Day 12 - Cultural/Touristic Day in Vienna

Saturday - October 25

We had another leisurely morning, but then a busy, tiring day. I made egg salad in the morning, and we had that on toast for breakfast. I went over to the cafe while Ron relaxed and got ready. We didn't leave the cafe until almost 1 PM.

We're usually not big into sightseeing - we've been here so often that it's like what happens at home. You ignore the sights the "tourists" come to see. One interesting blog-writer I enjoy calls it the art of "sight-skipping". But, we decided to do a few touristy things. We took #0 Tram directly to Quartier Belvedere, and walked quite a way (in chilly breeze) to entrance to Oberes (Upper) Belvedere.

Looking across garden from Upper to Lower Belvedere (Gardens are beautiufl in summer!)

The Belvedere Complex was the 18th-century summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, one of Austria's most famous generals. It is considered one of the outstanding Baroque sites in the world. It was created by the most famous Baroque architect, Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt. I read that the lower Belvedere Palace was originally offices, while the Upper Belvedere was the residence. At a later time, Archduke Franz Ferdinand resided there. His assassination in 1914 in Sarajevo conributed to the outbreak of WWI.

A funny aside - the Chinese all have these extendable sticks on their cameras and  often use them to take "selfies"

Mary in front of Upper Belvedere Palace

Ron with Emprsss Maria Theresa

Both palaces now house important art collections, including the largest collection of Gustav Klimt in the world. It was very interesting to see the original of his famous work "The Kiss". We hadn't realized how large it is, as you always see it on postcards or posters that give you no idea. The picture by Klimt that we thought was even more beautiful (and totally different style) was "Portrait of a Woman". Of course, no photgraphy was allowed in the galleries, but I took the liberty to capture these two images from the internet. I hope I am not breaking any rules.

"Portrait of a Woman"

"The Kiss"

There was also a large collection of Egon Schiele, and many periods and styles of art were represented, including Baroque, Biedermier, Impressionist, and Expresionist. One of the most interesing rooms was the Marble Hall (we were allowed to take a photo through a window on an upper floor). One of the significant events that occurred there was the signing of the agreement after WWII  that restored independence to Austria. It was signed by John Foster Dulles for the US, Pincay for France, Molotov for USSR, and MacMillan for the UK.

Marble Hall

We needed a little break, and stopped in the museum cafe for beverages, and shared an order of Pommes Frittes (French fries)

Mary in Belvedere Cafe

We then walked back to Prince Eugenstrasse, and caught the "D" Tram to Kaerntner Ring near the Opera House. We wanted to visit the tourist office to inquire about some tickets, but they had moved. The one we found was under renovation, and was private, and thus charged a 22% surcharge on any purchases. They told us of another place with no surcharge, but after investigating we decided we didn't want to spend over $100 each for tickets to "Mama Mia" in German (with English sub-titles). We haven't been visiting the gorgeous Viennese musical venues - enjoy classical and opera in the background for reading or dining, but not to sit through a long performance for an expensive price.

We stopped into the Augustiner Keller, one of the last old monastery cellars in Vienna. We sat under the vaulted brick ceilings, and Ron had an eintopf (broth with beef, noodles, and vegetables), and I (unusual for me) had a dessert - mohn in hemd, a kind of steamed pudding (more the consistency of a dense cake) with choclate sauce "und schlag uber" (whipped cream). 

Ron in Augustiner Keller

Mohn im Hemd

From there we had to hurry, as The Third Man Museum closed at 6 PM,and it was already 4:30. I had read great reviews of the museum, but we didn't find it terribly interesting. The movie was made in 1948 (year I was born) and neither of us knew that much about it - otther than "The Third Man Theme". The small museum displays the collection of a man who was a great enthusiast of the film and collected all kinds of memoribila - scripts, posters, photos, props, etc. We saw the zither of Anton Karas, who wrote and played the theme. The director of the film, Carl Reed, met him in Vienna, and asked him to write the music, which changed his life.

We thought the most interesting part of the musem was the section devoted to post-war Vienna. There were so many photos and newspaper clippings about the unbelievable damage to the city from the Allied bombings. It made you stop to think about the tremendous challenges the people faced after the War - food rationing, long lines just to buy bread, currency devaluation - and then the incredible job of reconstruction they have accomplished. Unfortunately, our camera battery died, and we weren't able to take any photos. 

They showed a short clip of the film, the part where Harry Lime was trying to escape though the sewers of Vienna. The info posted there informed us that Orson Welles refused to film in the sewers, so all of the shots of him in that scene were filmed on a set. Any scenes in the actual sewers used a double.

Leaving the museum we walked down to the Naschmarkt, turned right and headed to the Ring. We were upset when we saw the Bus 59A go past us - we could have been riding in comfort. Instead we couldn't find the stop we wanted, and went about 8-blocks out of our way. We were both worn out by the time we boarded Tram #1. However, riding around the Ring in Viena at night is a gorgeous sight! The amazing architecture is even more stunning with the night-time illumination. We will be going back to Karlsplatz and some of the nearby cafes soon!

When we neared Radetzkyplatz, I told Ron I was going to stop at our cafe to look at email on my phone and play a bit of my favorite game - mainly because I needed a rest before climbing the 25-stairs. I said I would stop if they were crowded, as we don't want to take up a table if we aren't eating. The place looked fairly empty, so Ron said he'd be back later and I went in - only to discover all the tables were reserved. One of the waiters who knew me, brought a small table and two chairs and made a space for me. Luckily, Ron came back sooner than I expected, as my battery on the phone was about dead. He ordered a bowl of soup - so small he called it a "saucer" of soup. The cafe was a mad house - busier than we'd ever seen. 

Went back to our apartment about 8 PM. I thought I discovered a quicker wash cycle for the next load of laundry. But, I think it ended up running for 12-hours. A real puzzle! Thankfully, the clothes survived and are now hanging all over the bathroom and dining area. Dryers are very uncommon here.