International Travel Group Virtual Meeting - Sunday, June 2 @ 9:30am Pacific

I can't believe I'm the first to respond. Yes, yes, yes, please.

I'll miss this month, my last evening in England. I do need a trip back to Vienna!

I should be good to be there.

I’ll be there.

I'd hope to be able to drop in - Thanks Andrea

I would like to attend.

Sounds great. What time frame should I plan on?

Thanks!

Our meetings typically last about two hours.

Chani, you’re #1! We missed you last month.

Please include me

Please include me. Thank you!

Andrea, I've missed all of you the last couple months while I was traveling domestically. I will be at my daughter's house in northern MN, but will take my laptop and would love to join ya'll via Zoom.

I would like to join!

I'd like to attend, too.

I would like to attend. I have attended in the past but it has been awhile. Let me know if you need my email address. Thanks Robin

Robin, I still have your email.

Please add me Andrea

I’d like to attend, thank you Andrea!

Count me in, please.

I would like to hear from people who would speak up for rural Austria.

Have you seen the Terrence Malick movie from 2019 "A Hidden Life" ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hidden_Life_(2019_film)

"Austrian peasant farmer Franz Jägerstätter, born and brought up in the small village of St. Radegund, is working his land when war breaks out. Married to Franziska, colloquially Fani, the couple are important members of the tight-knit rural community. They live a simple life with the passing years marked by the arrival of the couple's three girls. Franz is called up for basic training in the German army and is away from his beloved wife and children for months. Eventually, when France surrenders and it seems the war might end soon, he is sent back from training."

It gets worse from there ...

Andrea, thanks! My daughter has assured me that I do not need to watch any kids that day, so I would love to attend. :-)

I would love to attend if there's still room. Thanks!

I'm back from my RSE Belgium-Holland trip. I'm looking forward to the meeting on Austria. What a beautiful place!

It looks like the RSE Best of Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna tour that I just did in December is NOT going to Hallstatt anymore. It looks like the 2025 tour sleeps in the Wachau Valley but not Hallstatt. It was SUPER crowded when we were there, and maybe it has just become too much. I'm not sure why they made that change. Interesting.

See you all next Sunday!

MC

MC, I enjoyed your trip report.

We Are currently on a Cruise up the coast of Norway and the wifi is very spotty. We Are in port today so I could get on.
But I will be there next month for sure.

Thanks, Andrea! See you Sunday.

Please add me!

Chani - we missed you last meeting!

I missed you all as well. I can't wait for tomorrow evening.

Tomorrow is the day. If you want to attend please let me know no later than 7:00a.m. Pacific Time Sunday morning. If you are a first time attendee I will need your email address by that time. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone!

I just emailed the zoom link. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone soon.

Thanks Andrea and Jim

Link to the High Line 179

https://www.highline179.tirol/en/

Great meeting! Thanks Andrea and Jim!!

Thanks to all the attendees

The Sound of Music tour we took in Salzburg was on a minibus with Bob’s Special Tours. I loved it and my hubby, who is not into the Sound of Music, thoroughly enjoyed it was well. The driver/guide separated fact from fiction regarding the Von Trapp family and also included history of other things in the area. I’m very happy we took the tour.
https://www.bobstours.com/main.php

It was nice to have a mix of regulars and new faces for this meeting, and we managed to share some conflicting perspectives without calling for an insurrection, too. Under Andrea & Jim's care, we are the best.

Andrea
It’s a good thing you didn’t have the guide we had. He was a bit insulting and made it clear that Americans only come to visit the Sound of Movie sites. And, we were in Vienna at the time so I have no idea why he even brought it up.
My hubby often doesn’t want to take same day tours so I have to twist his arm a bit. Guess what? He always has a great time.

Another great meeting!

Here’s the link to my trip report from last summer, with info on the random town of Wagrain (only random to Americans apparently): https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/a-slow-9-night-wander-near-salzburg

I am going to add that we stayed 3 nights in Hallstatt - but during our two days we occupied ourselves with the salt mine and a drive to Admont Abbey (I love beautiful libraries) so we never encountered any crowds at all. I feel like I lived on a different planet than what everyone else experiences since people seemed to be gone by 5.

Ah, too bad nobody pinged me given that the topic was Austria. Oh well.

Diane - I know what you mean about the occasional resistance, or maybe disinterest is a better word, for doing some activity. I believe the things Jim is most likely to think he won’t enjoy are the things that he enjoys throughly. Two big examples are the SOM tour and Keukenhof in The Netherlands. I’ve been to Giverny twice, but he wasn’t with me on either of those trips. Maybe I can convince him to go this year. If we have time for it anyway. We will only have 5 nights this time.

TTM - thanks for the link to your trip report. As we discussed during a previous travel meeting, places like Hallstatt are probably most enjoyable early in the morning and in the evening after the day trippers leave. You had a good strategy for the best enjoyment of being there without the crowds.

Emily - I sent you a PM asking you to join us the day I posted the meeting. Perhaps you didn’t see it. I was very disappointed to not have your advice and insight. I always appreciate how helpful you are to others who are going to Vienna.

Emily, I too was disappointed that you weren't at the meeting. So again, here, thank you for all your invaluable help for my summer visit and Christmas market visit.

Please let me know when you will have your next meeting. Sorry, I missed this one.

Hi Mlla0329, as posted above, the next meeting is on July 7. The meeting is usually on the first Sunday of the month, but sometimes it’s different based on my travel schedule, such as in August when we will meet on the 11th. If you are interested you must notify me either on that meeting post or in a PM. I will also need your email address. I hope you are available next month.