It was time to move apartments today. Since the weather wasn’t great, I didn’t fancy navigating public transport. I ordered a Bolt, which is like Uber but more popular in this part of the world. The new apartment was also an Airbnb. It was more expensive but nicer than my previous one. It’s also further … Continue reading / view photos Vienna Central Cemetery
Day trip to Budapest
Living on an island, I forget how seamless it is for people on mainland Europe to travel between countries. Of course, there’s Eurostar in the UK but it doesn’t seem as frictionless. Since I’d extended my stay in Vienna, I wasn’t going to have time to go to Budapest, which was originally on my list … Continue reading / view photos Day trip to Budapest
Austrian Parliament
When travelling from place to place, as I do, I have to decide all the time whether to stay in one location or move on. Moving on requires more effort than staying put. I have to consider how to get to my next destination, how to get to the station/airport, and where to stay. Just … Continue reading / view photos Austrian Parliament
Hundertwasser
Today I immersed myself in all things Hundertwasser. The Vienna app, ivie, recommended him. The app is a rare example of something useful that doesn’t have adverts. I assume it’s provided by the city. The app tells you about Vienna’s highlights, makes personalised recommendations based on your preferences, suggests walks, and lists events. Hundertwasser was … Continue reading / view photos Hundertwasser
Eurovision and opera
Although I watch the Eurovision Song Contest every year, I didn’t remember when and where this year’s final would be. As luck would have it, I arrived in Vienna at the start of Eurovision Song Contest week. The final is here in a few days. The city has gone Eurovision mad! Everything from police cars … Continue reading / view photos Eurovision and opera
Leopold Museum
There are lots of museums in Venice. There’s a place called the Museum Quarter, which has a cluster of them. If I visited all the museums I’d probably not get out of Vienna for a while. The journey to the museum revealed the role art plays in the city generally. Vienna is a beautiful place. … Continue reading / view photos Leopold Museum
Vienna calling
My time in Kraków had, regrettably, come to an end. I was now heading to Vienna, my first trip to Austria. At the central Kraków station (Kraków Główny), I started talking to a couple whilst waiting for the train. They were Vietnamese Americans on their way to Budapest. Kraków is about the same distance from … Continue reading / view photos Vienna calling
Wandering in a workers’ paradise
In my new apartment, there’s a pocket Lonely Planet guide to Kraków. One of the less obvious suggestions is a visit to Nowa Huta, a “workers’ paradise”. It’s a suburb of Kraków, about 45 minutes from the centre by bus or tram. The guide says that Stalin, as a “special gift”, had the suburb built. … Continue reading / view photos Wandering in a workers’ paradise
Extended stay in Kraków
Yesterday, on returning from Auschwitz-Birkenau, I saw that it was raining. This was the first rain in the two weeks I’d been travelling. The temperature had dropped below the high 20s it had been. It was a shook! I took cover in the main station, Kraków Główny. Once the rain stopped, I walked to Massolit … Continue reading / view photos Extended stay in Kraków
Auschwitz-Birkenau
This post contains photos and descriptions that you may find distressing. Like yesterday’s visit to the salt mine, I’d booked my ticket for Auschwitz about a week ago. It’s popular. I took a train to Oswiecim then walked the remaining 25 minutes to the former Nazi concentration camp. I was able to use my interrail pass … Continue reading / view photos Auschwitz-Birkenau