This morning when I woke up it was raining.  Not a nice summer sprinkle, but a torrential down pour.  So far on this trip, we have been really lucky weather wise.  Anyway, I decided to make a big breakfast and take my time getting ready thinking the rain would eventually pass.

Around 10:30, the rain was still coming down.  Since our time is limited in this city, Michal and I decided to brave the elements and venture outside.  Dressed in our rain coats and armed with a less than adequate umbrella we left the apartment.  Within seconds we were drenched.

Thankfully after about an hour and two umbrella purchases later, the rain subsided.  Even with grey skies, Vienna is a gorgeous city.  It is one of those cities where you could easily spend the whole day wandering around the streets with no destination because looking up and admiring the architecture of the buildings is a mesmerizing activity.

There are so many museums in this city that it is overwhelming.  As budget travelers, Michal and I usually forgo visting most museums.  However today we took a tour of the Hofburg Palace.  A thorough and entertaining audio guide was included in the admission price. This Palace was once home to the Hapsburg Dynasty.  A large part of this tour focused on Empress Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria.  Princess Diana is often compared to her.  I do like learning the history of the place I am visiting, so this place was worth the cost.  Michal and I revisited the palace grounds this evening and sat and pondered all of the history that unfolded in the very place we were sitting.

Vienna is known as the capital of music.  The souvenir shops here are named after Mozart. Every night during the summer is a music festival close to City Hall.  Each night a movie with a musical theme is displayed on a large screen located on the wall of City Hall surrounded by food and drink tents.  It’s free to go to; all you need to do is pay for your food and drink.

The event was packed with locals and people from all over the world.  Tonight they were playing “Carmen”.  Mom, it made me think of you!

I have reached the point of our trip where the cities and days are starting to blur together.  I have seen so much in the last three weeks that it is unreal.  Every place is unique and I feel like we have been on a whirlwind tour.  We have definitely not had enough time to fully experience everything that each place has to offer.

But a little bit of time in each place is so much better than never being able to visit.  Tomorrow we will spend the day in Vienna and then take a 9-hour overnight train to Krakow, Poland.  Time is going by much too quickly!