The End

Tonight I will rest my head on a pillow in a hotel just outside Munich, near the airport.
I feel good -- like I did enough and enjoyed everything without over-doing it.
I accomplished my goals. This trip started out as my wanting to cycle (at least a part of) the Danube cyclepath, and I decided I especially wanted to cycle the part between Passau and Vienna. Then, my friend Dave said he'd be up for cycling around Italy. I researched a little more about what was between Italy and Passau and decided I'd like to cycle the Inn cyclepath. That's how things started and everything past the Danube cyclepath (the original plan) I counted as a bonus. There were a couple of other opportunities/possibilities that had potential, but I didn't do (for whatever reasons) any of those this time. I see them all as reasons to come back another time and have future adventures!
Although it is not often I like to take photos that include people, I met a lot of great people along the way. To all of them that helped to make my journey enjoyable and to all of you who have followed along via my blog -- thank you!
I am hoping the little bit of extra time back in the U.S. gives me a chance to catch up with most of you before I am off to China.
For the record -- the most common question I was asked about on my trip was how far did I bike in total. For me, the trip was not about the distance, it was always about the experiences along the way, so I don't know. I have tried to include a daily total, though, so you can add it up on you own if you like.
Also, there was no way I could include all the photos, nor capture all the things I saw and did. However, I've decide to put together a collection for today's entry of things that made me laugh along the way. They are in no particular order and by no means do I intend to make fun of anyone in the beautiful countries I've visited. Some may be repeats, but I feel deserve to be shown again.
The first group is of different signs I saw. I really enjoy signs in foreign countries. Signs are supposed to convey the basics, and some (as I also find in the U.S.) are just peculiar. Often, I find, signs might not necessarily convey what they intend, especially to someone who doesn't speak the language that well.
Now this sign says something about relaxing at the valley farm (according to Google translate), but I first interpreted it as: Relax at the Fat Farm. I was in the mountains, so maybe it was the thin air...

The top sign says you can park there, the second sign indicates that there is an exception to the parking for transport vehicles, but the bottom sign is what got me. It seems to encourage someone to drive into the river.  I even saw where someone took a Sharpie and drew in a stick figure driving the car and smiling on one trip I took.

Don't pet the bell!

The H is pretty universal, the bottom part, however, doesn't mean the same in English as it does in German and it might actually deter someone from wanting to go there.

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This was probably someone's cool work of art. However (not seen as well in this picture), it was hidden from view by those bushes when I quickly came upon it on my bike and from what I could see, it looked to me at first like a giant bike wreck and pile-up. I wonder if the wheels were intentionally taco-ed or if some vandals did that...

 I give up -- no idea what this means....

The next item isn't a sign, but something I saw in a church or cathedral. It seems to depict three guys who lost their clothes on a dare or something and are fumbling around a graveyard trying to figure out what their next move is. Doesn't it seems like the middle guy is to blame?

Here is a carving on someone's door. I can't tell if the figure has a place for coins in it's mouth or if it is sticking it's tongue out at us....

The next group is of lawn ornament. Along my journey (not pictured) I saw a lot of figurines of the seven dwarfs. I'm not sure why someone would want those, but that did make some sort of sense to me at least. The following figurines...?
For instance, why would someone want a beggar? Hey, I can be lazy in bed and beg for money all at the same time...?

You're old and you're tired of those young whippersnappers on your lawn, perhaps try this one...

No, the dwarf sticking his tongue out and flipping off the kids didn't work, maybe try this one...? You'll show them you really mean it if there's a chainsaw involved (and a lack of teeth)...?

You're already registered as a sex offender, so why not flaunt it...? This one really creeps me out!

Okay, this is another one that left me speechless...

And, finally, I think it is healthy to have a good laugh at yourself from time to time. So, with that in mind, it cracks me up that a children's candy could cheer me up so much when I was having a bad day....

And, that I not only fulfilled a lifetime goal of mine by purchasing and eating an undisclosed amount of a dessert known to have originated in a certain part of the world, but that I used my camping spork to slice and dice it! :)

That's it!
I hope my blog inspires you to also get out there and see what the world has to offer!

A Day at the Museum in Vienna

I spent most of the day at the Kunsthistor Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) in the Museum Quarter today. There was a lot to see, take in, and attempt to process. It was overwhelming at times, but in a good way.
Here is some of the works of sculpture I liked:

Here are just a few of the paintings I liked:

This museum was pretty immense -- to give you an idea, here are parts of two different walls in one of many, many rooms:

I even came across an area where a painter was making a duplicate of one of the paintings. The smell of the paint reminded me of something I had forgotten about -- it reminded me how my grandfather's shop used to smell. He was an artist and painted billboards for a living. It was a nice memory of which to be reminded. :)

In one corner there was even a device that seemed to me to be a seismograph (used to measure earthquakes). I haven't heard in the news anytime about Vienna getting earthquakes often, but with all the expensive things hanging on the wall, I guess there is reason for concern. Maybe too many tourists visiting the museum at one time could cause tremors?

Another part of the museum was dedicated to Egyptian works and some that were Roman:

I think I might have gotten sensory overload at some point -- my brain started to hurt, but what a great experience!

Wondering Around Vienna

I took in a lot of the city just finding my way to my hotel, but I went out with a bit more of an organized plan (albeit loosely) today to see some of the specifics of the city. Don't get me wrong, I wondered down any little cobble-stone street that caught my attention for one reason or another and then eventually had to refer to my map to figure out where I had taken myself -- it wasn't that organized, as I mention.
Here is one of the places I found while wondering:

Then I found St. Stephen's Cathedral

I always find it interesting to see what gargoyles a cathedral employs to "scare away the evil spirits". Here were some of the ones I saw on St. Stephen's Cathedral:

Apparently, a cow, a monkey, and a kitty-cat are scary?!?!? Ok, maybe to spirits because they are "cute". I know that word scares me. :)

Next, I wondered around the many parks and buildings making up the Hofburg Palace:

In the distance, you could see the Votive Church:

There were two memorials/statues I liked -- one to Goethe and the other to Mozart:

I also visited the House of Music. In some ways, this museum was disappointing because I could not play instruments as I could at other music-type museums (one in Seattle and one in Stockholm come to mind). However, there was a lot of information presented with listening devices that allowed you to experiment with sounds that I had never experienced before. And, I actually learned quite a bit -- so, in that way, the museum was great! But, there wasn't anything I thought would make a great picture, so you won't see any of those here.

Overall, it was another good day with great weather!

Krems to Vienna

I made it!!! That's another cycle guide book of which I've reached the end (60 miles or 96 km)!
Mixed in with several industrial sites (at the beginning) were lots of lovely spots on the river with no particularly specific types of scenery, but places that none-the-less would have made great fishing holes -- there were lots of views of the river and wildlife to take in while just lazing there, waiting to see if you'd catch one of the many jumping fish. However, as I got closer, I started to see a few Viennese estates.

Then, I came to the city (Korneuburg) from where the legend of the pied piper (or one of the legends) came.

 Next, I started seeing parts of Vienna. It took me a while to figure out how to navigate to my hotel because this city is so huge, because there were so many things to stop and look at, and I spent some time ducked under an overpass (with several others) avoiding a brief thunderstorm. I had a chance to get out a little in the early evening to take these photos:

There was music coming from everywhere (all different types) and there seemed to be a carnival in town, although, I couldn't figure out if they were setting it up or taking it down. I found a nice big open-air area inside the campus (a park-like area) to catch a beer and some gnocchi bathed in a huge chunk of Gorgonzola cheese.
I'm very excited to be here -- this is a city like no other I have been to and I can't wait to explore it more over the next few days.