Sure if we wanted to spend nearly $150 for 50min ride we could have taken a gondala ride. We spent that and then some on a fine dinner of octopus carpaccio and scampi pasta instead.

Our first afternoon in Venice just around the corner from our hotel near the Rialto on the nth side. Very glad we didn't come here in summer and also glad that the island wasn't flooded as it can in autumn/winter.

Ok so maybe we did get into the spirit of things and maybe a moose head like that one on is in a box on it's way back to Australia.

After a week of hard graft at the financial conference mr blue-eyes was allowed out to let his hair down.
6000 bankers cut loose at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. Taking over 3 ballrooms with free booze, karaoke, bands and games. Be very afraid...
This was one of the state rooms decorated with gilt bird cages. I thought should be spared the sight of bankers getting rowdy.

The weather for the last few days has been as the English would say pants. Would have stayed in watching CNN and blog feeding but hunger drove me out of the hotel. As my eating times are still off I was
After something that served food at all hours. Cafe drechsler is the answer. Near the nacht market (which iwill visit again when it isn't pissing down) cafe drechsler is full of marble, dark wood chairs and cream banquettes. The menu is Viennese but lighter and more modern than the schnitzel fare of more touristy places.
The above dish was guess to a point but I was able to figure out that it had pork and saurkraut which is alles klass by me. It also had some fine bits of some kind of fried bread, oh yes indeed. This and a fine Pinot have helped block out the weather.

In the museum quarter this isthe ceiling of the cafe ive spent the last hour and a half mooching free wifi and eating a rare light lunch.

I like to order without using a phrasebook from menus with no English. The offered me schnitzel but I said nein I want something I mispronounced. I think it was pan fried chicken with field mushrooms and some kind of Viennese gnocchi. Not bad.

In an attempt to stave off jetlag I hired a bike from a bike station near the hotel and rode off into the brisk morning. I spent nearly an hour dodging chestnuts on the paths through the park.

Checked into lounge at 6am local time hit the bar not longafter that. Free bloody marys and asahii beer for dave. 8hrs later weeeee

Missing him already. Hope he still loves us in 4wks.