Vienna

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Not 'Good Night" or a song by Ultravox or Rigby's cat. This IS the real thing at last.

Friday the 22nd October sees Anne, Joyce, Ian & I off to Vienna to celebrate Annes 70th year (Sorry about that Anne). We have a good flight and get a taxi from the airport to our hotel. I have a window seat on the plane so get to see the Alps, just a sprinkling of snow on the tops and also see the Danube which is very wide. The journey was very smooth & no waiting about. Hotel AM Konzerthaus is very nice. Good size room, good amenities, excellent staff on reception and in the restaurant they could not be more helpful. It was also well located for what we wanted to do & see. And L'Ocitane toiletries on top. Very funky lampshades too.

A quick unpack & out for some lunch - I am totally lost and have the city well upside down. I am quite taken aback as it all seems to be quite old world, with the tram wires & the traffic lights hanging down in the street. We find a cafe and somehow manage to order some food and beer, more pointing at pictures and saying bitte than anything else. Hey its a long time since any of us was in a German speaking country. We do get better, promise.

It is sunny but very cold we are all a bit tired and try to get to the Belvedere Gardens but our lack of direction & fatigue gets the better of us. Anne & Joyce go back to the hotel & Ian & I do a quick tour around the local area to see if we can find somewhere for dinner tonight. We pop into a beer keller for a swift half & are amazed to find people smoking. Yes you can still smoke almost anywhere here.