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ByLenStohler I have to mention one more memory that had an impact on me in Buda- pest. Along the banks of the Danube River there is a spot where there are many shoes. They represent the event that occurred dur- ing WWII when the Nazis SS forced Jews to stand on the banks, murdered them and then pushed their bod- ies into the Danube. They had told them to take their shoes off as they were valu- able. Hungary is a nation that has create visual re- minders so it will not for- get the hideous crimes that were committed against its citizens. I must mention one other fact. The Danube River has 62 dams and locks. Going upriver from Budapest, be- fore you get to Bratislava, Slovakia, there is a lock that lifts or lowers river traffic 18 feet. The dams have hydro- electric production so travel by ships on the Danube is free as a result of this in- come. Trains are powered by electricity. I described in my last contribution how I had to take a train to Bratislava and then to Vienna due to the fact that the trains had been cancelled directly to Vienna probably because of the refugees and migrants. I relax as the train begins to pass open fields already fal- low for the winter and very beautiful. I like open agricultural fields. I wonder what they have harvested. When I get back I find out the answer: sugar beets, corn (maize), barley, potatoes, apples and grapes. Pigs and cattle are also raised. Some corn was still standing. On this trip, I did not see the ma- jor grape producing areas. This matches exactly what is the basic fare when one sits down to eat and drink in central Europe. This is what I like about travel- ling. If a person is inter- ested, there are many ques- tions raised by what is seen and experienced. I am amazed every time I ride a European train how rapidly they get up to speed, how quiet they are until you pass another one near 100 mph, and how quickly they brake. That is where WiFi comes in handy. Using my helpful iPad, I looked it up while on the train. George Westinghouse, whom we have all heard of, first pat- ented the direct air braking system in 1868. Today, mod- ern trains rely on this fail- safe air brake system that is based on his patent. One other question I will need answered is, "What is the nature of the electric mo- tors on each wheel of these trains"? Many of the readers of this piece I know will not agree with me, but the USA is going to have to in- vest in trains, trams, met- ros, or perhaps new means of rapid transit if we want to have any transport of our citizens in our congested ar- eas in the future. Self-driv- ing cars are going to help in the near future, but even- tually the freeways, road- ways and streets will have gridlock. My son who lives in Honolulu, went to an air show at the Kaneohe Marine Airbase this past weekend. An electric Tesla car was driven almost 160 mph. But where will it drive like that? Maybe that is an answer to a political will we just do not have. Per- haps one answer would be to build a special highway for self-driving cars like Tesla that go between cer- tain destinations. I was exhausted after ex- periencing the delay in Bu- dapest to Wien. I will use this excuse for the mistake I soon made. I had talked to two young women who boarded the train who were travelling to Wien. I was awakened from a sleep when we were stop- ping. I noticed they got off the train. I knew we were close to Wien and had not seen the name of the stop. I hurriedly got off as a pas- senger has only a minute or two to do so, but soon re- alized when I looked at the map I had gotten off at a new stop many kilometers and stops away from down- town Wien. Fortunately for me, I had gotten Euros from San Francisco via Bank of America in Red Bluff. As soon as I figured out how to use the very modern ma- chine, I purchased a ticket to get back on the train. I spent Euros for that ticket I didn't need to spend. After a few minutes and many kilometers away, I got off the train at around 9:30 p.m. I neglected to see the elevator that would take me up several stories so I pro- ceeded to lift my suitcase up the stairs. My arm was about to do no more lifting when a young man saw me. He was leaving work very late as so many workers seem to do these days even in Wien. He asked where I needed to go. My hotel was located on Salzgries. It was only two blocks long and not easily located. He said he thought he knew where it was and stated that he had been very lost when he first moved to Wien not long ago. That made me feel somewhat better. We were only about four blocks away. As we stood at an intersection, three gentlemen walked up and asked us if we needed help. In Wien, as in the cit- ies of Europe that I visited, the street names are on the side of the first building on the street. At night they are not very visible. We looked up and we were at the beginning of Salzgries. I thanked every- one and offered to pay for the young man's metro cost, but he graciously declined. I walked up the street look- ing for the sign of the hotel. It was a very small, dimly lighted sign across from where I was walking but at around 10 p.m. I checked in. I had not eaten anything since noon at the Budapest station. I was starved and almost without energy. I found an Italian restau- rant still opened about a block away and the waiter had the cook fix me a break- fast. This had been a long day, wrought with much havoc, but nothing like the ones faced by the refugees and migrants in Budapest and elsewhere. They had to spend a night in the train station where they were not welcomed and elsewhere in the open, perhaps, not something I could have sur- vived at the end of this day. Wien is one of the richest cities in Europe, I think. I call it "The City of Unbeliev- able Wealth". The Hapsburg Monarchy ruled Austria for almost seven centuries from 1278 — 1918. Vienna was its capital for almost all of that time. Wien bene- fited from the wealth of cen- tral Europe and other coun- tries of Europe. The Haps- burgs were Roman Catholic and the church had great wealth during that period. The Turkish Muslim Otto- man Empire came close to overthrowing it, but did not. The Austrian-Hungar- ian Empire was broken up after WWI in 1918. During WWII it contributed very much to Germany's aggres- sions. Although it was about 20% destroyed in WWII by mostly British bombing, the signs of its bombings and occupations are not visible anywhere that I could see. After WWII it existed under the Allied powers until 1955 when it was independent. The Soviets took much of the wealth that was left from its occupation zone. Austria signed an agree- ment that it would remain neutral in the same manner as Switzerland and the Al- lied powers withdrew. Most everyone I talked to agree with me that Austria, of all countries on the Axis side, came out the best. The city just has a different feel than Budapest, Prague and even Berlin. The bombing and occupations certainly had a greater effect on those cities. My objective in going back to Austria within a year's time was to ex- plore its streets. Some- thing about the mansions along the many pie shaped streets fascinated me. I un- der-estimated how difficult it would be to be my own guide among confusing streets, just as in Budapest. I would like to spend a week exploring these streets but I am afraid I have had my opportunity. One of Wien's main sights is the Ringstrasse (The Ring Road), a circular road surrounding the In- ner City. Franz Joseph, Em- peror of Austria, ordered the building of the Ring- strasse in 1857 (dedicated 150 years old this past May 1). He had the ancient me- dieval walls torn down. No- bles and rich citizens hur- ried to build pompous pal- aces creating a magnificent boulevard, but the most amazing buildings are the Parliament City Hall, the Burgtheater, the Museum of Applied Art, the Vienna Stock Exchange, the Vo- tive Church, the Museum of Fine Arts, the National His- tory Museum. The Stock Exchange was my land- mark to and from my ho- tel. It is no longer the loca- tion of the stock exchange as a large space is no lon- ger needed. On a tour the first morn- ing I was there, I hopped on the bus and got a front row seat that is better for taking photos. I sat next to a most interesting gentle- man. He travelled all over the world taking evidence in cases that will become some of the major lawsuits involving manufacturing is- sues. I talked to him some about his business, but he was interested in visiting the historic sights when- ever he was in a major city. His son had just moved from Europe to head up a world bank in Johannes- burg, South Africa. The most visited site in Wien is the former impe- rial summer residence, the 1,441 room 18th century Baroque Schonbrunn Pal- ace. It is quite a distance from the Inner City. Last year on a tour I saw the in- side. The Schonbrunn has been compared to the Ver- sailles palace as the Haps- burgs tried to match the kings of France. The rooms inside are definitely on the level of the lavishly deco- rated rooms outside Paris. Every tourist will want to take a tour. This year I wanted to go to the garden part of the palace and walk up to its top that has a marvel- ous view of the city in the distance. That is known as the Gloriette Panorama Ter- race. While the other peo- ple on my tour went in- side, I spent the time walk- ing and photographing and enjoying the grounds with hundreds of people. It is glo- rious with beautiful flow- ers everywhere. My kind of place. You can experience the beauty of this place by watching the PBS video of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra summer concert that whetted my appetite two summers ago when I saw it. While I was enjoying such a beautiful space, I witnessed a Bavarian band all dressed up visit- ing the site and a bride and groom being photographed in front of the fountains about one-half way up the hill. I did make it to the top of the hill, but not to the roof of the Gloriette, a fact I regret. A leisurely walk downhill was pleasant but I regretted that I would not have time to see the many gardens to the sides and experience the maze. I re- joined my new acquain- tance in time to catch the bus for the ride back to our starting point. Lynn, my travelling com- panion of last year and an art connoisseur, told me I had to see the paintings of Friedensreich Hundert- wasser, while in Wien. As we left on the bus, our tour director told us about an- other famous Austrian art- ist, Gustav Klimt. His paint- ings were on my own list to see. His most famous work, "The Kiss" (1908) was in The Belvedere. When we came to The Belvedere, an- other one of those massive palaces, I opted to get off the bus and visit it. After having a very good lunch in a very pleasant res- taurant in one of its wings, I went to see the collec- tion. What a collection. Ev- erywhere in Wien, there is grand art. I also like the sculptures that are placed where the light changes what and how you see the sculpture. I got to observe a whole room of Klimt's paintings, including "The Kiss", but I did not get to the museum to see Hun- dertwasser. I lingered for about a half hour viewing "The Kiss" from angles all over the room. I marvel how some artists paint such evocative interpretations of one of human's most signif- icant actions. However, there are al- ways rewards when you are in the midst of such beauty. The grounds of The Belve- dere were so beautiful. That is probably why there were hundreds of people, usu- ally with children, enjoy- ing the grounds. I realized it was a much more fam- ily friendly place than the Schonnbrunn. When I was finished, I took the tram us- ing my two day Wien Card. I got off close to my hotel at the Stock Exchange build- ing, walking a few blocks enjoying the architecture of all those beautiful "apart- ments" and the wonderful weather. My second day in Wien (Vienna) to follow in Satur- day's edition. Aboutthecontributor: Leonard (Len) Stohler is a historian by degree. He taught in the local schools from 1969-1995. He served on the Red Bluff Union School Board for 16 years. On a Danube River cruise late October last year he had to return due to the illness of his traveling companion after seeing only Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna for one day each. He wanted to return "closer to the ground" and so returned on an independent trip to the cities of Budapest, Vienna, Prague and Berlin from September 7-22. He walked in these cities and rode public transportation, enjoying some of the many attractions and historic sites and talking to a few of the citizens. TRAVELOGUE Wien (Vienna): Beautiful and wealthy FountainsandstatuesinVienna. PHOTOS BY LEN STOHLER Looking out over Vienna, the 18th century Baroque Schonbrunn Palace in the foreground. Women of the West CattleWomen's Luncheon & Fashion Show DOOR PRIZES RAFFLE COWBOY PANTRY BOUTIQUE Saturday, Nov. 7 Rolling Hills Casino Tickets are $25 by reservation only Reservations close Oct. 30 For tickets, call Shelley at 529-9679 Doors open 10:00 a.m. for shopping Lunch at 11:30 a.m. followed by Fashions COWBELLE OF YEAR NAMED Marvin"Jack"Jacksonpassedawaypeacefully October 9th at his home surrounded by his family. Marvin was born in Des Moines, Iowa on January 16, 1931 to Maxine and Curtis Jackson. He enlisted in the U. S. Coast Guard in 1948, discharged in 1958 then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he served his country for 20 years; 4 of those years he lived in Red Bluff where he retired with his family. Marvin worked for PG&E for 27 years. Marvin enjoyed fishing, camping, walking (Yes, he was the man you saw walking around town with the walking stick) shooting, gun collecting and numerous other hobbies. He was preceded in death by his wife Climite (Clem), daughter Marva Jackson, and grandson Tyrone Jackson. Brothers Landice, and Lawrence Jackson He is survived by his brother Curtis Jackson, sister Zanna Brown, children Sheila & Ike Wardley, Pam & Shell Wheaton, Patsy & Andy Hall, Wendell Cuffy, Twalla & Jim McCarty, grandchildren Amber, Dominique, Brandon, Keontae, Collin and great- grandchildren Alaysia and Tia, his long time companion Suzie Brown, and a host of many friends and family. Hewillbetrulymissed. Military Honors Ceremony: October 30, 2015 • 12:30PM - 1PM Northern California Veterans Cemetery 11800 Gas Point Road, Igo California MARVINE.JACKSON January 16, 1931 - October 9, 2015 Round Up Saloon Round Up Saloon 610WashingtonSt. (530) 527-9901 Come join us for BBQ & Football on Sunday's LIVE MUSIC CALL FOR DATES NewPatientCoupon Custom bleachingtrayswithbleaching product at no charge (a $400 value.) 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