Austria 2019

Jeff and I had on on-going discussion throughout our marriage about traveling to other countries and cultures, but other goals always took priority and money--buying homes or cars, completing graduate education, having children and daycare bills. After years of watching travel shows or reading Rick Steves' travel and language guides sustaining my daydreams of far and distant places, all four of us were finally heading to Europe in the summer of 2019. Given that my sister and her husband lived outside Vienna, Austria, that became a natural first destination for us. We could see her life there, spending time with her and her husband, as well as tour a city rich with a history far older than our nation's history. Fortunately, our trip was everything we hoped for and more.

For those connected with us on Facebook, you can find our daily updates documenting our travels (June-July 2019). What follows are a few pictures but mostly some things I learned as a first time world traveler, particularly in taking our boys along.

Before going much further, I need to extend special appreciation to several people: Thanks to Ellen for helping us select air travel and basically ensure this thing happened (check out her vlog for insight on life as a flight attendant in Europe). Thanks to Ellen and Thomas for being such gracious hosts, helping us navigate, eat, drink, and explore (as well as your family in Austria for their generosity as well). Thanks to our friends Jedd and Michelle for answering our travel related questions no matter where they are in the world. We have been inspired by their adventures for years, as well as learn several travel hacks from them. I highly recommend their blog, their book, or their consultation if you have visions for world travel.

International Flights with Kids

Thanks to an insider tip from my flight attendant sister, Jeff informed Air Canada that two in our party were children and even of Nathan's allergy. Upon boarding, the flight staff checked in with us regarding his dietary needs, bestowed gifts to the boys, including headphones to enjoy movies (we had packed our own, but these proved more accessible in our full carryons). Their dinners were kid friendly and arrived long before those for the rest of us, perhaps understanding how important it is to keep kids fed. While Jeff and I typically monitor their screen time fairly strictly, it was clear that the standard we keep at home was going to be different in the air. Both boys happily played with the airplanes' digital movie and game selection on the flights, and even sleeping a bit, leaving Jeff and I to find a bit of rest as well.

In planning for travel, we also knew we would spend a small portion of our time in cars, thus requiring booster seats for the boys. We have flown with our bulky car seats domestically, often gate checking them to prevent damage. In traveling across halfway around the world, especially with layovers, we didn't want to drag our standard car seats for only a few car trips. Some research into other family travel blogs led me to purchase two inflatable car seats. I had never heard of such a thing, but figured it was worth a try. Even in their deflated state, they were a little larger than I was imagining, but still fit into the exterior pockets of our luggage. When needed, they inflate easily and even have a harness to hold the shoulder belt in place. While I wouldn't use them for long road trips, the inflatable seats helped boost the boys up a little more for short and limited trips.

Location, location

Jeff did the research to find us accommodations for our two-week, two city stay (see a note about my avoidance at the end of this page). The first spot was a dream city apartment in size, style, and location. The building had a small bit of the grandeur often associated with Vienna. Perched above Vienna's Naschmarkt, I loved the sights and sounds below: families shopping for produce, couples chatting at outdoor cafes until long after dark, sirens and music filling the night. We were within walking distance of most sights, only a few blocks from the tourist shuttle bus to get us further in or out of town. 

Jeff and I noticed that aside from one riverside business district, most of Vienna was uniform in building height, that of five or six stories tall. It made the city feel comfortable for our family and we could imagine living in there. The buildings along Naschmarkt were a mix of ornate structures from a previous century and stark concrete hastily built following World War II, reflecting the layers of history that exists. I read that Naschmarkt was built over the Vienna river, at a time when the city was growing and needed more space. Now the river is channeled under the road and market, along with a train tunnel. From my window perch, I couldn't help but wonder what it would look like to see a river running instead of a bustling market. It's similar to how I try to picture Seattle without all the landfill projects or regrade projects of the 19th century. 

The second apartment was a different dream, that of a picturesque European village complete with caroling bells in the morning. A former organ factory, our first floor flat had coved ceilings, a garden/courtyard outside, and accessible via Eisenstadt's pedestrian zone, steps from the grocery, cafes, and Eisenstadt's own palace. After a busy ten days of touring Vienna, this apartment was a peaceful place to rest and recover. 

I would highly recommend both locations if you ever plan a trip to Vienna or Eisenstadt (click city name for direct links) and I hope to stay at each again someday. 

 Kid friendly

Maybe all cities are kid friendly, if you know where to look? One thing that stood out to Jeff and I was how comfortable Vienna was for our family. Prior to our trip I was a little worried that this city known for it's classical music and opera, and the museums we hoped to visit, would be too much for our young boys. We soon discovered there was nothing to worry about. 

Our first night we found a park near our Naschmarkt apartment, and it seemed another around every corner. In fact, I've since read that 55% of Vienna is park space. Wherever we went, we always discovered places that permitted the boys to run or jump or play for a few minutes in between quiet behaviors of museums. Some were formal gardens of Vienna's palaces, others were rustic neighborhood parks. 

There was a stretch of very hot weather while we were in Vienna and it was neat to see the families gather for picnics as the day cooled in the evening, filling the parks with laughter and life, after hiding from warm weather all day. It was fun to watch the boys interacting with children at these parks, most speaking English. I wish I was brave enough to engage with their parents as easily....maybe on a future trip.

Another element that made Vienna/Eisenstadt so enjoyable for all four of us was the convenient access to gelato. As often as we'd find a park, we'd find twice as many Eis (gelato) shops beckoning us from the hot weather with delicious cool treats. And we didn't fight it. Gelato became a part of our daily routine, as much as reading maps, walking through museums, and playing in parks. I tried a new flavor at nearly every stop, while the boys preferred Zitrone (lemon), and Jeff typically opted for a berry flavor. Not only was the gelato supremely delicious, it was also cost effective, at only one euro a scoop! How can we say no to ice cream for dinner when it only costs five euros?!? We did not and so Eis was often on the menu. Maple Valley has its own gelato shop that I'm curious about but I've hesitated to try it out as I'm worried it will be comparatively expensive, ruining all the magic of Eis.

In addition to daily gelato cones, we found it easy to feed the boys. Wherever we dined, we found delicious thin crust pizzas (proximity to Italy) or breaded chicken with fries (Schnitzel).

Uncle Thomas also introduced us to his own childhood favorite: Almdudler soda. The boys quickly took to this soda, which I cannot adequately describe, but it reminds me of a ginger flavor.

Restaurant Culture

Speaking of dining, one of my biggest take-aways about life in Vienna is how much easier and more relaxing it is to dine out in cafes or restaurants. I love how the streets are lined with outdoor cafes, tables neatly organized under umbrellas. From this street-side view you could watch the people moving nearby, or gaze upon the architecture. Furthermore, I loved how patrons wander in, confer briefly with the wait staff and find a seat. If the tables were full, other cafes and restaurants are nearby or around the corner. One thing I could never get used to was being asked for a drink order almost immediately upon sitting down. Many times I was tongue twisted trying to decide what I might want.

I loved being left alone by the wait staff while dining. Never once did they ask "if everything is alright" but were always in close proximity when we did need something. In addition, the check was not dropped at our table with a subtle hint to move along. Ever since our return from Vienna, when dining out at home, I find myself mildly irked by these interruptions.

I love how coffee is served on a silver plate with a glass of water (picture was taken at the zoo). It lends a feeling of refinement to drinking coffee. Being from the Seattle area, coffee is most often in a to-go cup. Very rarely did I see passers-by carrying a coffee in their hand, and when I did I assumed they were also tourists. Even at Starbucks, we saw patrons remove the plastic lid from their cups before drinking. One thing I missed, particularly during the warm summer days, was iced coffee we find easily at home. It could partly be the absence of ice in general, but coming home I found myself craving iced coffee in no way I have before.

Lastly, when we were ready to pay for our meal (after lingering undisturbed as long as desired), the wait staff quickly and easily used handheld computers to help us pay the bills. There was no need to walk away to produce a check, nor walk away to charge the credit cards. Instead, after a quick review of the items, separating the bill as needed, the card was swiped table-side, or even made change when paying with cash.

Things to Do with Kids

We were able to explore so many parts of Vienna and yet still so much remained. Here are just a few highlights our boys enjoyed seeing or doing most (aside from the time with family): 

• Schonbrunn Zoo located in the Schonbrunn Palace gardens: https://www.zoovienna.at/ 
• House of Music: https://www.hausdermusik.com/ 
• Prater Park and Giant Ferris Wheel: https://www.praterwien.com/startseite/

In conclusion

For years, I have advised students to travel when they are young as I could feel the obstacle of overcoming fear and uncertainty growing as I grew older and lacking international travel experience. Despite having airline tickets reserved, I still felt that overwhelming abstractedness of an unfamiliar city and unfamiliar country in the months leading up to our trip. When feeling this uncertainty, I tend to respond with avoidance and inaction. Fortunately, Jeff could think rationally enough to reserve us some accommodations in Vienna and Eisenstadt as well as spend more time reading the travel guide in preparation for our adventure. The boys traveled well, staying close to us, following directions, and (mostly) waiting patiently when needed. I'm sure we could have taken them abroad when they were younger, as many families do, but for us, it was right to wait until Andrew, being younger, was at least this age. I'm grateful Jeff and I were able to take them along and help inspire world travel for them. Both boys talk about visiting other far and distant places now.

Now to figure out where we should go next....