…that’s an old Billy Joel song. So what if he’s a Y***** fan, I still like his music!
I’ve been interested in visiting Vienna since the city was used as a backdrop in at least two old John Irving novels that I read years ago…”The World According To Garp” and “Setting Free The Bears”. “Garp” didn’t take place completely in Austria, just part of it. I also think that Vienna was a part of some of his other books, such as “The Hotel New Hampshire”. I need to reread those, I’m pretty sure I still have copies of these books around here someplace.
Anyway, it’s clear that Irving has spent a lot of time in Vienna, and I bet if you asked him, he could recommend the best Hotels in Vienna.
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Maybe I’d want to visit nearby Germany, as well. In Europe, it is very easy to get from one country to another via the train. Many of the Hotels in Berlin are probably not too far from the train. You can purchase a Eurail pass that will make traveling easier, and save you money.
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But back to Austria…did you know that there is actually a “The Sound of Music” tour? If you love this movie, you can ride a tour bus and see where it was actually filmed. And perhaps you’ll even be able to see it as a stage play at the Vienna Folk Opera.
Vienna is also where many famous composers lived, such as Mozart, Strauss, and more. So if you love classical music, there is no shortage of it there…go and see the Vienna Imperial Orchestra in concert. Also, Vienna is home to some of the world’s greatest wines…there are many winery tours and tastings that await you. But first things, first…do some research and look for Hotels in Vienna, unless you plan to camp out on the streets! 
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Where Austria is more famous for wine, in Germany, it’s all about the beer. Did you know that Germany has a “beer purity” law? It’s true…in order to be called “beer” in Germany, a beverage can contain only water, barley, yeast, and hops. Nothing more, nothing less. This might make you think that all German beers taste the same, but this is not so. There are so many different kinds of hops and yeast, and even the same kind of barley can be roasted to create different flavors. When you see dark beers, in Germany or anywhere else, they are that way because the barley was roasted to a nice, chocolate/coffee color.
Of course, the most famous annual event is Oktoberfest. It’s too late to look for Hotels in Berlin, or any other part of Germany in time for this year’s fest…it’s probably over by now. But it’s certainly not too late to start planning for next year!
But you can enjoy fine German beers at any time of year, and maybe you’d prefer to go when it’s less crowded, anyway. There’s always plenty to do there, great dining, museums, theatre, etc.
All of this talk about beer and Oktoberfest is making me thirsty…think I’ll call Mike at work and ask him to bring home some Sam Adams Octoberfest beer tonight. And maybve, someday, we’ll get to see the real thing!
