Grandma and Beth: Trading Continents!

Monday morning's wake-up call was for 3:30 a.m., and the airport shuttle was waiting for us at 3:55.  Everything went smoothly with Grandma's check-in, and we sent her off in a golf cart to her gate.  (We have since received an email from Deb saying they made it back to Forest City by 9:30 p.m. Iowa time, which would be more than a 24 hour day for Grandma!)  

Tim and I went back to our hotel and slept until 9:30, then ate breakfast at the hotel before heading back to the airport again - this time to greet Beth!  

On the way to the subway from the hotel, we noticed this beautiful church, so went to check it out.  We particularly liked the crosses in the tile roof decorations! 

The doors were open, but there were gates up in the back of the sanctuary.  It was lovely inside!

The gothic arches were so pretty! 

This time when Beth arrived in Vienna, her luggage made it too!!   :-)

Waiting for the metro to take us from the airport to the hotel.  

When we got back to the hotel, Ellen met us there, to share a room with Beth on her last night in Vienna before heading back to the U.S.A.  It was a crazy coincidence that we were all there on the same night, flying out on the 10th, so we had made arrangements to get together.  Ellen asked us to bring the welcome sign from when she visited us in Liptovsky Mikuláš, so the Hope College girls reunited with the orange and blue!   :-)

We headed out on the subway right away to spend an afternoon sight-seeing.   Our first stop was in a Lindt-Lindor chocolate shop we happened to go by.  FYI for those of you who have ever been to that store in the Mall of America --- the store in Vienna ALSO hands out free chocolates to all customers who come inside the door!!   :-)

The girls in a guard house just outside the Schönbrunn Palace gardens, which we walked through and thoroughly enjoyed!!  

Heading into the Schönbrunn Gardens from the opposite side - it was a beautiful day!

By the fountain at the end of the gardens.

Views from on top of the hill.  We think the church in the distance is the one we went to on the way to the airport.  

At the Gloriette on the palace grounds.

The girls enjoying the sunshine as we strolled through the gardens and fountains.

Re-enacting our Christmas card photo, but without Lute, Paul and Alana.    :-(  
We miss you all!!  

I have been literally and figuratively "stopping to smell the roses", and all other flowers, all over Slovakia and throughout our travels, so Tim wanted to get a picture!!    :-)  

As we were heading from St. Stephen's Cathedral in downtown Vienna (which we went to see one last time), we noticed this massive church down a side street.  None of us had ever been there, so we decided to check it out.   

The interior was spectacular, and it turns out this is the oldest church in Vienna, first started during times of Roman encampment.  St. Peter's Church was well worth the visit, and we were amazed by the splendor inside the massive doors.  

Since Ellen had spent an entire month in Vienna taking a class during May Term, she was very familiar with the city.  We asked her if there was a favorite restaurant she wanted to revisit on her last night in Europe, or if she wanted to try someplace new.  She took us to a fabulous pita place where we ate at outdoor tables.  It was a wonderful last evening in Vienna for all of us!