Viennese Whirl

My second full day in Vienna and we decided to find the historic centre.

After walking for a good half an hour in sub-zero temperatures we discovered that the compass on the Trip Advisor app was not working properly (probably due to the cold) and was sending us in the opposite direction.

After much deja vu we eventually found the historic centre with the dawning realisation that we had literally been steps away from it the day before.

By walking through the arched gateway between the famous Spanish Riding School and a museum we were in the courtyard of the Imperial Palace, and then a stone's throw away from the museum quarter and Rathaus, the city hall. What we thought was the Spanish Riding School yesterday was actually the Imperial Palace (Hofburg) - now we know the value of a guide book!

At Rathaus there was a very impressive ice rink and as it was so cold and I had lost feeling in fingers and toes Robt treated me to a mug of puncsh and afterwards I tried a Wiener Schnitzel at Cafe Einstein.

On our return to the flat, where Robt is staying for work, we stopped off at the shops to buy thicker socks for me.

It was dusk by this time and this is St Stephen's Cathedral all lit up with jewel-coloured lights.