Arrival in Vienna

walking from the metro station to our hotel

Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial in Judenplatz square

Sculpture of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, a German poet and one of the most outstanding representatives of the Enlightenment era

figures above the Bohemian Court Chancellery at Judenplatz

our dinner spot

Sheron and Frank chat with Frank's brother Pat and Pat's daughter, Lisa

catching up with Pat

Pot Roast with potatoes

Pork with cooked onions and red peppers and potatoes, budapest style

Wienerschnitzel (pork)

Wine with dinner

wine after dinner at Pat's house

Sacher-Torte, a famous cake of Vienna. Chocolate with a layer of apricot jam

Our trip began at the airport in Monroe with uneventful flights until we arrived in London. We were really surprised at the amount of fog there was in London and that did delay our flight out to Austria about an hour. We arrived at the Austria airport, went through border security, picked up our bags, got some money at the ATM (located outside of baggage claim) and made the decision to ride the CAT (transit bus from the airport to the center city) and then the metro to a stop fairly near our hotel. We had an easy walk for about 10 minutes to our hotel and outside the doors were waiting Pat and his wife, Hanni. Pat is Frank's brother who lives here in Austria and both brothers were so happy to see each other. Pat and Hanni welcomed us with hugs and introductions and then left us to showers and rest before dinner. We ate dinner with Pat, Hanni and their daughter Lisa at a wonderful restaurant and enjoyed some pretty typical Austrian fare and one of their favorite light white wines,  Gruner Veltliner. The restaurant, Beisl zum Sherer, is located in Judenplatz square. The Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial is located there. It is a central memorial to the 65,000 murdered Austrian Jews in the Holocaust. We walked from there across the city center making a big square to eventually wind up at Pat and Hanni's apartment in the city. While there we ate Sacher Torte, a chocolate cake with apricot jam, made famous here in Vienna. While walking we marveled at the city sights all lit up. We walked back to the hotel and Brian, Danny and I went straight to our rooms to bed but Sara Beth, Sheron and Frank went to a local wine bar with Lisa for a little more time to visit. Tomorrow we will see Vienna in the daytime with Pat and Hanni before Frank and Sheron leave to go home with them.