Wednesday 24 July 2013

Hey folks, so we made it to Vienna, the home of schnitzel. It felt more like a pilgramige the last few miles coming in thinking of how this's where it all started for one of my favourite snacks (wiping teary eyes). We had a few great days getting down from Melk, where we were for my birthday, even making an improvised Irish breakfast to start the celebrations. After discovering that the huge monastery (at this stage something I thought was a by-word for brewery) actually didn't brew beer we (mostly me in fairness) were a little shocked, but I think in trying to appease the thirsty tourists who were clearly expecting something more from the monks other than a big pretty building, they had arranged a week of free concerts, and we just happened to be in the right place at the right time. So after a lovely day chilling out in the sun and enjoying some non-monastic beer, we headed up the hill to settle into a luxuries concert room to be serenaded by about 50 or more singers. It was an incredible evening of classical, random (there was a song that was written as a musical expression of all the eskimo's words for snow...sure why not) and some more modern stuff. We headed off the next day, and after a few lovely days travelling, finding perfect camping spots, we started looking for a spot to leave Knu in Vienna. This led to our only negative impression of the city because after trying a few canoe clubs we couldn't find anyone responsible (for anything) and ended up simply getting a tip from a passing stranger, who took pity and wondered why we were hanging out there for so long looking confused. Long story short, you can always (well, sometimes) rely on the kindness of strangers and Knu is stored safely (hopefully) in a private yard just outside the city. Once we got into the city and settled down in a small pension apartment we stumbled across we headed out to discover the city. We'd had a chance encounter the previous day when as we were settin up camp a guy in his 20s who just happened to be floating by down the river (no boat, just him and his girlfriend half swimming half drifting downstream!) jumped out to say hi, offer us his number and hey presto, we had a friend in Vienna! On a tip from him, we headed out to the Rathaus square where there's a big screen set showing free movies, basically for the whole month. We watched some German opera which was suprisingly good (in small doses) and then headed off for site-seeing. Doing the same again today and will head out tonight for a few beers. Then it's off to Bratislava for us, which is basically around the corner, where we'll spend another day or two and then it's about 400km until Budapest, where we're hoping to catch the Sziget festival for August 12th (Andrea's birthday). Here's a few more photo's. 
Chat soon, 
Col & Andrea


 


Going through the Wachau, the end of the yellow and white churchs..this one was blue!



MMNnnnnnn tasty!!!

Only one more night as a youthful 28yr old

Damage due to the Hochwasser in a canoe club

Beautiful Kolomanisall in Stift Melk

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One part of the monastery

yeah, Stricken!!!!Ladies, wenn ich zuerück bin, muessen wir so was machen =)

Birthday breaky : )

In the Wachau


Stretching the legs with canoe!


We're under 2000km!! (Random bikini chick wouldn't move!!)






Never leave home without it ; )




The Parliament




9 comments:

  1. I think my favourite picture is the one with Jameson!!! xDDDD

    No, seriously, it sounds and looks great... even without monk-beer. I am glad for you guys! By the way, don't you have sunburn everywhere? With the neverending sun you are having it's either that or you are black!

    We just had some days on vacation and enjoy a lot, we will upload a few pictures soon enough xD One day we rented a kayak and we almost died! We could not stop thinking of you, guys... So many days rowing!! But there was a difference, ours was at the sea... and it was windy and wavy xD

    Continue the fun!! Best

    Jorge

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    1. Ye, you're right, we're pretty much black, but sure ye know me, I always had a bit of a Spanish look about me ;) Thats great you guys got in a bit of training, maybe ye can come meet us and take over for a week or two???!!! :)

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  2. hey guys! have you managed to find any more monaswerys yet? myself and Ai just got back from a few days in holland yesterday. Met up with Briain and Laura - they were asking for you!

    I get the impression by the time you finish you might change the title of the blog to Around the World Without an Iphone, which appears to be at least as remarkable as the canoe thing and just as difficult, in its own way. Just go with Around the World in a Canoe with No Iphone and people will really think you guys are craaaazy! Give us an update whenever you can!
    Aidan

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  3. Hey Guys,

    looks like you are having a lot of fun... and the idea of upload some pic on the blog is just great... so that we know that everything is going fine and we can have some news :-)
    So, where are you by this time? Romania?

    Hope to hear soon about your new adventure, till then have fun :-)

    Egi

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    1. Hey Egi, how're keepin buddy?? I hear you're on holidays too? What are ye up? We havent quiet made it to Romania yet, thats another few hundred more km and the headwinds are really slowing us down. Workin our asses off to get 30km a day done by the time the thunder storms close in in the evening. Hoping we can hitch a ride on a barge and make it all easier, otherwise its gonna be a really hard month or two left, and at that stage the weather'll only be gettin worse. Keep ur fingers crossed for us buddy! But its definitely not all bad news, we're surrounded by such nice people ye wouldnt believe it :)

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  4. Egi! By this time they should be, at least, in China ;P

    (Jorge again)

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    1. In Belgrade now and gonna try hitch a ride on a barge...who knows, I hear China's lovely this time of year ;)

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  5. Pics look very similar to bar harbour, pity we didn't have the hip flask that night we kipped on the beach! how you getting on now beautiful?

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    1. Haha, jaysus shea what we needed there was a can of petrol. Half to drink and half to burn! Ye remember that lithuanian lookin one in Starbucks who barely spoke english but had just enough to take the piss and say they had no accomodation. Shockin, she ruined her chances anyway, and ye only get one chance with the like of us! ;)

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