Vienna, Austria (Days 86-91)

We have been having a wonderful time in Vienna.  Who could not?  There is much to see and do.  

Here is a quick recap of our time here.

Friday, September 5, Day 86 - Our first night - Wiener Schnitzel 

We arrive by train around 3:30, walk a few blocks towing our luggage to our Airbnb lodgings.

Unlocking the Door to our Flat in Vienna

The owner of the flat has been delayed in Japan, but we have a key to a lovely two bedroom flat within a few blocks of the city center that we will now have all to ourselves for $55.00 a night.  We just need to make up the bed ourselves. Fresh linens for the fluffy pillows, feather beds, and soft mattress are ready for us.  Just down the street is the Gasthaus Seidel where we enjoy a great veal schnitzel with lemon and mixed salad.

Saturday, September 6, Day 87 -  Music in the Cellar

Russ and I take the tram to the city center and spend the day walking back to our digs through the center of Vienna.  Austria Lions is having a big Lions Day in front of the Rathaus (city/state hall).

 Of course we must check it out, and in so doing meet the student exchange coordinator who has actually visited his exchange student from Auburn, California.  Small world, big Lions family.  

It is a Saturday morning, and shops are open until noon.  In one of the large squares in front of the Imperial Palace, Oktoberfest is beginning.

Beer flows, brats are grilled,  and music fill the beer tent.  While we listen to the band, we indulge on what we thought was a pretzel.  Turns out it is like a big donut twisted like a pretzel with rock sugar (resembling rock salt) sprinkled on the outside. It is still a bit early for us to have beer, but it doesn't stop the other hundreds of people.  The band members all have steins by their feet, and between each piece they take a few swigs.  The music becomes louder and more boisterous.

Outside the harvest parade has concluded, and float participants are selling off the abundance of flora, fruits, vegetables, and grains that were used to decorate their floats.

After seeing the Museum of Armor,

Music,

and Ephesos collection

and National Library,

Reading in a Great Environment

we return to our flat for a rest, and return later in the evening to the Rathaus Cellar for a dinner and musical performance of Strauss, and scenes from Austrian operas.

The audience sings Edelweiss together and strands of the Blue Danube play through our heads as we walk home taking in the nightscape of Vienna.

Sunday,  September 7, Day 88 - Airs Above the Ground

I have waited 40 years to see the Lippizaner Stallions perform the airs above the ground at the beautiful arena of the Spanish Riding School in Palace grounds.  We booked a couple of months in advance to sit in end seats under the Emperors box and paid quite a sum to do so.  

Disappointment number 1:  No photos allowed during the show even without flash, but I did get a shot before the show.

Good News:  The arena, and the choreographed dance of the stallions was beautiful and I would like to have shared a bit of it with you, but sorry....no can do.  I can certainly understand why though as it takes tremendous concentration of horse and rider to precision- prance each step to the beat of a viennese music.

Disappointment number 2:    The airs above the ground,  ummmm, not so much.  The lead horse that performed directly in front of us wasn't in the mood apparently to perform, and while we saw a few smaller airs from some of the other horses, the big leaper was quite reluctant to fly.  I did take a photo though from the poster of what he was supposed to do and has done in the past.  Maybe, I'll see this on PBS sometime, but not today.

After the show, we visited the Imperial treasury collection which was very impressive.

This opal is the size of a large pear

Since it is Sunday, and all the stores and many restaurants are closed, we are happy that we still have some cup-of-soups left in our luggage, so we head back to the flat for an early night.

Monday, September 8, Day 89 - Sissi Museum and Imperial Apartments.

On this day, the two of us decide to get haircuts. We find a place close by the flat, and get ourselves ship-shape for the cruise.  After checking out of our flat, we transfer our bags and selves to the Intercontinental hotel which are  now a part of our cruise down the Danube to the Black Sea accommodations.  The rooms here run about $250 a night.  The inside of the hotel is quite nice, but architecturally it has to be one of the least attractive buildings in all of Vienna.  This hotel is scheduled to be torn down and rebuilt.  We  take a look at the poster rendition of the new building, and in our opinion, it still will be one of the uglier buildings in Vienna.  I know it must be difficult to compete with the beautiful and elaborate 18-19th century style, but really....does it have to look so plain, grey, and unattractive?  

We also do a little shopping for a few things we think we will need as fall is in the air, and some warmer, dressier clothes might be appropriate for our next leg of the trip.  In the afternoon, we join the 2:00 English Speaking tour of the Imperial apartments, the Sisi museum (history of Empress Elisabeth) http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Elisabeth_of_Austria , and the silver and tableware collection.  Stunningly beautiful and extravagant.

At 6:00 pm we meet up with our Avalon tour group for a champagne reception and presentation. Most of the participants are from North America, USA with the most, followed by Canadians, then UK, Australia, New Zealand, with a few from Singapore, and Brazil. The group is scheduled tomorrow to take a morning city tour, and an optional tour to Shonbrunn Palace.

Tuesday, September 9, Day 90 - City Tour, Shonbrunn Palace, and Mamma Mia!

We wanted to see the Schonbrunn Palace, but decided to do it on our own rather than with the tour group.  I think we are becoming increasingly anti-tour group.  Not only would this tour cost us about 90 Euros, it just isn't appealing to be scheduled and herded around. Mid-way through our city tour

Parliament

Rathaus

with the group we saw some newly discovered Roman ruins in front of the National Library building,

 bugged out, saw St. Stephen's cathedral on our own

Looking Back as We Walk Away from the Palace

and headed out to the Palace on our own nearly two hours before the group was scheduled to even leave the hotel.

Schonbrunn Palace...Summer Cottage of Habsburg Dynasty

So for our round trip tram tickets of 2.50 E and 14.00 E for the Grand Tour, we enjoyed an unfettered walk through the Palace on our own with an audio guide and were leaving the Palace about the same time our tour group would be arriving.

We spent our afternoon relaxing, catching up, and then instead of a group concert tour, we got on the tram again to see a live performance of Mamma Mia in German.  We had reserved tickets, had a great Italian meal beforehand, and thoroughly enjoyed the musical.  By the end o the evening, everyone in the audience was singing, swaying, an clapping their hands.  I thought I would have enough ABBA in Sweden, but I guess I can never get enough ABBA.  The music and energy was ausgezeichnet!   

Wednesday, September 10, Day 91 - Leaving Vienna for Bratislava, Slovakia

This morning, once again, we bowed out of a tour to a monastery and wine tasting, and have opted for some quiet time in our room and later  a bicycle ride through the Stadtpark to the Danube and back.  We leave for Bratislava and ship boarding at 2:00 pm this afternoon.  Not sure how strong the WIFI will be on the boat, so this may be the last photo-laden blog for awhile.  Cheers!

All is Well with the Worrall Travel R's in Vienna, Austria