You take bus number 38A, getting on at Heiligenstadt in Vienna. The bus passes through Grinzing on its way to the top of the Kahlenberg, 484 meters above Vienna in the Vienna Woods. (I took the trip 25 years ago, but I just checked last week and the bus number and the route is still the same).
From the top of the Kahlenberg on a clear day, you have a magnificent view of the city and the Danube River. If it's really clear, you can see all the way to Hungary.
This is a popular destination for the Viennese and tourists alike, even those whose German is somewhat rusty but serviceable. I do have to tell you that, from that height, the Danube is not particularly blue, but I'm here to talk about a different waltz by Johann Strauss: a waltz of the woods and mountain, charming taverns where zither music entertains you over beer and sausages, and all the other tales that are told by sunshine or starlight.
MUSIC: Strauss: Tales from the Vienna Woods DG 427217
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