Each January 1, I wake up early to catch the Eurovision broadcast of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s New Year’s concert from Vienna’s Musikverein. And each year, it makes me want to visit Vienna again. I do not always give into this feeling, but every other year, I cannot help myself, so I book my train tickets and find a good airbnb apartment. Now that it is 2018, I’m going back for a week of total immersion, once again :-)

Nature, architecture, and an endless list of cafés and restaurants to find: five full days in Vienna and I was ready! Lists on Foursquare? Check! https://foursquare.com/leonieke/list/vienna-2016-food https://foursquare.com/leonieke/list/vienna-2016-places Airbnb Apartment? Check! Google Map? Check! European Rivers - Day One Train journey from The Hague, NL to Vienna, AU An early wake-up call (thanks, Mom!), my suitcase packed and I was ready to catch my taxi. At The Hague Central, I was happy to find that at 5:45AM, I could get a fresh cup of tea.

In Vienna every place Beethoven looked at, it’s marked by something. Wynton Marsalis What is it about this city that has captivated me so? Another week in Vienna, another Airbnb apartment booked, and seats on trains reserved. I’m making lists of places to visit and places to eat in Foursquare — checking them twice —, and I’ve started collecting those same addresses in a Google Maps. And for the weekend, my friend Katrin will join me!

Ridiculously early alarm set. Electronic gadgets with loaded batteries. Suitcase packed, including cords for all these gadgets. Ticket and passport ready. A busy week ahead in Paris, finally my time off for some vacation, and it was much needed: the last weeks of Summer had been crazy, with colleagues away on vacation and me preparing for my vacation! As with my other trips, I once again started by creating foursquare lists (Paris Food 2015 and Paris Places 2015) and maintaining a Google Map.

Decision made: this year, I will visit Berlin again. Two years ago, this city made a lasting impression on me and as there is always loads more to see, I wanted to return. Earlier this week, my friend Fem asked me when I was planning to visit Berlin because she would be going there shortly too. After checking my work calendar, I booked a train ticket, found an appartment and I’ll be meeting up with Fem in Berlin!

Early morning start, my last full day in Vienna. I was planning to catch a performance of the Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister band at 10:45 on the corner of Kohlmarkt and Graben. Unfortunately, due to the weather (it was once again raining!), their performance was cancelled. I guess another lazy breakfast was in order, this time at Café Korb. And as the weather did not improve, I made my way over to Karlsplatz for a visit to the Wien Museum where they had a great exhibit: The Metropolis Experiment - Vienna and the 1873 World Exhibition.

The promise of another rainy day made me start with a lazy breakfast at Café Griensteidl on the Michaelerplatz (right at the Hofburg). A short walk a_ond I was at the Heldenplatz again in front of the Neue Burg: obligatory photos taken of course! From there, and I had seen her already earlier this week, I went into the Volksgarten to see if I could take any photos of the monument for Empress Elisabeth.

And it will Rain rain Go away, go away Rain rain Come back again another day [Rain by Terence Trent D’Arby] The weather gods promised rain and they delivered! I tried to stay inside as much as I could, but as in the morning the weather report mentioned “light” rain, I decided to do some outside photography where I could. As I had not yet visited the two other Otto Wagner Ubahn stations, I went out on U4 and hit them both: Stadtpark station and Hietzing station (near Schloss Schönbrunn).

More to see, and more to enjoy the summer weather: the clouds are gathering and the promise of rain is upon the city! Apart from a morning visit to see the Lippizaner horses train at the Spanische Hofreitschule, I spent as much of this second day outside as I could. Lunch this time: just a simple sandwich in the Stadtpark, surrounded by statues of well-known composers. Dinner however: BBQ on the Donaukanal.

Vacation 2014: again, a week in Vienna, the city that caught my attention and heart when I visited two years ago (do a search, loads of posts available about that trip!). I started the day without a clear plan, just walk into the city and let’s see what happens. I picked up a city bike and went around town, just following my nose. A morning tea break at Diglas, then back on a city bike.