Another very slow day. But, LOTS of walking, so we were tired at the end of the day. I have been trying to use windows live writer for the blog to have better control over how the pictures display. I have to give up for now - have spent a couple hours with no success. Maybe tomorrow!
Ron walked to the nearby SPAR market for fresh rolls, butter, cheese, and meats for our breakfast. After a leisurely morning in the apartment, we set out and walked to the Hundertwasser Haus, about six blocks away on the Donau Kanal. Friedensrich Hundertwasser was born Friedric Stowasser. He was an artist who developed an interest in architecture - I call "outside-the-box" architecture. He believed in uneven floors, bold colors, and hated straight lines. He is compared to Antoni Gaudi (Barcelona), but personally think there is no comparison. To me, Gaudi is amazing! Hundertwasser Haus is a complex of apartments and offices, built in the early 1980's.
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| Mary in front of Hundertwasserhaus - Mild weather (wearing light shirt and vest) |
We had purchased weekly tickets for public transportation, and hopped on the nearby tram #1 and rode to Schwedenplatz. From there we meandered in back streets until we came to the famous St. Stephen's Cathedral, the landmark of Vienna. We don't care for the area, as there are too many "touts" dressed in Mozart-era costumes distributing brochures for "tourist" concerts, But, we were ready for a break and sat in the outside cafe of Do & Co for a wine/beer and reading our newspapers.
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| St. Stepehen's undergoing extensive cleaning |
We walked down the Graben (up-market pedestrian street) past the store where we purchased Ron's wedding band years ago (from a store owner who happened to live in Naples FL part of the year).
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| The Plague Column (Pestsaule) - hope another one isn't needed anytime soon! It's one of the most famous sculptures in the city. The Plague hit Vienna in 1679, and Emperor Leopold promised to build a "mercy column" if the Plague would end in that year. |
We walked behind the Hofburg (WInter Palace of the Hapsburgs) where some military helicopters and troops were present. We walked through the park to the Burgring, where we again found Tram #1, which took us back to Radeskyplatz near our apartment.
That evening we walked to a nearby restaurant recommended by the apartment owners - Stadtwirt. It is an old restaurant, serving typically Austrian cuisine. Once again, I had fried chicken. You never see chicken of any kind in Germany, but here it is on every menu. Since I am not fond of most German/Austrian food, I keep ordering it - feel like I am in a rut.
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| Ron's Greek Salad |
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