Vienna
Danube trip
Vienna |
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The Mia anchored quite a distance from the city center right across from "United Nation City". We signed up for two escorted sightseeing trips. As soon as we anchored, we embarked on the first trip. The bus took us into the city center, past the "Prater". This is a park with the famous giant Ferris wheel - it is so big, that it contains some cabins in which one can eat dinner while admiring the view of the city! The bus then crossed the Ring (the original city wall during the middle ages, now a major thoroughfare, past the Russian victory monument (locally known as the "Unknown Rapist Memorial". Our destination was the Belvedere Palace.
Belvedere Details
The Belvedere was built by Prince Eugene exclusively for entertainment purposes. Today it is an art gallery and museum. We continued our trip past numerous palaces, fountains, monuments, churches and other signs of the grandeur of imperial Vienna. We wandered around the Hofburg palace complex
and the Spanische Reitschule where the famous white Lippizaner horses train and perform. Unfortunately, like everyone else, the horses were on vacation in the country - No one is in the city during August except the tourists! We then concluded our first tour of the city with a visit to the Hundertwasserhaus below
This is actually an apartment complex constructed according to the plans of the artist Hundertwasser. Every apartment detail is different, no two windows are the same, floors levels vary, colors and plants provide a fest for the eyes. Living in one of these apartments must be a bit of a challenge, probably one should be a devoted Hundertwasser fan to even think about it. Below a fountain in front of the house.
Since we frequently got on and off the bus, it did eventually happen: Birgit and I jumped on the wrong bus! However, the guides got us sorted out and we did not end up on the wrong ship! Instead we returned to the Mia. Our heads were spinning from the many different impressions we had received during the tour and we were grateful to rest for a bit before the very nice dinner. meals were always served buffet style and there were plenty of choices. Each day there was a main dinner that focused on local specialties. I particularly liked the rich assortment of cheeses and desserts - perhaps more than I should have!
On our second day in Vienna we braved the local subway system. We successfully purchased "Seniorenfahrscheine" (discounted tickets for seniors) and managed to get on the correct train to the Stephans Dom. From there we walked the streets and enjoyed the details of the city: Below pictures of the moderne and old Vienna
Mechanical Clock
Vienna today is a very rich city, in part because it houses many international agencies as well as the OPEC headquarters. As a result interesting and expensive shops abound. Although Birgit and I are NOT avid shoppers, we did find one very interesting shop: a place that not only sells fur pieces, but actually fabricates them. The proprietor showed us how she was making a blanket out of fox pelts for a customer who had actually shot them. Somewhat more interesting for us was how she made new and VERY interesting jackets and coats out of old fur pieces. Now, if I could just figure out how to return to Vienna with my inherited, somewhat worn pieces ....
We explored St. Stephen's Cathedral, the beloved "Steffl'" and then successfully took the subway back to the ship. After our somewhat disasterous experiences with the Manhattan subway turnstyles, Vienna proved a piece of cake. Of course, the Vienna subway doesn't have any turnstyles...
Roof Detail
After an extensive lunch onboard ship we once again boarded the bus for the second tour: "From the bottom to the top" We didn't quite know what to expect, but it sounded interesting and it was a success. The first stop was again St. Stephen's Cathedral, but this time we went underground and explored the extensive catacombs. Here we not only saw the graves of kings and bishops: 
but also the bone vaults. 
Unfortunately the light was very poor and Birgit did not take a picture of the vault containing among others the bones of thousands of plague victims. We then ascended and took a drive around the city in one of the beloved "Fiaker" (horsedrawn carriages).
Finally, we were taken to the subway for a brief ride to another of Vienna's many churches: The Karlskirche (St. Charles Church) 
While the church is impressive for its architecture, we were in for a special treat: The ceiling frescos are being restored and to provide access, an elevator has been installed. As a result, not only the artists, but also common tourists like us can temporarily ascend and view the frescos from a platform about twenty feet below. For the restorers and truly intrepid tourists, stairs lead all the way to the top for a truly up close and personal view: 
This was truly an impressive experience. We agreed that the tour was one of the highlights of our trip. Then it was bakc on the bus to return to the ship for dinner and anchors away,
Goodbye Vienna, we headed to Esztergom in Hungary.
Oettingen Heidenheim Donaufahrt Vienna Esztergom Budapest Bratislava Melk Messel