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