Day 26 – Being a Tourist in Vienna

Day 26

Being a tourist in Vienna

What a day. I tell ya it was a good feeling to get around on the bicycle. There is no way you’d be able to do today on foot and working out bus timetables to go to so many places would be a nightmare – one positive of a bike. Although it started of hectic. I left early to make sure I get to Bikram Yoga on time (I looked at their website and it was an updated schedule – or so I thought) I found out that it was wrong as the door was closed when I got there – it was a frantic ride in the city at peak hour let me tell ya and to say I wasn’t pissed is an understatemnt – breathre Adrian Breathe – In with the good – out with the bad ahhhhhhhhhhhh. I got into city mode which is feeling rushed to get somewhere – I realised that because I was flying through the city and probably too fast especially given that I am in a foreign country…I had to hit the stoppers pretty hard at one stage to avoid a train (sounds worse than what it reads like but anyway) – it helped me realise to slow down in main streets in cities as big as Vienna. I think I am getting used to doing it so it came natural but it clicked again to be more wary.

So the yoga door was closed but I took the opportunity to have a coffee and wait until the next session. The coffee in Vienna is SUPERB….especially where I had it which was called Eduscho – 9/10. Had that (and heaps of water) and then signed up for Bikram – the teacher was really nice and corrected my incorrect postures in English. For those who do’’t know Bikram it’s lots of stretching and weird postures in a very hot room (40 degs celcius) but it’s really hard…the moves make your heart race and you sweat up a storm – just what i needed for those muscles that tighten up whilst on the Bicycle…For the Bikram lovers obviously it’s the same all over the world but in German but I know almost all of the moves anyway so I went by the tone because I knew what was coming up next. It was great – 90 minutes of torture and worth it hehe. The room was nice – the carpet didn’t smell, there wee about 15 students – free tea at the end – and they ahhhhhhhh breathing at the beginning was very soft and tame compared to Adelaide where they are all screaming like tigers hahaha.

Note: Although my iphone can be a pain re GPS it is still a lifesaver. The night before I looked up a few things to do and then put them as favourites and as I finished one thing – on the bike I went and onto the next –I covered almost 45km today and achieved so much. It was hard getting up in the rain and packing all my gear for walking, yoga, eating etc etc but in the end it was really worth it. It feels good to get around on my own steam and brain power  with a few questions here and there to locals.

Free tips to tourers – if you need some wifi – just go to local coffee shop, museum, library, pub and buy a drink or something and ask for the wifi password – I haven’t been knocked back yet.

Skype is the best – it’s free skype to skype BUT put some credit on it and it’s really cheap to use your smart phone on wireless signal when you need to call somewhere in the country you’re in eg – i had to call doctors today and spoke for three minutes – cost $1aud.

Random Fact – It is 494 steps from the reception where I am now to my tent – pain in the ass.

ANYWAY – where was I – from Bikram to Military Museum (Malcolm – you would’ve been in your Nirvana element in this place) – it was an amazing building – Vienna is full of museums and this is the one I chose. Had history from WW1 dating back to the 16^th century and naval also – I won’t bore you with facts but I don’t claim to know much about European history but I am interested in it nonetheless. It was great

From there I went to a bookstore to get some maps for up and coming days on the road – found a 1:300 000 (tourers mainly like 1:150000) but i’d need too many so i brought those ones and they still have campsites and 2^nd/3^rd roads to take so that’s good enough.

After leaving military museum and bookstore I found an Aussie pub so had a coopers ale there OF COURSE and watched some footy to cure any home sickness…not the football where when they breathe on you you fall down and need the magic water to get back up – the REAL FOOTBALL **ducks and weaves verbal punches from all Europeans**. They gave me the coopers and it was almost warm – I asked if they could get one from the back and she laughed cos all aussies say that she said – well a beer is SUPPOSED to be cold lady – not luke warm – sort it out.

So from the pub I went to see where Mozart lived when he was in Vienna – not much to see other then some of his letters and musical compositions but it was interesting – he composed Figaro there **pictures song in head from Simpsons** – interesting stuff

I rode around a bit after all that and it was coming on 9pm so I headed back – I wound up riding through what looked exactly like the Royal Adelaide Show – and as big as it too – right near the middle of Vienna – and it WAS FREE to get into – hear that Adelaide – I love you but your entry prices are ridiculous.

I leisurely rode home right along the Danube (what a priveledge) – the night lights shining off that magnificent river – it was beautiful – lucky i brought my good lights is all I can say.

Sorry to give you basically a run down but to me – it was a jam packed day – 9am-10pm of just doin stuff – it was pretty awesome and I am a lucky man to be here seeing all this – rain and all.

Goodnight readers

Red

WHAT? It was a roll with meat, cheese and lettuce – Go figure

Vienna Military Museum

The man in all his glory donning his high vis raingear

Some maps i purchased

Mozart’s FIGARO FIGARO FeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEE!!!

Some stupid old old church in the heart of Vienna 😛

The Aussie Pub

Inside Vienna Military Museum,

Vienna Military Museum