July 28-29 – rest days in Vienna

We have finished 17 riding days and 995 miles (1601 KM). Just 1330 miles (2140 KM) more to get to Istanbul.

Several of us have road rash and cuts from bicycle mishaps, one person hurt her ankle and rode in the van for a couple days, and we’ve had a bunch of flat tires (two riders are tied with three flats each). I’m not the only person with a bee sting. Others have been stung while bicycling on their hand, thigh, or crotch.

We’ve ridden in heat, in thunderstorms, on asphalt, cobblestones, crushed rock and through water and mud.

It’s a great ride. TDA support is good. Morale is high.

We’re doing our usual rest day activities: laundry, cleaning/lubing/repairing bicycles, eating out, exploring the city. I think most of us are seeing at least one concert. This is the city of Mozart, after all.

The hotel is nice. Good sized rooms, lots of towels, air conditioning, and nice breakfast buffet.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

View through window of nearby business

Lots of bicycle traffic and parking

I am lucky to have a former work mate living in Vienna. I originally met Marilies when she worked in Dubai. Now she works in her home country. I take the subway to get close to her house, then she drives over to pick me up. She and Stephan prepare a traditional Austrian meal made with vegetables just picked from their garden. Delicious. Additional bonus: I have my laundry done at their house.

View of Vienna from near Marilies’ house

Marilies and Stephan cooked a wonderful Austrian dinner for me

On my second rest day I explore central Vienna by walking around and using their Ring Tram. My opinion of the Ring Tram is so-so. Vienna’s subway system is outstanding: clean, efficient and fast.

Clean and fast subway

An important building. (See why I can’t remember below)

Another important building

I’m back at the hotel in mid-afternoon and discover Jay has bought a bunch of nuts, figs, and a bottle of wine that we have to finish NOW because he doesn’t want to carry them tomorrow. (It’s a reason I can’t remember the names of the buildings above.) I think this afternoon’s activity also contributes to the comedy below.

The evening’s comedy

I had earlier arranged to meet Melissa and Michel for a pho dinner at 6pm and go to a concert afterwards. I think we are meeting in the hotel lobby. I join a group of riders in the lobby who are going to a Thai place with pho, and when I receive a message from Melissa saying she is already at the restaurant, I reply I am on my way with a group of people.

I put my phone in airplane mode when we use the subway to go to the restaurant. I am a little befuddled when Melissa isn’t there, but the afternoon’s wine calms internal alarms that normally may have been set off.

We order and wait a long time for the food. While waiting, I activate my phone and see the string of frantic emails from Melissa asking where I am. It suddenly strikes me: l’m with the wrong bunch of people at the wrong restaurant. Just as I realize this, the waiter serves my platter.

The concert begins at 8pm on the other side of town. The current time is 7:42. I push myself away from the table, apologize to everyone, and ask them to bring my food as “take-away” back to the hotel. I jog to the subway and catch two trains to reach the concert location, St Charles Church.

Melissa and Michel left my concert ticket at the entrance, explaining a “bearded guy” is arriving late to attend the concert. Fortunately I am the first bearded guy to ask for a ticket at the entrance, and I get quickly escorted to the 2nd row seat Melissa and Michel saved for me.

The concert is wonderful.

Six violins, a cello, and bass play Vivaldi, Beethoven, Mozart, Haendel, and Bach for more than an hour, occasionally joined by an operatic singer and a brilliant seventh violinist. They seem to truly enjoy doing their work and have playful fun doing it. I swear there are times they are just jamming between the bars of some of the set pieces.

And I haven’t mentioned the beauty of the church. These pictures have to suffice.

Vienna Concert Orchestra In St. Charles Church

Featured violinist

Several solos

After the concert, explore the church

Main altar

Look UP. Huge reflective ball

Actually, two of them

Outside of St Charles Church, Karlskirche

Front of St. Charles Church

We return to the hotel. I retrieve and eat my still warm Pad Thai dinner after 10pm.

Tomorrow we ride to Slovakia.