On with the show.

I had this idea yesterday that I'd post a few pics and do some sort of update about what's been going on over the last few days,  but I guess I got sidetracked (and winded)  by the broken down elevator.
Plus I was in a bit of a sour mood,  and nobody really wants to hear me bitch and moan.

 I've also come to the uneasy realisation that I'm running out of zippy titles for each entry.   Today's entry is actually number 300,  but I'm going to try and resist the temptation to simply start using some sort of numerical system.

I mean, how much would it suck to tell everyone you went to P.S. #38 when you were a kid?  Couldn't the New Yorkers come up with a couple names?  Even though we might confuse General Brock High School with Brock University,  or Ryerson P.S. with Ryerson Poly-technical,  at least there's a name in there somewhere.

Concerning the elevator,  it still wasn't functioning by some point in the early evening.   Some time after five I was aware of my neighbour puffing his way up the stairs,  but then at some point around seven or so I heard it working.   Go figure.   They said it was to be fixed yesterday,  they just didn't say when.
 Good thing too,  since it's a tough slog for Travelling Companion to come up six flights,  what with her knee bones pretty much rubbing against each other.  One thing we always make sure to have on hand is plenty of Tylenol®.

We sort of left off at the Volksoper on Monday night,  and what happened after that is kinda blurry.
There was some hopping on and hopping off in there as well.
You may have to review.


 Tuesday night Travelling Companion was off to first Germany (Düsseldorf)  where she was picked up and driven on to Hengelo in the Netherlands,  stayed over night,  flew the next day from Düsseldorf to Vejle by way of Billund (Denmark in case you lost track)  and then returned to Vienna Friday night by way of Frankfurt.
 I'm not drawing any maps.    She had to do some sort of financial hocus pocus. (OK,  Balance Sheet reviews)
 I chose not to tell her about the out of order elevator until we were in the hallway down stairs late Friday night.  Just one of those things best kept to oneself.
Our guests had meanwhile been off touring this and that over those few days.  I did manage to get reservations at Plachutta for Saturday night,  and made sure the understanding was that we wanted to be in the non-smoking section.   Had to sort out a bit of a miscommunication the last time we were there.   (their smoking section is pretty ghastly) They still can't spell my last name right,  but as long as there was a table waiting,  it doesn't really matter.
Strange thing is,  they're starting to get to know us,  or at least recognise us.  I never thought that would happen in a city like Vienna,  but Travelling Companion has been there six times,  and I've been there three.  That's in the span of roughly six months.  I could be off on the number of times,  since I've sort of lost count.
She was back there again Monday night with a work associate who had come down from the UK.  I only volunteered to chauffeur.  Something to do with parking and Austria's very low tolerance for alcohol consumption and driving.

In Delden we became regulars at Het Witte Paard,  but Delden is kind of a small place,  and if you found a decent place to eat,  that's where you'd head off to,  if that was your plan for the evening.

I'm pretty easy to please.
Give me a decent meal,  don't rip me off,  come to the table once in a while,  and don't blow smoke in my face.
I'll be back.
It's that simple really.
 One of the things that I should mention that our two crazy Canucks went to visit on Friday was an underground lake that's about 15 kilometres south of Vienna.
In all my digging through web pages about Wienerland,  I hadn't come across this place yet.  It sounded like it was a little bit freaky,  since (and pardon me while I repeat this)  it's an underground lake.
That link takes you to the English page,  but there's also a wiki write up about it here .  There's a bit of an intriguing history there too....
There was some nasty business going on there in 1945 with forced labour,  which is only really hinted at in some of the articles about Hinterbrühl
I'll let you investigate that if you so choose.   Not so sure we'll ever be going there,  since hanging around underground isn't really one of my preferred pass times,  especially if it involves also being in a boat.
Maybe I just have too vivid an imagination.




Sunday we thought we'd drag our visitors off to church,  and went to the Augustinerkirche,  where we've been on several occasions.   Doesn't matter if you're catholic or not,  since they usually have a choir and orchestra,  and even if it were only the organ,  it would still be worth the visit.
The weather was not the best,  so we went with the car and I dropped everyone off in front of the Church so we could be sure and actually get seats.  We've learned the hard way, it's best to get there early.  I probably should have just come right back up Mariahilfer and put the car in the garage and jumped on the U-Bahn,  since the parking garage ended up costing me €12.


Idiot.
Plus I wasted all that time driving around the first district thinking I'd find a spot.

Again.  Idiot.


So between €5 for the collection,  another €15 in the "donation"  basket for the orchestra,  along with €3,50 to light some candles,  (and let's not forget parking!) our "free"  Sunday morning concert was kinda pricey.

Oh well.

Good thing we didn't go out for brunch.

And now for some random photos from after the service.

 Our visitors took the train yesterday to Salzburg,  and today they went on some sort of "Sound of Music"  tour,  which mean getting up early again.
I know they wanted to squeeze in a whack of stuff while they were here,  but Muggins here would be getting mighty tired of being on the go day after day.   I'm thinking they'll need a vacation after their vacation.  Maybe they'll get to sleep in on Saturday morning after they come back to Wienerland?
  That'll be their last chance,  since it's off to the airport on Sunday.


Then that's it!  No more visitors until we go home for Christmas!





I'll try not to count the days.





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