May 25 2024 Vienna

 Vienna Austria

May 25 2024

It was very disappointing to wake up this morning and find ourselves still in Bratislava and not in Vienna.  This meant the ship was still not repaired.  The tours were suppose to get underway at 8:45 so everyone was kind of geared to be ready for that time then suddenly at about 7:40 the passengers are told we need to be on the buses by 8:00 am.  Now it is a mad scramble to get ready and Agnes and I are some of the more organized people.  Unbelievably the buses were loaded and under way 8:10.  There had been no discussion of the possibility that the ship would still be in Bratislava in the morning and we would be taking a bus to Vienna.  

It was about a 45 minute drive into Vienna and was a good time to catch a few winks.   Once in Vienna and the bus was in the heart of the city we had a ride around the ring road and looked at a lot of buildings. On your left is the (fill in the blank) and now on your right is the (fill in the blank).  The walking portion of the tour took us through the most important buildings in downtown Vienna.  We walked though to see the Winter Palace which was started in 1695, and completed in 1724.  On to see the statue to Francis I who was the last of the Holy Roman Emperors.  Then on to the Cathedral of St. Stephens, which opened in 1595. There have been lots of additions and modifications to it over the years. It survived WWII but wound up being burned down by looters in the closing days of the war.  It was totally rebuilt in only 7 years.  What a magnificent cathedral.  

As we now had free time Agnes and wandered down and had lunch in an Indian restaurant and took the subway back the ship. 

Except the ship wasn't in Vienna.  We had been told we could use the facilities on one of the other Viking ships called the Modi but were directed to the to the Kvasir were we directed to the Ingvi.   Yes your ship will be along at 3:00 pm.  You can sit in the lounge.  Yes your ship will be along at 4:00 pm.  Yes your ship will be along at 4:30.  Look here it is.  Please wait a few minutes and we will come and get you.  Finally at 5:00 I got up and we went over to our ship.  Sorry we were going to come to tell you come come aboard.  Right.  So much for our two days in Vienna.

Terry 

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