When I am much older I will....Part 3

The final days...

Our cruise was now nearing the end stages and we were on our way to Vienna, Austria.  One of the highlights of this journey was a cruise through the incredible Wachau Valley.  It was hard to tear our eyes away from the windows as the scenery was just so incredible.

Castles, villages & vineyards were all part of the
amazing sights we saw on our journey through the
   Wachau Valley.  It was a very memorable afternoon!




















Austria...beauty, opulence, and a whole lot of fun!



We arrived in Austria in the early evening and the talk of the ship was an excursion to a symphony concert listening to the works of Mozart.  Well, I said "Mozart-Schmozart" - I was going to a place I knew I wanted to visit from the moment I saw it on The Amazing Race a few years ago...The Prater!  The Prater is an historic amusement park that has a giant ferris wheel which offers incredible views of Vienna, and it's also home to many nostalgic carnival type rides. This was how I wanted to spend my evening!  My husband, of course, was on board, as were two of our friends.  The four of us set off on what was to be one of the most fun nights we'd had in a long, long time.  We all felt as if we were teenagers again - we rode the bumper cars until we were literally bruised, I got scared half to death in a haunted house, and we all laughed until we cried on the bone-breaking roller coasters.  It was truly the perfect evening, and if you are ever lucky enough to find yourself in Vienna, skip the Mozart concert and head straight for The Prater!

The next day was all about the shopping!  Oh boy, the shopping in Vienna is amazing!  Of course, we did manage to fit in a lovely horse-drawn carriage tour so that we could see the opulent palace and buildings that make up the city of Vienna, and it was a spectacular ride.  So different from any other European city that we have visited, and truly impressive.  But tucked in amongst all of these magnificent buildings are every major designer brand
that a girl could hope for.  We had a great day - wandering in and out of the shops, making a few awesome purchases, and having lunch at McDonald's!...yep, after all of those sausages, schnitzels, pretzels and the like, we just wanted a good old Big Mac.  There's nothing like finding a McDonald's in a foreign country and just knowing that it will be exactly what you are craving - a little taste of home.  We sat in the square, surrounded by Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Gucci and the like, and that burger and fries couldn't have tasted better!


Our time in Vienna was very enjoyable, and we left thinking it would be a great place to return. We were off to our final destination, Budapest, and we sailed through the night.


                                   

 Budapest...A pleasant finale!

Parliament Buildings "Pest" side

Pulling in to Budapest during dinner we were in awe of the beautiful Parliament buildings facing the riverfront. They were all lit up and looked as if they were the home of royalty.

Castle District "Buda" side

There are actually found on the "Pest" side, the more modern part of the city, and the actual castles are found on the "Buda" side, which is the older, historic part.  Budapest has an amazing offering of dining options and just about every international cuisine is represented here.  This was a pleasant surprise - we actually had one of the best meals of the entire trip at a restaurant along the waterfront called Taverna Dionysos.  If you are ever in Budapest, I highly recommend enjoying a meal at this casual, yet incredibly delicious mediterranean restaurant.

The fishies at Dr. Fish doing their thing - super creepy!

Another highlight of Budapest, and something which took me a little while to warm up to, was my "fish pedicure".  We noticed these Fish Spas were all over Budapest, and after some convincing from my friend, we decided a visit to Dr. Fish was going to be on our agenda.  I can say that it was a very surreal and odd experience, and I'm not 100% sure I'd do it again, but at the time it seemed like a good idea and boy did we laugh as those little fishies went to town on our feet.  Of course, it's only after all is said and done that you
kind of look back on it and wonder exactly how hygienic it may or may not have been.  I chalk it up to one of those things you do on vacation that you probably wouldn't consider doing in "real life", lol.

                                   

Famous Dobos cake from Cafe Gerbeaud
(We ate here twice it was so yummy!)

Since we'd gotten our "shop on" in Vienna, and our return to normal life (and healthy eating) was imminent, Budapest was all about the food.  We had some great, indulgent meals, and enjoyed some very yummy treats that we encountered during our wanderings.

Budapest Chimney Cake -  named as such due to the steam that comes up from the middle when it's taken off the spit

The Budapest Chimney Cake was piping hot and crunchy sweet...this was such a delicious treat!  This seemed to be a very popular snack as we saw many shops that sold only these!  It was fascinating watching them be prepared.

I know I had many preconceived notions about Budapest and I am happy to say that they were all shattered by the things we saw, the food we ate, and the really pleasant time we spent there.




A Happy Ending....

I have admitted to being less than enthusiastic about this entire trip from the moment it was booked, right up until I left.  Wow, was this trip a learning opportunity for me.  All my life, I have had this "bucket-list" of travel destinations I want to visit.  None of the places on this itinerary were ever near the top of that list, if they were even on it.  I learned some valuable lessons from all of this:  Be flexible. Open your mind to things and places you maybe hadn't thought of.  Embrace every travel experience for what it is - a chance to explore a part of the world that you aren't familiar with, and try new foods, and see things you never would have otherwise.  Don't be afraid to travel outside of your comfort zone - you just may end up having a trip of a lifetime, and I know you'll make some amazing memories while you're at it.  Thank you Viking River Cruises for taking me to places I never dreamed I'd go, in a way I never dreamed I'd like.

  Romantic Danube Cruise - Nuremberg to Budapest