Vienna…..Mozart, the Danube, and Weiner Schnitzel!

Our choice of transportation to Vienna was a completely unique one – a boat ride down the Danube River. It took a little longer than a train ride, but was so relaxing and we experienced going through two river locks, which was very interesting to watch. We arrived in Vienna around 4:00 and immediately set out to explore the city. We strolled down the Karntnerstrasse, a pedestrian street filled with shops and bistros. It didn’t take long to realize that we were standing in the midst of a beautiful city! We saw the Spanish Imperial Riding School, which included the stables and the performance area. Every single building we walked by was picture-worthy, with exquisite, elegant details carved into every brick and stone. We had heard there was a “movie in the park” at one of the famous town squares and thought we might check it out. Once again, our expectation was completely exceeded by a mile! The city had set up a very large (40’ x 50’) screen right in front of one of the most beautiful buildings in Vienna. Spectacular spires and a huge clock rose above the screen, and if you took your eyes off the screen and gazed above it, the night view was simply breathtaking! To top it off, not only was there a HUGE screen, but to Jerry’s delight there were HUGE speakers to boot. And it wasn’t a movie we were viewing, but the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra performing Bruckner’s 7th Symphony. We honestly felt like we were in a symphony hall! Unfortunately, Vienna was one of our shortest stays, so we got up bright and early to pack in all that we could. We began by walking to the humungous outdoor market, nibbling a variety of breakfast treats along the way. I knew it was going to be a good day because the first bathroom we stopped at didn’t ask us to pay to pee! We strolled by lovely gardens, the museum district, the Opera House, Parliament, and numerous other REALLY LARGE statues and buildings. It seems our Austrian friends could build nothing on a small scale! We kept an eye open for any structure found in the “Sound of Music” movie, but alas, found none. (Jerry says he thinks it was all filmed somewhere in the mountains of West Virginia anyhow). We climbed 343 steps inside a continuous spiral staircase to the top of St. Stephen’s Cathedral and I’m thinking, “Who needs the Buns of Steel video when you’ve got cathedral spirals to ascend?” We decided that it wouldn’t be a complete experience in Vienna unless we took in a genuine, bonafide, guaranteed, warranteed classical performance somewhere. We had endless options to choose from. We opted for a concert which show-cased a variety of the Viennese arts. A chamber orchestra played some well-known sections composed by Mozart and Strauss, and some of the songs were accompanied by ballet, or opera singers. What made the experience even more memorable is that we were watching this all from the theatre in the Auersburg Palace where, at the age of 6, Mozart performed for the queen for the very first time. We enjoyed a much cooler walk back to the U-Bahn (subway), and spent the remainder of the evening packing for our next stop – Venice!