Vienna Trip

We headed out early Thursday morning (4am) and arrived in Salzburg to tour the Salt Mine by 11am.  Not sure why the cute costumes but everyone felt rather fat after tucking all their coats and clothes into the trousers.

 We took the train into the mines (see below), then slid down some wooden slides, took a boat across the little lake used to extract the salt, took another slide, then headed back up on the train.  While under the mountain we crossed from Austria into Germany and back again (without going through customs).

 In Vienna, we started at the Schonbrunn Castle.  We are heading into the gardens and then up to the Gloriette on the hillside.

 Kent and Ryan won the maze challenge, first into the middle and then the first ones out.  They were rather pleased with themselves.

 For receiving the consolation prize, Dan and Erin rode the teeter totter.

 Ryan got to ride the bird with Kent and Dan pulling the lines.  The wings went up and down and the body did to.  I'd never seen anything like it.

 From the Gloriette we get a view out over Vienna.

 Next we headed to the Prater (amusement park).  You payed individually for the rides so it was the first time we had ever done bumper cars with only our family.  Our first time we all rode individually then we had a few tokens left so they doubled up.

 We found the strangest roller coaster where you lie down.  Kent thought we should all try so we would know what it feels like to fly (like him).

 Then out to the Hundertwasserhaus.  Nathan had studied the artist in art class so was super excited when we got there (not knowing where we were taking him) and he recognized it.  The colors have faded over the years but it was still rather awesome.

 After touring Stephansdom Church and the catacombs we were all tired but the day wasn't over...so when the horse and buggy driver approached us, we were an easy sell.

 We got a great overview of Vienna while cuddling up in the buggy.

 With our driver and horses and the Stephansdom in the back left.

 On our way home we stopped in Innsbruck and visited Schloss Ambras--another castle.  Nathan was sort of coveting the armor.  I am sorting wishing he wore some--would it hurt more or less when the kids hit on each other?

 Here's the Spanish Hall of the castle.

The drive to and through Innsbruck I expected to be carving through the mountain passes.  Instead, they tunneled through all the mountains.  One tunnel was 15 km.  We didn't see as much scenery as I expected but when we did it was gorgeous!  We also drove through Liechtenstein to add another country to our list.  The best part was that the bathrooms were free!!!