gordon@genrad.UUCP (Gordon Partridge) (10/06/83)
I second the idea of going to Vienna by train. My wife and I went from Vienna to Paris by train several years ago. It was night when we went through Switzerland, but daytime from Vienna to Innsbruck, and the scenery really *is* spectacular. In Vienna, visit the pastry shops. They are all over the city. The assortment is even better, if possible, than a good pastry shop in Paris, and they are delicious. We gorged: had about 6 pastries apiece. The Lippanzer (spell?) horses are interesting, but probably somewhat over-rated. The lowest priced seats for their show are perfectly satisfactory. If you have a chance to see a performance of the Staatsoper Ballet, don't miss it. I think this is one of the most under-rated ballet companies in the world. Their corps-de-ballet dancers are as good as soloists in most companies, and their soloists are equivalent to principal dancers elsewhere. It might be worth going to an opera performance also, though I have no personal knowledge of the merits of the Vienna opera company. The Opera House is absolutely beautiful. The night we saw the ballet, there was a grand march during intermission. The Opera House has a large hallway, reminiscent of the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, and hundreds of people walk up and down this hall in a formal promenade. If you have room in your luggage, take formal clothes. Even in the cheap seats in the balcony, most of the men are in black tie and the ladies in elegant gowns. The Cafe Mozart is reputed to be one of the best in the city, but it is closed some days (Monday, I think), and we were not able to patronize it. The Sacher Hotel is the home of Sachertorte, a perfectly delicious cake, but you can get Sachertorte at all the pastry shops for about 1/3rd the price at the Sacher Hotel (the hotel charged $6 U.S. equivalent for a piece of their torte, and that was about 5 years ago). We stayed at a small pension right in the heart of town, about two blocks from the Riding Academy. I don't remember the name, I'm sorry to say, but possibly the Austrian Consulate can send you brochures with suggested lodgings. The pension was very thrifty, very comfortable, and very convenient. A good breakfast was included every morning. But beware if you deviate from the set menu: extras such as orange juice can add up *very* fast. Gordon Partridge, GenRad, Inc., Mail Stop 98, Route 117, Bolton, MA 01740
mac@uvacs.UUCP (10/07/83)
There's much to see in Vienna. Such things as the summer palace, the Hearts of the Hapsburgs (in jars!), the Belvedere Palace, etc. I'm sure a decent guide book will tell you these things. I found Wittgensteins house interesting (his own design). It's now owned by the Bulgarian embassy, who restored it and run it as a museum. I was shown around by a very nice woman who spoke fluent English. There's usually something interesting happening in the cathedral square. Vienna is celebrating the 300th anniversary of the last siege by the Turks this year, so there are special exhibits and commemorative coffee. The city is littered with good places to eat, as well as frauds. If you are in Vienna for some time, I'd recommend an overnight excursion to Budapest. The hydrofoil down the Danube takes ~5 hours. Visas are easy to get (go to the Hungarian embassy). The agency IBUSZ on the Kaertnerstrase can make arrangements. Budapest is a lively city. Rumor has it that the famous Viennese pastries are actually from Budapest. Many people understand German, which seems to be the standard tourist language in Central Europe. This is also an easy way to get a glimpse behind the iron curtain. The train is indeed the way to go, especially in the mountains. There's no inconvenience, and the time is well spent. The Orient Express is still running from Paris to Bucharest, but it's no different from other trains, except for the passengers (lots of Yugoslav guest-workers). Not to be confused with the elegant train somebody started recently. Alex Colvin ARPA: mac.uvacs@UDel-Relay CS: mac@virginia USE: ...uvacs!mac