2022 - Fall in Europe and More

For the last 2 1/2 days, we have been visiting as many of Vienna's Christmas markets as we can.  It has been quite the undertaking but, with a certain amount of planning - plotting them on a map, putting them into groups according to their location, and figuring out the transportation to get to them - we are doing very well.  There are at least 12 Christmas markets in this city and we have managed to see most of them.  We bought a 72 hour pass for the buses, trams and U-bahn which has saved us a lot of walking and Uber fares.    So, as detailed in the previous blog, we visited Stephansplatz market the first evening we were here.  The following afternoon, we went to the Michaelerplatz, Altwien, and Ab Hof markets; then, in the evening, Rathausmarkt and Rathauspark.  Then, Saturday, we checked four more off our list: Museumquartiers (not open yet), Maria-Theresienplatz, Spittelberg, and Karlsplatz.  We are going to skip the Schonnbrunn Palace market...

A couple of years ago, Hallmark released a holiday movie called Christmas in Vienna .  Now, my sister and I are quite aware that it would not have been filmed in Vienna during the Christmas season.  Nonetheless, it peaked our interest in visiting Austria's capital to check out the Christkindlmarkts there.  So, in planning this trip, we allowed for some extra days in that city. Thursday morning, we caught a train from Munich to Vienna.  The journey took about 4 hours and we passed through some very beautiful countryside which including glimpses of the Alps in the distance.  We arrived around 2 pm in rainy weather and just took a taxi to our hotel.  The Hotel Post Wien where we are staying is a 3 star older hotel and a big change from the 4 start where we were staying in Munchen.  However, it is very conveniently located and our rooms are large and have most of what we need - no English channels on the TV but good WiFi and an all important elevator! Once...