Vienna, a capitol city filled with art, music, history and pastry/coffee shops. After a few days here you realize you could spend a lifetime and not see it all.
The
Kaerntnerstrasse (main street) is pedestrians only and runs through the
heart of the city, linking the Opera House to the River. This view is
from the sixth floor, glass elevator of a modern department store. The
old and new are blended seamlessly together.
Also
on Kaerntnerstrasse is the traditional Gothic style Cathedral, which is
undergoing a facelift. (Note the scaffold on the spire and the bright
green and white roof on the left). Cleaning and maintaining these magnificent
structures is a labor of love and a tremendous expense, but it really
brings them back to life!
The beautiful Danube is not so blue! It's a major artery of commerce and transportation. It even connects Austria with Hungary twice daily by hydrofoil! However, we opted for a peaceful day cruise on the River and then traveled between the countries by rail.
Budapest, capital city of Hungary, as viewed from our hilltop hostel. The end of Communist rule is only the most recent transition in a long and colorful history.
