Oh I like this place. It feels very livable. It has all the history, architecture and all that of the other places I’ve ridden through, but it also has a very current and urban side to it that I haven’t come across on this trip. Here’s what I mean.
I don’t know enough about architecture to speak to the style, but the buildings are less storybook than Prague and more, hmmm, business.
The other side of of the equation looks like this.
Often, you can take in these scenes in the same view. I like it.
My day started at a cafe, I couldn’t decide between a cinnamon bun and something more exotic. Uncharacteristically I did not get both. (I changed tactics later).
And then I rode around town. And around and around and around once more.
I started by trying to ride the *ring*, a circular road / route that encloses the core. But I think I failed miserably. Which is ok. Then I went to Brunnenmarkt, an outdoor market with a heavy Turkish bent.
A little to early for lunch though. So I set out to the Balkan Mile, a Croatian and Serbian neighborhood. I went to a Serbian grill and lost all control. Started with a chicken sandwich, and then asked about some kind of fried cheese thing. Next thing I know I have this whole new meal in front of me. They guys working the place must have thought me nuts. I finished it off with a Serbian chocolate pastry.
I was waffling about whether or not to go to a museum, and if so which. I chose the Leopold, which features mostly 20th century Austrian artists (including Klimpt) and currently has an great exhibition of a private collection. The paintings were amazing.
After that I figured I’d better go back to camp to make sure all my stuff was still in the tent where I left it, and to rest for a bit. On the way it rained. The good kind though. it shaved 5 to 10 degrees off the mercury and lasted all of five minutes.
Once here I got lazy. That Serbian feast did me in. I just went out to the closest grocery store for some snacks.
Now I’m trying to decide if I should stay here another day or leave tomorrow as planned. The ride to Bratislava is 3/4 of a day and I’ll spend two nights there. Bratislava to Budapest is a 2 day ride and if I leave here tomorrow I’d have 3 days there, otherwise just 2. There’s nothing specific I am looking to do here, I just like it. Maybe I’ll have some divine inspiration in my sleep.
Is that purplish snack a glass jar of yogurt? Looks like a yummy snack regardless. Wouldn’t want you to starve.
Tough call on spending the extra day there or in Budapest.
It’s yogurt. And it was good
You aren’t your father’s son if you didn’t get the cinnamon bun! Food looks delicious (a picture of the chocolate dessert next time please), buildings beautiful. Looks like a wonderful day and a place you could easily fill another day and not feel like you’ve seen it all. Budapest would be a great place to spend time as well. I did a Google search to compare the two. First, Vienna is much more expensive. One search said if you fell in love with one of the cities you probably aren’t going to like the other city as much…….but on the other hand – food is better in Budapest…..spicier which is right up your alley but Vienna has better pasteries, something else you love. Tough decision. Budapest came out top most of the time, close though. Just depends on what you’re interested in seeing.
My vote is one more day in Vienna. Something tells me you’ll find new/more adventures there but I’m sure Budapest has a lot to discover as well. I look forward to the next blog to see what you decide. Regardless, please, more food pics 😉
What, no pictures from the Klimpt exibition?? I would love to see!!!!
I am, however, starting to understand your fixation with food! (I’m guess I’m just one of those eat to live kinda guys and not the other way around….)
Clearly you don’t have to worry about acid reflux when you sleep. Lucky you!
Food can be both utilitarian and exciting. I spend a lot of time thinking food on a bike. Pavlovian thing I guess.
Hahahah! Maybe Talking Head’s “More Songs about Buildings and Food” could be your riding soundtrack!
I am glad you liked Vienna! And its really great to see this city anew through your eyes (I live practically on what you called the Balkan mile bit never had the fried chesse thing). I am ver much looking forward to going back to Vienna now 😉
I love it. May have to visit you at some point :). By the way, here are the burritos I had in San Francisco on two previous bike trips: https://chadbikes.to/sf-to-sd/day-1-sfo-to-half-moon-bay/ and https://chadbikes.to/pdx-sfo/day-15-bodega-bay-to-san-fracisco/
Yeah, you should come visit! There’ll always be a bed or couch for you.
I think I have seen Taqueria Cancun, but I don’t think I have had burritos there. But I have stayed a night at Samuel P Taylor camp site. It was January and quite cold and apart from my friend and me, there was only one other person who made us coffee in the morning because we couldn’t get our stove to work. It was my last week in the bay area and I’ll never forget this wonderful trip. We mostly followed this route:
https://bikepacking.com/routes/north-bay-overnighter/
You should definitely do it if you ever get back there!
(We did it with way to much stuff and old and heavy panniers and had to push our bikes quite a bit but it was so beautiful)
This looks like a great and challenging ride! May have to lose the chair to do it 😉