Day 3 - Vienna / Graz

My throat was sore from last night's roast so keeping breakfast light was probably the best idea. Besides,  I did not have much of an appetite, having spent the better part of the wee hours grieving for my little Ginger. After breakfast at the hotel, we checked out, left our luggage in their luggage room and headed for the subway. Vienna was sunny and in good spirit.

SCHONBRUNN PALACE
Rococo summer residence of Austrian Kings with 1441 rooms. Currently, a museum.
Imperial tour adult EUR19
Family Pass EUR45
Free audio guide

The palace ground was colossal but 3 hours was all we had. This meant that we had to dash through the audio tour for time was of the essence. No cameras were allowed.  If we were to plan a second trip some time in the future, this is one place I would like to explore once more.

Palace Museum

Wooden floor tiles

Wooden floor tiles

Chapel

Ceiling of Chapel

Right: Part of the palace garden. There just wasn't enough time to see them all. A left gate before the entrance to the palace led to another wooded area which we could have explored but did not. While the Family of Five dashed through the rest of the palace garden, we headed for the souvenir store. It was packed. All sorts of Swarovski product was on display. I wasn't aware that the founders of Swarovski were Austrians. Ms Walk-Faster told me that the best Swarovski crystals were the ones in Austria so we picked up a couple of stuff before heading out for our coffee break.

Miniature of Palace

The mad rush for the subway began. While the three men went to collect the rented vehicle (a 9-seater) for our drive to Graz, the rest of us took off for the Star Inn Hotel. Ms Walk-Faster and her two girls were kind enough to turn around occasionally to make sure I wasn't lost. - I wasn't! - I limped pretty fast for a person who doesn't limp.

At the subway opposite the hotel, we split up. Ms Walk-Faster and her two girls walked towards Mc Donald while I settled for a hot dog. That done, we waited at the lobby for the men to return with the vehicle, which they did at about 2 pm. I had expected the three men to find their respective lunches and was surprised to learn that they hadn't the time to do so. Ms Walk-Faster had had the foresight to pack some burgers for her husband and son. She lectured me for a good 3 minutes for not being as thoughtful. I stand corrected. In order to redeem myself, I offered to limp off to get my husband something to eat, but the poor dear, considerate as always, declined my offer.

The vehicle was parked outside the hotel in a no-parking zone so Ms Walk-Faster and me stood guard while the rest collected our luggage for the trip to Graz.

Sighing deeply, she grumbled, "At first there were only the five of us. We could have rented a sedan and traveled comfortably. Now, we have to go in this thing!" Her disdain was unmistakable. I did not dignify her grievances with a response but did we just became her excess baggage?

I was glad not to be the one driving this vehicle. Right hand traffic is pretty confusing. One had to remember to keep right, overtake from the left and give pedestrians the right of way. The tram lines did not make it any easier.

Guided by the GPS, we left Vienna at 3 pm, arriving at Graz three hours later. We weren't tech savvy but Mr Seventeen was most proficient with electronic thingamajigs so he got the front seat (as the GPS man) next to the driver (my husband). With his father (as the look-out and "Keep right! Keep right!" man) sitting on his right, Mr Seventeen guided us out of Venice towards the Graz highway.

For the first time in our trip, Ms Walk-Faster was not in front of me. We took the seats in the second row while her girls sat behind. The safety belt was something else. It came with two buckles, one in the middle, and the other at the end. Not sure what to make of it, I grabbed the one at the end and secured it. Maybe they're made for two sizes, I surmised. Obesity used the end buckle while the middle buckle is for the lean and mean..

"Ladies, there is a fine of EUR300 for anyone caught not wearing seat belts," warned Mr Nice-Guy as he turned around in his seat to address us.

"Which buckle should I secure? There are two." His wife asked..

"No! You secure the middle buckle to the safety on your right. The end buckle goes to your left." he answered.

"Oh? I thought the two buckles were different sizes for the lean and obese passengers." I chuckled.

The girls at the back were amused. They chortled spiritedly. Ms Walk-Faster was full of pep. She whipped out a little box from her Kipling backpack to show me her Swarovski earrings. From there, she moved on to designer handbags, walking shoes and bread makers (Yes, in that order.). 

The journey was not unpleasant. Picturesque farmhouses and rustic villages dotted the skyline. Restrooms were available along the highway.  At certain stops, the use of public washrooms costs EUR0.50 payable at a ticket vending machine. It was outside one of these washrooms where Tweedle-Dee turned away from the ticket vending machine and announced "We pee for free!"

We reached Graz at about 6 pm. A storm was brewing and gusts of wind sent the trees and shrubs into a frenzy. It was chilly outside. Heavy rain was expected that night but first, we had to locate our accommodation, which was a 4-room apartment at the B & B. We circled the block three times before noticing a little white signboard with the B & B red lettering. The reception was opened only  between 8:30 am to 3:30 pm so we had to collect the room keys from some other place. The vehicle had to be parked at a different building opposite the apartment. From there, we lugged our luggage out of the parking lot, across the road and into the apartment.

Spartan is an interesting word. It meant "to show indifference to comfort or luxury." It is a word traditionally associated with ancient Sparta. The Spartans were a military society who emphasized on the might of the sword. Their needs were simple. They were frugal to a fault. Our accommodation was spartan but adequate. It was a 4-room apartment with 3 common bathrooms. A small living room with one square table and four stools. The bedrooms were basic. A little window looked out onto another block of apartment. A train track laid between us. On the floor right inside the window was an ancient heater which looked like it was installed in the fifties. A chill ran down my spine as I looked at this dismal picture and wondered what had become of Little Ginger.

By this time, our sore-throat had deteriorated and the dastardly flu was upon us. The supply of salt which we saved from our meal on board the plane was depleted. (We have been gargling with salt water since the sore-throat began.) We did not have any appetite for a nice meal so we split with the Family of Five. Instead, we went to a cafe down the road to take out some hot drinks and bread. We bought extra apple strudels and cheese sticks for the family of five just in case they got hungry towards midnight when they usually return.

Opposite the front entrance to the B & B

The chef of Annen Cafe, was a nice Italian in his fifties. After collecting our dinner, we asked him for direction to the nearest apotheke.  (They were closed.) When he heard about our sore-throat, he offered a lemon, a cup of hot water and some salt, telling us that lemon juice in hot water usually eases sore-throat. He declined our offer to pay for same. In gratitude, I gave his hands a squeeze..

It was cold outside and a light drizzle had begun. Our fleece jacket served us well. We hurried to the B & B to wind down for the night while the family of five explored Graz.

We slept fitfully while the flu bug had a field day. The noisy train tracks outside our window annoyed us into the break of dawn. The chirping of the birds did not help me. I have failed Ginger by being here.