Autumn/Winter 2007 Newsletter

Viennese horses
A couple of Viennese keeping an eye on your photographer.

VIENNA - OCTOBER 2007
"Freut euch des Lebens"
So you have been to Vienna - then read no further, you will know it all but if you haven't, then read on. This is for you. Oh What a dream!

Well what is Vienna? On the one hand it could be the last true gem of a city - but then don't forget Venice (Newsletter Autumn 2004). It has a relatively small population of about 1.5 million. There is little if any hassle and the city has an air of tranquillity. Above all it has breathtaking beauty, it has music and it has a long and at times troubled history. For the troubled history look no further than our own times and the final days of World War II and the post war period when Vienna was a divided city until it regained its independence in 1955. To get a flavour of this do see Carol Reed's classic 1948 'movie': - 'The Third Man'. And then take a guided walk with Brigitte Timmermann to see the many locations for the film www.viennawalks.com.

There is so much to see and do that I would advise either a longer stay of at least a week or, better still, two visits of the same duration I spent 10 days there and I have to return. So for what it is worth here are some of the highlights of my visit (Oct 07) when it was a not unusual Indian Summer there.

The Musik Verein You may well have joined the world-wide TV audience for the annual New Year's Day concert from the Golden Hall of this wonderful place. We went to a Mozart concert there on a Monday evening. Pretty nearly perfect. The setting is magic: the orchestra and singers are in 18th century period costume. You don't really need the best seats in the hall as the accoustics are excellent and even the cheapest seats have a very good view of the orchestra stage. For us it was the musical experience for which we had so long wished. We were entranced.

Demels Cafe Vienna is nothing if it is not coffee and delicious confectioneries. Demels Cafe is the ultimate, it is on the 'Kohlmarkt' near the Michaeler Platz entrance to the Hofburg Palace. My advice would be to sit at the small bar counter and then Go For It! BEWARE you may need to do some preliminary research to master the many coffee variations on offer. For us it was a 'Grosser Brauner' with Sacher Torte, glasses of 'Gruner Veltliner' and a light salady lunch.

The Schatz Kammer in the Hofburg Palace The Imperial & Ecclesiastical Treasury is to be found in the Hofburg Palace. And what a Treasury it is: it contains treasures and symbols of more than a thousand years of European history. Think of the British Crown Jewels and then think again. There are items from as far back as the 4th century (The Agate Bowl), an emerald of some 2680 carats, the Imperial Crown dating from the second half of the 10th century

Just a very little touch of the Hofburg Palace

Art Galleries, Museums and Collections There is so much and all remarkable. I saw only a small selection, and for my money, the current collection at The Albertina is without parallel, While this gallery within the Hofburg houses one of the world's finest collections of prints (including Durer) the art collection of the Batliners is on show until early 2008. It alone is worth a visit to Vienna. Think Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet, Braque and every other artist you have ever dreamed of, they are there. And don't miss Toulouse-Lautrec's horse's head. For Klimt and Schiele you will have the pleasure of a visit to the Upper Belvedere Palace. I know that I haven't even mentioned the Kunsthistoriches Museum. A visual feast of gargantuan proportions awaits the art lover. Take plenty of time.

Hotels Absolutely no problem in this context. From the most luxurious, say The Imperial, Hotel Sacher to less expensive and even very reasonable low cost ones. Just ask me.

Wind Up Time. I could ramble on for far too long. And I haven't even mentioned Schonbrunn Palace, The Spanish Riding School (I went to their daily Morning Exercise - Go!), ThePrater Park, The great St Stephan's Cathedral, The Blue Danube and the motor car which precipitated the Great War in 1914. And so much more. Please don't hesitate to ask me. I will be delighted to help with any aspect just e-mail to: info@acteurotours.co.uk.

A Good Local Contact My friend Dr Brigitte Timmermann offers offers services similar to mine in Vienna and Austria as well as good contacts in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Do have a look at her web site: www.viennawalks.com.

PicturesFor more please see the photos section of my website.

A Few Miscellaneous Thoughts

The Greenback The dollar is in a pretty dodgy state. In the opinion of many it will remain so for quite some time. Please remember my often stated advice:- Good economies can be made by making up a small (or even a larger) group of like minded friends to travel. For my part I will both hold my 2007 prices (despite major increases in motor spirit prices) and I will do everything to make economies wherever possible. However reading a copy of Instructions to American Servicemen in Britain in 1942 I note that £1 was given as equal to US$4! We have a long way to go and let us hope that it won't get there.

Insurance. I continue to stress the essential need for not only Medical but also Full Travel Cover.

Early Booking. Despite the dollars' weakness bookings are building up for 2008. The usual cry of 'Book Early to avoid Disappointment' holds as good for next year as ever.

Guild of Battlefield Guides See www.battleguides.org as many of you will now know I am a member of this excellent organisation. I now have access to many undoubted experts in this field to enhance my own experiences.

Deposit Requirements. Following the recent disgraceful failure of a very high profile client and her agent to pay my required initial, Contract Setting, funds deposit I must now be firm in my need for an initial 25% deposit before I am able to accept any project. However, in the event of a cancellation, only 10% of Full fee will be non-refundable as shown in the 'Payment, Cancellation & Travel Insurance' section of my website. To reach this go to Pricing and then Click on Payment, Cancellation & Travel Insurance .

Tours Currently in Preparation

Picardy & The Somme - The Great War
Operation OVERLORD - The D-Day Beaches - World War Two
The Great Gardens of England & Ireland
Dublin & The Wicklow Mountains
Connemara to Donegal
Languedoc, Rousillion and Catalonia

And finally may I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a most successful 2008.

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