Germany, Austria and Switzerland, 2015
Tour Day 12: Vienna
A morning of remembrance
The itinerary for today included a stop at Mauthausen to tour the concentration camp and learn about the Holocaust. I think stopping to see a concentration camp when in this region is a necessary growing experience, but I knew leaving the tranquil peace of Hallstatt and heading into the somber place where so many horrific things occurred would be difficult. We were wondering whether it was disrespectful to even take photos in this place, but before leaving read a statement made by someone who had survived a concentration camp that remembering these places is important. So we compromised and took a few pictures of some of the incredible memorials that were erected here as well as a few shots of the buildings so we would remember this soul-wrenching visit. Instead of a regular guided tour, we were given audio guides and given free time to explore independently. I appreciated this method very much, as it allowed everyone to take their own personal journey through this difficult place.
 Exterior of Mauthausen |  Memorial at Mauthausen |
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 Memorial at Mauthausen |  MauthausenThe beautiful countryside surrounding the camp was such a startling contrast to the somber feel of the camp itself. |
 Memorial at Mauthausen |  Mauthausen outer wall |
 Memorial at Mauthausen |  Room of namesA memorial that was created to show the names of the people who suffered at this camp. It is horrifying to see a visual representation of how many lives were affected by this place. |
Our first goodbye
After our tour of Mauthausen, we boarded the bus for what would be the last time of the tour to head to Vienna. Since we would not need the bus after we got there, this was our last journey with our bus driver, Wim. It is amazing how close you get to people when you spend so much time over 14 days with them! While Wim was quiet, he was a wealth of knowledge about the area and showed a lot of pride in his travels around Europe. He handled the bus like a pro, even in the difficult areas in small towns. He showed each of us much kindness every day. We talked him into a quick photo before getting on the bus for the last time.
Charming, classy Vienna
After dropping our luggage off at our hotel, we headed out for an orientation walk with Hans. He walked us through the historic center of town where there were the most beautiful, classy buildings all around. There was the Kunsthistorisches Museum that we would be touring in the morning, the Austrian National Library, and the Imperial Palace. We didn't know very much about Vienna prior to arrival, but we instantly felt that it would become one of our favorite cities. The streets were charming and lined with gorgeous architecture. We just couldn't get enough, as there was beauty everywhere!
 ViennaAfter locating our hotel, Hans took us on an orientation walk around the city. This was one of my favorite photos to capture the charming streets. |  Kunsthistorisches MuseumWe walked by the beautiful exterior of the building we would be touring tomorrow. |
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 Imperial Palace |  Maria Theresa monument |
 Austrian National Library |  Imperial Palace |
 Imperial Palace |
 David in Vienna |  St. Peter's ChurchWe were lucky enough to stumble upon a chorale practice in St. Peter's as well, and it felt like something from a fairy tale! |
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 Architecture in Vienna |  Vienna |
 St. Stephen's |  Classy food cartsNo hot dog stands for Vienna! These mobile food carts sold fresh cheese and wine! |
 Food cart |  St. Stephen'sWe just loved the roof of St. Stephen's. On our next trip, we will be sure to climb the tower for a view, but we ran out of time on this trip. |
 Vienna at nightVienna is beautiful at night, with many well lit statues, buildings, and fountains. |
An evening in Vienna
After the orientation walk, we set out to explore the town and find dinner. We stopped in St. Peter's Church and were rewarded with a beautiful view and some chorale singing. It was wonderful! We continued on to look at the other beautiful architecture of Vienna and see St. Stephen's Cathedral. What a beautiful and unusual roof! The area around St. Stephen's had a fair going on and was hopping! Vienna is too classy for hot dog stands - there were mobile food trucks selling high end wine, cheese and bread! After dinner we strolled through a well-lit downtown, enjoying statues, buildings and fountains at night. What a beautiful location! We couldn't wait to explore more tomorrow!