and Zurich too! Yea, it was a lot for one week. My main purpose for this trip was to visit family and check out some spots along the way. My favorite aunt and uncle (who is Austrian), were spending a few weeks in Austria, and I wanted to see them since I was so close. The last time I saw them was 9 years ago in Beijing, right after I graduated high school. My uncle currently works for the Austrian embassy in Lima, Peru. In the past, they have lived in Beijing, Vietnam, Slovenia, New York, and other places, with a home base in Vienna.
My aunt and uncle live in the 21st district of Vienna called Floridsdorf, in the northernmost part of the city limits. They are for sure an interesting pair! My uncle started learning Mandarin at university, and he went to Shanghai in the early 80s to continue studying Chinese. Back then, he was probably the only Western looking guy for miles around, much less one that could speak the language. He found a job at the Austrian embassy in Beijing, and then met my aunt shortly after. My mom (her sister) had moved to the US with my dad around that time. After marrying him, my aunt moved to Austria without knowing a lick of German, and now she and my uncle speak a combination of Mandarin and German with some English and Spanish thrown in for good measure. It’s quite confusing at times!
So this was my rough and rushed itinerary: Vienna > Bratislava > Vienna > Feldkirch > Liechtenstein > Feldkirch > Zurich > Luxembourg. Given how quick each stop was, I’ll just share pics with a few notes.
Vienna / Wien
- Food
- I did a free walking tour and then ate schnitzel at the 3rd gen Figlmüller because the OG and 2nd gen locations were full or closed (respectively). Was delicious but slightly touristy.
- I waited in line to have the Sachertorte at the Sacher Hotel Cafe. Was very delicious, but very touristy and not worth the wait in the hot sun.
- Sightseeing
- St Stephen’s Cathedral: lovely square, beautiful roof, crowded
- St Peter’s Church: gilded and ornate interior, not as crowded as St Stephen’s
- Austrian National Library: pretty interesting Free Mason exhibit, beautiful old globes, statues, and painted ceilings
- Belvedere Palace and museum: looove Gustav Klimt, paid €15 for just the Upper Belvedere, then took a stroll around the palace grounds for free
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