I saw any significant number of non-whites (who weren't Japanese tourists).

Otherwise, mostly walking very aimlessly today, mostly to get myself oriented with everything. I took a look at Karlskirche. I also visited Kaisergruft - one of the places where formal royal family members lie in their tombs. People still put candles and flowers on/by the tombs, many with ribbons with the colors of the Hungarian flag...

"Ha-ha!" Ticket control at the U-bahn hehe... there's someone getting caught! (Of course I had a valid ticket!)

Lunch: I forgot to write down the name of the place, but it was a café near Stephansdom (more about Stephansdom will come later) and had outdoor seating. I had a tasty spinach strudel with goat cheese....mmmm....

Traffic lights: When a green light is about to turn yellow, it flashes for a few seconds, and then turns yellow. Fascinating...

Oh, and I bought a sick amount of Zotter bars, 100+ worth. But most will be sent to my brothers and parents (especially my mom, who really needs a lesson in what real chocolates should taste like (long story)) and perhaps a few other people...

Apfelstrudel: On the way back to the hotel, I stopped by a café near Servitenkirche and had some apfelstrudel . Mmmmmm! Lots of apple, little dough, not overly sweet...perfect! I drank it along with some melange, the Austrian version of a cappucino...

Lots of interesting little places all around: At least signs. Like this one. Hmmm...

Coffee and beer: I really needed some more coffee after a short rest at the hotel, so I stepped into a café called Dreiklang (see Day Four for more info) for some organic melange and organic beer :-)

Dinner: Augustinerkeller (am Albertinaplatz). We had dinner together with some colleagues of boyfriend of tuxette. We both ordered Zander (some kind of freshwater fish) with paprika sauce and rice. We also had some really good beer there. Wine was served in glass mugs...

Language observation: The Austrian-German word for potato is Erdapfel (earth apple, like the French pomme de terre), and unlike Kartoffel, which is used in Germany (and Denmark).

Number of steps: 17804
Kilometers covered: 8,9

RoF perspective

Hey, come on now! You need more for breakfast!

Oooh, look at all that fruit! Hey look! Fruit salad! Go get your fruit salad now! Hey, try to sneak in another one! They're not looking! Take one! Why aren't you taking one?

Hey! Free food samples! Tasty cheesy goodness! Get some more! Get some more now!

Stop walking so much! Can't you hear that I'm roaring? I want lunch and I want it now!

Spinach strudel? OK, it has cheese in it! Mmmm...cheese!

Chocolate! Buy more chocolate now!

What's this? Apple strudel? Yes, oh yes!

Mmmm...beeeeeeeeer!

Dinner time! What? Only fish and rice? I don't want healthy food! I want something deep-fried!