Vienna waited for me

I spent two semesters living and studying in Vienna back in 1984 and 1987 through a program with the Duke Wind Symphony. I made lifelong friends with the students and our director, and I got to know and love the city dearly. It, like St. Petersburg, is a cultural center. In fact, I spent the summer of 1987 in Leningrad (now Petersburg), and almost immediately turned around and spent the fall in Vienna.

So it was ironic that the first city we would go to from Petersburg was Vienna. Our agency has a conference almost yearly for all staff in Europe in a different location. This year Sopron, Hungary was choosen. We and the kids decided to fly in and out of Vienna (less than an hour away) and get in a little bonus vacation time on either side (though only 1 and 2 days, respectively).

So some pictures are in order:

Our first breakfast was at a classic Viennese restaurant that the lady at the hostel suggested to us. Turn of the century feel with Strauss waltzes in the background, and cheap but great food.

Afterwards, we saw strolled through downtown and just had to get some ice cream right outside St. Stephen's Cathedral. Kerith is so tickled because we didn't even get lunch.

After another long hike past many a historical site, nothing but fountain water (literally) from a monumental source in the city park would hit the spot.

At the end of the week, we came back through with our teammates, the O'Byrnes. Here you see us crashing in the Volksgarten after yet another long hike through the city. It was a glorious and invigorating crash, though.











Diana and I had to pose and look couple-y too.








They had an incredible playground at Schonbrunn.

Lyle flew a bird.


The best part of the whole time was the protracted opportunities for informal, fun, and simple social times getting to know better and bond with the O'Byrne's. We are so glad that God put us together with them, and amazed at how well He paired us.

Here we are just shooting the breeze over some great Austrian food at a hidden local joint that the same hostel worker sent us to. On point!