Where's Johnny Jet: A Voyage to Vienna, Plus his Flight out of London

London Gatwick, Thursday August 11

This column is usually published a week or two behind "real time." So last week, rather than being in Vienna, I was in London's Gatwick airport when British authorities announced they had uncovered a major terrorist plot to blow up planes en route to the United States. U.K. and U.S. governments had raised security alerts and implemented new security rules. Unfortunately, I had an 8 a.m. flight that very morning. When I arrived at easyJet's check-in area at 6:15 a.m. I had no idea -- nor did anyone else -- what was going on. There was complete chaos, and, for the first hour, I thought it was just their lack of organization. It took a while before I had heard some of the news and saw that the rest of the Gatwick airport was even more of a mess. It was totally packed; you couldn't even walk. I have never seen a place so crowded.

easyJet Counter

I waited in line to check in for 4 1/2 hours. I moved just a few feet the first 2 hours. As you can see from the video below, easyJet's service director did a great job informing his 2,500-plus passengers waiting patiently to travel. Everyone was very well behaved. I was lucky, because my flight got out (at 1:15 p.m.). Most that were scheduled to depart just 20 minutes after mine were either canceled or delayed substantially. Airport agents handed out clear plastic bags so passengers could carry on the few personal items they were allowed (wallet, medicine, passports and glasses). I had to check -- for the first time ever -- my computer, cameras, phone and all the other stuff I treat as a mega-carat diamond ring. Every passenger (even toddlers) were patted down thoroughly. Kudos to Scotland Yard for preventing a major tragedy. One final note: I am not changing my travel plans, and neither should you. I am even flying home via London next week. Just pack smart, arrive early -- and bring patience.

Helpful Link & an Exclusive Gatwick Video

• Travel Tips to be Prepared for Enhanced Security
• The One Minute Video that I took in Gatwick's Airport

And now to Vienna

Grüß Gott from Vienna! Austria is the third stop of my four-country jaunt through Central & Eastern Europe. I'm touring with my childhood friends Matt and Mike on a very special trip. At our final destination (to be revealed next week) Mike is getting married -- and I'm the best man! Last week (here's the link to the archives) we were in Bratislava, Slovakia. Most Americans who visit Bratislava also enjoy Vienna, and we wanted to be part of that group. If you're in a hurry or have ADD, don't worry; there's a 2-minute Johnny Jet video at the end of this week's story.

Bratislava to Vienna

Bratislava and Vienna are only 58 minutes by train from each other, so there's no excuse not to visit both of these beautiful cities. We used our European East Pass, which we bought before we left the States from RailEurope.com (I wrote about that at length last week), but a one-way ticket from RailEurope.com is only $25 -- and half that if it's purchased at the train station in Bratislava. We arrived at Vienna's Southern Train Station (Wien Suedbahnhof), and went straight to an ATM to withdraw some euros. The current exchange rate is 1€ = $1.28 (I use www.xe.com for my currency converter).

Alternately, by River Boat

My friend Matt took the boat to Vienna and this was his experience.

Taxi to the Wrong Hotel

The official language here is German, but, like practically all Viennese, the taxi driver spoke perfect English. He dropped us off at the wrong Levante hotel (Levante Laudon) -- which was my fault, because I had quickly written their sister property's address from their website. Fortunately we were not in a hurry so we didn't really care, except that it cost us an extra 6€ ($7.50) to take a taxi to the hotel where we actually had a reservation. The good news is, we got to check out a reasonably priced place to stay ($150 per night) for travelers who want to live like locals, because the Levante Laudon rents out 39 fully self-contained apartments in a residential neighborhood.

The Levante Parliament

Vienna was recently called "the new hub of architecture and design" by U.K.'s Wallpaper magazine. The Levante Parliament hotel is part of that trend. The 74-room hotel opened this past May, in a 1908 Biedermeier building. Natural stone, dark wood, glass and chrome -- with a dab of bright colors -- is used for the modern architecture interior. The hotel could also serve as an art gallery. Everywhere you look, there are glass works by Romanian artist Ioan Nemtoi (he also co-designed the hotel's Nemtoi restaurant), or photographs by Viennese photographer Curt Themessl. All of the art is for sale. I wasn't sure at first how I felt about the chic hotel, but it quickly grew on me. First of all, the staff were all very friendly and attentive. The rooms are comfortable, and come with free high-speed internet, a flat screen TV with satellite, a heated floor in the bathroom (a great touch!), an oversized showerhead, a courtyard to lounge in and an extensive breakfast buffet. Rooms rates begin at $250 per night. The Levante Parliament, Auerspergstrasse 9, 1080 Vienna, Austria; tel. 43-1-228-28-0.

Dinner

The first night Mike and I walked 10 minutes to the Levante Laudon hotel, where Matt was staying. We were lucky we found the place, because the street signs can be difficult for a foreigner to read. Take a look here to understand our frustration. I still don't know what the heck the name of that street is. It was 9:30 on a Sunday night, and most of this non-touristy neighborhood -- especially the restaurants -- was quiet. When we walked by one place that was jam-packed, including an outdoor patio with a 20- or 30-something crowd of locals all looking like they were having a great time, we decided to eat there. We didn't even ask what kind of food they served or what the prices were -- we were that hungry. It turned out to be something we least expected: a Mexican restaurant that was not only hip, but affordable and quite tasty. The name is fitting: Mas!, Laudongasse 36; tel. 43-01-403-83-24.

Renting Bikes

The following morning we were off to see the city. Two blocks into our walk, near City Hall, a self-serve bike rental company caught our attention. After reading a pamphlet about this service (which every city should have), we created a registration. Each renter must have a valid credit card, and fill out a 4-minute electronic user agreement on a small ATM-style machine. The initial registration fee is 1€. The fees are ridiculously cheap -- if you use the service intelligently. The first hour of bike rental is always free of charge. The second hour costs 1€, while the third is 2€. Then it starts to get a bit expensive: If you return the bike between the 4th and the 120th hour you are charged 4€ per hour. After that -- or if the bike is lost or stolen -- you pay 600€. Obviously, you don't want to rent for a long period of time (or lose it!). Tourists should ride the bike for just under an hour, park at one of 50 bike rack locations around the city, then explore on foot for at least 15 minutes. After that short period your account is reset, and you can log back in (using your credit card and password) to get a bike for the fees listed above. Remember: The first hour is free! This is a perfect, economical and fun way to see the city. Note: Every time you log in to hire a city bike, the system carries out a standard preauthorization of 20€. They are not payments, just pre-authorizations, so don't worry (like I did) when I logged on to my credit card account. For more info, check out Citybike Wien.

St. Stephan's Cathedral

Our first stop on the bike was St. Stephan's Cathedral (Stephansdom). The bike rack is located behind the Romanesque Gothic-style cathedral, which is probably Vienna's most recognized symbol. It was built in 1147, but enlarged over the centuries and completed in 1511. Fine restoration work has taken place, and the last major repairs came after World War II bombing, but it's almost impossible to see the difference. This cathedral has been the site of many important events, including Mozart's funeral. Inside you will find Gothic sculptures, and 18 altars (including the Baroque-style High Altar). Two towers offer panoramic views of the city, plus an up-close look at the ornate and colorful tiled rooftops. The North Tower (223 feet high) has stairs and an elevator, but we climbed the 445-foot South Tower (3€). It has no elevator, but there were small windows and enough space for someone who is even mildly claustrophobic to not have any problems. There is even a small gift shop at the top. For more info, log on to www.stephanskirche.at.

Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides

Throughout the city will you find horse -drawn carriages. The largest lineup that I found was in front of St. Stephen's Cathedral. We did not take one of the 40€ ($51) 20-minute rides for a number of reasons, the major one of which was that the horses did not look happy. If you do take one, be sure to look at your watch before starting. The horsemen try to make more money by cutting rides short. Note: Amazingly, Viennese streets are very clean with no signs of horse dung. That's because a bag contraption located behind (duh!) the horse catches "it" before it falls to the ground. Even when it misses, someone is nearby to clean it up.

Bike Tour

To get a better understanding of the city, we hired a tour guide through the Vienna Tourist Board. Gerhard Strassgschwandtner (e-mail: gstrassg@yahoo.com; website: www.stadt-kunst.com) charges 120€ ($150) for a 2 ½-hour tour. We saw a lot more than his usual tours, because we did this one on our rental bikes. Gerhard gave us a brief history of the city. We learned Vienna was where the Habsburgs ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and that much their beauty is still visible in the Inner City. The inner city once was fortified by a 3-mile wall, but it came down in 1870. It was replaced by the Ringstrasse, a 3-mile-wide boulevard that encircles the old city. Biking around it, you can see all the buildings built in the 1870s and 1880s. Gerhard was great, pointing out not only the important buildings, but showing and describing each museum and popular sight so we could decide which ones to go back to later time for a more in-depth look. (A good guide book can do the same.)

Hundertwasserhaus

We rode our bikes along a canal that led out to the Danube. Before we reached Europe's second longest river, we stopped along the way at a unique apartment house, called Hundertwasserhaus. It was built in 1983 named after its designer, Friedensreich Hundertwasser. It features undulating floors ("an uneven floor is a melody to the feet") and an earth- and grass-covered roof. Large trees grow from inside the rooms, with limbs extending from windows. The modern masterpiece is a popular tourist attraction, with souvenir shops all around. For more info, check out www.hundertwasserhaus.at. Source: Wikipedia.org.

Prater Park and an Amusement Park

We also rode through Prater Park. This used to be an imperial hunting ground, and is now a popular summertime hangout for all Viennese. The park -- 6-miles long and 1-mile wide -- is located on an island formed by the Danube River and the canal. There is just one main road for bike-riding. Nearby is an amusement park with an old giant Ferris wheel, and a merry-go-round that uses live horses (that's pretty cruel).

The Danube

The city is similar to Paris, as it is composed of 23 districts. Paris has 20 "arrondissements;" here they are called "Bezirke." All have their own names, but they're numbered to make it easier (thank God). The further you go out of the Inner City, the higher the numbers get. The newest districts of Vienna are located on the other side of the Danube. This is also home to the International Center. This part of the city has a totally different feel -- more like South Florida without the nice beaches. But on a hot day the banks of the Danube -- dubbed "Riviera" -- are a nice escape.

Music Film Festival

It is said that at any time of the day or night in Vienna, someone somewhere is playing the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (This year marks the 250th anniversary of his birth). We found this to be true in this city filled with theatre, opera, classical music and fine arts. Unbeknownst to us, the popular Music Film Festival that began in 1991 was going on. It takes place every night from July 1 to September 3 in Rathausplatz Square (right in front of the neo-Gothic City Hall). Admission is free, and 3,000 seats are available to watch -- on a huge TV at dusk -- opera, concerts and ballets performed by international stars. This year, my boy Mozart was featured. Arrive early to enjoy over two dozen refreshment and food booths from around the world. Mike went to the Austrian booth, Matt visited Croatia, and I felt like some curry so I hit the Indian booth. (Of course I went back to the Austrian booth for dessert). For more info, log on to Music Film Festival.

Coffee House

No visit to Vienna is complete without visiting a coffeehouse. No, Starbucks doesn't count (I can't believe they have one -- how disappointing.) We went to Café Diglas, which was recommended in Frommer's Vienna & the Danube Valley guidebook. It was a great choice. This old-school coffeehouse has incredible décor, fine service, and even better coffee and desserts. Prices for coffee range from 2.30€ ($3) to 6.50€ ($8). Café Diglas, Wollzeile 10; tel. 01-512-5765.

Video

Here's a 2-minute Johnny Jet Video of my trip to Vienna. With high-speed the video takes about 1 minute to load; with dial-up, please allow up to three weeks.

Next Week

Next week we visit our last country of this popular Central & Eastern Europe swing. It's a pretty obvious one. Hmmm . . . I wonder which it could be?

Happy Travels,

Johnny Jet

Please tell us what you think of this week's newsletter!

Reader Mail

• I absolutely love the Frommer's website and I'm totally jealous over Johnny Jet's gig. Half of my family roots are in Bratislava, and I'm anxious to go there. I can't wait until I can save up enough to visit there. The Johnny Jet page is nicely written, especially as it provides the quick photo links to illustrate the stories. Thanks Frommer's! -- Stephan Boatin -- Knoxville TN
• It was a great video, and I really enjoyed reading your articles. I e-mailed this to my brother who is leaving this Friday for Slovakia. We hope to go there next year. Thanks again! JoAnn & Marty
• Thank you for a great read and promoting Slovakia. I have been many times over the past five years and love it more and more each time I go. The country has so much to offer culturally & historically, and the people are both genuinely friendly and beautiful. Small towns like Zilina & Presov are great to get a true glimpse of what Slovaks are like in their day-to-day life. This spa was awesome, and I highly recommend it to those traveling to the region. In fact it was here I received my first massage one winter as inches upon inches of snow fell outside creating an exhilarating view. Thanks again for bringing back such pleasant memories of my past trips; makes me even more excited about my upcoming trip in September. Keith Sanders -- Alpharetta GA
• Your last two newsletters have sparked my desire to go back to Europe. My wife and I have a RailEurope pass and a round-trip ticket. I just can't find the time to go. This last newsletter from Bratislava and Slovakia was really good. I really like the photos of the local areas showing all the age in the buildings. Very intriguing. Sounded like you guys had a great time. Minus leaving a passport behind. I'm sure the slight heart attack was not fun. Looking forward to the next newsletter. Kyle E -- Redondo Beach CA
• Your rosy portrait of Bratislava contrasted greatly with my last visit there in the early 1970s. As part of then Czechoslovakia, it was behind the Iron Curtain and a very dismal gray city that nobody would want to visit. We saw the locals staring across the Danube river knowing that the free world was just on the other side but they would get shot for even attempting it. Nice how times have changed. Thanks, Brian -- Ft. Lauderdale FL
• I am one of the few Americans that have discovered Bratislava. I rode round-trip train from Budapest for 17 bucks. And loved it there. I also believe that Johnny is going to Kyiv (Kiev) next. This is my favorite destination. Brad in Texas
• I've been a reader for a few years now and I always find myself trying to follow you around the world on my vacations. My wife and I are now planning on traveling to Zermatt in Switzerland next month, and I have a quick question: In the Aug 3, 2005 newsletter (Frank's Wedding) you mentioned connecting to the Glacier Express in Visp. I've looked on RailEurope to make the same connection but it isn't coming up. Is it still possible to connect in Visp or do I have to travel to Brig and connect there? Thanks! Lee Montgomery -- Houston TX. REPLY: Thanks for the kind words and support! I connected in Brig the first time and Visp the second. I suggest following the advice of Rail Europe.
• Thank you for the honest, enthusiastic article on Bratislava. Next time we you've got to see the whole country. Z. A. -- NY NY
• Johnny's take on the English language situation in Bratislava is a bit different from ours. We had a problem with finding English speakers -- most people seemed to speak German rather than English. I didn't try Russian! But the bottom line is that we (my wife and I) agree with you on what a nice place it is. We went the first time just as a courtesy to a friend from Slovakia -- and liked it so much we stayed two nights instead of one. We've been back since, and will likely go again. We had dinner at a restaurant while there the first time about five years ago -- may have been the Slovak restaurant you mention but can't be sure. They had a piano player who played show tunes all during dinner, and did a nice job. So I left him a tip on his piano as we were leaving, and ended up having to stand at attention while he broke forth with not one but three stanzas of the Star Spangled Banner! It did leave us with a warm feeling. W. Jackson -- McLean VA
• Enjoyed your Prague newsletter, and it was right on. It is probably one of the most beautiful cities I have been to, but the people there are beyond surly. We did meet some very nice people, some who were standoffish (but that's typical for eastern Europe it seems), and then we met a few who were actively going out of their way to be rude. I think it has to do with all of the drunk British people over there that piss off the locals because when we left the touristy areas and went into the more blue collar areas the people were fine. One more thing -- Visit the Pilsner Urquel brewery -- it's a pretty cool (the worlds first pilsner). Matt -- Atlanta GA
• Again I so enjoyed hearing of your adventures, this time in Prague. Our family of four visited Prague, too, but with a tour group. Our experiences were good, but I did remember the hotel we stayed in had a policy we did not agree upon. We used the indoor swimming pool that was on the top floor of the hotel. It was more than refreshing on a hot summer day. The morning we left our tour director gave us a separate bill for using the pool! This was a surprise because we were told it was included in our stay. The tour group could not leave until we paid the bill. Obviously it was paid, but it left a bad taste in our mouths -- much like the bread in yours! Also we remembered the gypsies working the tourist crowd as we stood and watched the astronomical clock perform its motions. But you are so right -- the Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral are magnificent. Cathy Du Bois -- Torrance CA
• This was excellent and so timely. My husband is attending an International Astronomical Union meeting in Prague which starts this weekend. We will be there for about 2 weeks. I really appreciate your info and tips -- especially about the chips and bread! Hoping to have a great time. Connie G -- Columbia MD

Web Resources

• Amusement Park
• Austria Tourism
• Biedermeier
• Citybike Wien
• Design Forum
• Frommer's Vienna Online
• Gerhard Strassgschwandtner Tour Guide
• Hundertwasserhaus.at
• Levante Laudon
• Levante Parliament
• Mozarthaus Vienna
• Museums Quartier Magazine
• Music Film Festival
• OBB Train
• Prater Park
• Stephanskirche.at
• Strandbar Herrmann
• Summer Stage
• Vienna Architecture
• Vienna Card
• Vienna History
• Vienna Tourist Board
• Vienna Weather

John E. DiScala (aka Johnny Jet), is the founder of www.johnnyjet.com, the ultimate travel website and weekly newsletter. He logs over 150,000 miles a year, has been featured in over 400 articles (including Frommers.com, USA Today, Time, Fortune, the New York Times, CNBC and MSNBC), and has published the book, You Are Here Traveling With JohnnyJet.com.

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