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!