The Train to Vienna
A good friend of mine was getting married in Vienna. There was no way I was going to miss it. An opportunity to celebrate with good friends in a fabulous European city that I’d never been to before – was there even a decision to be made? The flights to Vienna were inconvenient and overpriced. I’d have to fly six hours out of the way through Russia! Or, I could fly non-stop to Paris for free using my airline miles. After a few rough google searches and some easy math, I decided a solo train journey from Paris to Vienna would be a good, little adventure.
My first international trip was when I was not yet two years old, and I’ve been traveling regularly ever since. I actually feel most at home on the road. Although I had I flown alone to meet friends here and there, had stayed in hotels alone for work trips, and had even done a day alone as a tourist in a major city, I had never traveled alone until this trip to Vienna.
I am naturally an introvert, and it takes a conscious effort for me to make conversation. I feel shy when I am eating alone or visiting attractions alone. Still, I was not afraid of a solo trip – even one as extensive as this. In fact, I thought of it as a fun challenge. This trip would allow me to push myself. I knew I’d feel accomplished and proud for forcing myself to operate outside of my comfort zone. It would be an excellent confidence builder.
Sunday: Paris
I took the red eye to Paris and arrived early in the morning. There was a huge backlog at passport control, but eventually I made it through. I took the metro from CDG Airport to my hotel, the Renaissance Paris Le Parc Trocadero Hotel in the 16th arrondissement. The neighborhood was charmingly Parisian: quiet streets with chic boutiques, outdoor cafes, and grocers selling the most beautiful produce and a satisfying selection of cheese. My room was not ready when I arrived, so I checked my luggage and set out on a walk. The Jardins du Trocadero was just three blocks from the hotel, and from there I had the most perfect view of Paris’ most iconic landmark, the Eiffel Tower. I walked along the River Seine to one of my favorite places in Paris, the Jardin des Tuileries. I love taking a slow Parisian-esque stroll through the gardens, admiring the perfectly manicured trees and colorful flowers. The day was sunny and warm. I sat in one of the lounge chairs and read my book, trying not to dose off. Once my room was ready, I headed back to the hotel. Taking a different route back, I walked up the Champs-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe and down to my hotel. It was evening by then, and I was pretty tired from the red-eye flight and a day full of walking. Plus, I had to wake up early the next day to catch the train to Munich. I took a relaxing bath and went to bed.
Monday: Paris to Munich
I woke up early and headed to the pharmacy and supermarket. I needed to stock up on French beauty products and snacks for my full day train ride (baguette, cheese, and some cherry tomatoes – the necessities). I then caught the metro to the train station.
These days, flights in Europe are very cheap, sometimes even as cheap as the train. That was the case when I was planning my way from Paris to Munich. I chose the train because I thought it would be a fun experience. Also, I love to sit idle, especially while actually accomplishing something. I enjoy long rides because I am happy to sit and read or lose myself in thought while watching the scenery pass by. There are no wi-fi distractions, no Instagram, no Facebook; it is so relaxing to me. The trip was smooth and fairly scenic, hours of farmland slowly turned to pine forest as we entered Bavaria. I arrived in Munich the evening. I had booked a room at Le Meridien Munich, which is a block from the train station. I checked in and went to bed. I wanted to wake up early to take full advantage of my one day in Munich.
Tuesday: Munich
I had tried to wake up early but ended up snoozing until 8:30 AM. I am never good at waking up early. I didn’t have much of a plan for the day, so I headed towards the main tourist area of Munich, looking for a place to eat breakfast. It was a cloudy and grey morning. I came upon a cute café and ordered a German-style breakfast: cheese, bread, fruit and a soft-boiled egg. It was perfect.
I kept walking towards Marienplatz, the city’s main square, dominated by the new city hall, which was built in the late 1800’s to replace the old city hall, which is also in Marienplatz Square. Both buildings pay homage to past Bavarian kings, particularly Henry the Lion, founder of Munich. Why is he called Henry the Lion? Well, apparently, Henry made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and on his way, he came across a fight between a lion and a dragon. He joined the fight, obviously, helping the lion to defeat the dragon. The lion was so grateful that he followed Henry home, staying faithful to Henry until the king’s death. Both the lion and Henry are memorialized around the city of Munich.
My next stop was the Viktualienmarkt. I always make a point of visiting a farmers market while traveling. I love sampling local food, it’s a great way to acquire a sense of local life. As I approached the market square I was engulfed in the smell of sausage. There were so many stands selling bratwurst, pretzels, local honey, farmer’s cheese and flowers. I picked up a block of cheese with a mountain-herb rind and a loaf of bread. With my goodies in hand, I headed towards the river with the intention of having a little picnic in Park Maximiliansanlagen.
The riverside walk along the park was lovely, but I wanted to get back to the main area of town so I could have dinner at the Hofbrauhaus, “the world’s most famous tavern.” Ok, I know it is a little touristy, but I was in a city known for its famous beer festival, so I needed to spend some time at a historical brewery!
I sat at a long, wooden table, just me and my stack of postcards. While savoring a stein of dark beer (when in Munich…), mushrooms and dumplings with a side of Bavarian kraut, I wrote my postcards to the Polka band’s lively music. I definitely felt like I was in Germany now! Tired and full, I retreated to the hotel for an early night.
Wednesday: Munich to Salzburg
Back on the train, I was on my way to Salzburg, Austria. I wanted to stop one more place before my final destination, Vienna. I chose Salzburg because it really has a lot going for it. The old town of Salzburg has a fair amount of well-preserved baroque architecture. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Plus, it is the birth town of Mozart, was the setting for The Sound of Music, and has a castle. Oh, and it has this funny little shop called Christmas in Salzburg, too, that sells (and only sells) intricately painted egg-shell ornaments. One of a kind, it cannot be missed.
I had had dreams of taking a train through snow-capped peaks and valleys with glistening blue lakes, but the scenery from Munich to Salzburg was pretty basic farmland. Once I had checked into my hotel, I sat down with a snack to plan out my day. Using a walking-tour map, I picked a few places to see and a route to follow; I thought it would take most of the day.
My first stop was the Hohensalzburg Castle, one of the largest medieval castles in Europe. The giant fortress sits on a small hill overlooking the old town. It definitely makes the landscape feel mighty and grand. From the windows of the castle courtyard, I could see all of Salzburg and beyond. I used the view to get a better sense of where I was and where I would be wandering. The view from the top should not be missed.
The historic section of the city was much smaller than I had expected. I walked down the shopping roads and was tempted to buy myself a Dirndl, the traditional Bavarian dress, but the nice ones were expensive and I didn’t think I’d get that much use out of it. I checked out a few of the salt shops, which sold some salt from the nearby salt mines, but mostly sold salt from other areas of the world. I walked past the Salzburg Cathedral where baby Mozart was baptized, but I did not go in. I wanted to wander a bit more.
There was a little food market in Domplatz, the church square, and I picked up a vegetable strudel and a chocolate pretzel. I sat on a bench in Mozartplatz Square and people-watched. The crowd was mostly tourists, doing the same wander around as me. Some were taking photos, some were negotiating rides on the for-tourists horse drawn carriages, and some were sitting on the benches doing the same type of people watching as me. Then, I didn’t really know what else to do, so I slowly made my way back to my hotel. I had to get up early the next day to catch the train to the final stop on this adventure, Vienna.
Thursday: Salzburg to Vienna
I did manage to wake up early that day, as I couldn’t miss my train to Vienna. The train ride was the fastest yet. In the days leading up to my trip, Europe had been receiving an increasing number of Syrian refugees. In response, Hungary was threatening to put up a border fence. In an effort to reduce the harm caused by Hungary’s response, Austria and Germany opened their borders. The day I arrived in Vienna’s central station was a few days after Austria had taken action. The station was full of refugees and good-hearted Austrians volunteering to help with their transitions. It was definitely a moving experience for me. I could not imagine what these families had gone through to get there or how they were feeling in a strange land that would become their home.
After getting my bearings, I hopped on the subway. I was a bit confused by the public transportation at first; there was no place to swipe my ticket, and did I even need a ticket? It turns out the subway runs on the honor system. You don’t always get stopped, but if you do get caught in a random check without a ticket, you’ll pay mightily! I checked into the Le Meridien Vienna across the street from the opera house and went out to meet my friends Sasha (the bride) and Sarah for some wine and Austrian food. After traveling alone for the last few days, it felt really nice to see familiar faces. That night, we had a pre-wedding celebration at a fancy rooftop bar, Das Loft, at the Sofitel – super chic. What an introduction to Vienna!
Friday: Vienna
Friday was our main day to sightsee, so I met Sarah and another friend, Val, at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in the heart of the historic district. Vienna was never at the top of my bucket list, and I wouldn’t have planned a trip there if it weren’t for my friend Sasha’s wedding. I’m not sure why, though, because it turns out Vienna is pretty amazing. I mean, it was the capital of the great Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was the center of classical culture, and the home of Mozart, Schubert, and Beethoven. With each corner we turned, we came upon another magnificent and opulent, baroque-style building. No wonder Marie Antoinette was depressed when she had to move to Versailles! We wandered around until sunset, not wanting to miss out on what may be around the next corner. I will definitely have to come back to this city. There is way too much to see in just one day!
Saturday: the Wedding!
Sasha’s wedding day! The actual wedding ceremony was at a vineyard on Nussberg Hill overlooking the city. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the green grape vines surrounding us created the perfect setting for the nuptials.
Celebrations were held down the hill in Landhaus, in Grinzing, a little neighborhood just outside of Vienna known for its homey, traditional-style taverns. Sasha had told me she chose Landhaus because she wanted her wedding to feel intimate and warm. I believe all of the guests felt the warmth of home in the small, cozy eatery. Plus, the spread of food was amazing: multiple types of krauts, potatoes, dumplings and salads. Basically, there was every type of Austrian food that I had dreamed of tasting, and all in this one place. Oh, and the cake was the best wedding cake I’ve had to date! The frosting was pure marzipan, mm… yum.
Sadly, I had to leave the festivities early to catch my early morning flight home. All fun trips must come to an end, but this one, my solo adventure with a celebratory finale, is one for the books.
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