Vienna
Our second day in Vienna saw the early morning lifting quickly over the Danube. Our mooring next to the Franz Josef Jubilee church on the south bank of the river gave us impressive views of the United Nations buildings on the north bank, that part of the city where high rise developments are allowed by the city planners.
Architecturally, our morning was to be spent in the contrasting environment of the Schönbrunn Palace, an eighteenth-century miniature Versailles - which means big by any other standard - resplendent in 'Marie-Theresa' yellow, the preferred color of its patron. We toured some of the principal rooms and the more energetically inclined also walked the gardens and visited the Gloriette from which glorious views are afforded back down over the palace. Following this we adjourned to the imperial kitchens for a demonstration of apfelstrudel making, not as easy as it look, we suspected - the kitchen offers a twenty-four telephone help-line worldwide for cooks in distress with their filo pastry - followed by a substantial tasting and a Viennse coffee. Finally, a visit to the marionette theatre for a performance Eine Kleine Nachtmusik which enchanted us as it the backstage visit that we were offered afterwards.
In the afternoon, the group dispersed to follow their own interests for our last afternoon in a city where we were not spoilt for choice. The first shuttle bus to town dropped off a group at the Belvedere Palace, built in the 1720s as the summer residence of the Prince of Savoy and now home to a new Klimpt exhibit, centered on his famous 'The Kiss'. The Belvedere affords wonderful views to the north over the entire city, the tower of St Stephen's cathedral forming a dramatically conspicuous centerpiece. It tempted some to walk back to the center of town. Again the evening was free for personal cultural exploration.
Our second day in Vienna saw the early morning lifting quickly over the Danube. Our mooring next to the Franz Josef Jubilee church on the south bank of the river gave us impressive views of the United Nations buildings on the north bank, that part of the city where high rise developments are allowed by the city planners.
Architecturally, our morning was to be spent in the contrasting environment of the Schönbrunn Palace, an eighteenth-century miniature Versailles - which means big by any other standard - resplendent in 'Marie-Theresa' yellow, the preferred color of its patron. We toured some of the principal rooms and the more energetically inclined also walked the gardens and visited the Gloriette from which glorious views are afforded back down over the palace. Following this we adjourned to the imperial kitchens for a demonstration of apfelstrudel making, not as easy as it look, we suspected - the kitchen offers a twenty-four telephone help-line worldwide for cooks in distress with their filo pastry - followed by a substantial tasting and a Viennse coffee. Finally, a visit to the marionette theatre for a performance Eine Kleine Nachtmusik which enchanted us as it the backstage visit that we were offered afterwards.
In the afternoon, the group dispersed to follow their own interests for our last afternoon in a city where we were not spoilt for choice. The first shuttle bus to town dropped off a group at the Belvedere Palace, built in the 1720s as the summer residence of the Prince of Savoy and now home to a new Klimpt exhibit, centered on his famous 'The Kiss'. The Belvedere affords wonderful views to the north over the entire city, the tower of St Stephen's cathedral forming a dramatically conspicuous centerpiece. It tempted some to walk back to the center of town. Again the evening was free for personal cultural exploration.
