Up First Thing,

and I started on the blog, 

it was a long day, but I finally finished the blog and posted it, the last post in the afternoon, if you do start reading it remember to hit the 'Older Posts' button at the bottom right of the page, in the evening my meal was liver and bacon I had bought yesterday in Gravesend, 

'Cheers!, after my meal I was out, 

changing buses in Beckenham I barely had time to take my camera out before the 227 came along, 

I was meeting Steve here at the Moon & Stars, we chatted the night away, but I must say it was so cold inside, I put my fleece back on to keep warm, after saying our farewells we made a move for our homes, arriving home Diana had sent me a few photographs from Paris,

well naturally a shopping trip to Paris included a visit to Louis Vuitton, 

as you might expect a huge queue, 

but they made it inside eventually, Vuitton's all round!

then a bit of bad news, they had booked a evening river cruise and meal, but due to flooding the trip was cancelled, so another venue it was for their meal, back to the UK it was feet up for a nightcap, before I was off to bed.

As We Were In Vienna On Wednesday,

I am visiting Duncan on Thursday, I will start the Vienna posts on Friday,

out into a cold clear chilly day,

I took this photograph quickly, the battery in this mobility scooter had run out, who ever it is was stuck on the hill,

past Peter Pans Pool,

clear skies looking towards Catford, 

a change of drivers at the bus garage was thankfully quick, 

through the Lewisham one way system,

unfortunately no through trains to Gravesend, so a change of trains at Dartford, 

I popped into Gravesend to pick a few things up, milk, a meal for tonight, Diana was away for a couple of days, to use up the last of her holiday she meet up with Wilma and the girls are having a couple of days in Paris, 

clear skies over Gravesend station, onto the 483 bus, 

and I was soon walking up the hill to the nursing home where Duncan stays, 

into the grounds, the birch tree at the entrance totally bare, 

as I entered the home some bad news Duncan was not there, he had been taken to hospital, I am guessing for some more calcium and iron injections, unfortunately yesterday I forgot to call the home to make sure he was there, so turn around and retrace my steps, 

in a few months the roses will be in full bloom,

out of the nursing home and a bus to the station, I was in luck, a through train to Blackheath was due, 

waiting at the bus stop in Blackheath, across the road, 

the florist shop still looking for a buyer, as I had shopping with me I stayed downstairs, so I did not take any photographs on the way home, 

arriving back in the park still blue skies, I think it is going to be a cold night, in the afternoon I made a start on going through the hundreds of photographs from our Vienna trip, after my evening meal it was feet up for BattleBots and a Deadliest Catch before a Midsomer Murder, and then for myself I was off to bed.

Day 1 Vienna,

Diana has a weeks holiday that she must take or lose it, 

and as she has her new UK passport, 

we are of to Vienna for a few days, 

along with Steve and Kai, 

we have a early flight from Gatwick airport,

we all chose salmon and scrambled eggs, 

or a full English fry up, 

the weather was not kind, drizzle as we left the UK.

which thankfully disappeared as we reached Vienna,

group photograph as we waited for our taxi to the hotel, 

and here we are, at the Hotel Mercure Wien City,

our rooms were very nice, 

and had a huge television, just a shame only 6 channels were working, even BBC news was a no no,

bags dropped off,

and we were out, into a unassuming street, 

but even so the entrance doors of the buildings,

ornately decorated, 

we made our way towards one of the cities iconic attractions, I must say here that Diana and myself both like a film called,

 The Third Man, that was filmed here, Diana and myself wanted to visit some of the places the film was shot, 

a huge statue, 

at the roundabout,

in front of the station, 

but past it,

in the distance, the Ferris wheel that featured in the film,

a quick pose, 

before we walked into the park and its attractions,

the wheel was huge, 

well I just had too!

we made our way past the attractions,

walking towards the wheel,

on the left, whatever this is it has a neat dragon above it, 

on the other side of the street small shops, 

in the distance a ride that looked so frightening, 

swings rose up the outside of this huge tower, scary dairy indeed!

there  were lots of food and beer stalls, but first we went inside to buy our tickets, 

inside gondoliers, 

which may be original, 

but if so are a lot smaller than the ones now in use, 

they were arraigned in a circle, 

inside of each one,

a diorama, 

of events, 

I guess in the history of the city,

and of course a snow scene, 

in to buy our tickets, 

all set, 

a pose,

and we were in the very short queue,

the iron works massive,

we waited our turn, I can imagine in the summer the queues would be huge, the advantage of going off season, no queues, but bitterly cold!

we were soon in, 

the wheels turning that powered the cable that rotated the wheel,

we settled down for the ride, 

looking over the city,

naturally, 

I was snapping away, 

nearing the top of the ride,

looking down, a long way down, rather disconcertingly, if anyone in the car walked to the other side of it, the car tipped as their weight altered the dynamics of balance in the car, and when 2 people did the same the car really swayed!

now was this the door where Harry Lime played by Orson Welles open the door to view Vienna? and after leaving the car gave his totally of the cuff remark that was actually recorded and kept in the film?

this is the film clip, known as the 'Cuckoo Clock Speech' Orson goes totally off script at 2.09 in the clip, no one apparently knew the speech was coming, but it was kept in,  

near the top of the ride now, 

the girls enjoying the ride,

the car next to us was decked out as a dinning car for a evening meal served onboard,

it was a long, long way down, 

at the top, 

and starting down, 

looking through the ironworks,

nearly at the bottom, 

as new passengers wait to embark, 

we made our way outside, 

past this fearsome ride, 

and dodgems, 

it had started to drizzle as we left the park, 

so into a café it was, 

they served Asian food, 

my meal and Steve's on the left, the girls on the right, 

and nice mine was too, 

Kai and Diana as well as Steve enjoyed their meal,

after we finished,

it was already getting dark, 

we walked along the bank of the canal,

stopping every now and then, 

to look at the sights,

then in town, for a look at the shops, 

like this one, 

the candy store, 

all manner of goodies here, 

to tempt those with a sweet tooth, 

no guessing who!

the choice was amazing, 

purchase made and we were out of the shop,

when we saw this place, we were looking for some where for our evening meal, 

so the Lindenkeller it was then, 

downstairs, 

into a spacious, 

and nicely laid out dining room,

Steve and Kai, 

Diana and myself, one of the many things I wanted to do in Vienna was have a genuine Vienna schnitzel, and I did! 

all together "Ah!",

the other thing I wanted to try was again a genuine apple strudel, and here it is, 

'Cheers!',

all in all it was we all thought quite reasonable, the bill came to about 200 euros, 

outside we started the walk back to our hotel,

over one of the many bridges, which was easier said than done, the pathway had been gritted, but it was still a bit dicey in places, 

a look along the canal, 

and towards one of the other bridges, 

a quick pose, 

and there it was Diana Bad!

back to the lounge in our hotel, 

which was spacious to say the least, 

every thing here, 

self service, 

a good selection of wines on offer, 

a 'Cheers!' from the girls, 

and one from Steve and myself, 

time to try some of the goodies from the candy shop we called into earlier, 

a blue dolphin, 

that Diana pronounced delicious, a couple more nightcaps and we were off to bed.