Nat, Alone.

Like almost everyday else in Europe, Prague still bears the scars of a past impacted by war. I hadn’t realised that the city was still communist up until 1989; it’s such a vibrant, cosmopolitan place that it’s hard to imagine it wasn’t always a place travellers from across the world could easily flock to.

The Memorial to the Victims of Communism shows seven bronze figures descending a flight of stairs. The statues appear more ‘decayed’ the further away they are from you - losing limbs and their bodies breaking open. It symbolises how political prisoners were affected by Communism.

I love this photo.

The little girl had broken free of her brother and was on the run; meanwhile I was just trying to take a good shot of one of Prague’s iconic trams.

Because this is how we view things now.

Two of my favourite things: art museums and grand architecture. The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna has both and might possibly be the single most beautiful museum interior I have ever seen.

The art collection is excellent but not overwhelming, so you can knock it over in under two hours. There’s also a heap of other museums close by so you’re well positioned to keep exploring the city’s culture.

Burgers are an easy win for me overseas - they’re generous palatable regardless of what country you in, as well as being filling and cheap.

Le Burger was around the corner from my hotel (the truly excellent Ruby Marie) and it was so good I went two nights in a row. The burgers are fantastic and there’s a wide choice, heaps of sides and drinks.

One of the great surprises of Vienna is that it has a regularly open fairground/carnival, equipped with rides, junk food and a giant Ferris wheel tailor made for photo opportunities. It’s called Prater and it’s super easy to get to either on public transport or on one of the tour buses that regularly stop there.

Of course I went up, of course I was petrified, of course I took photos.

New city, new food, same preferences.

An arvo stroll through Vienna’s Naschmarkt ended with me eating a hot dog.

Zero complaints here.

Next schnitzel stop - Alter Fuchs. Came recommended by a friend and lived up to its promise.

Except I didn’t have schnitzel, I had goulash and it was incredible.

The name means ‘old fox’ in German and there are fox heads and other paraphernalia in the underground restaurant.

I’m no great lover of heights but I do love an aerial photo and so I persist.

You can’t avoid Hohensalzburg Fortress in the city - it looks larger than life from every vantage point. You catch a funicular up and then there’s plenty to explore up the top and some incredible views.

Salzburg is much smaller than I expected - only about 150,000 - and Sound of Music tourism is still the biggest drawcard to the city, even though it’s almost 45 years since the movie was released. It’s an absolutely gorgeous little city though, with the backdrop of some of the most incredible countryside you’d ever hope to see.

Everyone who had been there recommended a SoM tour and while I could say I was the biggest ever fan of the movie, I knew it well enough to play along. And you know, it was surprisingly good and just as cheesy as you’d imagine.

For about $70 we sang the songs on the bus, visited some of the key locations (like the terrace used in the movie as the family’s and Maria’s rotunda, both above) and generally just had a lovely day out. No one acted too cool for school and everyone just accepted we were there to have fun.