Vienna
Vienna
This Spring we flew to Vienna for a 3 day weekend and got to see some old friends from our college days who are living in Austria. Once the grand capital of the powerful Hapsburg Empire for 640 years, Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities I've been to.
Our friends, Jeff and Bethany Stockett, were great hosts as they showed us the best places to eat. We had AMAZING chinese, burgers and The Best mexican food we’ve had on the continent. (We miss good mexican food more than anything!)
We quickly found out that people on the street and in shops greet you right away. It’s so refreshing after spending time in Amsterdam where no one makes eye contact and shop keepers can be immune to your presence.
We also spent some time just soaking up the atmosphere of some of their famous coffee salons. coffee- where they actually serve coffee (not marijuana!) The cafes are smoky, but elegant. One thing I absolutely love about Europe is that when you sit at a cafe you really can take all the time you want. It’s so civilized!
One of our favorite activities was the Haus der Muzik- House of Music. Brent, being the musician really enjoyed it. A lot of the exhibits were interactive- we found out that I could hear higher pitches than Brent (apparently most women do). We also heard what it sounds like inside the womb. It sounded like aliens were talking to us...
With virtual baton in hand, Brent conducted the Vienna philharmonic orchestra. When he got a little off tempo the musicians would put their instruments down and ridicule him in German!
The most interesting architecture I've seen so far was the Hundertwasserhaus. It’s an apartment complex that mixes the work and philosophy of local painter/environmentalist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
He was against “window racism” (I’m not making this up), when neighborhoods require that houses look a certain way and only allow one type of window. The floors and sidewalks of his house are uneven to “stimulate” the brain” and also because “straight lines are godless.”
The apartments are low-income housing and wouldn’t you think that people on fixed incomes deserve better than wobbly furniture and sprained ankles??
Many consider Vienna as the world’s music capital. More famous composers have lived here than in any other city.
a Reception Hall in the Opera House
The Vienna Opera House was built in the 1860's and it is amazing that any of it survived World War II. It is the epitome of old-fashion elegance with gilt and marble. At the time though it wasn't impressive enough to the Viennese which led the architect to commit suicide shortly before it was finished. Today it's the home of the world renowned Vienna Philharmonic.
Boxed seats
It's a beautiful palace, but the gardens surrounding it are most impressive. We went early in the morning, as the park is free and open to the public. Except for a few joggers, we had the grounds to ourselves. The beautiful gardens combined with the morning quiet was very magical.
This Spring we flew to Vienna for a 3 day weekend and got to see some old friends from our college days who are living in Austria. Once the grand capital of the powerful Hapsburg Empire for 640 years, Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities I've been to.
Our friends, Jeff and Bethany Stockett, were great hosts as they showed us the best places to eat. We had AMAZING chinese, burgers and The Best mexican food we’ve had on the continent. (We miss good mexican food more than anything!)
We quickly found out that people on the street and in shops greet you right away. It’s so refreshing after spending time in Amsterdam where no one makes eye contact and shop keepers can be immune to your presence.
We also spent some time just soaking up the atmosphere of some of their famous coffee salons. coffee- where they actually serve coffee (not marijuana!) The cafes are smoky, but elegant. One thing I absolutely love about Europe is that when you sit at a cafe you really can take all the time you want. It’s so civilized!
One of our favorite activities was the Haus der Muzik- House of Music. Brent, being the musician really enjoyed it. A lot of the exhibits were interactive- we found out that I could hear higher pitches than Brent (apparently most women do). We also heard what it sounds like inside the womb. It sounded like aliens were talking to us...
With virtual baton in hand, Brent conducted the Vienna philharmonic orchestra. When he got a little off tempo the musicians would put their instruments down and ridicule him in German!
The most interesting architecture I've seen so far was the Hundertwasserhaus. It’s an apartment complex that mixes the work and philosophy of local painter/environmentalist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
He was against “window racism” (I’m not making this up), when neighborhoods require that houses look a certain way and only allow one type of window. The floors and sidewalks of his house are uneven to “stimulate” the brain” and also because “straight lines are godless.” The apartments are low-income housing and wouldn’t you think that people on fixed incomes deserve better than wobbly furniture and sprained ankles??
Many consider Vienna as the world’s music capital. More famous composers have lived here than in any other city.
a Reception Hall in the Opera House
Boxed seatsSchonbrunn Palace was the Hapsburg family's summer residence, four miles from Vienna. They were obviously taking some notes from Versailles.
St. Stephen's Cathedral is a massive church and is the heart of Vienna. It has survived many wars and today symbolizes the city's freedom.
We rode the underground metro everywhere- this was our stop Simmering/Rochusgasse. We always remembered it because it sounded like "simmering roaches!"
On that note, Vienna is a romantic city. For a big city it is very laid-back. People stroll as if every day were Sunday. It was so pleasant to enjoy chocolate torte while soaking up the opulent culture from their days as a Europe's greatest empire. I think Vienna definitely requires a second look!
Comments