My First International Trip - The Final Stop (Vienna, Austria - past and present)

 My First International Trip - The Final Stop 

Vienna, Austria - past and present 

By now I'm sure you can tell why I continue to love International travel over 40 years after my first trip.  This final leg added to that love.  We left Egypt and had a layover in Vienna, Austria at the end of December.  As you can imagine it was a contrast in climates.  Visible snow was on the ground and we were going to be there for two days.  I distinctly remembered the colored tile roof of St. Patrick's cathedral.  I revisited Vienna a couple of years ago and wanted to see that roof again.  I was also able to go inside the church.  Here are some pictures of the church from my recent trip.  Can't find the one I had from 1981.  

Another memory from my first visit to Vienna was going to Opera House - just to check it out - after we settled into our hotel room on New Year's Eve.  We heard about the New Year's Eve concert at the Opera House so we decided to walk over and watch the people arrive.  On a lark, we walked into the lobby and asked if there were any tickets left for tonight's special New Year's Eve performance by the Vienna Philharmonic.  Guess what?  There were some "standing room only" tickets available and they was only a couple of dollars.  Me and the few other friends from the tour scooped them up and headed up to the top of the Opera House and listened to classic Viennese waltzes and other traditional music.  Such a magical night and another reason not to stay in your room when you are travelling - even if you may be tired.  You never know what adventure the place your are visiting holds.  

Here is a picture of the Opera House that day in 1981. 

Well, guess what?  When I visited Till in Vienna a few years ago, I had a special request.  Can we go to an opera at the Opera House?  So we did.  I can't remember the name of the opera, but you can see at the top of the seating, the railing.  That is where the standing room tickets were.  

One final stop to highlight in Vienna, Schönbrunn Palace.  Here you can really see the snow.  Also, is a picture of some of the friends that I made on the trip.  On most group tours that I have been on you become friends with people on the tour and you hope that you will remain in touch, but that rarely happens.  Most of the time for me, I forget to get their contact information and all of sudden the trip is over and they are gone.  I became particularly close to people on this trip as we were more than a random group of tourists, but were Christians who came on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and formed a choir that performed in Manger Square on Christmas Eve.  So many magical moments and bonding experiences.  I wish that was still in touch with them.  Below is a picture of some of the ones that were closest to my age.   Some names that I remember are Becky Nunez, Camile Philips?, Tom? a catfish farmer, .... Maybe one of them will see this and help me get in touch with them again.  If not, I still have great memories of our time together.  So travel is not just about the places you go, but the people you meet along the way.  :)

Thanks for reading my reminiscences of my first international trip.  What a start!