I booked my flights today and will be heading back to Kathmandu, Nepal on Feb. 22 to do some more charity work and to visit my sweetheart (who still cannot get a visa to come to the U.S.)
Anyway, on my way there, I’ll be stopping in Vienna for about 8 hours. Any dopers near there who may want to meet at a coffeehaus? On my return, I’ll be in Zurich for 9 hours, but my plane doesn’t land until 9pm. I’m thinking of going to Dolce Vita for some caberet or perhaps James Joyce—anywhere that’s open late and serves booze. Any European dopers who might be interested in joining me? Do we have anyone from Zurich here? I don’t recall.
If anyone has been to either city and has some suggestions for me about neat things I can see in the limited time I have, I’d appreciate your input. Art and architecture rank high on my list of cool things. Thanks
“I should not take bribes and Minister Bal Bahadur KC should not do so either. But if clerks take a bribe of Rs 50-60 after a hard day’s work, it is not an issue.” ----Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Current Prime Minister of Nepal
I know Vienna pretty well-- lived there for half a year and just visited again. What sorts of things are you interested in? I assume you’d want to stay pretty centralized, so maybe a Centrum walking tour kind of thing? The Museum is fabulous, for starters. Other highlights depend on your degree of interest in dead people-- crypts, catacombs, etc (it’s a morbid kinda’ town).
M.K.;
Thanks for your reply. What a treat for you to live in Vienna, no? What sort of museum are you referring to, and what is it’s name? I love art museums and suspect that Vienna’s is top notch.
You’re right in that I do want to stay close to center. I only have 8 hours from the time my first plane lands until I need to board another, so time is of the essence. I plan to go to Ringstrasse as the pictures I’ve seen of the achetecture lead me to believe that it’s superb.
A walking tour would be ideal. I had thoughts of doing a guided city tour, but since I’m geting in so late in the day I think they all will have left by then. But a nice walk about downtown followed by some sacher torte and coffee would hit the spot.
You mentioned catacombs. I didn’t know there were any in Vienna. I quite enjoy all things morbid and found the catacombs in Paris fascinating. I sence a “Catacombs of the World” tour coming on I haven’t seen reference to them, though in any of the info I’ve found on line about Vienna. A little direction, perhaps?
Also, I understand that there are both trains and buses from the airport to the city center. Which do you recommend?
Again, thanks for your help.
“I should not take bribes and Minister Bal Bahadur KC should not do so either. But if clerks take a bribe of Rs 50-60 after a hard day’s work, it is not an issue.” ----Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Current Prime Minister of Nepal
I’ve never done public transit from the airport; it seems a bit of a jaunt but I’m sure it’s fine. I’m thinking the trains would be less frequent, and I think that train ends up at the south station, which isn’t terribly convenient for you. Try a bus or taxi?
Once you get to the center things will be pretty easy. The Ringstrasse goes right around the 1st district, and there is a tram which just goes around and around (set up mainly for the tourists, I imagine), so you can just jump on and jump off when you see something interesting, I imagine. The museum I was thinking of is the Kunsthistorisches Museum (art history)-- nice collection particularly of Renaissance/Baroque, but also more very old stuff that I’ve ever seen-- Sumerian, etc. It’s on the Ring opposite an identical building which houses the natural history museum. Under Stephansdom there is a small catacomb, if I remember correctly (this was 7 years ago). At St Michaels there is the Imperial crypt, and there is another crypt (at franciscans? I’ll check later) with real dead commoners falling out of decaying wooden coffins-- this is the real unsavory one and you can’t take pictures. The guide explains 18th C funerary practices in some depth. Otherwise, the Cathedral is a nice one, Michaels has a great collection of liturgical thingies on display, etc. A real morbid catholic baroque-era town.
It’s an odd place to live if you came from a ‘customer is always right’ culture. But if you’re going to Nepal then Vienna culture shock isn’t something you really need to worry about.
(We could continue this via e-mail if you still have questions? Or is this annoying to others? Hell, one chooses to enter and read a thread.)
Not true, Coldfire. I’ve been to your fine city on four occasions, and visit your neighbors to the South (France & Belgium) at least once a year. But, alas, not this time.
Still, I’m stunned that you are not willing to make the trip to Zurich or Vienna for me. Clearly you have no idea what you’re missing ;).
“I should not take bribes and Minister Bal Bahadur KC should not do so either. But if clerks take a bribe of Rs 50-60 after a hard day’s work, it is not an issue.” ----Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Current Prime Minister of Nepal
M.K.;
Thanks for you kind offer to take this to e-mail for further discussion. I pulled a bunch of stuff off the web about Vienna but I haven’t had a chance to look at it yet. Since I don’t want to pester you with questions I could answer for myself, I’ll look over what I’ve got and then e-mail you for tips and suggestions. Thanks again.
“I should not take bribes and Minister Bal Bahadur KC should not do so either. But if clerks take a bribe of Rs 50-60 after a hard day’s work, it is not an issue.” ----Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Current Prime Minister of Nepal
I haven’t seen reference to them, though in any of the info I’ve found on line about Vienna. A little direction, perhaps?