Austria, oh Austria

Well we've been busy bees since arriving in Vienna yesterday afternoon. Already climbed a bell-tower at the Stefansdom and then saw costumed musicians play Mozart at the Musikverein! And this morning we sauntered off to see the Hofburg and the imperial apartments of the Hapsburg empire circa 1916. Cool stuff really, and as my dad said, Princess Sisi hadsimilar qualities to the late Princess Diana (estranged, loved travel, beautiful). We're presently sat down at a cafe around the corner from the Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Tiffany's. Warm weisse bier and carbonara. Mom fancies a library an I fancy a walkabout so we'll see what happens.

P

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Longest 36 hours

Getting down to it, this whole plan is downright mad... Landed in London at 5:30 local time, 00:30 in Indiana. Didn't sleep much because the Albanian man next to me didn't know how to turn off his reading light, and my seat at the bulwark also placed me directly below the television, so I had that gentle glow as well. I'm presently aboard a coach to London (with a seatbelt! Crazy Brits) and then I'll take a second coach to the other airport. My flight leaves there around 5pm local time and I arrive in Bratislava, Slovakia somewhere near 8. So that's actually only 24 hours of travel. Not as bad as I'd thought, and I do get to chill at Standsted for a while, where I can rest up. Heathrow really is a city unto itself. Likely twice as big as the city my dad grew up in (Manawa, WI, host of the awesomest July 4th rodeo weekend) and over 1,000 times more people there on a daily basis.

Swapped coaches and now I'm enjoying free wifi on my way to Stansted. Parents trying to convince me to come to Prague (I know, horrible issue to debate, one ancient European city or another) but I'm set on my day in Bratislava, because it's another country on my list.

London is gorgeous. Wish I could stay here on someone else's dime though....


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Journey begins anew

As I write this I'm sitting in Indianapolis, waiting for my plane. I just noticed I forgot Penguie and am somewhat sad he won't see Austria and Slovakia. They'd be new ones for him, and me as well. I felt I was forgetting something...

Well, here's to a good trip! A safe one and one with only a few bumps along the way.


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Goodbye's the hardest word

That was the most meaningful goodbye I think I've ever had. I love you guys and will miss you like crazy...


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Calm Like You

I quoted this song earlier this year, and I just heard it again today. It just made me think about leaving, and that's sad.

I can still remember
When your city smelt exciting
I still get a whiff
Of that aroma now and then
Burglary and fireworks
The skies they were alighting
Accidents and toffee drops
And thinking on the train

Oh, he was young , in the frost
No regard for the cost
Of saying his feelings
In the moment they were felt
And if he was calm like you
Locked up inside of your loops
Then he'd know for well
That all he had to say was
All he had to say was goodbye

Summertime made promises
It knew it couldn 't keep
The fairytale was climbing up
A mountain far too steep
Colouring the pictures
With your loyal hand
Now I am craving heartbreak
While you're making your demands

If he was calm like you
Locked up inside of your loops
Then he'd know for well
That all he had to say was
All he had to say was goodbye...

Penguin in Transit

As promised!

Above: Train from Rome to Venice

Train from Strasbourg to Lyon

TGV from Paris to Strasbourg after my week traveling with Mom

Sleeper train from Paris to Madrid

Train from Basel to Strasbourg

from venice with island love

I'm in the hotel in Venice, the internet is expensive and slow. I'm trying to email my mom some pictures from the trip so far but it's taking forever... Hopefully they will send before my 20 minutes remaining runs out but at this rate it's not looking good.

here's a few just for kicks, including a frozen fountain from Lyon, a canal complete with gondola from Venice, and St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.