My Last Day

Gruss Gott!
If you have been with me from the beginning you may recall my frustration over getting from the airport to the city. It turns out in fact that I was lucky, and the way I got here is in fact the easiest route. And I am going to take it back to the airport tomorrow--down the hill to the bus stop and the bus to Vienna International. I am not excited about my suitcase handle, which is still jammed.
So yes. I leave early tomorrow just as I was feeling that I had figured a lot of things out and was settling in. I largely spent the day shopping, which I fear is not very exciting to recount although Vienna is full of beautiful things and if I were rich . . .
I did go back to Schonbrunn. Even after three determined visits I have not seen all of the grounds. If I lived here I would do as many Viennese do and make it my regular weekend walking place. Ok. Maybe sometime I’d go to the Belvedere or the Lainzer Tiergarten. The day started off cool and cloudy. It rained for about five minutes. I had my umbrella, which I have used exactly twice for a just a few minutes, but it was still a good idea to carry it.
Then it turned blisteringly hot. Phooey!
Instead of recounting my shopping in the crowds and heat, let’s have some fun facts about Vienna. One cool thing are the signs that tell drivers how to get to Bratislava (Slovakia), or Prague, or Budapest. All kinds of adventures await.
Sushi is sweeping Europe. It was all the rage in Paris, and the same is true in Vienna. Indeed there are numerous sushi stands like the traditional sausage stands, and they and the kebab may take over.
And Vienna like other European capitals is definitely cosmopolitan. Not all the folk on the streets are of European descent. One morning in Singerstrasse I shared an elevator with a woman in a burqa. This morning the signs in German had been replaced with signs in Arabic.
Are you looking for entertainment? If you don’t want the Vienna Boys Choir or Mozart try Gustave Klimt--the Musical!
Today was a gelato day rather than pastry. My favorite flavor is hazelnut, so I had to have that, and I added coconut and rum raisin. So rich. So yummy.
There were still some things that I had not tried and today was my last chance. Wine bars--often with buffets--are called Heurigen. A lot of them are in the hills around the city, but some are within Vienna itself. My friend Sartorias recommended her old student hangout Die Zwolf Apostolen or the Twelve Apostles, which occupies a series of cellars--nice and cool on a hot day.
The other thing I had vowed to try was Kasekrainer. This is a sausage infused with cheese. It’s not exactly the thing one would crave on a hot day, but I have to say whoever came up with the idea in the first place picked a winner. Delicious! And, of course, it must be accompanied by bread and mustard. It has a disgusting but typically Viennese nickname. Ready? Eitrige--roughly translated as pus stick. Don’t let this put you off though.
And what else would go with sausage? Beer! I washed this down with the Real Budweiser from Budejovice in the Czech Republic. It is very hoppy, and the American version tries to replicate it. I enjoyed it although I admit I am not a connoisseur, and I still like Belgian beer better.
I DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE. Vienna is a beautiful city of much charm. Even people without my rabid appetite for history and art would find much to enjoy.
Thank you for sharing my trip with me! If I get a chance I’ll report in from Zurich.
Servus

Back for more at Schonbrunn!

Gruss Gott!
The weather was perfect today, so I went back to Schonbrunn, and I may return tomorrow on my last full day in Vienna. Anyone who has seen the place can understand why I love it so much. As grand and beautiful as the palace is what drew me back was the chance to walk in the grounds. To be sure I also had a few things left on my ticket. The "combi" tickets are a solid bargain.
I packed a few seeds from my wonderful bread in case I encountered a squirrel. In fact I encountered two at once. They were both small, but one was very tiny like a baby. Their fur was very red. They danced around me, I made myself small and held out my seed-filled hand. Now these are Viennese squirrels who probably prefer pastry, and they were anxious about taking food from my hand, but they did before scurrying off. I got a couple of pictures of them hanging around after their snack.
After enjoying the gardens and woodsy walks for a while I went to the zoo.
Vienna’s “Tiergarten” claims to be the oldest zoo in the world of which claim I am extremely skeptical. Sometimes zoos are depressing, but this one has made a real attempt to give the animals space and habitat. What this means, of course, that the human viewers can’t always see them. But I did get a glimpse of a panda and enjoyed walking around.
I also visited what’s called the Palmenhaus which is a gigantic greenhouse designed by the same guy who did the one at Kew Gardens outside of London. It protects tropical plants and was fun to walk around in.
I had one more task before my feet gave out. I wanted to see the Imperial Coach collection. As I should have anticipated, the exhibit was dedicated to Sisi. Several of her personal possessions, coaches and sleighs were on exhibit as well as those used by other members of the Imperial family. One of the things I found most interesting were the miniature coaches and sleighs commissioned for the little princes and princesses. They were just as elaborate and luxurious as the big versions.
Keep in mind that for all their luxury, these vehicles were not all that much fun to ride in over cobbled streets even after the invention of spring suspension. Without rubber wheels there would be plenty of jouncing and rattling.
Well, my poor feet were aching and I had pastry waiting for me back home. I can’t remember the name of the torte, but it started with a D. This one had twelve layers alternating cake and hazelnut cream. Ahhhh.
Hey it’s “Moon Day!” Forty years ago I was sitting on my parents couch reading a book by Isaac Asimov waiting for Neil Armstrong to take his one small step. Now I am sitting in Vienna watching Lance Armstrong ride the Tour de France. And where were you back on the day? Is this something you even remember?
Servus

Back to the Romans

Gruss Gott
Shall I tell you what’s so great about having an actual apartment in Vienna as opposed to an ordinary hotel room? Well, I get to come home, take contacts out and my shoes off, make myself some green tea to go with my incredibly rich pastry and sit down at watch the Tour de France while having my snack. And no one is smoking cigarettes in my vicinity either.
The day started off clear and warm, but it’s turned blustery, and those clouds coming in look pretty dark.
I love open-air museums especially when they deal with aspects of everyday life in the past. One of the other things I really like is a good Roman site. A lot of the time they are hard to get to, because if a Roman site is in the middle of things, it’s already been plundered etc. But this morning I strolled over to Wien-Mitte Bahnhof and took the train out to Petronell-Carnutum, which is an open-air museum about the Romans.
Carnutum once was a major Roman center in the province of Pannonia. The town is south of Vienna well out of its encircling hills on the plain that runs into Slovakia and Hungary. The land is pancake flat. It’s hard to imagine what it was like before the towns, farms, and roads. Pannonia did not remain a Roman province for long as that plain proved a highway for Huns, Avars, and Magyars, but for about two hundred years Carnutum flourished.
The sites are a fair step away from the station, and as the trains to and from Vienna run only every two hours I was not able to make as long a day of it as I hoped. The exhibits are a work in progress, but I think the idea is to make a sort of educational Roman theme park. Along with the archeological remains, there are some furnished reconstructions of Roman houses that one can go in, and the guides are dressed in tunics and sandals. One thing I really liked about this was that the rooms were lit by little Roman style lamps. The windows were small and even with the lamps the rooms were dark. I had a good time walking around, but I wish I had been able to see the other sites.
Before I left I went on a pastry run, trying a new but equally elegant K und K shop on Karntnerstrasse where so many of them are found. On the way I ran into a religious procession. At least that’s what I thought it was. Some of them had posters, but some had rosaries and pictures of the Virgin Mary. A couple of days ago I nearly walked into a military band. But back to business. Today I had a slice of naughtiness called a Truffletorte. Yes. Chocolate. Not as many layers as some tortes, but the chocolate ganache layers were as thick as the cake. Ooh the richness! It was almost too much even for me. I’m glad I had my green tea. I don’t know how folks drink coffee with whipped cream with these things, and yet I understand it is a common practice.
Servus.

Climbing to a Castle

Gruss Gott!
I’m posting a bit late because I got home late. I took a trip out to Durnstein today. It’s a pretty little town and a bit of a tourist trap, but it does have Historical Significance.
Let us cast our mind back to the era of the Crusades. The leader of the Crusade was Richard I (Lionheart) of England and a lot of French real estate as well. He spoke slightingly of the military prowess of the Duke of Austria Leopold V. So what? Richard was returning after a predictably futile stint in the Holy Land. He was in disguise because he and his folks were crossing the territory of the Duke of Austria who was known to be hostile to him. Well with one thing and another the Duke’s henchmen discovered the real identity of the foreign “merchant,” arrested Richard and imprisoned him in Castle Durnstein.
And if I had had anyone that I wanted to stash away back in the Twelfth Century I would have welcomed the opportunity to use Durnstein as a prison. It's situated on a highly-defensible crag overlooking the Donau. Leopold did not intend to harm Richard. He demanded a large ransom. There’s a lovely story that Richard’s minstrel Blondel traveled all over Europe singing the chansons that Richard himself had composed and finally got an answer when Richard sang back to him from the barred windows of Castle Durnstein. I think we can put this one on the shelf with Robin Hood.
I got there, but it was---interesting. What I found out later from two Canadian women I ran into was that a rock and landslide blocked the rail line from Krems to Durnstein.
So there I was riding along and feeling smug because I finally got smart. I have a computer. Why not look up trains on the Austrian Railway site? I could actually find out when they left, so I wouldn't have to show up at the station on the off chance.
Then the conductor took my ticket. He appeared to become angry. What now? He did not speak English, but I gathered there was No Train to Durnstein. Eh? The website said so. I’d been sold a ticket. I asked if there was a bus. He complained some more but finally admitted there was a bus.
After a bus ride we arrived. I decided to climb up to the ruined castle first. Steep? Well probably it wouldn’t bother Alberto Contador, but I huffed and puffed my way to the top. The views were worth it. This region is called the Wachau. It’s just gorgeous with the Donau curving around the hills green with vineyards and forests. Going up was hard. Coming down was scary. I do not recommend climbing up there if things are wet.
Then I went and licked the windows of the touristy shops. Their big product is liquors, and I am sure they are nice, but I know they don’t agree with me.
Back to Vienna--a bit of a long and tiresome ride with many transfers. But here I am home at last.
Servus!

Views and Vinyards

Gruss Gott!
It’s been another fresh and breezy day in Vienna. To celebrate I tried a new gelato flavor--about which more later.
I enjoy morning in the city. Yeah, I’m a tourist, but I don’t have to enjoy the presence of billions of other tourists in the inner city, so I like to stroll around licking windows before the rest show up.
I went back to the art museum this morning. I wanted to look at some things more closely. I saw a lot on my first visit, but even I get art fatigue, so I knew I’d have to do the museum in two goes. I also had to go back and look at the works I especially enjoyed. I got to spend a few minutes alone with Vermeer. One thing I found confusing. There’s an artist named Belloto who was the nephew of the great Venetian painter Canaletto. But the Austrians call both of them Canaletto because they both painted what are called vedute or cityscapes. But the museum has some Real Canalettos. I can tell the difference, and the uncle paints more elegance. He did views of Venice, but his nephew worked for Maria Theresa and painted some fine views of Schonbrunn.
Time for a gelato break, so I fought the tourist hordes and walked back down to the river to a gelataria I had not patronized before. They have a flavor named Mozart. A lot of things are named for Mozart in Vienna. It was good, too. I just couldn’t figure out the combination of flavors. There was chocolate and some choco bits and some green stuff.
After a U Bahn, tram and bus ride, I fetched up on the very edge of Vienna on a hilltop north of the city. There before me was a sweeping panorama of Vienna. And what wonderful fresh air! This was vineyard country, and I walked back down a steep winding path to the suburb of Grinzing through the vineyards and some woodland. It was quiet and the air had that fresh green smell. Grinzing is very pretty as well.
Of course, now that I’m getting the hang of the public transportation system it’s almost the end of my trip.
For dinner I got fast food. Now if you want McDonalds or even Burger King you can have it. And some travel writers will in fact urge you to see the local iterations of such chains. I refuse. Pizza abounds as well. Kababs of various sort and of course the sausages are on offer. I really didn't need a burger. Instead I went to a German chain called Nordsee that deals in fish of many kinds and in various forms. It’s very reasonable and pretty good.
Servus.

Cool and Cloudy

Gruss Gott!
It rained over night, and there’s been a welcome change in the weather. Today was cool and windy. It has not rained, but it looks like it wants to. I made contingency plans for my day, but it turned out I did not need them. I was able to enjoy some heavier “cool weather” food.
Today I decided to go out to the outskirts of Greater Vienna to a village called Klosterneuburg. I bravely took the bus again, too, but this time I had the sense to say on until the end of the line. We had a pretty ride along the Donau. I enjoy the scenery, but I also like to look at the houses, businesses, and even the advertisements.
Klosterneuburg lies north of Vienna. Vine covered hills rise up behind the town. I thought I was going to visit a quaint Medieval monastery. Nope. The Hapsburgs had got a hold of it.
Back in the Twelfth Century Leopold III of Babenburg (that’s St. Leopold to you) founded a church and built his palace on the looming bluff over looking the Donau just up stream from Vienna. Five hundred years later Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (Hapsburg) chose the site for his new palace modeled on El Escorial near Madrid. The Spanish branch of the family had an elaborate palace/church/monastery/mausoleum complex and Charles VI wanted the Austrian Habsburgs to catch up.
But when he died the project half completed was abandoned because his successor Maria Theresa preferred Schonbrunn.
The Augustin Canons still occupy the complex, which is plenty big and grand in spite of not being completed--although nothing can compare with Melk. By the way--Martin Luther was an Augustin Canon over in Saxony, but they don’t like him in Austria at all!
In order to see the monastery I had to take a guided tour in German. I understood about a third of it, but that’s because the guide was talking about architecture and art history so I had a context.
I found the church more attractive than the one at Melk because it did not seem so over the top. The real treasure of Klosterneuburg is an amazing work called the Verdun Altar made of fifty-one gold and enamel panels with biblical scenes. Beautiful! It’s in outstanding condition, too.
So I made my way back to Vienna. I walked around and licked some windows. Then I came home and made some green tea to go with my pastry. Today we are having Nusstorte or Nut-torte, which consists of seven layers, nut wafer, jam, cream, sponge cake and the whole thing is frosted with walnut icing. And, yes, it was sublime.
Since it was cool, I stopped at my local Wurststand and got some Bratwurst served with mustard and what looked like rye bread. The smell around these stands maddens the appetite. The sausages smell and taste really, really good.
I’m going to sign off with the expression that the Viennese use when bidding good-bye to friends.
Servus!

Tales of the Vienna Woods

Gruss Gott!
There’s a Tour of Austria, too, but I’m not paying any attention. The Team Time Trial is today in the Tour de France, and Lance is up to something. I left my window open last night so I could hear the rain fall as I watched the Tour and had my dinner. But the day dawned with bright sunlight and the likelihood of much heat.
So I decided that what I needed today was a good leg stretch. The Lainzer Tiergarten sounded like the destination for me as it has lots of woodland and some animals on offer as well. I had some errands to do, but then if I wanted my walk in the Wienerwald I’d have to do some heavy-duty public transport. I did get there, but it took me an hour and a half and the journey was hot and uncomfortable.
First I had to figure out the correct U Bahn station and how to reach it. Ok. Once that was done finding the tram was easy. I got on and took a long tram ride. My ability to understand German is improving. I was not sure where to get off the tram to get the bus, but I actually understood the announcement, and then was able to follow the group to the bus stop.
I hate buses. It’s hard to know when to get off, and I‘m always concerned about getting off at the wrong stop, which has happened. Like today. I got fooled by a sign and got off about three stops too soon. After wandering around a bit, I went back to the bus stop and got on the next bus. It should have been simple. My stop was the end of the line.
Tiergarten is the German word for zoo, but this isn’t a zoo. It’s a nature preserve. I saw a few deer and mountain sheep--or maybe goats. I can’t tell the difference. I was there for a walk in the Vienna Woods. As I went further into the park, the traffic noises fell away to be replaced by the hum of insects and the chirping of birds. Wild flowers bloomed in the meadows, and the scent of clover suffused the air. All around me was green and fresh.
To a Southern Californian the sound and sight of naturally flowing water in July feels miraculous. I followed the Lainzerbach for a while enjoying the babble of the brook.
I had a destination. This was not meant to be a Sisi Tour, but it seems to have turned into one. Her husband the Emperor Franz Joseph adored Elisabeth and would do anything to try and make her happy. In order to keep her around Vienna he had a country house built for her in the Wienerwald.
Now compared to the other things the Hapsburgs built the Hermesvilla is a shack--but done up in a romantic Jugendstil. Sisi asked for one of the rooms to be decorated with scenes from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” as she fancied herself as Titania. Alas, Sisi’s restless soul was not satisfied with Hermesvilla, and she was hardly ever there. Indeed she seldom stayed any place long. No sooner than she declared herself in love with a place, than she found she was sick of it and moved on.
And it was time for me to move on as well. I walked back into the heat and the noise of the real world.
Auf Wiedersehen!

Marvelous Melk!

Guss Gott!
I have become pretty confident about riding the U Bahn. If you know the stop you need it’s easy to figure out. I have even become confident about using the machine to buy tickets. Hint: When they ask what language I want, I push the button that says English.
However I still feel trepidation about getting on the train, especially if there’s a change involved. I am always afraid I’ll get on the wrong train to the wrong place. It hasn’t happened yet, but today at the train station I boarded a sleek intercity bound for Frankfurt. Ok. But would I end up in Germany, or would the train stop where I needed to get off? Yes it did.
My trip to Melk was much smoother than the one to Krems. First we wound though the hills around Vienna then moved out into more open countryside. As we approached Melk the train rounded the corner, and there was an amazing view of the monastery.
My jaw dropped. I’d read descriptions and I’d seen pictures, and neither prepared me for the sight of the real thing. Spectacular doesn’t even begin to describe it. It is HUGE, and it dominates the town from its promontory overlooking an arm of the Donau.
I strolled up the street and climbed the steep hill to get to the monastery.
Melk is still a living Benedictine Monastery, so not all of it is open to the public, but what is on offer is more than worth seeing. The building is done up in that unified Late Baroque/Rococo Style that Austrian Royalty favored. It seems like every available surface is covered with ornament and decoration. I was a bit nonplussed by the scenes from classical mythology on the ceilings, but I understand they are meant to be allegorical.
Most unfortunately, in my opinion, excessive numbers of putti infest the place.
A well done history of the monastery illustrated with relics and paintings is the visitor's introduction. The library has the satisfying smell of musty old books. Lovely views of the town, and the river are to be had from the terrace.
The heart of the monastery is the church, of course. Not even the Hapsburgs had anything this grand. If I were a monk I would have a hard time keeping my mind on the prayers. The decoration is so rich and so profuse there is nowhere to rest the eye. Gold, marble, paintings, statues fill every wall and ceiling. It’s extraordinarily beautiful, but almost too much.
After all that ornament, it was a relief to get out into the grounds. The garden is pretty, but what I enjoyed more was one of my beloved woodland walks. In one part of the woods a concealed speaker played a recording of the monks chanting.
Then I walked back down through the town, eating gelato and licking the windows of the touristy shops--although not at the same time. The town itself is pretty and charming and the countryside along the river lovely.
Feeling uplifted I boarded the train back to the place where I would change to the train back to Vienna. No problem, but on the second leg of the journey, there was an incident. The conductor began to complain about my ticket. He seemed to feel that I had no business on a train to Vienna since my ticket said Melk. Oh oh. This is the kind of thing I always fear. I said I didn’t understand--Ich verstehe nicht--a useful German phrase to know, but he ignored me and kept complaining. Suddenly he stopped. Apparently he’d noticed all the previous conductors’ stamps and realized that I was on the return voyage. Whew!
It was raining as we pulled into Vienna. I have been carrying my little umbrella although I have not had to use it, but by the time I’d gotten back to Stephensplatz on the U Bahn it had stopped. The cool air was nice though!
Auf Wiedersehen!

Schonbrunn! Beautiful Indeed

Gruss Gott!
I knew that Schonbrunn Palace would be one of the highlights of my trip, and I am so glad that I saved it until after I had seen the other things or I would have found them highly disappointing in comparison. The palace and grounds are glorious. If you are every fortunate enough to come to Vienna put Schonbrunn on your must see list.
Schonbrunn is a stop on the U Bahn, but what I did and what I think is better is to take the train one stop further so you can walk through the grounds to get to the palace. As I was walking down a long, peaceful, tree-lined avenue, a tiny red squirrel jumped out of the bushes. I thought it would run away, but instead it ran towards me. It came quite close and looked at me expectantly. “Do you think I have something to eat?” I asked the creature. It waited for a bit watching me hopefully with its bright eyes and then moved off. The same thing happened--different squirrel--when I was walking in the woods above the Gloriette. There were other people around, but maybe I just look like a soft touch. But the next time I go walking in the grounds--and I will this trip--I’ll take some seeds from my bread just in case.
Schonbrunn is a justly popular attraction in Vienna. It is packed with tour groups, so normally you have a reserved entry time stamped on your ticket and may have to wait quite a while to get in the palace itself. But I got there early and was able to get a ticket to enter the palace and start my tour right away.
Schonbrunn was the Hapsburgs’ answer to Versailles. The name comes from a “beautiful spring” that rises on the ground and still provides water for one of the many fountains. Maria Theresa built a magnificent complex to serve as her summer palace. The place is splendidly done up in the Late Baroque and Rococo Styles and is quite elegant. Large windows, mirrors, and delicate gilt decoration gives it a lighter feeling. It lacks the oppressive grandeur that I found at Versailles, but the state rooms are still very grand indeed. The exceptions are the private rooms of the Emperor Franz Joseph, which reflect his simple, homey tastes.
The grounds of Schonbrunn are likewise magnificent and extensive. Entry to them is free and they open early in the morning. I spent hours walking around, and fortunately the weather was cooler today. I climbed up from the palace to the Gloriette, which crowns the hill and provides marvelous views of the palace itself and the city of Vienna. Numerous paths crisscross the grounds often leading to fountains or statuary.
One of the great pleasures of my trips to Europe are woodland walks. I got away from the tourist hordes and strolled along quiet, leafy pathways.
The ticket I got is good for a whole year, and I did not see everything today. Oh darn! I’ll have to go back. Maybe that won’t be exciting for you, but it will be lovely for me.
Please note. I am talking lots and lots of pictures. It’s just that my camera won’t talk to my air book. My friends will be forced to look at my power point show of the trip so brace yourselves.
So now I am back to watch the rest of the Tour de France stage. My guy Fabian Cancellara won the individual time trial and the yellow jersey, but Alberto Contador was second beating his teammates, Leipheimer, Kloden, and Armstrong along the way. There should be no doubt who Astana’s team leader is.
By the way, the first thing I do when I come home is drink some water. I probably drink about a liter of water a day in addition to the other liquids. It’s very easy to become dehydrated on a trip. Even when I stayed in hotels, I always got a big bottle of water to keep in the room.
The pastry of the day was cherry strudel. So chock full of luscious fruit, I felt sure it must be good for me. Mmmm boy!
For dinner there is salad and left over chicken, and I will wash it all down with the rest of the Prosecco, as I watch the Tour.
Whoa! Is that thunder? The sky is clouded over. Maybe I got home just in time.
Auf Wiedersehen!

Celebrating

Gruss Gott!
Since I can hear you through the computer screen I know you’re saying. “Look at that. Even though she’s not in the United States she’s celebrating Independence Day. How patriotic!”
Oh. Yeah. Right. The Fourth of July. But this year it also happens to be the start of the Tour de France. I can celebrate both at once.
So I am sitting here sipping some Prosecco, which is Italian sparkling wine. Whoa! You are thinking. She is really splashing out. Uh uh. I spend money on expensive cheese. The wine was on sale for under two euros. It’s not bad either--light and crisp and quite refreshing on a humid day.
I decided to give myself an easy day today, but I ended up just as tired and footsore as ever. It was hot and humid, so I came home early and wilted. But I did come home with plenty of food and drink, so stay tuned.
To start the day a walk in a park while it was still cool sounded good. I walked down to the Danube Canal and crossed the bridge and made my way to the Augarten. It has pretty, formal flower beds and trees, but one interesting feature is its incorporation of a huge flack tower left over from the Second World War.
Then I took the U Bahn back to the Secession Building. Secession is a modernist artistic and architectural movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The artists involved decided to secede from the over-formal academic style. The building is very striking on the outside with Art Nouveau detailing. The inside is quite plain, but downstairs is a major work of art: Gustave Kimt’s Beethoven Frieze. I found it far more powerful and compelling than the done-to-death and clichéd Kiss. The Frieze is a visual interpretation of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and takes humankind through the dangers to civilized and spiritual development (Now I know what the gorilla is doing there.) to the final epiphany of pure joy and love.
Feeling uplifted at least until I walked back out into the heat, I proceeded to the market for my weekend supplies. On the way back down Kartnerstrasse I stopped at a pastry shop. What I look for apart from the enticing window displays is the discreet “K und K” on the shop signs. This means Kaiserlich und Koniglich and refers to the fact that the business in question supplied the Hapsburgs with their goodies. If was good enough for Maria Theresa, it’s good enough for me. On account of I don’t want you to think that I’m a snob or anything.
Then I trundled myself and my bags home. Whew!
I thought it might be too hot to enjoy pastry until I put my purchase in my mouth. Esterhazy Torte is named for the notable Hungarian family who served the Hapsburgs. We are talking about five layers of naughty goodness. I think it’s some kind of walnut wafer with cream. Oh dear. Oh my. Better than Sacher Torte. Best pastry ever--even though there’s no chocolate in it.
But that was “lunch.” What’s for dinner? You know I like meze. If I am in the midst of heat, eating Mediterranean seems good to me. I have olives, dolmas, and felafel. Now I also love cheese. I tried the Austrian cheese, and I liked it just fine, but (sorry) it is not as good as the French stuff. To celebrate the Tour de France I got some Livarot at the market, too. I am also celebrating my ethnic heritage as a Norman. Fromage! Livarot is a bit “stinky” and has a penicillin tang to it, but it’s also lush and complex. No one does it better than we Normans. It would be hard to have a better meal than cheese, bread, and fruity red wine.
So is Lance going to win again? I would be astonished if he did, but I am for Astana. Alberto Contador! Venga Venga Venga!
The tour is on! I have it on TV, and while I know cycling terms in six languages I can't follow the commentary. This is where the air book comes in. I can follow along with live updates. I am NOT crazy. Cycling is a great sport.
Hasta la vista, au revoir und auf Wiedersehen!

An Excursion

Gruss Gott!
Having done the city pretty well, it was time for me to branch out. I planned what I thought was an easy day trip to Krems. According to the guidebook one goes to the station hops on one of the frequent trains and hour later. . . Ok not.
But I did get to see more of the lovely Austrian countryside than I expected.
Viennese public transport runs largely on the honor system. One is supposed to have a validated ticket or pass, but there is no “gate” to pass through, and no one is looking. Ticket inspectors appear on occasion, I understand, but apparently the Viennese do believe in their honor, because the system works just fine.
So I took the U Bahn with my validated ticket and strolled over to the train station. I got my ticket and the young lady kindly printed out a timetable for me without which--and the kindness of Austrian strangers--I would have been lost indeed.
They are working on the tracks or something because there is no such thing anymore as a direct train to Krems. What I had to do was ride the train, get off and take the bus, and then get on another train. Fortunately the Austrians to whom I expressed some bewilderment were willing to direct me.
There is nothing much in Krems. It’s just a pretty, old town whose Medieval street plan and some of the buildings has largely been preserved. What is not Medieval is seventeenth and eighteenth century. So I strolled around exploring the narrow, cobbled streets and enjoyed a pleasant change.
Yes. I had gelato and was introduced to a New Flavor. One of the choices was called Rafaello. Hello. Raphael, whose Madonna of the Meadow I’d seen at the art museum is one of my favorites. I had to try the flavor. It was almond and coconut and utterly creamy and delicious.
On my trips, I crossed the Danube or Donau, which was wide and sorta blue. The Austrian countryside is very lush with a lot of deep green. On the flatlands they grew grain and sunflowers, but the hills were covered in vineyards. Beautiful--and very peaceful looking.
One amusing thing I noticed.
Along one stretch of the Donau were a series of fairy-tale cottages each with its satellite dish. I do not wish to be rude to a country in which I am guest, but the truth is Austrian TV is terrible. On one major channel they are showing Perry Mason, and people of my age will recognize that it’s the black and white version with Raymond Burr! I’d spring for satellite, too.
All this exploring has worked up an appetite. I am going to have salad and some rotisserie chicken I got at the market.
Auf Wiedersehen

Morbid Curiosity

Gruss Gott!
It doesn’t matter where one is in Europe. It’s hot everywhere! Vienna is not as bad as some spots.
Some of you are wondering what is the matter with me because I did not talk about food yesterday. Ok. We’ll have some pastry today. My friend Sartorias made a request--I do take them--but you are going to have to wait.
I trammed out to the Museum of Military History. It’s a grand building (surprise!) set in a beautiful park with a fountain, ponds, ducks and the occasional homeless person. The exhibits are first rate, but I cannot honestly recommend folks trundle out there unless 1) they are really interested in the subject 2) already know lots of Austrian History.
For example: Let us return to the summer of 1914. The heir to the throne Archduke Franz Ferdinand has been sent on a good will tour of Bosnia-Herzegovina because Austria-Hungry intends to annex it--in defiance of a previous agreement. Now FF is a pretty good guy. He respects Slavic Culture and wants Austria-Hungary’s ethnic minorities to have rights and some say in how they are governed. But this makes him dangerous in the eyes of Bosnian nationalists. You know where I’m going with this. They murdered him, and the result was World War I.
See, this museum has the fatal car on exhibit. FF’s chauffeur got lost and pulled over to consult his map thus making FF and the Archduchess Sophie sitting ducks for Gavrilo Princep’s bullets. There’s more. The bloodstained clothes he was wearing and the very couch they laid him on to die are there.
There are so many “if onlies” connected with World War I, but I think if it had not been Franz Ferdinand, the belligerents would have found another excuse.
Let us turn to a happier subject. My next stop (after a therapeutic dose of gelato) was the museum that exhibits the “left overs” they can’t fit in the Imperial Apartments or the Albertina. I can recommend the Hofmobiliendepot without reservation. In many cases these extra pieces are finer than the ones exhibited elsewhere. There are a lot more Sisi items here as well. I especially enjoyed were the Biedermeier rooms. And a most welcome feature was the chance to try out some genuine Biedermeier chairs and sofas! I saw some pieces that I thought would be at home at my place.
Since I was in the neighborhood I went to lick the windows on Vienna’s major shopping street Mariahilfstrasse. It reminded me of Paris actually--broad sidewalks choked with shoppers, puffing away on cigarettes, traffic, beggars. I recognized a lot of European chains. I had opportunities to nip in and refresh myself with perfume.
But here I am home and rehydrated. For my appetizer I have Turkish Olives. The big green ones are stuffed with almond. I expected the little black ones to be bitter, but no. They have a slightly sweet aftertaste.
The pastry? Well, not exactly what Sartorias asked for. I saw Tophentorte and Tophenstrudel but no schnitten. What I came upon today is called Tophensouffleschnitten, and it will have to do. Tophen is a curd cheese rather like cream cheese and the pastry looks like a piece of cheese cake, but it’s a bit less sweet and tastes more complex and to my tongue less cloying. It would go great with a cup of tea, but it’s too hot right now for that.

Public Transportation--of Various Sorts

Guss Gott!
Well, Meinen Freuden I have been here a week, so I have decided to adopt a characteristic Viennese greeting. Maybe next week I’ll say Servus!
Today was a day of hardened and shameless tourism. I began by replenishing my wine supply. I got more of the Gruner Vertliner and some more of a Burgenland red I hadn’t mentioned before that is likewise light and fruity.  And cheap, too, for good wines. They are less than three euro each.
The next chore was to visit the U Bahn (that’s subway to you) station at Stephansplatz to get my eight day travel card. It might not save me money, but I am usually willing to pay for convenience.
I walked up to a tram stop and got on a tram. I like riding trams. They are generally slow, and one can see a lot. We rode along the Inner Ring for a while where all the incredibly grand and monumental buildings are. Vienna is encircled by various ring roads, which I believe mark old lines of defense, but my tram soon turned off and climbed up into “real people” territory. It’s enjoyable seeing this as well.
I took the tram back to Theresa Maria Platz where the Art Museum sits. Yes.  More art, and what an incredible collection it is. The building alone is worth the price of admission. I have been in grand places, but this joint takes the marble veneered cake. I have never seen so much marble of so many varieties in my life. Oh yeah painted ceilings or ones with gilt coffering. You can find both.
There are paintings, too. Lots and lots of them, many of them wonderful.
Even I did not look at everything. I go into a room and scan and pick out what I want to look at more closely. Teaching Art History does make a difference. I recognize a lot of works, of course, and also characteristic styles and subject matter. I saw some old friends and made some new ones. I won’t make a list. Nearly all the major artists are represented and a lot of important works are here. I really really enjoyed the Bruegels. I did not realize that Hunters in the Snow, which I love teaching is part of a “seasons” series. I got to see some of the others. They have a remarkable collection of Giorgiones. And I must mention Vermeer’s Allegory of Painting. His works are usually quite small, but this one is pretty big and exquisite like all of his work.
By the time I had finished, it was hot and the sun was strong. After some gelato, it was time for another tram ride out to the Prater. The Prater is a pleasure ground on the outskirts of town. I took the tram to the forest part and enjoyed a cool walk under the trees.
Then I came upon the Liliputbahn. Oh oh! I am a total sucker for these little trains. I bought a combined ticket and hopped aboard. We chugged through the trees for a while, but the destination was the more famous part of the Prater--the amusement park. The rides reminded me of the old Pacific Ocean Park in Santa Monica. But the big tourist magnet of the Prater is its famous Reiserad or Journey Wheel. My combined ticket would get me a ride. Whee! The wheel is huge and rises slowly, and the views over the city and of the encircling hills are marvelous.
When we came down, I strolled over to the U Bahn Station and hopped a train for Stephansplatz and here we are.
Auf Wiedersehen!