One Week Has Passed Already

PensionAnna- we are in the room above the door and to the right.

It has now been one week since we left Tasmania and headed to Europe. After a couple of days in Dubai where we realised we own no wealth whatsoever we flew to Vienna.  We have been staying in a Pension called PensionAnna and it has been lovely. Reasonable rate in the city centre, breakfast inclusive and upon posting photos up on my Facebook a friend said it looked "homey".

It took us a day to get our bearings but once we discovered the simplicity of the underground we were well and truly off.  We have walked everywhere, hopped on and off busses, had a tour of the Spanish Riding School which I loved, been to museums and eaten wonderful food.

The PensionAnna book corner. It is very sparse. I did check them out though.
All of them in German except one thriller in English

As this is a book and travel  blog I better also talk about books. There is a large, 3 story book store at the corner of our street that has a cafe on the first floor. Very  nice. I had a good look at all the books. As most of the books are in Deutsch I didn't get too far reading the blurbs on the back. However I did enjoy the covers.   There is a large section in the back of the store dedicated to English readers. The books were those you'd see in any modern book store, however mostly modern fiction and some non fiction. I guess that is what you would expect to see.  What was very nice is how busy the store was. People everywhere. All enjoying the books.

There was an area at the back of the second floor for children. I looked at the children's books and enjoyed seeing the variety of the German/Austrian selection.
There was little furniture in the back also where mothers were seated with their youngsters and I could hear them reading aloud to the child. It was lovely to watch.

Aren't these gorgeous little dishes. I wanted them all. Instead
I took a photo of them. "No Space in the Case" is my mantra.

I vowed not to buy any books on this trip. After all I have my Kindle. However I did buy a couple of little notebooks in the museum gift shop and a small book about the history of the Spanish Riding School.  I have wanted to visit this school since I was a child and saw the Disney Movie "Airs Above the Ground." I never gave up that little dream. We were here in the 80's but it was summer and it was pouring rain, the school was closed for renovation and the horses were south of here in their summer pastures. I always said I would come back and see the horses and finally it happened. They are simply beautiful. But sadly no photography allowed in the stables. So you'll just have to take my word for it.

Beautiful books available in the Museum gift shop.

Our other favourite pastime is taking photos and people watching. We have been pointing out all the dogs to each other. We love dogs and love to see the variety of dogs here.  I have scattered some shopping and eating photos throughout this post. As I only brought a small suitcase and a backpack with few clothes I vowed  not to take home too many souvenirs.  So I am shopping by camera. If I would love to buy it I take a photo of it instead and then if I do remember it once home I can at least look at the photos.

I have not been reading at all except for tour guides.  I have nothing bookish to post. We get back to the room at  night and then collapse in a heap only to be wide awake by 6 the next morning ready for another day.  

Interesting books about Lipizzaner horses and the Spanish Riding School.

Sadly we leave Vienna today and are scheduled on the 11:30 am train to Salzburg. We will be there for 3 nights before heading south to Verona, Italy.  I promise I'll continue to keep an eye open for very good book shops.

Wonderful black tea and a "Mozart Bomb" cake that really was heaven on a stick. Museum coffee shop

Later we visited the Jewish quarter and ate wonderful Saurkraut soup
for lunch. We love sauerkraut but had never had the soup.
Saurkraut, chunks of potato, smoked bacon bits and chives.

Which piggy bank do we take home to start saving our pennies for the next trip.