I am back again with more stories of my travel to East Europe to share with you.Hop on Ladies we will go together as it is has long history for those who enjoy reading about it.I enjoyed sharing my experiences with you about my previous trip under the title MY MOST MEMORABLE AND UNFORGETTABLE TRIP TO EUROPE and hope to do so this time as well. We planned out trip this time to EAST EUROPE through SOTC as well.It was a 11 day package tour. We left Abudhabi to Dubai on the 8th August night to board SWISS AIR flight to Vienna via Zurich Swiss air had arranged for taxi to pick us up..We reached the airport as scheduled and boarded the flight at 1.30 am.We reached Zurich behind schedule by a some minutes and had to run to catch the other flight to Vienna.We boarded the flight and reached Vienna by 8,30 .We caught a taxi at the entrance to the Hotel Bosei.We thought it was better to catch a taxi than a train and economical as well.There is a information counter wherein we booked the taxi. We reached the hotel .As our tour group were to join in only in the evening we asked for a room to check in.Till then we refreshed ourselves and waited in the lounge.By noon it was ready and we checked in.Then we decided to explore a bit on our own.We walked to the nearby mall,the closest was EURO PLAZA.It was hot that day 41 deg!!.Almost all the sign boards were in German,but some were in English.On the way we saw offices of Microsoft and other software companies.There were many cafes.Small supermarkets.Walking through the avenues of trees was quite a respite.We reached the place within 10 minutes.The Plaza had some offices,we were feeling tired,so just had a quick look around and then had lovely veg footlong and chocolate cakes at a place called DER MANN .Water as well though it was expensive.Took a taxi back as none of the buses stop near the hotel ,and no clue about how the tram services operate. Then by 3.30 after freshening up we waited for the rest of the group to join in but there was no sign.Suddenly couple of Indian people came down and we all met and then there was a call from the manager saying that couple of families were expected only that night as their flight had been delayed and the tour would start the next day. So we decided to go out on our own.So we walked to the nearest tram station.We were helped by a friendly local man who was going by the same tram and he helped us by tickets.The tram was not very neat,warm and we managed to get seats.The local man said get down at the last stop Metro.So we did got down at the last stop.It was lovely shopping area,some of the roads were cobble stone by lanes.There was the St.Stephen's cathedral from there we walked to an alley and went to the theater to see the program called HISTORY OF VIENNA''.IT was 5 D show about Vienna.There were only 8 of us.We were given a glasses and asked to fasten our belts.Lo we went on a journey with time to THE OLD AUSTRIAN DYNASTY,WARS,PLAQUE AND HOW THE WHOLE PLACE WAS rebuilt again.It was amazing,one scene I felt rats squeaking near feet and the birds flying over me ,,,,,,,,It was superb.Then we were taken into another room were the AUSTRIAN QUEEN MARIE TERESA AND HER FAMILY talk with us,into another room were we where made to sit in a revolving chair and waltz our way with the music of MOZART,STRAUSS......Then we were taken into another room were we go on a horse to the places in Vienna.The entire show lasted about an hour and it was superb.From there we took a taxi back to join our tour group for dinner. We were joined by 6 families from INDIA,2 from DUBAI,1 from Kuwait and 1 from US.we introduced ourselves and after dinner,we hit the bed. Long tiring day.Tomorrow we go on a tour of VIENNA ,so please hop on ladies
Ladies would try to give as much as History possible and would try to post as many details as possible.Please bear with me.Would try to post almost everyday.
The next day morning that is the 9th morning we all boarded the bus for a sight seeing tour of Vienna. It was a lovely country amazingly beautiful,surrounded by hills.The hills belong to Vienna woods fresh breeze comes in from there .Wine is grown in these mountains.There were U signs at the roads ,these indicate underground station.Vienna is the second largest German speaking city after Berlin.German spoken in Vienna is different from German spoken in Germany.Different dialects are used in Austria.City of Vienna is divided into 23 districts .All districts circle around district1. The roads were neat and lovely with lots of trees around.Nice neat roads.We stopped at a Palace called SCHONBRUNN PALACE.There were yellow and green buildings around the palace.The sytle adopted was ART Noveau style.It was summer palace of the imperial family.The HAPSBURG FAMILY'S former residence until the end of 1918 .It was an imitation of the French palace of Versailles.The King Leopold the Ist ordered a hunting mansion to be built,so it was built by FISCHER VON ERLACH. The palace and the gardens are very impressive.Schonbrunn means fountain.
The palace was built in Roco style The ball room which has 23 and half carat gold frescos from floor to ceiling Bohemian style chandeliers decorated the ceilings.The Queen Marie Teresa had her summer residence here.Emperor Franz Joseph was born here.His rooms are simple.In 1772 Mozart gave a performance in the hall of mirrors.There is round Chinese room where Marie Teresa held talks with her chancellor.In the blue Chinese room Charles I abdicated his throne in the year 1918.The room of millions is decorated with rosewood from floor to ceiling with Indian and Persian artifacts.Queen Marie Teresa ruled for 40 years and she had 16 children.In one room you can find the paintings of her father and marriage of her son.You can also find the room where a painting depicts the FLEA MARKET.One of Napolean's sons married Marie Teresa;s daughter,he died in one of the rooms at a very young age. There is a painting of Emperor Franz's Ist ,if you look at his left foot and eyes you feel as if he is following you. .the Palace has 1441 rooms along with a lovely garden and fountains.It is a UNESCO heritage site.
Then we plied past the SISSI museum which is located in the winter palace in the heart of the city.Four generations after MARIE TERESA,there was FRANZ JOSEPH who married Elizabeth of HUNGARY she was lovingly called SISSI.She was a totally different personality who adopted way of living of her own.She was very beautiful and had a lovely long hair.She was very popular.You can find many things like coins,souvenirs,caps,shirts,etc which have her photos.Even couple of movies were produced about .W e plied past .the roads that had ART NOUVEAU style ,decoration which means art is the way of life and you can see it in many roads,it is a decorative form.It was popularized by FRANZ JOSEPH.Then we came across the NASCH MARKET popular market of Vienna where they sell fruits and vegetables and there are restaurants of every kind INDIAN,ITALIAN,KOREAN etc from dawn to dusk.There is a flea market which is held every Saturday which is quite popular.You can find people having food sitting outside and watch the world go by.Then we plied past the building where MOZART lived when he composed the MAGIC FLUTE,the place where STRAUSS and BEETHOVEN'S waltz was performed,.The imperial family needed music all the time,so the musicians were around. Mozart's house a 3 storey building was behind ST.STEPHAN'S CATHEDRAL. Beethoven came to Vienna when Mozart was around there was is evidence that both met.Beethoven dedicated his'' 6th symphony '' to the vienna woods.We passed by the places trespassed by these great musicians of the classical era. Then we saw the CHARLES square ,the central square of Vienna ,it was made by the same architect who designed the SCHOBRUNN palace.Then we saw the opera house ,MUSEUM of fine arts,biggest in the world,the statue of Mozart in BURGGATEN ,Parliament house ,which had Greek style architecture in the front like the statue of Goddess ATHINA (THE GODDESS OF LOVE AND PROSPERITY),then the VOTIV church,CITY HALL FOR MAYORS,Stock exchange,UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA (the oldest in German speaking area),palaces of middle classes families.....It was amazing to see such lovely buildings.........
Then we moved on to see HUNDERTWASSER apartments.HUNDERTWASSER was an architect and he looked at the world from different prespective ,he hated straight lines and he said that it was evil.He built uneven apartments with uneven floors,splash of colors,trees branching out from windows,roof top meadows etc,The whole complex was uneven and different.He also built a toilet of modern art.He felt human beings should be able reach fro the world through the windows.It was amazing to see.We also saw a heritage village in front of it selling lovely souvenirs. After a short lunch break,we went to PRATER PARK,an amusement park and FERRIS WHEEL where you can see the entire VIENNA.It was the former hunting ground of the JOSEPH the first It was green oasis in the city with an amusement park ,museum and planetarium.The giant wheel or the FERRIS WHEEL was built by William Basset a British architect in the year 1896/97.You can see the whole of Vienna when you take a ride.There are many other games and rides as well. We were given a free time of our own,so we took a ride on the wheel and walked down the woods.It was lovely tall trees ,avenues in between and separate lanes for bicyclists as well as pedestrians,lovely meadows in between.Weather was a bit cooler that day,so it was nice. From there we went to STEPHEN'S cathedral.we saw it from outside.It is the seat of Arch bishop of Austria,it has the largest bell and it 196 m tall .It was destoryed by a fire in the early years then was built,then again was bombarded during world war.The people of Vienna donated multi colored tiles.It has a multi colored roof with two tall towers ,the symbol of Austria. We were given some free time,so we roamed the place,wanted to give for Mozart museum but time was not enough.So we boarded the bus,had dinner at an Indian restaurant which amazingly decorated from traditional handicrafts. Tomorrow we move on to Slovakia. Hope you are all enjoying this trip along with me...........
Hop on today we are traveling from Vienna to a place called Bratislava in Slovakia.Slovakia became a part of EU in 2004 and has the currency Euro since 2009.It is land locked country.Once upon a time it was a part of Czech.It split after the velvet revolution in 1993.Bratislava is the second largest city in Slovakia .It is the only capital bordering both the countries of Hungary and Austria.The city received its name in 1919.Danube and Morava rivers flow here.Queen Marie Teresa was crowned in Bratislava.It is a political,economic ,cultural center. We saw the Presidential Palace,the Margaret Cathedral,Slovak National bank,JMT tower,House of EU union and other important buildings. Then we went up to the castle.It was amazingly windy when we walked up the winding road,contrast to Vienna.We saw the beautiful castle.it is located on a hill .It is there since the stone ages.Romans,Slovaks,Austrians,lived there.It was the residence of the Hungarian kings.Queen Marie Teresa was coronation here and she loved the place.After her death it was used as a school of Catholics.It was burnt once and was renovated several times.Now it is venue of state functions and Slovak museum. We went Slavin monument behind the hill were we could a good view of the entire place,it was superb,with Danube river in full flow.We could see 5 bridges built across.We could all see Petrzalka housing estate ,communist era concrete block. Then we went by bus to the city town hall and walked through the cobble web roads.It was a busy area with shops,cafes,busy with tourists....There is a city Gate called the Micheal gate which was built in the 1300 in Baroque style with statues of St.Micheal and dragon.The old town center is fortified with 4 gates.You pass through avenues of shops and a cathedral and a town square.There are many high end brand shops here. 4 unusual statues to watch for.CUMMIL -THE PEEPER,FRENCH NAPOLEAN SOLDIER,PAPARAZZI AND SCHOENER NACI -BEAUTIFL IGAZ.It was amazing to see them at street corners,we all took snaps with.The local guide told us that someone tried to uproot CUMMIL the peeper which peeps from a manhole.There are 36 catholic churches.70%are ROMAN CATHOLICS.Then we saw St,Mthews church from outside,19 kings coronation here.We also saw the house where Mozart visited.A synagogue was destroyed.We also saw a statue built to commomerate plaque which hit Slovakia.One more statue of HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON is also seen.Then a girl with reindeer,then the statues of HVIEZDOLASLAV one of the famous Slovak poet and writer,statues were also seen. The whole cultural activity of the city happens here and town square fortified by Micheal Gate ,it is lovely with avenues of trees ,fountains and cobble stone roads.It was simply beautiful. After quick lunch we boarded the bus for BUDAPEST. After a long around the avenue,we did some shopping and sit under the trees for relaxation.We saw a group of people doing some sort of exercises.looked like Chinese.,not sure.Then we saw some unusual statues. Then we moved on to Prague.
Hi what is happening Ladies?Hope you are all enjoying.Please let me know,I have seen 135 views,but no feed backs,hope it is all fine with you all.
That night we stayed in Budapest as it was quite late we hit the bed straight.I correct myself it is not Prague,but Budapest.
