Day 3 - Vienna

Today we set out to sightsee in Vienna. We had some ideas but no plans. The main objective was to be rested and adjusted enough, ready to enjoy the main deal, our motorcycling tour. 

After a great breakfast at the hotel, we headed out.  We are in agreement that the food in Europe, well Vienna anyway, is good and not bad value compared to home. It would. Be interesting to have an evaluation for our American friends, because while I imagine it is much better for them too, it would be lots more expensive for them. That said we are not ordering rump steak - that is more expensive. So while we are on food, they have great areas of alfresco dinner. I guess they don’t in winter, but now in summer with the long days, outside every eating place there are tables and chairs in tight groups filled with people eating and socialising. The blend between the vehicle and pedestrian traffic is interesting and yet feels safe as people over flow the narrow foot paths and the cars and motorcycles  just deal with it. Chuck in regular horse and carriage and a number of human powered tricycle type taxis, it makes up an interesting blend that here just seem to get along. No horns blasting and rushing. I think that is saved to the more major roads. There are similarities to Melbourne but here there are massive areas of public space. This public space appears to be part of their history and as we went today to visit the Hofburg Imperial Palace, the open space of both lawn and paved court yards was very impressive. 

I got up early and when in search of a coffee shop. While I was unsuccessful in my goal, they do not open early like Australia, there was a range of interesting activity. The narrow streets were pretty much jambed with trucks making deliveries and taking away the rubbish. They must be an army of people cleaning because the place in very clean. In amongst the action runs the street sweeper.  The rubbish trucks were interesting. They are back loaders with a number of garbos working behind them collecting the small version of wheel bins from the business about the city and loading them into the back of the truck like the green waste people do in Mackay. They have just moved from the trash can to the mini wheel bin. 

Our adventuring lead us through the city to Hofberg Imperial Palace, on other side of the city centre to where we were staying. About a 10 minute walk. This to the spot where you go to see the performances of classical music, opera and other cultural activities like the Spanish riding School. As I mention the open spaces in a city was amazing as were the buildings, again unbelievable ornate. So what do people do in Vienna. I think if I was a young person looking for a job in Vienna I would get into build restoration. It is a full time battle against the mound and the pigeons. That said I think there are more pigeons at the Coffee Club in Mackay. Once buildings have been restored, they put a layer of fine unobtrusive bird wire over the whole feature to keep the birds off.  

Now of more interest to everyone else, we, after some walking and looking and lunch, decided to put the afternoon (or about 3hrs of it) in the Sisi Muesum. This was part of the Imperial apartaments. The building occupied by the Emperor and his wife when in the palace. First there was a display of all the household items from cooking pots to an amazing array of silverware and china. Like rooms and rooms of it. Dinner parties where a really big deal as settings where for 20 or more. It showed the incrediable wealth of the kingdom at it height. The next stage took us through the living areas all beautifully restored. It was more a journey in the life of  Emporer Franz Joseph and his wife Emperess Elizabeth who they referred to as Sisi. While it appeared the Franz did an OK job, his relationship with his wife and hers with him were strained to say the least. By the time we were finished,Anna and I were convinced that she suffered for very poor mental health. Again the life of the rich and famous in the 18th century is not that much different that that of the same people today. Very worth the effort and certainly not something you will see at home. 

After this, we stopped off for a sundae at Zanoni and Zanoni - one of the things we must do according the Kate. And it was good. Picture below. 

Back at our hotel we had an afternoon nap for about 3 hours (still catching up a bit) before we went out to dinner at one of the street cafes we had spotted on our way home to sample the pasta dishes. Again, food very nice. 

OK, before we leave Vienna, a couple of interesting observations.  Australia has had far more success in our campaign against smoking. Here the best they can do is no smoking at indoor eating places.  In these  alfresco eating areas, eating  and smoking is the thing to do and by all ages. Not children, well not first hand anyway.  The second thing of concern is fire safety. There are smoke detectors etc. but the door to our room could only be locked with a key and once locked you could only get in or out with the key. Not fire latch on these doors. We slept with the key in the door so we could find it if we had to leave in a hurry. At least smoking in the rooms is not accepted. 

Tomorrow we meet our tour team in Mieming after a short flight to Innsbruck. 

 

Mozart’s statue in the gardens near the Palace. 

Here is a small part of the candelabra collection. See how they have mirrors to set them up on to make the most for the light.

This is one to the elaborate statues in one of the many open spaces. Have a close look and you can see the bird wire covering it to keep the pigeons off it. 

And that my friend is a Sundae or three.