HELLO EUROPE! Megan and I went took a river cruise that started in Vienna, Austria recently. So, you'll see a few blogs coming up about all the places we saw. Enjoy.
Look at this enormous Airbus A380. It's so big as a double-decker plane that it needs two sky ramps. Makes me want to fly Emirates Airlines just to see what it's like to ride in one.
St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom). Construction started in 1137 and completed in 1160. This tower itself took 65 years to build.
This tower was suppose to look like the other tower. But, it was very expensive and Gothic architecture was falling out of favor. So, they just capped it off instead.
Capistran Chancel
Stephansplaz
Capistran Chancel
230,000+ tiles were used on the roof. This portion of the roof was rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire after bombing in World War II.
St Peter's Church (Peterskirche) was erected to thank god for letting a few people live through the plague. I guess that happens when a third of the population dies (about 76,000 people).
A sunny afternoon of wonderful architecture.
Hofburg Palace at the end of the Kohlmarkt. This is the street you visit to see all the material objects you cannot afford.
Hofburg Palace was home to the Habsburg monarchs, who used it as their winter residence. Today, a portion is used as the residence and executive offices of the Austrian president.
The four sculptures at the base are Hurcules facing his great challenges, which Emperor Franz Josef seemed to have some empathy.
More Roman ruins
Panorama of Michaelerplatz.
Rotunda of Hofburg Palace
In der Burg of Hofburg Palace.
Sculpture of Habsburg Emperor Franz II
Gateway over former moat to the Swiss Court (Schweizerhof).
The New Palace (Neue Burg) was another residence for the Habsburgs. There was suppose to be a matching structure, but it wasn't build because Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. This started World War I and ended the Habsburg Dynasty.
Today, this palace is a museum full of a wide range of items.
The Volksgarten in the center of Vienna. This is the rose garden that features over 13,000 varieties of roses.
A random church we came across.
Interior of random church
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The Albertina Museum with the contemporary "diving board" additions. According to our guide "We Viennese hate it. But, we hate everything new. In 3-400 years, we may start to tolerate it."
Albertinaplatz
Enjoying the Kärntner Straße. Crusaders marched to war starting from this street on their way to the Holy Land.
FYI, Burger King is at Annagasse 3...
Four Rivers Fountain in Neuer Markt. Apparently, Empress Maria Theresa thought the lady on this sculpture was too sexy. Oh la la...
Dinner at Palais Pallavicini of great food, better wine, and wonderful music, singing, and dancing.
Dick and Marianne driving the bus back to the hotel. So, Megan and I decided to walk back.
You must eat sausages when in Vienna.
People watching
Oh selfie...
Monument in Silhouette
A very ornate skyway
Medieval shopping mall
Me: "Who's that a photo of?"
Megan: "Thomas Bernhard"
Me: "How do you know that?"
Megan: "Look again," his name in small letters at the bottom
Me: "Who's that?"
Megan: "I don't know."
We didn't know this at the time, but these were the smallest beers we'd have on the trip...
Habsburgs imperial summer residence
How's that for a front door.
Marianne critiquing the Franz Joseph (?) sculpture
Wandering the gardens
Quite an estate, eh?
Imagine this is in the backyard of your summer home...
Had to get a new camera. And failed taking a decently selfie quickly with a mob of tourists around...
Much better selfie with the palace in the background
How sweet
Modern city center of Vienna.
More vacation posts at:
Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic/Linz, Austria -