Day 16- Travel Home

Day 16. Travel Day

Out of the hotel, onto the Tram and to Atarack Airport.  Not one but 4  levels of security, passport control and onto the 777-300 for the 12 hr flight home. Ive been to 3 countries in the last 16 days and found something interesting in every locale.  My favorite was Jerusalem.  Yes, I am surprised as all of of you.  Israel was not my primary Destination.  In fact it was a late addition.  But the history as well as the architecture of Jerusalem is amazing.  My next favorite was Mykonos.  Beautiful weather,water and beaches and gracious hospitable  host make for a wonderful vacation spot.  Next on the list is Istanbul.  The history is interesting.  It's really not that scenic of a place. If I were to recommend this to some considering a visit, I would suggest taking a cruise that stops here.  Get off and see as much as you can in the stop and leave.  Don't stay here.  Although the hotel and restaurant people are accommodating  there is a language barrier as most of the help don't speak english.  The big problem is the elbow to elbow vendors.  I mean they are everywhere. On the sidewalks, the backstreets, you cannot get 30 seconds of serenity without someone coming up to you and calling you "my friend" and trying to sell you something.  Finally I would place Tel Aviv on the bottom of the list.  It's basically a third world city.  Needs updating and doesn't have anything to offer that you can't find in Jerusalem or some other part of Israel.

Traveling is one of the luxuries of fine living.  I enjoy creating theses trips, and spending months planing and arraigning the details.  It so rewarding.  The next couple of years will probably be good for world travel as the US economy is again taking the lead which creates favorable travel for US citizens abroad.

I was fortunate to be able to spend the second half of my trip with my dear friends Sandra and John Lopez, world travelers extraordinaire .  So until my next overseas trip, See Ya,

PHOTOS HERE

Day 15

Day 15. This my last day.  So I went for some culture.  First to the Sultan Ahmed (The Blue) Mosque.  This is the most famous Mosque in all,of Istanbul and probably #2 or 3 in the entire Muslim world.  The most famous being in Mecca.  This building is imposing over the entire old city with its multiple minarets.  There is a large park that leads from the street and a magnificent courtyard.  You must take off your shoes, women must be covered, sorry Sandra , and then you enter a huge room carpeted of course since this is used for prayer.  There are no seats or pews, one simply bows down on the carpet and prays.  The Muslims pray 5 times daily and you can hear the loud "callings" throughout the city.  There really wasn't much to see on the inside. It was more appealing from the outside.   Down the gardens was the "Hagia Sofia".   This is an old church from the the 4th century built in the Byzantine era and twice destroyed.  Then rebuilt as a mosque.  It has been a museum since the Ottomans were conquered by the British after WW I.  It is quite interesting inside with several mosaics.  

We then boarded our favorite transport the T1 line and took the the tram westward outside the old city walls to a new museum which is,the history of the conquering of  Constantinople née  Istanbul.

PHOTOS HERE

Day14

Day 14.  We went to the spice market.  Not quite as well known in the tourist world as the Grand Bazar, but very interesting and some great prices. Afterwards, it was to the Grand Bazar.  Now this place is about as big as,the old market in Jerusalem, but is completely enclosed in a old structure and has a very good ventilation system, even though not A/C. The cruisers were there cause we walked past thee buses.  I saw the Norwegian Song and the Celebrity Reflection. Now here is my negative comment re: Istanbul.  The vendors both in the Bazaar and on the street were the most aggressive and in your face that I have ever encountered.  They will come running after you as you walk past their shop or restaurant and try to sell you whatever it is they have regardless of whether you even looked in their direction.  I bought some souvenirs, but was too put off to do any serious shopping for leather or cotton linens.  That afternoon I had a Turkish Bath which is a interesting scrub and soapy massage.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 13

Day 13. First stop, Topkapi. The site of residences of many sultans during the early days of the Turkish empire of the 16th through 18th century. It is a multi-acre facility with harem- the residences, museum with many treasures;remember the 1964 movie "Topkapi", and a mosque. This facility overlooks the Bosphorus.    Speaking of the Bosphorus. After lunch we jumped on a 2 hr boat ride up,the strait, with multiple stops and a short walk on the Asian side.  Keep in mind, that this 1/2 mile wide waterway separates Europe from Asia.  Today was also the first day of the 4 wk long Muslim holiday; Ramadan.  A lot of the restaurants stopped serving alcohol.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 12

Day 12. We arose and headed out.  There are 23 million people in Istanbul, and it seems as if they are all on the road and sidewalks.  Since the Tram, stopped in front of our hotel, that became our preferred mode of travel. We rode it to the end, found a short tram up the hill and we were at Taksin Square, the site of all the previous political demonstrations.  It was empty.  A few tourist like ourselves.  A bunch of cops over on the side, otherwise, a peaceful Saturday.  We spent the morning walking down a pedestrian shopping mall and made it back to the hotel to check out the beautiful spa and Turkish Bath.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 11. July 12

Day 11. Travel day.  We packed up and "Pops" drove us to,the airport. 

For a small single strip, no taxiway airport, this place was packed and busy.  In the hour and a half that we were there I counted 6 commercial 737, A320's come and go.  Direct flights from Gatwick, Germany, Italy and Russia. Our flight to Aethans  was 18 minutes.   It took 30 to get to the international departure area and clear passport control.  Then another hour flight to Istanbul. After having a difficult time with the shuttle buses .  I pulled out my I-pad , looked up my hotel on the map and found the the tram ran and stopped in front.  So I got on the subway at the airport. made one transfer to the tram and was at the desk checking in in 30 min.  I went to the my room to await John and Sandra who were on another flight an hour or so later.

TURKEY. For the past month the nightly news has been full of protestors clashing with police, demonstrations and trouble.   We evaluated carefully whether to even include this stop on our trip, however we changed our hotel to a quite area of town and were assured by many that we would be fine in this area.   Well we went out of the hotel and were walking down the main street to dinner and really had not gotten 3 blocks when I saw a group of people charging down the street  in our direction, then the sirens and the police.  Yep, we were in riot.  The demonstrators, about a hundred strong with clubs were being chased by police on motorcycles , riot squad and  heavy vehicles.  I found a side street and ran, fortunately for us, they didn't follow.  We found a resturant on the second floor where we had a dinner of traditional Turkish meatballs and rice.  After dinner directly across the street was a Turkish"smoke" cafe where they serve up,the water pipe and tea.  We got our table outside, I lit up one of the Cubans I had bought in the airport and laughed about our earlier encounter.

Day,10. July 11

Day 10 More of Paradise Beach.  Then an  evening dinner in the shopping area known as "little venice".  Back to the Beach in Ornos for a night cap and to bed.My thoughts on Greece can be summarized as the following, no matter what you hear and read about their financial troubles, summer life on the islands is wonderful.  The clearest coolest water,   Multiple public beaches, with restaurants, facilities and no one hustles you.  You pick out a table or couch in the shade, order an ice coffee and sit there all day. These islands are the most relaxing I think I have ever been.  The help is friendly accommodating, and appreciative.  I am already figuring out a trip next summer.

Day 9. July 10

Day 9. Breakfast down the road at the Bellagio, a cute little bar/coffee shop.  I told the owner all about the Bellagio in Vegas.  Loaded up and off to the infamous Paradise Beach.  This is one of the top beaches in Greece.  They have really developed this place.  Kind of reminded me of  Acapulco years ago.   Very classy with everything service you could want.  We spent about 4-5 hours at a nice table with chairs and a sofa.  I swam and ate and then it was back for a nap.  This island life really relaxes you. For dinner we drove into the town of Mykonos.  There is a waterfront with shops and restaurants.  We found a place full of locals and ordered up some Greek salads, roasted feta and fresh calamari.  Its the best calamari I have eaten cause it was caught and sold this morning. We walked into the back streets into a real upscale shopping area. A little gelato for Sandra, cigars and baklava for John and I.   Then we called it a night . 

PHOTOS HERE

Day 8

Day 8. Breakfast at the hotel. We loaded up the 4x4 and off to the first beach.  There are about 10 different beaches on the Isle of Mykonos.  Each has it's own set of restaurant,bars and personality.  I did some distance swimming into the coolest, clearest water I have ever been.  We had lunch. And then we explored every road that John could get the vehicle down. Dinner,an after dinner liquor called Metaxa and a Padron and I was ready for bed.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 7. July 8

Day 7.  Alarm at 6 so I could be ready for my pickup @ 6:30.  My flight was @ 9:50 but the hotel said I needed that much time for traffic and security at the airport.  Not So.   The ride, 3 levels of security, and passport control and I was having a coffee at my gate by 7:45.  This place is more efficient than Hobby or Bush.  Maybe it's the fact that I look too distinguished or too old to cause any trouble.  Anyway, I found all the personnel  at the airport to be very friendly and courteous.  Not so, in Istanbul!!.  Busy airport and nobody will give you the time of day or a seat nor is there any Internet that works.  I had a 4 hour layover on my way to Mykonos to meet John and Sandra Lopez. The flight to Greece was beautiful,especially the second leg into Mykonos.  We flew low enough that I was able to take some really neat aerial photos. 

Met at the airstrip by John and Sandra in an open roof Suzuki.  We stopped by our hotel, the Anixi which actually is in the village of Ornos on the isle of Mykonos.  It's about a quarter mile walk down the hill to the beachfront bars and restaurants.  I had my first Greek Meal and an after dinner ouzo.  Needless to say I don't remember the walk back.

PHOTO'S HERE

Day 6. July 7

Day 6 

  Another morning swim and then it was off to the Carmel St. Market.   This is the oldest market place in Tel Aviv.  A long pedestrian only street, shaded and lined with vendors selling everything from incredible looking middle eastern pastry to olives, dates and nuts. Also T shirts with Coca Cola printed on Hebrew, so I bought one for my 11 y/o nephew.  As I was watching one of the vendors preparing food, he struck up a conversation with me.  When I told him I was from Texas, he called me a red neck.  Before this volley was over, I was sitting at his counter and he fixed me a "pita kebab ".  This is basically 4 small burgers served in pita with about 6 different toppings and sauces.  It was the best thing I ate in Israel.  They don't seem to have much meat in Israel but this solved my craving.  Full of energy, I set off to find the Yitzhak Rabin museum.  It was on the other side of town, but some young solders at the bus stop gave me directions.  It was a great story of this wonderful leader of Israel who was assassinated by a radical Jew.  It is also the history of political Israel from the beginning of the 20th century to today. The museum closed behind me and a group of about 30 young soldiers, both men and girls who couldn't have been over 25 walked out with me.  They all wanted to know about the US and especially Texas.  One of the young ladies waited at the bus stop with me and told the driver where I was going.  These kids are really amazing.  They are so polite and helpful.  Not so for the bus drivers.

That evening I had a salad at an outdoor restaurant on the beach called "Masada" of all things. Back to the hotel to pack for the next morning's trip.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 5

Day 5. Up and out early. Across the street to the beach.  I,walked down about a quarter mile where the beach was not protected by a breakwater.  I saw a group of umbrellas and chairs.  I picked out mine and a "beach boy" came up and brushed off the chair and took my towel and covered it.  I asked how much do I owe you.  And he looked perplexed and walked off.  Some people nearby who understood english explained that on public beaches,the do not charge for the service.  Wow, is this place different.   When he came by again about a half hour later I had some scheckels for him.  He smiled. I had a good time in the surf and walked back to he hotel to clean up for lunch.   Tel aviv has done a redevelopment of their old port on the North end of the beach.  It 's no South Street Seaport but it's the most happening spot I've seen in my first 24 hrs in Tel Aviv. After I got enough sun for the day it was back to the Savoy Roof for a sunset. I went to Dizengoff Street to walk around and stopped into a health food restaurant where I had the best Pad Thai since I was in Bangkok wit Gadi.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 4

Day 4. Travel day.  I awoke earlier enough to make that gastronomic feast they call breakfast here.  Really I've been to buffets but ... Packed and was picked up promptly 15 min. late(that's Israeli time ) by my tour.   We drove about  an hour and a half (through the West Bank) to the Dead Sea and to Mount Masada.   .  We went to the top of the Masada  and toured the ruins.  It  is really an amazing bit of history. After that we headed back to a spa on the banks oh the dead sea.  I had a salt scrub, a mud bath and then out to the sea for a swim.  Except  you can't swim.   It is so salty, that you literally float on top of the 84 degree water.  It was fun trying. Makes me appreciate the Houstonian pool at 7 am. The guide brought me back to Tel Aviv and my home for the next 3 nights, The Savoy Hotel.   It's a half block from the beach and has this great roof top lounge where I am writing this note.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 3

Day 3.  Oversleep.  Awoke at 10:15 and rushed downstairs to try to make breakfast which ends at 10.   You think I talked these ex soldiers who now claim to be in the hospitality business to seat me 20 min after they stopped.   Well I don't understand Hebrew but I'm pretty sure they all got a good laugh out of me that morning.

I walked to the Mamilla shopping mall, had a coffee and poppy roll and walked to the old city via the Jaffe Gate.  I walked down David's walk which separates the Christian quarter from the Armenian Quarter.  Bought two pair of sandals.  Keep walking and wandered onto the Western Wall.  What a place.   The women partitioned on the right.  The men on the the left.  It's Thursday and it's Bar Mitzvah day.   I counted 7 different groups at the moment I was there.   I made my way to the wall, pulled out my Union Prayer book that was given to me at my Confirmation in 1967.  Touched the wall with my book said the Sh'Ma and made room for others. Now those of you who know my feelings about organized religion will be surprised to know that I was almost moved.   

I walked out the Dung Gate and down the hill to the City of David Exhibit.  This is a fantastic tour of the history of King David and his conquer of the city of Jerusalem 3000 Years ago.  It is competed by a walking tour of the underground aqueduct complete with thigh high running fresh water.  It is absolutely the darkest and most confining place I have ever been.  You take a mile walk I this underground tunnel.  I sort of felt that over the past couple of years I was developing  claustrophobia .   Now I am sure of it.

The day finished with coffee and a  nicely aged Padron on Ben Yehuda Street.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 2

Day 2.  Breakfast was in a big room.  I heard these Israeli breakfast were amazing but I really was not prepared for the enormous amount of food and selection.

I walked about 3 blocks and waited for the double decker tour bus which takes one all around the city in about 3 hrs. It was there that I met this couple and their young children from Cape Town.  We had a 25" break at the main bus station.  Holly Toledo Batman, the joint looked liked a military convention.   Imagine the Port Authority Bus station in New York full of 20 y/o boys and girls, all with  AR 16 slung over their shoulders.  Oh yea, they were all texting each other.

That night I was set up for a bike ride.  One thing I am learning about the Israelis, they tend to understate things.  This ride was advertised as intermediate and not for someone that hasn't been a bike recently.  I would advertise it as expert.  Jerusalem is a very hilly city and we went up and down every last one of them, on a sidewalk bordered by a busy street with busy pedestrian traffic.  We went all through the old city and finally got back to my hotel at 1 am.

PHOTOS HERE

Day1

Day 1 July 2,2013.  Once again. Harvey and I loaded the Jag and off we went to IAH.   Checked in and through TSA. Without a problem.  In the waiting lounge with a hour to go, the fun starts.   Uniformed police;  I believe CBP were wandering through the seated crowd and randomly searching passengers and their carry-ons.  After a very confusing line up to board, we started onto the jetway and CBP. was set up and screening carry ons of  just about everyone?

Flight actually pulled away 10 min early.   I fell asleep after dinner over Pittsburg and woke up 7 hrs later over Budapest.  Into Istanbul 1/2 hr early.  It was a good flight .  My first experience with Turkish Air.  It won't be my last.  3 hrs in the airport, another 1 1/2 hr flight and we were in Is Rael... Pulled up,next to a Delta747, United 777, and a US Air A 330.  I expected a real interrogation in Customs, but I waltzed right through .  Only one good looking gal questioned me.

After a 1 hr ride in the Nesser Sherut, I checked into the Dan,took a bath, and got in bed,22 1/2 hrs after I walked out of my unit.

PHOTOS HERE

Summer 2013

I can tell from all the comments and post last summer that you enjoyed following me around Eastern Europe and

Oohing at my photos.     

Well I have a treat for you.  In a couple of weeks I will be on the air again with my post from overseas.  

Stay tuned!

Day 24 Thur Aug 2

My last full day of the trip, we started with a bus ride to the Tuilerie Gardens which leads one to the grounds of the Louvre.  We spent about a hour or two walking around and entered the underground of the Louvre.   There is a new shopping mall under the park and Louvre, complete with a Apple store and a Starbucks.   We visited both.   After an American coffee, it was off to  Trocadero which is across the river from the Eiffel and afforded a great photo-op in the daylight. After lunch, another bus ride to the Ecole Militaire  which is the location of Napoleons Tomb as well as an interesting military museum. I discovered that a great way to see Paris is from the rear seat in a city bus for 1.5 Euro...
So for my last night I wanted to take John & Sandra out for dinner.  Now I love steak frites and I saw an article on the best places in Conde Nast while flying. I picked out one that I thought was walking distance. Turned out it was  a half hour walk and when we finally got there...It was closed. We did settle on a nice cafe out of way and had a bottle of the local Burgundy with roasted duck and chicken.   As we walked home through the neighborhood,  I resolved that this wasn't my last night, but the beginning of a beautiful relationship, Sam....

PHOTOS HERE

Day 23 Wed Aug 1

We started the morning at fantastic  Arc de Triomphe.   Followed by a bus ride to "B.I.A."; Breakfast in America is a famous American style dinner in the Latin Quarter. After a big juicy cheeseburger,  John and I stopped for some Cuban's which we enjoyed w/coffee for the remainder of the afternoon.  After Hors d'oeuvres  served up by Sandra,  John and I walked to the Montparnasse Tower, which has an observation deck which is the highest point in the city.  The sun sets behind the Eiffel Tower and it is magnificent.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 22 Tues July 31

John had one more day of class at the Sorbonne, so Sandra and I started       walking toward the Latin Quarter to meet him for lunch.   A stroll  through the Jardin du Luxembourg and eventually to a kebab shop where John met us and we had lunch.  More walking through the Latin Quarter and I caught the Metro to the Musee d'Orsay  complete with my downloaded  audio-visual guide to the Musee that I purchased from the apple store.  The museum was in a converted train station. The app didn't work. I was frustrated and pissed....cause I really don't like art museums. I thought w/my new I-Pad and my a-v app that I would learn something.   So I spent an hour walking through the Orsay attempting to use the guide and left.  Mother,,,I did go to an art museum   Spent a total of 1 hour of this trip of 25 days....Not bad. That evening;  we did the evening bike tour from Fat Tire tours.  This made my seventh bike tour on the trip.  Never at night....It was way cool traveling around Paris at dusk and after sunset.  The tour culminated with a boat ride and wine on the Seine. Home in bed  at 12:30

PHOTOS HERE

Day 21 Monday July 30

Out the door at 08:00 for the 9:02 to Munich and the flight to Paris.  The train, in 2nd class , is great with businessmen on tables working on their computers.  I on mine creating this blog. A fast transfer in the Munich Bahnhof,,,without even stoping for cafe which I love in the train-stations.  On the U1 to Flughafen in 6 minutes.   Damn I am good at this travel stuff.   I ought to be a travel writer ...  The Munich Flughafen is as large as Bush...  Checked in, passed thru security and off to the Air France Lounge.
An uneventful flight to Paris and on the Air France "Les Cars" shuttle bus to town. When I got off the bus at Gare de Montparnasse, Sandra was waiting and after a 15 min walk, we were at 18 Rue de Littre..; their home in Paris.  John returned from class and at 7, we went out for dinner at a local creperie.  I had the gruyere and chicken and it was great. Stopped at a typical cafe for coffee, creme brûlée and a cuban cigar...

Day 20 Sunday July 29

Now I have become pretty sold on these bike tours.  So I found the only tour in Salzburg, the Frauline Maria bicycle tour of Salzburg.  By now having done like 6 bicycle tours on this trip, I was getting rather complacent and didn't really ask any questions.  Just showed up and got on a bike and we were off. At the first stop,  Our guide Jonas, talked incestatnly about the filming of the 1965 movie "The Sound of Music". Aparently, the city only licenses this group to talk about the movie and its production, cause all the other tour companies do the history.  So whether I wanted it or not, for the next 4 hours, I saw and heard more info on Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and the VonTrapps than I can remember.  I did enjoy the cycling and the scenery when we got out of the city.   Met a man who left the US working for a company called "Peregrine Financial".  Found out while traveling last week, that his company had gone under due to embezellment and the SEC had to come in.   I haven't heard from my office in a couple of days.  Better check in.

I finished the afternoon with Sausage,sauerkraut, and bier in a authenic Bavarian Biergarten.   Then  decided to hope on the bus and go out to the airport to visit the "Red Bull" Hanger 7 exhibit.   Apparently the guy who bought the formula, and branded it was from Salzberg.  He sees himself as a Richard Branson type and has a multimillion dollar hanger,exhibit open to the public at the airport.  

As I was waiting for the bus to return to city center, I got soaked from one of the hourly rain showers and at that point began to question my logic in hotel choices.  You see, I had not booked the most expensive hotels on my trip.  Location seems to be the primary factor in the pricing of hotel in Europe, not necessarily the amenties.  Most important to me was the bedding, A/C and wireless internet.  My only criteria for location was that  a metro, bus stop be fairly close.   I limited myself to a 100 E, and up to this day, I had done a good job.   But Salzburg is different.  There is no Metro.  They have a pretty good bus system, but the perpherial lines run q 30" on Sunday which was a big issue for me.   So I messed up in Salzburg and was in the wrong place.  The helpful gals made up for the location issue.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 19 Sat. July 28

I was on the 9:14 to Salzburg.  Decided to try 2nd class since the trains were so nice.  The trains were nice...the travlers not so nice.  It was pretty much a zoo getting on the train on Saturday morning. Who would have thought.   I guess a lot of people go to the mountains on the weekend.  So this nice young gal and I found a seat together.   She was from Belgrade Serbia and was getting her Masters in Civil Engineerig at the University in Vienna.  She gave me lots of pointers for next summers trip to the Adriatic.

Arrived in Salzburg at noon and litteraly had to throw a china-man off the steps so I could get off the train.  These second class travelers are like ants...  Anyway  found my hotel and was off to the old city.   Long narrow pedistrian streets with high buildings on both sides.  They had these little walk-through tunnels every 75 yards or so that cut through to the next street.  There were some great shops and cafes in these tunnels, so you had to explore them all.  Currently the Salzburg Festival had started the previous weekend and was in full force.  Salzburg was the birthplace of Mozart and this festival was analagous to the Aspen Music Festivle, but with more glitz as the Europeans would have it.  I found the schedule and different venues.  Afte a quick clean up and shower in the room.  I returned to the main venue and attemted to buy an unclaimed ticket at the ticet office.  It was 10 min,  till showtime and the ladies just laughed when I explained that in the US, will call-tickets frequenly go unclaimed are sold just before showtime.  I won't describe their comments.  There was a very nice lady picking up her tickets who described a "platz" around the next church where Siemens had erected a giant screen and in open air,  I had a beer, cigar, and watched the performance with the other 500 peasants for free.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 18 Friday July 27

Morning Vienna Bike tour which leftt from the Opera.  Our guide Rudi  was a little arrogant Dutchman who spoke in Dutch to the one person on the tour who also spoke English.  Then he did the translation in English. Any way he knew his history and warmed a little latte on.  The tour lasted 4-5 hours and he showed us some great spots.  We finished in time to return to St. Peters's Basilica  for a faboulous 45 min.  Organ recital of Hayden and Mozart.  Dinner at the Danube consisted of Pizza, while wine, pastry and a good Cuban cigar.  Then it was back to the DerWilhemdorf to buy a train ticket online and bed.

PHOTOS HERE

Day 17 Thur July 26

Arrived the previous evening on the train from Budapest.  Had a great ride w/3 young ladies traveling togethere from Barcelona. They were friends and all worked for different hotels in Barcelona.  They were using some of their percs.  One, named Angeles had been to Wien prior so she gave me the scoop.  Had a huge piece of Weiner Schnitzle the first evening and dreamed about it the whole night. After the usuall huge breakfast buffet at the hotel I was off to see the city.  First stop, the Parliment. Since I could never see the Hungarian center, I thought I better see some piece of government of the old Austrian-Hungarian Empire.  Unlike my previous expeience, I got off the trolley, walked into the ticket office, and immediately joined a Englisih speaking tour.  These government buildings are beauiful and ornate, unlike our U.S. counterparts.  Next was a ride along the "great cirlcle" road of Vienna.  Passed a noted ice cream shop that Angles had mentioned,so I got off.  But my father's childhood nagging about eating sweets before meals bothered me. Imagine that, halfway around the world and 50 years later and I was worried.  So, I found a tratoria and sat down for a .5Ltr of Mineral Water and a salad.  I wasn't expecting much, but they really know how to do salads in Vienna.  After lunch it was only a 5 min. walk back to Zanoni & Zanoni for my double scoop of Pistacio. I walked along the great boulevard of Franz Joseph and arrived at the Opera.  Now this is where all the action is.   I walked along a pedistrian only street lined with upscaled  shops and multiple cafes. Also noticed several high end watch and jewlery stores.  I then thought about my Breitling Aerospace watch.  It had been giving me signals that the battery needed changing.  What a great place to have one of these fine Austrian watchmakers check and change my battery. I convinced the 3rd store I entered to let me wait, instead of returing the next day.  During the 45 minute wait, I was served my choice of champaign, wine or coffee.  The watch was returned.  It had been cleaned, water-pressure checked and battery replaced. Want to guess how much they charged me....I took pictures and a hard back catalog of their store to serve as my receipt. There were no performances of music for me to see, but I did find the Museum of Music which presented a faboululous rendition of the famous composers of Vienna;  Hayden, Mozart,  Bach and others.  Also had a screening room where they showed the New Years Concert of the Vienna      Philharmonic.  I will have to return one day and see this live.

PHOTOS HERE