Our body clocks were still a bit out of whack so we gave up trying to sleep around 4:30am. Around 8am we headed out to discover that the temperature outside was much more pleasant than inside our hotel room. We couldn't resist the amazing pastries and cakes that the Germans do so well so we indulged in some coffee and streuselkuchen (sour cherry crumble) for breakfast.
We had booked a 10am free walking tour which as a local said to us was in the "colourful" part of town - which made us feel right at home. Our group consisted of half Aussies, we are always easy to pick out as we are the ones wearing hats. Our guide talked for an hour about the red light district, drug addicts and prostitution and how they were managed by the government. We then walked over to the old town, which really is the new town as it was demolished in WW2 so has been largely rebuilt.
After lunch we took our guide's advice and went to the cafe on the top floor of the Galleria shopping centre where we had a wonderful view of the city, and there was no expectation that we should buy something. It was too hot to sit outside but tourists were still lining up and standing next to the sign that said "selfie point".
We went to back to our hotel around 5pm even though we knew our room would be stifling. Once again our card wouldn't work to open our door. After the man on reception had a couple of attempts to reprogram our card he came up and tried himself with no success. He set the door lock up with some battery charging equipment and gave us the only free room in the hotel, which was a single room, to relax in while we waited. By 6.30 we hadn't heard anything so we went down to reception to see what was going on ... which was nothing! He's no closer to getting us into our room, by now K is losing her patience, she is about to enter "Karen" mode, which as you know can be pretty scary, it's like what happens to the Incredible Hulk when he gets angry, just without the turning green part. The situation is made worse by the excuses ... first the boss is playing squash so wasn't answering her phone, a bit later he says he's contacted his boss again but as she doesn't care why should he?
His only suggestion is that K speaks to the boss on phone, which didn't do much because she couldn't speak English. Two and half hours later the door is finally opened, it turns out the admin card works but regular cards don't - so we need someone to let us into our room each time.
This crisis averted we were finally able to head out for a nice traditional meal of schnitzel at a restaurant around the corner from the hotel.
We had booked a 10am free walking tour which as a local said to us was in the "colourful" part of town - which made us feel right at home. Our group consisted of half Aussies, we are always easy to pick out as we are the ones wearing hats. Our guide talked for an hour about the red light district, drug addicts and prostitution and how they were managed by the government. We then walked over to the old town, which really is the new town as it was demolished in WW2 so has been largely rebuilt.
After lunch we took our guide's advice and went to the cafe on the top floor of the Galleria shopping centre where we had a wonderful view of the city, and there was no expectation that we should buy something. It was too hot to sit outside but tourists were still lining up and standing next to the sign that said "selfie point".
We went to back to our hotel around 5pm even though we knew our room would be stifling. Once again our card wouldn't work to open our door. After the man on reception had a couple of attempts to reprogram our card he came up and tried himself with no success. He set the door lock up with some battery charging equipment and gave us the only free room in the hotel, which was a single room, to relax in while we waited. By 6.30 we hadn't heard anything so we went down to reception to see what was going on ... which was nothing! He's no closer to getting us into our room, by now K is losing her patience, she is about to enter "Karen" mode, which as you know can be pretty scary, it's like what happens to the Incredible Hulk when he gets angry, just without the turning green part. The situation is made worse by the excuses ... first the boss is playing squash so wasn't answering her phone, a bit later he says he's contacted his boss again but as she doesn't care why should he?
His only suggestion is that K speaks to the boss on phone, which didn't do much because she couldn't speak English. Two and half hours later the door is finally opened, it turns out the admin card works but regular cards don't - so we need someone to let us into our room each time.
This crisis averted we were finally able to head out for a nice traditional meal of schnitzel at a restaurant around the corner from the hotel.
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