The scenery as we drove into Austria (again no border control) was just as we had seen in 'The Sound of Music' - very green with villages nestled here & there. There was much to enjoy as we drove to Vienna at its northeastern end.Our home exchange here was Monika's apartment, just a bus & underground ride from the historic city centre. Public transport is excellent in Vienna (population 1.8 million), so good that neither Monika nor Ernst own a car - cheaper to rent one when necessary. This was a very city experience for us as the apartment was in a block if 103 (not high rise), built around outdoor spaces where social connections often happen. We spent most of our time in the city as there is so much to see, but also had a couple of trips into the countryside.
Monika & Ernst took us to the Neusiedler See and to an area of vineyards where the wine cellars are underground. This one at Purbach (below) is used as a restaurant.
From our table we could see the cellar air vents.
In the town of Rust storks are encouraged to nest. Lots of baby taxis!
A church in Eisenstadt, the town where (the composer) Haydn's life is celebtrated. Mozart, Strauss, Schubert & Beethoven, along with others, feature regularly in the cultural life of Vienna. The first 3 are Austrian. We enjoyed a Mozart & Strauss concert - a mix of music, opera & ballet, with well known tunes for us tourists. Monika & Ernst also took us to hear a very special string quartet.
Tourist spots in Vienna are dominated by the imperial palaces left by the more than 600 year reign of the Habsburg dynasty (13th century - 1918). The Hofburg winter palace complex, at the city centre, originated in the 1200s & now includes the Spanish riding school,
museums, theatre & various residences, including that of the Austrian president.
Tourist spots in Vienna are dominated by the imperial palaces left by the more than 600 year reign of the Habsburg dynasty (13th century - 1918). The Hofburg winter palace complex, at the city centre, originated in the 1200s & now includes the Spanish riding school,
museums, theatre & various residences, including that of the Austrian president.
A surprise palace view at the end of a narrow city street.
Schonbrunn, the summer palace on 
the outskirts of the city, was mainly built by Empress Maria Theresa in the 1700s. She had 16 children, including 11 girls. She believed in the acquisitian of power through marriage, so with 11 surviving children she had plenty of options. One become Marie Antionette & lost her head and another had to marry Napoleon, who eventually did the dirty on the Austrians anyway! The palace is now a UNESCO 
World Heritage Site.
the outskirts of the city, was mainly built by Empress Maria Theresa in the 1700s. She had 16 children, including 11 girls. She believed in the acquisitian of power through marriage, so with 11 surviving children she had plenty of options. One become Marie Antionette & lost her head and another had to marry Napoleon, who eventually did the dirty on the Austrians anyway! The palace is now a UNESCO 
World Heritage Site.Opposite the palace is the Glorietta, built for the Empress to enjoy the view of her summer bach (crib for South Islanders). The whole complex & gardens were an amazing place to visit.
Lower Belvedere was too small for its owner Prince Eugene in 1716 so he built the Upper Belvedere on 1724. Eventually the whole complex was sold to the Imperial Court, just a little more real estate! We particularly enjoyed the galleries here which included Gustav Klimt's famous painting 'The Kiss' and the work of Ferdinand Waldmuller, both Austrians.
(These last 4 photos are courtesy of Wikipedia as Kay lost half her Austrian photos as she hurredly downloaded them as we approached the Czech border - more haste, less speed! Also missing are photos of our trip to Lower Austria to visit Monika's family, very hospitable people living in a beautiful country area.)
(These last 4 photos are courtesy of Wikipedia as Kay lost half her Austrian photos as she hurredly downloaded them as we approached the Czech border - more haste, less speed! Also missing are photos of our trip to Lower Austria to visit Monika's family, very hospitable people living in a beautiful country area.)
After a great few days in Prague, we are now enjoying our next exchange in Freiburg, Germany, and still having hot weather.