FUN-travel: Vienna, Austria – Full Day 2
October 2, 2013 by Susan Clarke
Day 12 – Friday, September 27 – Vienna, Austria – Full Day 2 – cloudy turns sunny – cool high 50’s
National Museum
What I LIKE
- 7:15 – wake up
- more hot Starbucks compliments of my love
Hofburg Fountain
- 12:00 – lunch @ Gyros – not far from hotel – gyros plate w/rice, bread (no pita) & greek salad, diet coke = $20 Euro (RS pick)
- off to Hofburg palace – huge complex near Opera house where Hapsburg emperors lived
- filled w/museums, imperial apartments, church, national library, Spanish riding school, & crown jewels
- 1:20 – Treasury tour – opt to see royal regalia featuring crown jewels, gowns, & assorted bling in 21 darkened rooms w/audio guide
- Chris is beside himself w/all the beauty inside (not!) doesn’t really like museums – can get him to maybe one a city
- no rain
- 2:30 – walk around other half of ring (did half yesterday before rain) to canal
- stroll thru pedestrian only main shopping street – Karntner Strasse
- Spar stop for more “Unplugged” for Budapest (Chris says wine there is sweet) & snacks for train
- 5:00 – happy hour @ hotel – stiegl beer
- 7:00 – head out for dinner
- *giant outdoor screen on opera house projecting live performance for free
- 7:15 – dinner @ Palmenhaus – RS says “modern Austrian surrounded by palm trees & not tourists” – endive salad w/pears, grapes, nuts & pecorino cheese – salmon w/pesto, Mediterranean vegetables & rosemary potatoes – roasted chorizo sausage w/eggplant, tomatoes & pita – 2009 Schlumberger cab/merlot – baileys & coffee for mama! she wanted to come here & never did = $127 US
- 9:30 walk back – opera still on & square is full of people watching
More Hofburg Palace
What I DON’T LIKE
- canal walls filled w/graffiti – thought it would be much nicer area
- *German subtitles – have no idea what’s going on, other than someone’s heart will be broken & somebody will die
FUN-fact – The Treasury has one of the world’s most stunning collections & contains a really impressive 2,680 karat emerald table adornment. Its two stones grown together with little legs and the top has cap with gold filigree. In addition, they claim to have one of the nails that held Jesus on the cross.
RS = Rick Steve’s
Opera House