Elizabeth and Vienna have gotten acquinted these past few days. I gave her the grand tour of the city center. We went shopping on Mariahilferstraße where I bought the cool brown jacket I'm wearing in the picture on the right. We sipped on some Viennese coffee in the student district around the impressive Universität Wien. We gazed up at the magnificent stained glass windows and vaulted ceiling of Stephansdom and the Votivkirche. We toured Schönbrunn (the palace in the background of the photo), the summer residence of the Hapsburgs.We have swallowed quite a tasty dose of Viennese culture these past couple days. The highlight was a breathtaking performance of Swan Lake in the reknowned Staatsoper (State Opera House).
We watched the ballet from the standing area on the lower level for 3.50 € each, where we had a splendid view of the stage (and aching legs). The performance was top notch. I cannot imagine a more perfect portrayal of Schwanensee. It well worth the wait and the exhaustion of standing up for three hours. (Don't feel sorry for us, though. After the performance, we headed downtown for some gelata in a heated out-door icecream cafe to rest our feet and satisfy our cravings for sugary goodness!)Our culture for today consisted of a few hours touring the Leopold Museum, an art gallery featuring Austrian artwork of the late 19th/ early 20th century. Some of the stuff was a bit creepy, I'll have to admit, but I enjoyed the experience.
We have some big plans for the final week of Elizabeth's stay in Austria, namely, a day of snowboarding with Julian, a family reunion with Grandma's sister Michalinde and her son and daughter, a trip to Innsbruck, a quaint city nestled in the Alps with lots of outdoor possibilities. And we will squeeze in a lot more in between.
2 comments:
It has been so fun reading about your adventures, Katherine. I have been reading the book Vienna Prelude by Bodie Thoene which takes place just before the beginning of WW II and features a violinist. So I'm reading about some of the places you are able to visit and experience. It's great that you have been able to connect with your mom's far away relatives. I know she is wishing she were there with you, too. We are thinking of you and appreciate your pictures and stories. Keep it up!! Love you, Aunt Karen
I am enjoying keeping up with your travel experiences, Rover (or was it Wanderer)? Anyway, it's good stuff.
We are thinking of and praying for you at WBC.
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