We awoke in Gramatneusiedl to a light rain and breaking skies. By the time we had packed and were ready for 'Frühstück', the rain had stopped and the streets were drying. After the usual breakfast, we loaded the bikes for a last ride to Fischamend. Since the distance was only 20km and we had plenty of time to kill before the 'Stop and Sleep' check-in around 2PM, we took our time, had another coffee in the coffee shop in Fischamend and wandered around the town and surrounding countryside on the bikes. Our meanderings took us to the villages of Marie Ellend and Haslau a. d. Donau.  At Haslau a. d. Donau. there was a steep drop down to the Donau (Danube).  We followed it just to get a look at the river up close. I didn't think twice about the climb back to the top of the floodplain. The skies were beginning to look ominous, so we headed back to Fischamend. After returning to Fischamend, we had a schnitzel at the Hot Dog stand before checking into the 'Stop and Sleep' and then packed our bikes for the trip home.

Once the bikes were packed, we headed to the train station for the afternoon and evening in Vienna.   One of the sights and sounds of Vienna that we were privileged to experience was that of the Reisenrad.  A huge 'Ferris Wheel' in the 'Peoples Park' that dates back over 100 years to the last years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  While in it, I could feel the history that it must have seen in the last one hundred plus years.  

That evening before returning to Fischamend, at one of the many sidewalk Cafes in the center of old Vienna, we had another wonderful dinner (Wiener Schnitzel mit Salat, Palatschinken mit Nüssen und Schokolade, und Türkisher Café) (Pork steak with salad, Pancakes(Crepes) with nuts and chocolate and real Turkish coffee).

St. Stephans Platz - Vienna	ReisenRad, an 1897 'Ferris' Wheel in the Volksprater
Street performer St. Stephanplatz.	Ein grosse Bier, Fraulein!
	People watching on St. Stephansplatz in Vienna.

We again took the train to Vienna. Since Bob's, Kathy is an equine veteranarian, it seem appropriate that at least one of the places we visit would be the Lippizaner Museum (Spanish Riding School). Well, the horses were on vacation so we missed them and soaked up the flavor of the place in the museum gift shop. My instructions before I left for this trip were if at all possible to pay a visit to the Klimt exhibit So next was a trolley ride to Obere Belevedere Palace. The Palace Museum was a big place and there were no obvious signs to the Klimt exhibit. Finding one of the museum guards, I asked in German/English, "Where is the Klimt? The guard replied that I could find what I was looking for in the next section down the hall and as I was turning to leave he added "Klimt ist in Himmel" (Klimt is in heaven). As I slowly translated the comment to myself, I realized the meaning of the wisecrack. I had to laugh out loud!

Hofburg Palace	Neuberg Palace
Belvedere Garten
Gustav Klimt (1862-1918): Adam und Eva (unvollendet), 1917/18 Wien, Österreichische Galerie	Der Kuß, 1907/08 Wien, Österreichische Galerie The Kiss, 1907/08

We then tried to chase down an open bike store - It was Saturday, No Luck.

We ate lunch another street cafe on Stephansplatz. Another trolley took us to the Hundertwasser Haus. Hundertwasser was an artist /architect that I learned of through Becky.  Bob and I first met each other in Architecture classes at Va. Tech in the late 60's and architecture is still a fascination with both of us. Bob only knew that this was another place that Becky wanted me to see while in Vienna. He was pleasant enough to put up with my excursion and had no idea what he was about to experience.  Bob was truly surprised at the building and we spent more time there than I expected.

HundertwasserHaus - Vienna

After HundertwasserHaus we took another short walk across the Donau Canal in another failed attempt to find an open bike store on Saturday. I did find this marking on of the numerous bike lanes in Vienna.

We got up early for one last 'Frühstück' at the 'Stop and Sleep', loaded our bike cases into a large Mercedes passenger van and then boarded another Austrian Air Airbus for the flight back home.