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Vienna & Croatia

November 2023 - January 2024
Finn has finished Grade 12 so we are heading off on a family holiday before he starts uni. Read more
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  • TravelerVienna & Croatia
    Day 2

    Brisbane to Vienna via Doha

    November 26, 2023 in Qatar ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Leaving late in the evening made the entire trip seem to go past really quickly. Doha International Airport was huge outside, quite lovely inside with a domed rainforest setting. We arrived to a temp of 1°C in Vienna. After a great schnitzel and bier at Schöne Perle around the corner from our accommodation, we all had an early night, in bed by 7pm.Read more

  • TravelerVienna & Croatia
    Day 3

    Vienna

    November 27, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Craig and I woke up early(ish) and went to the local supermarket to stock up on some breakfast items. A little bit drizzly out. Breakfast back at the unit with the best supermarket home brand muesli ever (seriously thinking of buying some to take home with us!). Then we just headed off and wandered around Vienna with no real destination in mind. We came across Kirsche St Peter (baroque church), Domkirche St Stephan (medieval church) with Christmas markets, then wandered over to Rathausplatz.

    Here we had käserkrainer for lunch with some extremely delicious glühwein which had the dual purpose of tasting great and warming our hands! Each market has their own ceramic mug design. You pay a deposit for the mug and it saves the environment.    Read more

  • TravelerVienna & Croatia
    Day 4

    Cafe Hawelka, Belvedere Palace

    November 28, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    Today's adventure started a bit later due to the drizzle, but after a bit of meandering we ended up stumbling across Cafe Hawelka and got a table straightaway in a cafe which has been in operation across 3 generations since 1945, so was a well worn environment. We then set off to the opera house. Glen and Jeff headed off on their own, and we set off to Schloss Belvedere. We had a quick lunch at the Christmas markets set up in the garden, before spending time in the Upper Apartments which has now been converted into a museum. Notably it houses Gustav Klimt and a few Monets. I have several jigsaw puzzles based on Klimt, so I was surprised to learn of their actual aspect ratios being nothing like my puzzles. Beautiful to see the real artworks.

    The kids headed home, Craig and I spent a bit more time in the city centre. By 4.15pm we had a glimpse of the Christmas lights on St Stephen's Cathedral and through the streets. Rain forced us home after that.

    Despite feeling like we walked for ages today, it was only about 14.5km. Vienna is so flat and easy to walk.    Read more

  • TravelerVienna & Croatia
    112
    Day 5

    The Danube, Schloss Schönbrunn & Rebecca

    November 29, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C

    We woke up to a thin layer of snow on the cars in the street, which didn't seem to melt all day, probably because it didn't get above 2°C. A little bit exciting!

    Craig and I went out to forage for some pastries for breakfast, and not long after we set off for a walk to clap eyes on the Danube River. The Blue Danube by Austrian composer Johann Strauss II was the piece I played at my first piano recital in 1978 (I assume an abridged version for novice players), so it didn't seem right to be staying so close to the river and not actually see it. It also meant we got to see more of the modern Vienna. We also saw all the long ships that older generations cruise the Danube on lined up along the bank. The Viking one looked the most tired... More like a floating fibro shack, so we thought we'd feel a bit ripped off if you rocked up to get on the Viking one and you were docked next to all the other significantly more fancy ones!

    Walking back into the old town it started to snow. ❄️

    Finn was not impressed that we decided to have a coffee sitting outside with snow wafting around with a great view of St Stephen's Cathedral.

    We then had the absolute thrill of having the company of Rebecca (#5 and our last au pair) for the day. She booked the train across from Germany yesterday as a last minute thing and it was so special to see her. She could also be our translator for the day. It was a welcomed relief to spend several hours in a traditional Austrian restaurant with great bier, schnitzel and kaiserschmarrn for dessert.

    We poked our heads into the National Bibliotek (and I wasn't even wearing a cardigan), and Rebecca's Austrian friend Rahel, who she met in Noosa, joined us as our unwitting tourist guide. We caught the train out to Schloss Schonbrunn... more incredible Christmas markets, glühwein, and a wander through the gardens. We then went to the nachtmarkets which was like a long linear version of the Queen Victoria Markets in Melbourne, took refuge from the extreme cold in a small pub, and then later got the full Christmas lights experience back at St Stephen's Cathedral.

    Sadly it was then time to say goodbye to Rebecca 😞. Thanks for visiting us!    Read more

  • TravelerVienna & Croatia
    Day 6

    Driving from Vienna to Poreč in Croatia

    November 30, 2023 in Croatia ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    Today was a day of driving through various forms of precipitation... snow, extreme rain and fog. On the wrong side of the road. In a foreign car. What could go wrong?

    Thankfully nothing! Craig and Jeff were exhausted from excessive concentration by the time we made it to our lovely waterfront apartment in Poreč, Istria, Croatia.

    We stopped at a raststation for coffee and soup for lunch. A strange sort of Austrian style of Macca's extreme marketing. Still, a welcomed stop.    Read more

  • TravelerVienna & Croatia
    Day 7

    Dormant resorts

    December 1, 2023 in Croatia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    Craig and I went for a walk this afternoon heading south along the waterfront as we could see several headlands jutting out. After we got past the marina we came across a lot of parkland which morphed into resorts which looked abandoned, but looking them up on booking.com, they are still a going concern, so obviously just being mothballed for the winter season. It was incredibly bizarre. Pretty sure we have scouted an excellent location for another offshoot series of The Walking Dead.Read more

  • TravelerVienna & Croatia
    Day 7

    Poreč at night

    December 1, 2023 in Croatia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    At about 4.15pm this afternoon the clouds cleared enough to get a brief glimpse of a sunset over the Adriatic Sea.

    After dinner Craig and I partook of an evening constitutional through the old town to see the more modest Christmas lights of Poreč. We came across the best name for a beauty business... "Pluck Your Quack"! ☺️Read more

  • TravelerVienna & Croatia
    1
    Day 7

    Old town Poreč

    December 1, 2023 in Croatia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    Craig and I meandered through the old town of Poreč this morning. Lots of Italian influence here and some of the narrow laneways reminded me of Venice. Not many shops are open so you can certainly tell this is a town heavily reliant on tourist season. We tracked down a konoba (traditional tavern) I've had my eyes on but it was shut with a hand written note taped to the door which said "see you next year"! No konoba delicacies to be had in Poreč for us. Oh well, we will have to try out one of the many pizzerias or seafood places instead.Read more

  • TravelerVienna & Croatia
    2
    Day 8

    Poreč

    December 2, 2023 in Croatia ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    In July this year the Croatian government legislated for no trading on Sunday to promote better work life balance and closer family relationships. So we stocked up at the Spar! After having found a sour dough bakery, we bought some focaccia for lunch and pastries for lunch dessert. Yum! The kids came across their first few very well fed and quite friendly cats which Croatia seems to be renowned for.

    Craig and I took a long walk north along the coastline during a break in the very windy and rainy weather. Loads more resorts which look like they have been under construction for some years, and plenty more which have closed down for the winter.

    It was Saturday night and not much was open, but we went to a pizzeria a few minutes walk from the apartment.    Read more

  • TravelerVienna & Croatia
    1
    Day 9

    Pula

    December 3, 2023 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    We drove about one hour on the back roads to Pula which is also on the coastline, has a large port, and is known for its Roman ruins. Parking is free on Sundays so I chose a car park right next to the Roman amphitheatre (built 27 BC to 68 AD), and the view was already amazing! We paid to go in and had the entire place ourselves. The downside to travelling in winter in Europe is that lots of places are closed, upside is that when they aren't, you are not sharing with too many others! The added benefit today was clear blue skies.

    We then wandered through the streets of Pula where the old Roman Forum is now the town square with a beautiful temple (Temple of Augustus). Came across several Roman gates to the city. Porta Gemina was the twin arch gate (2nd century) and a stage was being set up near the Triumphal Arch Sergii. We then went up steep streets to find ourselves walking around the perimeter of the Pula Citadel.    Read more

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