So our bus pulled up into the city centre of Vienna and our guides said 'Welcome to Vienna everyone, now get off the bus and we'll pick you up in a few hours". So here we were, we had just arrived in Vienna and we were being let loose in this foreign city. I thought it was a bit odd but we did as we were told and started exploring the city. It was late so nothing was open so we wandered around until we found a cafe. We had the best ice cream there, it was truly was amazing. So didn't need it though . . Oh well when in . . Vienna right? So after we 'explored' we met back at the bus and headed for the hostel where we were staying. It was a fair distance from the city but that reeeally didn't matter as we were grounded for those two nights due to a few silly exchange students taking advantage of the freedom the guides gave us. Let's just say we had one less exchange student when we got to Vienna. So we spent the night just cooped up in out hotel. But we managed to entertain ourselves as usual so it was ok.
Our hotel/hostel
God?
The next day we were released from the hostel and piled onto the bus for our day in Vienna. We went to the famous yellow Schonbrunn Palace and the rain just added to the excitement. It was a beautiful palace, more simply decorated then most Royal residences but I really loved it. I saw the room where a 6 year old Mozart first performed which was really cool. After having lost one exchange student in the palace, we had a guided tour of the city on our bus. We saw the UN headquarters, the Grecian style Parlinment and many other sights. We were then released and we looked for a place that served Viennese food as we wanted authentic. We were successful.
Schonbrunn Palace
Me and another exchange student Nae with the Palace
Kunst street or art street. An artist designed some amazing apartments!
Me with my apple strudel
Me and Laura with what we thought were yummy cookies.
Ok so if you are in Vienna, NEVER fall for the trick of these cookies. They look amazing and seem cute saying 'Ich liebe dich' but no! Just say no. One bite and you are severely dissappointed as me and Laura found out. It is like cardboard and paper, yes I ate the paper by mistake. And it was about $NZ12! So I was very very upset to say the least. Never again.
After that day was over, our time in Vienna was up. A short stop like all the others. But my overral impression of Vienna was ok, it wasn't anything too special. I think the fact that we were grounded and that it was raining put a bad feeling over the place, bit unfair but thats life.
Next stop Italy! It was a gorgeous drive through Austria and northern Italy, it was so odd to see mountains higher than 170m as we see in Denmark.
Drive from Vienna to Lido de Jesolo. Close to Italian border.
Northern Italy is so beautiful and it feels like the real Italy. It was so hot when we arrived in Lido de Jesolo which is a cute touristy town on the beach an hour from Venice. We were staying right next to the beach so it felt like we were on a holiday and having a break from the busy chaos we were used to.
Our hotel, yes HOTEL in Lido.
The next day was our day trip to Venice! It's one of those cities that you always hear about but you never think actually exists as you (or maybe just me) think it's a figment of the world's imagination. But no, it exists. And it has to be one of the most romantic and charming cities I have ever been to.
So the day started well with the weather being nothing less than perfect, sunny and hot. A funny thing happened as as we were waiting for our boat to arrive to take us to Venice, we bumped into the Austrian Rotary Exchange kids! They were on their way home from their Eurotour and it's just so funny how even in Venice Italy you can bump into people you know. Small world just like in good old NZ.
So anyway our boat arrived and I saw the name of it, all aboard the 'Il Doge'. Oh that fills me with confidence as I board it!
Catherine and I.
'Il doge'
I'm on a boat . .
Jacob, me and Mich on the boat to Venice.
We arrived after about 35 minutes on the boat and I was entranced by Venice as soon as I stepped off the Il Doge. It was so beautiful! We had to have a gondola ride and even though a little pricey it is one of those must do's.
Kristy-Lee and I.
Our 'driver'
Me on a gondola :)
The Cathedral
Beautiful Venice.After the gondola ride which was so amazing and beautiful, we were let loose to get lost in the canals of Venice. We had some Italian pizza for lunch then just headed where the wind took us. There is something about just wandering around a foreign city and getting lost in it's beauty and history that i just love. It feels like you are experiencing the real place. Here are some photos from our day as they are better at explaining what we did than I am :)
Mmm Pizza.
St Marks Square
We found some interesting souvenirs. . .
Going back to Lido :(So our day in Venice had been one of my favourite, it is one of the most amazing places to visit. I'll gave to go back as soon as it is financially possible which may not be too soon . .
The next day we had a free day in Lido so we went to a local market which was really fun. I bought some very odd looking dried fruit, to this day I am not sure what it was but it was good. Then I bought some other small gifts which I hope the people like :).
In Lido they had these 2 and 6 person bikes like the crocodile bikes they have in Wellington but just not . . crocodiles. We hired them and were trying to find a laundromat but never found one so we just biked back to the hire place with our huge bag of washing in the front. Classy.
Lido on a bike
We also went to the beach . . so warm!
This is me, like my new tan?
We went biking twice haha
And we got a free panda some child left behind!Our time in Lido had come to an end and it had been a great few days just relaxing by the beach and visiting Venice. Next stop was San Remo for the night which isn't even worth talking about, tacky and sorta cute former 1970's resort town. Not cool.
But my next rant or blog whatever you want to call it will be about Monaco, Avignon anf the rest of Eurotour if my stamina holds out.
Keep warm in NZ! Summer has finally come to Denmark. For the meantime. . .
Lucy x
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