The Blue Danube

While in Vienna (Wien to the locals), you learn that the city still adores its imperial roots. And it loves its musicians.

How to explain that every concert in Vienna ends with the Blue Danube Waltz (followed by the Radetsky March, when everyone gets up and leaves). That in the middle of one of the many parks is a gold statue of Strauss surrounded by marble. That nearly every night at multiple places in the city, you can hear the music of Strauss and Mozart. It's even played by musicians on the street.

The palaces are no longer the center of government, their gilded trimmings too expensive to keep up. Some are let as apartments or rented as office space. The churches are constantly undergoing renovation. And the city no longer has the tax revenue of an empire to fund elaborate facades and their upkeep.

But the music and the river continue. How appropriate that the city honors its history and the river that created it as often as possible.

Well, my browser window says 'fertig' at the bottom, and that I am, done. Maybe I can clean that up later.

Schonbrun Palace

Not sure if this is the way to spell it. I'll correct later.

So imagine you rule an empire that takes up a good part of Europe and Asia, and you have the central government with all these gorgeous buildings in Vienna. It gets so hot in the summer, and space is so tight that you need a summer home for gardens and entertaining - 144 guests.

Well 144 is at least the number of rooms at Schonbrun Palace. We saw the ballroom, some dens, drawing rooms, VIP rooms, dining and tea rooms and the state bedroom. The royal children are all born in the state bedroom, so the servants can't switch kids with the royal princes and princesses.

The trim in the castle is all gold overlaid on wood. While 4.5 kg for the whole castle is less than it sounds, it is still worth more than I can handle. And pictures of these castles look ornate to the point of gaudiness, in person they are just rich and beautiful. In a room with a 16-foot ceiling, you almost need that much deoration on the walls.

Anyway, I have postcards and a book from here. You all are welcome to see when I come home, or if I have a chance to upload some pictures later.

Es Schneit im Wien!

That's German for it's snowing in Germany. I think.

Today it is snowing. What a great way to get in the mood for Christmas. We saw two markets today, and with only an hour and a half total at the two, I wonder whether the tour actually gets money to take us there or not :)

Anyway, the markets are much like the craft fairs in the states - Bizarre Bazaar or the Neptune Festival or Craftsman's Classic. Neat carved things, glass things, spinny things, sparkly things, etc. Lots of food and alcohol, which is essential to staying warm. Today I had punch, which tasted like hot whiskey. I think I am still feeling the effects, as I can't type.

Later it's on to the Strauss and Mozart concert, and after walking all around the Burg Theatre looking for Cafe Zentrum, I will not stray far for dinner. That experience is worth a whole post, so I will save for later.

This truly has been a great trip so far. I will feel very equipped to come back and plan my own time here in the future.

Blogging in German

I logged into make this post, and the instructions are all in German. What fun.

I have just gotten back from dinner at the Auguststeinerkeller, and traditional Vienese restaurant. We had winter soup, schnitzel and streudel with plenty of beer.

After arrival and check in today, a couple of tourmates and I went to the Center city and walked around. We saw the Stephensdom platz and Kirche, had coffee and dessert at Cafe Sacher and poked our heads in a few shops. We got a driving tour of the city tonight.

I will be attending the tour of the Schonbrun palace tomorrow morning, doing some mroe sightseeing, shopping at the markets, and then going to a hayden/mozart concert. Tomorrow I should be too tired to think at this time.

It is hard to believe that I am really here. This architecture is absolutely amazing. I have a couple good vignettes to tell when this doesn't cost .35 euro a minute.