Tales of Vienna

Returning to Budapest has made clear that Vienna is a gleaming city. Not that Budapest is bad. It just does not evidence the gleaming, scrubbed prosperity of Vienna. Trains no longer stop at the borders of countries in the European Union. We could tell when we crossed from Austria to Hungary by the condition of the houses and villages. Hungary shows the effects of the stress on it's economy. Yet, there were beggars in Vienna showing that not all have shared the obvious prosperity. Vienna is a cultural mecca with music, dance, theatre and other arts readily available. One of the high points for me was free...hearing the 30 ton bell in St. Stephan's pealing! As we walked the few blocks from out hotel to the subway at St. Stephan's Platz we were accompanied by the ringing of church bells from several directions.