After joyful reunions in Poland, it was time to catch a train to Vienna. Back in the day, it was a popular destination abroad for myself, during my time working as a tour manager. Hence, it was great to return to the capital of Austria. This time with my partner and my nomad friend.

Praterturm chair swing at sunset | Photo by Marc Wieland

Prater thrills

As a die-hard fan of roller coasters, we started with Prater, the amusement park with a long history. Each ride is paid for separately, so we selected four attractions to spice up our evening. Ending with the 117-meters tall chair swing Praterturm that we did at sunset. Visiting Prater with my partner reminded me about the couple from Before Sunrise, a 1995 romantic drama filmed in Vienna.

Strolling around the royal old town

On the next day, we went on a free walking tour. I used to work a lot with the local guides. Therefore, I appreciate when local experts are also great storytellers, spinning historic tales about our surroundings. And Vienna offered so many great sights! The architecture was grand, consistent and well preserved. The Habsburgs who used to rule a vast part of the world left a remarkable legacy that we can all admire.

Tap to tip

On a side note, I was thrilled to see the tour guide using Tap to Pay on her iPhone to accept the tips. Back in the 2010s, cash was still the only method to pay for such travel services. As a tour manager, due to possible theft, I despised carrying huge amounts of cash. At last, the travel industry is modernizing.

Walking with Marc

Moreover, the trip in Vienna was accompanied by our dear nomad friend, Marc Wieland. In fact, Austria became our sixth country where we met and hung out! Despite global travel challenges and changes in our lives, we still make time to see each other. As Marc perfectly said:

If something is important, you make it happen.

We recorded "Walking with Piotrek" in Schönbrunn Park in Vienna

Vienna was a fantastic blend of different experiences. Excitements at Prater, awe-inspiring architecture, and vast green parks. It's fabulous to keep returning and experiencing this special city with important people in my life.