Sir Stamford’s secret weapon
Morris is doing the crossword when I spot him in the hotel lobby. Spectacles perched on his nose, head slightly bowed, a hot chocolate on the table in…
Onboard lounging
It’s all a-buzz in the bar. People are standing around, drinks in hand, chatting to strangers and the barman. I’ve stumbled on this little scene after…
Dirndl to go (or stay)
Claudia casts a critical eye over my cleavage. Or lack of it. Clearly, I’m wearing the wrong kind of bra. Compared to her décolletage – and…
Beyond the grave
In the rocky mountainside cemetery in the pretty Austrian village of Hallstatt, space is at a premium. It’s been that way since the early 1700s, and…
Into the salt mines
In 1734, the “Man in the Salt” was uncovered deep in the mountains above the Austrian village of Hallstatt. With a history dating back more than 7000…
Is this the prettiest village in Europe?
Some people think so. Others have described it as the most beautiful lake-side town in the world. Welcome to Hallstatt, in the Salzkammergut region of Upper Austria,…
I went to Vienna…and this is what I saw
I went to Vienna for three-and-a-half days and this is what I saw: a beautiful new boutique hotel (where I stayed); two construction sites (yes, hard hat…
Schnitzel, at last!
After four days in Vienna, I was yet to taste a decent schnitzel. There was one, in a tavern in the 19th district, but it was…
A night at the opera
Would any visit to Vienna be complete without a night at the opera? I think not. So, off we go…and luckily it’s an easy one to…
A view of a room
The outside of Vienna’s new Hotel Topazz is designed to look like a huge cylindrical silver vase, studded with large oval stones. From the inside, the…
A Glass Half Full 