By Alan Behr | McClatchy-Tribune

Nearly sensible dining , the Viennese way

VIENNA -- A visit to Vienna I made some years ago turned into a three-day sugar high as I went, like a bee from flower to flower, from one great cafe to another, eating almost nothing but classic Viennese pastries.

Older and wiser, this time I would do it differently: I would prove to myself and to my gentle and patient cardiologist, Dr. No Fun, that I could visit Vienna and keep to my low-fat, low-calorie. Although I was staying at the Hotel Sacher, which offers perhaps Europe's best sparkling-wine buffet breakfast, on my first morning, I ordered an egg-white omelet, made myself a plate of fresh fruit salad and poured a glass of perfectly fresh orange juice. I then checked into the hotel's recently added spa, for healthy rotation through the sauna and steam room, followed by herbal tea and dried fruit.

A Schuss And A Slide: Dave Hits The Slopes, The Shops And The Sacher Torte

CBS) It was the final All Access weekend, and Dave Price and his merry band of travel elves were determined to make it the best one yet. The recipient of their last All Access pass was Margaret Ward, who recently retired after 34 years as a teacher in the Chicago public schools. Over all those years, she had sent hundreds of kids into the world, but she never had time to see much of it herself. So Margaret's trip took her to Europe for the first time, for a whirlwind tour of Austria.

With a history that dates back 2000 years, Vienna is a city over-stuffed with culture. From its architecture to its food, and everywhere you look, there's something of historical significance.

"You can see the influence of all the great musicians, whether it's right there at the café Mozart, or the music of Strauss, or the fact that Vivaldi lived right there at the Sacher hotel where we're staying," Dave explained to Margaret.

My last stop on this epic journey was the small town of Freiburg, located in the heart of the Black Forest in the south-west corner of Germany. I stayed there with Christe-Belle, a friend I met through Gaby.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA From the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, Martin Lindstrom reports on the value of branded rituals. Since 1832, the Sacher Torte, a distinctive chocolate cake, much-copied but rarely replicated, has been synonymous with Vienna, and this tradition has become a key component in the branding of the elegant Hotel Sacher.

In the summer season, in front of the long established Hotel Sacher in Vienna, tourists sit in cafes at tiny round tables and order the same: a piece of Sachertorte accompanied by a Viennese coffee.