Maribor by train

The weather forecast had suggested that it was going to be a damp day in Maribor. I had hoped to go skiing. When I went down for breakfast, the weather did not look promising. Breakfast itself did. There were quite a few options including sausage and scrambled egg. The fruit juices were more like squash though. I ate well. Then I had to decide whether to head up into the hills. I went for a quick walk to see how it felt outside. On turning into the Main Square, I made my mind up. It was raining and the damp square had piles of forlorn, dirty, melting snow. I walked on. Not far from here is the cathedral (photo taken from outside an Irish pub). The streets were quiet as I made my way back to the hotel. Here is the old castle on the left and the basilica in the background. I also passed the outdoor skating rink and a monument, behind the former castle. I then popped back in to the hotel. Breakfast had nearly finished, but there was time to sit in the window with a hot chocolate and watch...

I wanted to try the relatively new mini-cabins that Nightjet had introduced on some of its sleeper services. I have always struggled to sleep on any public transport and these 'pods' could allow me to travel longer distances quicker than staying in a hotel, if I could sleep on them. Sorry about the poor quality of these photos. There are better ones online if you want to know more. Anyway, I did manage a few hours sleep. There was some noise from the adjacent cabins but I found the journey quite restful. The carriage attendant delivers a breakfast of rolls, butter, jam and a hot drink in the morning. We arrived into Vienna a few minutes late at around 9:30. From the Hauptbahnhof, I walked down Argentinierstrasse to Karlskirche. Then it was past the opera house into Burggarten. The Hofburg backs onto these gardens. There is a palm house on another side with the Albertina behind it. Now it was time to head back to the station. The Argentinierstrasse is about a mile long, straight...

I travelled up to London on Sunday afternoon to avoid leaving at a silly hour to get an early Eurostar. Stayed at Argyle Square close to St Pancras. Picked up a couple of meal deals before catching the 8:16 to Amsterdam and arrived on time at 13:20. Strolled out into a bright but cold city. I wandered from the Centraal station to de Oude Kerk and on towards Koninklijk Paleis. I continued to wander aimlessly until I decided that I needed to eat. I called in at Fabel Friet. It was very nice, but I'm not sure it was healthy. Soon after, I headed back to the station. I went to the back of the station and I was surprised by the view. I found  a cafe nearby that was quiet, warm and with a loo, to have a drink. The NightJet arrived early for us to find our cabins in time for the 18:59 to Vienna.