Vienna by Boat and Bus

It was raining . It was chilly , the weather not at all favourable for a walking exporation expedition, therefore we opted for a popular Vienna by Boat and Bus Tour. The boat sails down the Danube , and later enters the Danube Canal. The Danube is the 2nd longest river  in Europe at 2480 KMs. In the late 19th century a canal was dug for transportation and water supply and Vienna expanded on the sides of the canal. There is a height difference of 12 ft between the Danube and its canal and as result there is lock system which the boat enters and the water is pumped out to reduce its height by 12ft, and then the boat enters the canal.  The process takes about 20 minutes and by studying it one could imagine what happens at the Panama and Suez Canals where about a dozen locks have to be negotiated.

Boat On The Danube

We boarded the Boat and settled down for the ride.

Admiral Tegetthoff On The Danube,Vienna

The orders for the coffee and the snacks placed the boat was moving down the Danube with a running commentary in German,with which we were now becoming familiar. 
The Refuse incinerator was pointed out with the comment that it was the most good looking refuse incinerator in the world. Because of the clouds the photographs did not come out clearly and a printed copy of a picture of the Most Beautiful Refuse Incinerator has  been inserted here.

Vienna Refuse Incinerator.

 The boat stopped at the lock for 20 mins and then entered the Danube Canal and finally stopping at the City Centre where a Bus was waiting to complete the tour . Since the weather was bad we could see the sights of Vienna only from inside the bus. The bus took us around the city and up into the surrounding mountains so that we could see and admire Vienna from the mountain top. But it was not to be. Clouds obscured any view of Vienna from the mountain top.


Three famous Musicians lived and performed  in Vienna at the famous Opera House and this made Vienna the Music Capital of the world. Mozart, Strauss and Beethoven.

The Mozart Memorial

Strauss Memorial

Beethoven Memorial    

                                                

Opera House, Vienna

Albert Einstein also lived in Vienna for some time  before emigrating to the US in 1933.


I once read a very interesting story about Einstein in a Reader's Digest issue. A lady had invited a number of guests to meet Albert Einstein at her house. When everybody had arrived music composed by Mozart and Strauss was being played. Einstein asked one of the guests how he felt about the particular composition that was being played. The guest replied that he did not have an ear for music. Einstein took the guest up to a separate room and for the next 2 hours explained the basics of music leading up to the complex compositions of Mozart and Strauss and Beethoven . After 2 hours both came down ,the hostess  not  at all happy at Mr Einstein being monopolised by only one guest for 2 hours , but that guests life had changed. Not only ears but he had a life for music which he could REALLY appreciate. The story was in 1st Person narrated by the guest himself . Before the evening ended the charming hostess asked Mr. Einstein"If you were not a mathematician what would you havebeen?" The reply" Music Composer".

 Inside the Opera House

                            


                                     Video Of Opera House

                                     Vienna By Boat
Some photographs have been taken from a book which we purchased on the Bus. "VIENNA Sightseeing in 123 Colour Photographs"

Vienna-Schonbrunn Palace

Schnonbrun Palace ,Vienna

Schonbrunn Palace . Schonbrunn means beautiful spring. The day we landed at the palace it was raining and also chilly, and we were inappropriately dressed. But the sheer grandeur of the place and the building made us forget the discomfort and we moved ahead to take in the entire magnificence of the palace of Empress Maria Theresa. She inherited the palace and the Empire from her father Emperor Charles VI  who at the  time was the Emperor of an empire which was so vast that  the sun never set in it. A mother of 16 children (one of whom  was Marie Antoinette who was beheaded and another who was married to Napoleon ) she, despite her gender disadvantage ruled for 40 years facing many a political storms and building alliances through the marriage of her children. She introduced many reforms like abolition of torture, death penalty,  introduction census and records (which lead to more tax revenue) etc. WA Mozart also performed at her court at the age of ten. We were taken on a conducted tour inside the palace but photography was absolutely banned. Vienna is a top destination among places to travel in Europe and the beautiful Schnonbrun Palace has been a top tourist place for 4 centuries.

Gardens of Schnonbrun, Vienna

During WWII the Palace was hit by a bomb which went through all the floors but did not explode. There were several military buildings of the Nazi Army close by.

Schnonbrun Palace Gardens,Vienna

When we visited the renovation/restoration was in progress in many parts inside the palace. There were no toilets or bathrooms inside the palace although there was no shortage of Chinese and Japanese style rooms.

Scnonbrun Palace Compound, Vienna

In one of the paintings a monkey was shown taking lice out of the hair of people for a charge levied by the owner of the suitably trained monkey. People used to have a bath once in a month and get by using copious amounts of perfume. In such circumstances the monkey was not only needed but also assured of a handsome income.

Statues at Schnonbrun Palace

The Hapsburgs who ruled Austria lost power at the beginning of World War I and despite efforts could not come back to power. The Austrian people did not want them. The present day Hapsburgs are still around, not in power, but extremely wealthy.

Snowfall In Bad Gastein

Snowfall In Bad Gastein, Austria

It just started at 9AM on 1st Oct 2011. The raindrops changed to snow flakes floating in slow motion towards the ground and in just 1 hour Bad Gastein became white.This was the first snow fall of the season.Snow means the beginning of the Skiing season when the whole area comes to life.Skiers from all over Europe flock to the snow covered slopes and the Chairlifts and  Cable Cars run 24 hours every day and the Bars,restaurants, pubs,discos and the only Casino have the cash registers ringing continuously.

First Seasonal Snowfall, Bad Gastein

 We took a cab and went to the Stubnerkogel Cable Car to ride up to the mountain top. The whole area was covered with snow and the slopes which were earlier brown were now absolutely white.For people coming from tropical countries where there is no snow at all, standing in the cool breeze and snow flakes  floating all around is indeed a thrilling experience.  

Car Park of Stubnerkogelbahn Base Station

The cable cars were covered with fresh snow and we could not see much.The snow on the cable cars was increasing the weight also and had to be regularly cleaned.Since there were few tourists the cable car system was stopped.But as the number of tourists increased additional cars were pressed into service and the system was running continuously.

Cable Cars in Snow,Bad Gastein

The tall pine trees which on our earlier trip were standing tall and high were now bent with the weight  of the snow.The tourists in Bad Gastein were enjoying the snowfall and there was a group of American Tourists from New Jersey who wanted to go hiking in the snow all the way up from the mid point. But the staff did not allow them,probably they felt it was not safe.

Snow Laden Pines,Bad Gastein

We reached Stubnerkogel and there was nothing but snow all around. This time in the restaurant ,instead of the staple Stiegl Beer , Hot Chocolate was the most favoured drink  being enjoyed with Hot Apple Strudel and  whipped cream.The staff in the summit restaurant were not at all busy and were suggesting various dishes to beat the cold.

Snow Over Stubnerkogelbahn Summit Station

The snow on the ground was almost a foot thick and walking with shoes required some effort and it was slippery too. Since the snow as still falling the fresh snow as very soft and not at all slippery.

Thick Snow At Stubnerkogel Summit

After an hour of freezing we decided to go down  to Bad Gastein .The attendants of the cable car wiped the snow off the cable car windows and then we could get a clear view outside.

Interesting Video Of Cable Car Station In Snow

It did not last long -fresh snow accumulated again. It was snowing continuously at the top with a strong wind also blowing resulting in the cars swaying from side to side. Probably they cleared the snow to reduce the weight of the Cable cars also. 

Inside the Cable Car

We reached Bad Gastein and promptly headed for the Chinese restaurant across the Bahnof , for an excellent meal, hearty  both in terms of taste and the price. It was our last day in Bad Gastein and everybody congratulated us for seeing the first snowfall of the season.

China Restaurant Bad Gastein

Located in the city centre the China serves good Chinese food but is different from what it tastes in China or Hongkong. Probable it has been adapted for the tourists who come for skiing. 

Inside China Restaurant, Bad Gastein

China is tastefully  decorated on the inside and view outside is equally good-typically Alpine.

Snow Covered Alps From China Restaurant

Sharkfin Soup At The China Restaurant-Bad Gastein

Fulseck Dorfgastein

A walk of 3 KMs from the Bus Stop brought us to the Cable Car taking people to Fulseck. The 4 KM climb to 7000 ft is covered in 2 stages in 6 minutes. After roaming around on the mountain top in the chilling breeze for 1 hour we felt we had earned ourselves a hearty lunch and proceeded to order one each at the Montain Top Restaurant. The lunch consisted of a foot long sausage , a good 2 inches in dia and equally big piece of bread. With some effort the meal was finished,rounded off with Eskimo Ice Cream. Somehow the logo of Eskimo was very close to that of our our Walls ice cream.

We visited the mirror lake, but could not figure out why it was called so. In the Ski season the water of the Mirror lake is used to manufacture artificial snow which is showered on to the Ski Tracks to ensure a good skiing experience for the tourists.

We took the Cable Car back to the valley and thereafter the Postbus took us to Bad Gastein. The people all around were excited and frequently looking up a the dark clouds which were beginning to cover the mountain tops. We asked and were informed by the girl at the Hotel Reception that the seasons first snowfall was expected that night. Our excitement also shot up upon hearing this and we quickly reconfirmed the same from the Weather Channel on the internet. The air was getting chilled and the walk to the Chinese Restaurant , later that night was quite chilling-literally and figuratively.                                                                       

Dorfgastein

We boarded the  PostBus from the Bahnof, purchased our discounted tickets using the Gastein card and were on our way to Dorfgastein.  Dorfgastein is another part of Gastein area where there is a  medieval castile/fortress the kind which used to dot Europe in the middle ages. A visit to the castle does give an idea about the kind of life in the middle ages. There are some wonder full Ski Slopes with a Mirror Lake and Fulseck mountain top or hiking in Summer and Skiing  when there is snow. It is again an Alpine valley town devoted to tourism and Ski Sports.

After getting off from the bus there was a 2KM walk with a stiff gradient to Klammstein castle. The owner purchased the Klammstein castle and converted the same into a tourist destination. At the same time the interiors have been maintained as close as possible to the original although there is a good restaurant in the lawns surrounding the Castle. The owner is extremely enthusiastic about his Fortress and  on the slightest encouragement launches into a detailed  colorful description of the articles inside the 4 floors of the fortress. In German. But the pantomine accompanying the monologue is quite graphic and one can have fairly good idea. There was a box with VI  Ghast written on that. We thought there was a ghost inside the box. The enthusiastic guide told us to look inside the box. With apprehension we opened the box and found a mirror inside which showed our faces. It was indeed amusing becoming ghosts in Klammstein because somehow  the whole atmosphere was such. Later on we found out that Ghast means Very Important Guest and not Very Important Ghost. We could not find any toilets on any floor of the Fortress.

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Bad Hofgastein

Alpentherme Spa Facility-Bad Hofgastein, Austria

These are the views of Alpentherme , the present day avatar of the Hot Spring Clinic built in the valley by piping the Hot Springs Water from Bad Gastein to Bad Hof Gastein.

Reception Hall Alpentherme Spa,Bad Hofgastein, Austria

The climb from the plains to the hills of Bad Gastein is very steep. We were panting and huffing most of the time when the walk/climb was up hill. Now if one was suffering from Arthritis or Rheumatism the climb on foot/horse/carriage  into the mountains with the hot springs would have been excruciatingly painful. 

Alpentherme-Water Treatment, Bad Hofgastein, Austria

 The Duke of Venice realised this on his very first visit  ,and along with the Archbishop of Salzburg planned and constructed a pipeline from Bad Gastein to Bad Hofgastein in the valley ,such that the temperature and Radon Gas percentage of the Hot Springs water was strictly maintained. 

Sauna-Alpentherme, Bad Hofgastein, Austria

Do you know the percentage of Radon in the air shoots just before an earthquake, and the Richter scale reading of the earthquake is directly proportional to the percentage of radon gas in the air. In fact earthquakes are predicted by measuring the Radon percentage in the air.

River in the Gasteiner Valley, Austria

The valley is a typical Alpine Valley with Pine Covered Hills on both sides and a river flowing down the middle. There was a school with about 200 students and a Pizzeria where a Mother daughter team cooked up an excellent lunch for us of Pizzas of various combinations. 

Meadows ith Cows in Gasteiner Valley

Hofgastein is a village in the eastern Alps and no chance of anybody speaking English. But sign language, the earliest form of communication humans ever used, still works wonders and we got exactly what we asked without any mistake. The Pizzas were better than Pizza Hut or Dominos, all ingredients being local and fresh.

Facilities At Alpentherme, Bad Hofgastein, Austria

The Alpentherme facility with the original Hot Spring water with Radon Gas has become a top destination for people looking to enjoy a top of the class spa experience and is a special attraction for skiers after spending the whole day in the snow skiing down the alpine slopes.

Bad Gastein- Water of life

Our guide told us that the statue was part of the First Hydroelectric Power Plant built in Bad Gastein. I still feel either he did not understand the question or we did not understand his answer.

Try imagining a world  and a life where there is no treatment for simple diseases which we today treat without a second thought. Do you know Mozart died from Asthama at the age of 35. If he had lived another 25 years how many more of his genius compositions would we have had with us today. At that time the cure for disease was bleeding. Mozart's doctors just bled him and made him all the more weak till he just succumbed to the disease or the treatment we will never know. Another treatment was water treatment and Bad Gastein because of its hot springs became famous for water treatment.

Outside was the public bath where we gathered our breath. Near the Common Bath was a statue of a lady taking a shower and we presumed that it was so. 

The signboard outside the only surviving old Water Treatment Clinic. Our German speaking guide took out the keys and opened the creaking gate and invited us to enter and have a look. It was extremely hot and humid and we had to bend almost double to walk in. The good wife had no such problem and briskly and brightly entered and examined all the nooks and crannies taking photographs with her new Nokia. I rushed out because of claustrophobia,heat and humidity.

The baths were always located adjascent to a Church. We have a picture of the church close to which the Bath and the clinic were located.                Bad Gasteins one and only Casino where we spent an enjoyable and colorful evening. However the crowd was only a tenth of what is there during the Skiing season.

Salzburg -Sound Of Music City

One more of the innumerable  statues, paintings and structures of the old city . Each has its own story from the period it was made and installed, and the inscriptions give a fairly good idea about the goings on at the time. I once saw a statue of Henry  Havelock (next to and below Nelson) in Trafalgar Square and was amused and surprised that he was honored for his role in suppressing the Indian Mutiny of 1857.

At one time or the other we have all seen this house and let us see if you can remember/ recognise it. This is  the house, lake and the swan where Sound of  Music was filmed decades ago and made the city all the more known and popular. We were informed that the Swan and its family was the same which was in the Sound of Music. Besides Sound of Music , Salzburg is also famous for its Stiegl beer which was first brewed in the 1400s. The same brewery still stands next to the latest present day ultramodern brewing facility on the outskirts of Salzburg. Of course the omnipresent Salzburg fortress can be seen from every where in Salzburg. It is set on a high daunting hill top but there is a small train going to the top from the center of the old city. The train back to Bad Gastein again took 1hour 20 minutes and we refreshed  from the tiring day with the help of the Hot Coffee and Snacks served by a stewardess ,pushing an aircraft like snack trolley on the train. She completed the length of the train by the time the train reached Bad Gastein in 1 hour 20 minutes

Salzburg -Sculptres and Architecture

Artistic Sculptures from the Roman Era to the latest times dot the  Old City of Salzburg. Once inside the walls of the old city one is transported into a another world of another time. The imposing buildings of the Church and also other old government buildings loom large above you . The quality of the detailed  sculptures and paintings makes one wonder how could all this be done in that time when computers and machines were out of imagination. It is indeed wonderful. What remains when empires collapse into dust are the architectural wonders created in the era and studying them closely can give one a taste and flavor of the kind of life which existed in that period. Our own Taj Mahal , Red Fort etc are themselves prime examples. 

So are the sculptres and the architecturally wonderful buildings of Salzburg. However there was no concept of toilets in old  Austrian buildings. Old paintings show people doing  the thing in the living room or in the open.