Vienna Culture

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Trip Start May 21, 2008 Previous
Entry Trip End Jul 01, 2008 Next
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  Vienna, Austria
Wednesday, June 11, 2008

 
Vienna, what a beautiful city, the home of many great composers. Beethoven, Schubert, Mozart etc.  Just gorgeous, the old buildings, old frescoes, and Mozart chocolate YUMMO!  Tour around the ring road, we were lucky because the European Cup for the soccer is being played here and Switzerland.  Our tour director was worried that we would be troubled with traffic, but the match was not until the next day so we were not bothered with any of the Hooligans.  Many of the Viennese have left town until it settles down.
 
We went to the old Library ancient books with rack upon rack up to frescoed ceiling; St. Stephens' Cathedral, and another walking tour of the old city.  So much of the city is being renovated after the damage following the War.  It was not actually included on our tour, but when we came out of the library, we came out right next to the Spanish Riding School

St. Stephens Cathedral

. We were very fortunate to be able to sit on a practice session of the Lippizan horses.  Viv you would have loved it, and actually this whole trip is something you should do.  It is so you...........!
The stallions were so proud, the older they get, the whiter they become, and you could tell which one where the learners and which horses were most senior.  Just beautiful, no cameras allowed, but Gary was a wee bit naughty and sneaked a short film. There are souveneir shops with T-Shirts saying there are no kangaroos in Austria, some confusion???
 
The afternoon we mostly took pretty easy, although more tours were on offer, but we planned to attend a concert in  the Auersperg palace in the evening.  And wasn't that a treat, Mozart, Strauss, all the performers in costume,
9 musicians - string, wind and keys; opera singers, and ballet dancers.  We had front row seats, close enough we could reach out and touch the pianist.  She had the straightest back, wonderful posture.  It was magic, and the lead violinist awesome.  This city loves its music and it certainly shows.  Back to our ship, via a tour of the city lights, and set sail for Durnstein.
 
 

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Beautiful architecture	Vienna Library	Inside the Library	The Spanish Riding School
T-Shirt messge	A taste of culture	Too much soccer partying

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