Ulm and the Donau and some excitement

Following our trip to explore the local Schwäbish Gmünd city yesterday, today we took a trip over to Ulm - about 1 hour 20 minutes drive.  On our last visit here, we only had a very brief time to visit Ulm on our way to Cologne.  This time, we are determined to see a little more of this interesting city, whose icon is the songbird.


As with many towns in Europe that were developed long before the convenience of cars, parking is at a premium. If you want street parking close to where you will visit, then the price is that you need to re-visit the parking meter every hour. We usually try to get close to the old town.
The Munster was our first stop - as they often are. By the time we had ambled down to the site, we had lost just under our first half hour. We can't get inside as there is a Concert playing at the moment and so we begin with some exterior shots.

Now, there is a real story to today's visit . . .
As usual, Michael heads straight for the tower. I remind him that we have a half an hour to spend up the tower and off he heads.  I head in to the body of the Munster to marvel at the beauty and the history of the interior.  I am sitting in the front pew admiring the nave when after 15 minutes Michael returns. 
"Did you go up?" I ask. 
"Only halfway" was his response, adding "then a little boy running up the stairs knocked me." 
"Where is your phone?" 
"It fell!"
"How far?" (thinking of course that it will be smashed to smithereens).
"Not sure, but I heard it land." 
At this point he looks pretty shattered.
And he then spends the next hour trying to get access to the scaffolding where they are working on the exterior of the Munster to try to retrieve it.  Finally, the lady in the Munster Shop - because they all sell souvenirs - phones a friend - or a least one of the workers who says he can be here in 30 minutes.  He comes, and accompanies Michael to retrieve his undamaged phone.  Talk about the power of a prayer!!
In the hour and a half, we were there in the end, I got pretty well acquainted with some of the fine details here. And with his rescued phone in hand, and a complimentary ticket to re-start his climb up the Munster Tower, Michael asks for the camera as well.  "Please don't drop it," I say as I hand it over!!  He gives me 'the look' (probably deservedly) and heads off.
The photos that he eventually gets almost rival my internal shots - including the collection of the men and women of the choir.

The 'lacework' style to the construction of the steeples is just amazing. They seem to be so delicate, and yet they stand the test of time. The Munster Tower is one of the highest vantage points in Ulm, and the views are just amazing. I don't have a head for the stairs, so unless there is a lift, I remain forever rooted to the flagstone floors while Michael makes the climbs. And while I admire the views from the camera, I just wish that I could see the view with my own eyes.

 All in all, it was trying and exhilarating visiting the Ulm Munster.  We finished and made our peace with this imposing edifice and went back to move the car as by now we had reached the maximum stay. 

But there is still so much to see in this City on the Donau River (the Danube River) that empties in to the Black Sea in Romania where we were last week.

With parking a right pain, we give in and head into the underground car-park.  No cheaper, but we don't have to continually feed a meter. And it is closer to the original market square and the Fischerviertel - the fishermen's and tanner's quarter.

But the day has been racing and we are now quite hungry so our first port of call is for a late lunch at the Ratskeller Restaurant that operates from the former Rathaus. What a stunning building and two great burgers to sate our appetites!

The Butcher's Tower is near where we have lunch and this leads down to the Donau riverside.

We pass a toy store who's front window is a depiction of this part of Ulm - all in Lego - talk about stock unsold and the patience of Job to construct the display. Looks fabulous!

Along the Donau (Danube) riverbank are painted other destinations along this major European River and the distances to them.

And in the Fischerviertel which was once home to two of the dirtiest trades in the City, there are now very cosmopolitan restaurants lining waterways that no longer stink of rotting fish or urine.  All very nice.


More wandering, getting lost in the past and forgetting time as a measure.
And for a final good measure, I spy this shop selling the Ulm Ring. Admitted through locked doors, I am fitted with the second largest size they make while poor Michael, keen to have one too, misses out because of the bananas on his hand!!

After 6, we head for home in the late afternoon light. Not content with travelling the same way, we turn off trying to visit another castle we saw this morning, not to find it, but finding a shortcut over the mountain top and through the horse stud area of this part of Germany.  And as we head back in to Schwäbisch Gmünd we watch hot air balloons silently drifting across the very scenic area.

All together, a very good day.

From one extreme to another

I got me a new bestest friend today! Thanks ever so much to Judith at Haarteam Mohr (hairdressers) in Melk, I am now so much lighter and more comfortable, being unburdened from all that hair! She has given me a lovely cut - the best I have had since leaving home. I was a little disappointed that the man at the Hotel Der Post did not tell me of her hairdressing shop when I asked him for directions to one - she is across the road and down one shop - he however, directed me to one much further away. And while I was being pampered, Michael took a bit a stroll and got some pics.

We are driving down the Danube River and it could so easily be the Rhine. One either bank there are crops of corn and sunflowers and then grapes. The small towns are almost within a cooee of each other and there are castles and ruins on almost every high outcrop! Turns out that the tolling and taxing of passengers on the Danube was carried out pretty much the same as it was on the Rhine - complete with the Robber Barons!

At Schönbühel, not long out of Melk, we see a fortified buildng overlooking the River, but when we go up to take a look, it is a private residence! Gee, they must have very long arms and short pockets - cos the upkeep on such a place must be incredible. We travel a little further and see another one much higher up and oh shit, there is the turnoff - very quick turn to the right! we have happened upon Burgruine Aggstein - Austria's best known medieval castle.

It sits 320 m above the Danube, and the road snakes up through the forest on roads of 20% slopes - part is sealed, part not. It's been a while since I have had to take a hill of any length in 2nd gear! But believe me, the trip up was definitely worth it. Built in the early 12th century onto and into the rock on which it sits, the castle commands great views of it's approaches and the Danube Valley.

And while it looks impenetrable, this castle was beseiged a number of times during its life, destroyed twice and rebuilt from the ruins. In the early 15th Century, the castle was owned by one of the barons who, once realising that the cargo of the ships he tolled was worth considerably more, took to robbing them, using a iron chain across the Danube to halt their progress. In the late 15th Century, Duke Leopold III captured the Baron and took over the castle to stop this practice.

The castle is very indicative of the layout and purposes of a castle of its age. It had a deep well to ensure safe drinking water for its inhabitants, a chapel to minister to the spirital needs, a large (knights) hall used for ceremonies, a dungeon, and living quarters behind a second fortification. Only one of the areas in the castle was heated - meaning that winters must have been a bleak and miserable time. Even on a warm day like today, you get the benefit from the high position over the river and it is quite pleasant.

Today, the Knight's Hall can be hired for functions, the chapel for weddings, and there is a small restaurant in the main courtyard. Owned by the State, this must help to offset the large upkeep bill! We enjoy an apfelsaft-gerwist (apple juice with sparkling water) and a cheescake. Or at least we tied to - the bees liked it all just as much as we did! Little, long, yellow and black banded ones.

So, cooled down and with the yummy cake down, we headed back down to the Danube and our trip to the north where we are now passing lots and lots of stone fruit orchards and grape vines. And while there are a few roadside stalls, I am surprised we don't see more. Oh, and did I mention the beautiful scenes with crops and river and picturesque towns? (hehehe - sorry guys)
It really is as pretty as a picture postcard. We pass through small towns with amazing graffiti (the old style) on their walls and then through the outskirts of the city of Krems. Like Melk, there was an Abbey established here and it is nearly as large. But having just seen Melk, we feel no compulsion to go off our route to see this one. The day is getting on and we still have a little way to go.

Before too long, we have reached the border with the Czech Republic. And straight away you notice the difference between the wealth, both public and private of the two countries. We have gone from small individual farms to broadacre farming at its best (or worst?). Lots and lots of sunflowers and still some corn. So we now know where all our sunflower oil comes from - Slovakia and the Czech Republic! And despite the revolting rotting smell that comes from the very ripe sunflowers, they paint a beautiful picture, don't you agree?! The flower on the far right was huge - about the size of a dinner plate! And the bees all over them are much fatter - two varieties - a plump furry fat one and a sleeker banded one.

The housing changes dramatically and there are the usual signs of social boredom - the graffiti covered public utilities like this bus stop on the highway about 20 kms from Brno. But as we enter the City, there is plenty of new building work too. The tram system is getting a major overhaul which from the look of the rusted rails and overgrown sidings, is not a moment too soon. As the Czech Republic's second largest city, you really would expect nothing less!

And then there are the perennial roadworks! I couldn't help feel a little déja vu when I read this article from our local Fraser Coast Chronicle back home. However, there really doesn't seem to be the same level of assurance for roads workers here in Eastern Europe. Even before I read this article, we have commented a number of times on how WH&S standards are so different here and the lack of protection that is given to workers on the roads.

We are staying in a new apartment hotel in the centre of the City, but not in the Old Town. In fact, it is on the edge of the commercial area, bordering on an industrial zone. But there is secure parking under the building behind a locked automatic door and we get space and a kitchen to cook, so we feel it is OK. There is a park outside our window and I see local youths (well, some of them are youths, others much younger) hanging out smoking cigarettes.

But out the window from the front corridor, there is an amazing view of Špilberk Castle and the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul that we will have a look at tomorrow. Michael heads out to the supermarket for some veges, chicken and noodles for a stir fry for dinner. Gosh we need those veges! He changes €20 for Czech Kroner - this gets him 518.90 Kč! And he still comes back with 200 Kč change from that!

Wien the wondrous

Vienna is another jewel in the crown of Austria. It is amazing that such a small country holds such a wealth of scenic beauty, architectural richness and gastronomic delights!

After hearing Antony and Amanda’s news we have been trying to get them on their mobiles, without any luck. We know that they still haven’t reached home in Darwin, so all we can do is keep trying. We finally get on to them about 9 am this morning as they are pulling in to Mataranka. Turns out that they were half way between Mount Isa and Camooweal early yesterday morning when out of the left came a kangaroo, a BIG roo – straight into the front left panel of their car. Its OK, they are all fine. Luckily they could get a mobile phone signal – but only with Antony standing on the roof of the car! They were lucky – a few kilometres either way and they would not have been able to pick up a signal at all. They wait almost 5 hours for a tow back in to Mount Isa. I asked Amanda if Izabella was OK during the long wait and she just laughed – “Sure”, she said, “she had all the kangaroos to watch!” The car is not drivable and needs about $4,000 worth of repairs (first estimate!). Being Mount Isa, spares are not easy to come by – they need a new bumper, front passenger door and maybe a new front left panel as well as work on the electrics. So they end up having to hire a car to drive back to Darwin. Oh, and by the way, the kangaroo just hopped away for anyone who is interested.

We both slept really well despite the bunk beds – I slept on the top of course. NOT! Breakfast is a now familiar affair of bread rolls with processed sliced meats and cheese and a cup of weak coffee. Oh yay, for an extra €3 we can get a glass of fresh orange juice – not watered down! After breakfast we upload the blog and then buy a Vienna Pass – good for 72 hours. That will cover us for all travel on the public transport and a whole lot of good discounts on attractions, the hop on- hop off Ring Tram as well as shopping discounts. Pretty good value! So after we study the guide and earmark pages of all the things we would like to see, we set out, catching the tram just across the road from the youth hostel.

We are about 12 stops and 15 minutes from where we want to go. We travel through suburbs, seeing the daily life of the Viennesse. Hanging out their washing, taking children to the park, doing the shopping. Like people in any suburb in any large town in any country. We are basically all the same.

We travel in to the Schwedenplatz stop which is very close to Stephensdom – one of the wonders of Vienna. I want Michael’s first view to be from a distance and so we back track a little, coming across the oldest church in Vienna, St Ruperts, that dates back to the 8th century. But it is not open today, so we turn towards Stephenplatz and the Cathedral, winding down back streets and marvelling at the architecture as we go. And then all of a sudden, there is the Cathedral – not the view I had wanted for Michael, but he is impressed just the same! So I’ll let him tell you about it for a while.

"Wow!" - that's all I could say upon the instant of me seeing the Cathedral. So, what you ask is so appealing about religious structures to a...Heathen? I can assure you it has nothing at all to do with religion. Is it the architecture, the engineers who brilliantly designed and constructed these edifices; the logistics of the time when these marvels were created or the people. Whether you admire a pyramid, a temple, a henge, a cairn or a solitary 16' standing stone they all have to do with people - gods may be the reason, its people who are the purpose. Likened to a cemetery as historical timeline, so is architecture in any form. Believe me folks when I suggest that churchs, abbey's and cathedrals are a major drawcard in the tourism machine.

Today was no exception, as I recovered from my initial reaction to the monument I was taken aback by the volume of humanity surrounding it. I suppose the most impressive feature, (apart from its towers and spires,) is the roof with its tessellated patterns - it appeared to be similar to a Roman mosaic! However, entering the building was something else... Looking beyond the guilding and trappings...the architure and sculpture was mesmerising: from the ribbed vaulting, the stone lacework and to the cavenous interior. Ignoring the throng around me, I am just captivated by this 12th century marvel.

Entry into the cathedrals' western tower is permitted and, wait for it, access is via an elevator! Yes, Sir! No spiral staircases and hundreds of stairs today. At a cost of €4.50 each, Maria and I travel upon the vertical path towards the apex. The view over Wien is just awesome, as is the cathedral's amazing roof which also contains the pattern of Vienna's standard - an eagle, well in this case two! Not only can we admire the view, but also have the opportunity to amaze at the intricate detail of the stonework which cannot be discerned from ground level! However,across the panorama we can see a myriad of towers and domes of the various historical buildings. There is a higher viewing platform, and as I climb towards it there is an excellent view of the bell in its belfry.

And then there was the meeting of another Aussie couple at the top of the Stephensdom platform who instantly recognised us as Australians thanks to Michael’s Akubra. The bloke is just gobsmacked at the age of the Cathedral, which he blurts out: "How in the hell did they do it; its a 12th century building?!" In total we spend about 2 hours at the Cathedral.

Lunch afterwards was taken at the Café de l’Europe sitting on the Graben Straβe, watching the world walk by. There are many many Arabs holidaying in Vienna right now – and all toting bags and bags from the designer stores. So glad that our petrol money is helping Europe to recover from the economic downturn twice over!! Lunch was okay, but not up to that of yesterday. Michael ordered Tortellini mit freshum Blattspinat und Ricotta (Tortellini with fresh leaf spinach and ricotta) while I had the Crostini mit Kirschtomaten, Knoblauch und Basilikum (Crostini with tomato, garlic and basil). Mine was very light on the garlic and basil, but Michael said his was delicious.

The café seems to specialise in desserts and so we order Nutella Spaghetti! That is, ‘noodles’ of ice cream with nutella sauce and hazelnuts – mmmm, that was worth the wait! While we eat lunch there is one of street artists just outside the arcade opposite where we are sitting. She is doing it easier than most of them – she is sitting down. Maybe this is why most people just walk passed her, not even seeing her – there are some though that are mesmerized – especially the little children and the Japanese ladies!

After lunch we continue walk up the Graben Straβe marvelling at the statues with every second one lavishly gilded. And as in the other large European cities, there are roadworks and restoration works happening everywhere. We turn down back streets until we reach Kohlmarkt and turn right for the Opera House where we again pick up the Ring Tram, this time to Museumplatz. There are two impressive buildings that flank Maria Theresia Platz which itself is home to a memorial statue dedicated to Maria Theresia, perhaps the most powerful empress of the Hapsburg dynasty – she ruled Austria in the 18th Century, along with a myriad of other statues and fountains.

The Kunsthistorisches Museum (these were once the stables for the imperial family) boasts one of the finest collections of Egyptian, Greek, Roman artifacts and works by famous artists in Europe. Its interior is as impressive as the exterior; each of the exhibition halls are decorated in the artwork of the displayed period. If the foyer is any indication I can't wait to see the rest.

I start with the Egyptian exhibition and walking through the doors is likened to entering a temple. Sarcophagi, mummies, papyri and other artifacts are displayed in muted light for conservation. An army of wardens continually patrol the corridors not only to ensure nothing untowards occurs but curb those visitors who insist on ignoring signs advising - NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY. There are many museums throughout Europe who are generous by permitting photography, so long as a flash is not employed.

The following exhibitions are just as impressive, displaying an array of examples depicting what life was like in those past cultures. Notably, the Roman section had an enviable collection of busts of emperors and of the common person. Watching me carefully were the eyes of Marcus Auraleus, Octavian, Hadrian and Vespasian - just to name a few.

I then moved onto The Masters. As you walk through the doors of the gallery, there is an impressive list of those artists whose works are represented - including two of my favourites: Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder. I could prattle on, but like today I don't have the time!

After the museum, Maria and I sit the park for a while and enjoy the sunshine. Maria decides to return to the Hostel, and I remain in the city to explore further. Saying farewell to my Maria, and leaving her at the tram stop I proceed towards the Rathaus. Well, as I walked along Burg Ring (no, it's not a joke) I saw the Burgtor Gate which leads in to the Heldenplatz. The Heldenplatz is the precinct which comprises of the Hofburg Imperial Palace. It was here in 1938 after the annexation by the National Socialist German Workers' Party, that Adolf Hitler infamously spoke to the Austrian people. Ironically, across from the Hofberg is Heroe's Square (Heldenplatz) and a statue of the Archduke Charles of Austria, commerating those lost to conflicts.

I continue my promenade through the carriageway that once led out of it, but now is an open thoroughfare for pedestrians, taxis and horsedrawn vehicles. What, you may ask? Well the carriageway was originally part of the Imperial Apartments aqnd allowed the monarchs and their guests to alight out of the weather. Now this is a precinct you have to see. And when I get back to the youth hostel, Maria tells me that this is almost the exact same path she trod with Michael, Mum and Donna in 2006.

It seems that all of Europe is a concert at the moment and Vienna is no different. Apart from the usual Mozart concerts and the Operas that are offered here daily, there are huge open air summer concerts etc. Vienna's is in the plaza of the Rathaus so the view of this impressive building is obscured slightly by the large screen that is presently sitting in front of it. Oh well, at least the photo shows the time and moment!

The amount of impressive architecture on show is amazing - and it is not only the civic buildings. Some of the top hotels too are in majestic structures - many of them once large public buildings. And the inner city apartment blocks too are amazing both in architectural style and attention to building ornamentation. All put together, it paints a picture of wealth and affluence and a history of architecture through the ages. But this is a bit of an incorrect picture. Firstly, there was a swathe of buildings and most of the City Wall that was demolished in old Vienna in the mid 19th Century to make way for the construction of what is today the Ring Road. This wide one-way avenue circuits the city just outside the old town and provides space for the tram system, cars, bikes and pedestrians. Then Vienna suffered substantially in the bombings of WWII and many of the civic buildings (in particular) were re-built. So what is old is new again and sometimes a little bit of a misnomer!

Still so much to see, so we will sign off now. Back out into it tomorrow for half a day or so before we head to Bratislava in Slovakia. We have decided though that once we spend a few days in Slovakia we will come back to Vienna (to a hotel) for another day, and then a day in Melk - we are determined to see that Abbey!