That I am no opera fan. And Baroque is for the birds. But, Vienna does offer most excellent hiking opportunities.

Last weekend, we tried another trail that I had run across while walking to a friend’s house earlier in the week. Located at the end of a bus line that goes right by our house (did I mention that public transport here is awesome?) this trail is a “wander” through the vineyards of Salmannsdorf and Neustift am Walde.

It was not a planned hike. But we know by now that when we get a clear, sunny morning in Vienna in the winter, we need to get the heck out the door and enjoy it before the clouds roll in. The craving for Vitamin D is strong in us.

When we got to the start of the trail, we saw one path going up and one going down. So, of course we took the path going up. Yeah, we’re just that kind of crazy. Really, it wasn’t that hard. Just cold as a brass you-know-what up there on the hillside. So, the Austrians thoughtfully supplied a cafe along the way, serving strong, hot cappuccino. This is major plus to hiking in Europe.

The whole trail took about 2.5 hours including some time spent standing around, scratching our heads and translating signs. That’s another thing about the hikes around here. They aren’t for tourists. They are for the Viennese. So, anything you need to know is in German. I don’t know how anyone gets around without just a little bit, anyway. And the language is, quite frankly, a total beeyotch. I am darn proud I can order a couple of cappuccinos by now. Without cream, because I am, after all, an incredibly irritating control freak.

By the time we caught the bus home around noon, the wind had kicked up and the clouds were indeed rolling in. Vienna is a morning person’s town, that’s for sure. Fortunately, we can handle that.  Otherwise we’d probably be suffering from rickets by now.