Today was a travel day. Destination: Vienna, Austria.
Oh my goodness! I have always wanted to visit Vienna and now, here I am!
So, this morning we took our time getting on the road. It was hard to leave Salzburg and The Sacher Hotel but I was looking forward to the next destination. As I was standing in the lobby waiting for Stan to bring Max around, I happened to notice a plaque on the wall. It read:
On May 4, 1945, the city of Salzburg was liberated without combat by the 3rd Infantry Division and the 106th Calvary Group of the 7th U.S. Army. General Robert N. Young accepted the surrender of the city in the Hotel Osterreichische Hof.
Wow. I was standing in a place of U.S. history. I was so proud of our men and women who sacrificed so much for so many and I whispered a prayer for the soldiers who are serving right now.
As we traveled east we moved away from The Alps and the landscape changed from mountains to rolling hills, dense forest, and clearings of rich, fertile farmland. Everything is green and lush with little towns scattered along the way. I noticed that every town had a church with a prominent steeple. Churches still seem to be a central part of the community in Austria. We noticed that the church bells still toll at certain hours throughout the day. It's so charming.
After about 4 hours we arrived in Vienna. Oh my goodness . . . you should see the architecture in this city! It is mind-blowing. Tomorrow we are set up for a personal walking tour of the city center so I will have more information and, of course, pictures to share. There is certainly a strong vibe of power here; not surprising given the fact that Vienna is not only the capital of Austria, but it is also where OPEC and the third headquarters of The United Nations are located. (The first is in New York, the second in Geneva.)
Lord, have mercy!
Gone are the flower boxes in every window and the gentle hospitality of Salzburg. Vienna feels more like a mix between New York and Washington D.C. It's all about politics, the arts, and design all wrapped up in an old world package. It's hard to describe. (It's kinda like the two women in "The Sound of Music" ~ Baroness Shraeder vs. Maria.)
I'm a little obsessed with that movie, can you tell?
I did not know that Austria is surrounded by land on all sides. It's neighbors are Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. We are on the east close to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary borders.
Learning my geography today.
Okay, that's all. Tomorrow we tour. I'm so thankful for this opportunity.
