Where duh Castles go

I had a lovely breakfast and have to admit it was nice to have one provided, it was buffet style and there were meats, rolls, cereal, crepes (they were nice tho a tad cool) filled with chocolate, all sorts of tea and several different coffees and juice. The only downside was the eating area was really small and could only hold so many people at a time but it was all nicely decorated and they they even had some Halloween decorations up.

I decided to checkout Laxenburg which is close to Vienna because there are 3 castles I took the U to the bus area and got off at the stop as instructed but in the end turns out I was still quite away from the bus station, as the norm nothing was marked  so I finally asked someone where it might be and she pointed me the right direction which was about another mile away. No indication of that on the directions I read online before I headed out.

I caught a bus pretty quick and headed off on my unknown adventure the fare was good only 2 euro arrived after about 45 mins later and got off at the stop no one else did then again really only a few people on the bus. I set off in search of any castles. I walked around in circles trying to find any hint of where I might be going to no avail. I did visit the Baroque style church it looked like a postcard or a painting the sky perfect color, I couldn’t even find a tourist area or anyone to ask. I finally found a huge map of the area pointing out the castles etc but sad to say it was all in German, Vienna is not tourist friendly at all.  

Postcard perfect day

I don’t recall how I found this park I think I saw people headed someplace and followed, not to get into the park you had to pay admission of 1.80 euro or about $3.  I paid it and asked where the Castle (Franzensburg Castle) was she pointed it out and said you pay separate admission. I walked through the park it was huge but I could see no reason to charge admission. I saw a pretty lake and there were boats and various water devices for sale and could see the castle across the water  I kept walking. I finally got to a place but could see the only way to the castle was across the water but no idea how to get there, I was thinking how on earth will I get over there.  Then I saw this contraption across the water moving and it seemed like a deck/dock/boat  it ran on some kind of pully and there was a guy taking it across.  I never saw that before you had to pay 50 pence for the ride I was the only one crossing over.

Franzensburg Castle

The Castle grounds were free so looked around, snapped some photos and used the toilet, hey free why not. Then I went to the ticket desk and paid 8 euro (seemed steep) and waited for the tour the woman said something about this is to go to the roof do you understand? Another young couple were waiting and the guide came. It seems that the tour only included

going up in the Tower and out on the roof  for 8 euro (approx $11), I guess the rest was a museum and separate cost.  However right from the start the guide asked where we were from and I said NY he decided to throw in what he called the special tour he took us through the museum and gave us Hapsburg story he said hope my English will do and it did. He was very nice and friendly got me thinking need to read up on the Hapsburgs I know I read about them years ago.  After the tour I walked through the park to a man made wasserfall (waterfall), pretty fall scenery as trees were getting some color. I also came across the ground of where they held medieval jousting that ended the day before.   I ran into the Dutch couple walking the grounds with older people and then I decided to hop the contraption back. After my ride back I was surprised to see them eating ice cream and was trying to figure how they got there so quick as they were going a different direction.

up on the roof

 

 The ride to the Castle

Schloss Laxenburg

The Castle Franzensburg

Parish church build 1693-1726

After that caught the bus back to Vienna whereupon I discovered a different entrance to the U that was not as far from the bus station.   I now looked up Laxenburg again and saw photos so I did see another Castle it is just used as a International Institute, I saw it just did not know it was a castle.

I then decided to check out the Danube so I looked  at the U map and then headed out. I walked a bit from the U stop and found it snapped some photos a lot  of boat trips from there but reading the schedules as everything else in Vienna they were hard to figure out. I was walking back and almost got hit by a man on a bike I saw nothing to indicate I was on a bike bath after he passed he looked back and shook his fist at me so continued my feeling of Austrians being not very friendly people.                                                               

Had a very  good doner kebab for dinner and sat on a bench and had it I was by a very beautiful church that unfortunately had no marker I could see, (going through images of churches in Vienna was able to find the name Kaiser-Jubiläums- Kirche" at "Mexikoplatz) this was pretty much be coming a common thing. By I found an internet place the only cheap one in Vienna and logged on for awhile and I then headed back to my B and B.

Kaiser-Jubiläums- Kirche