Vienna

So, the uncultured chav that I am, I didn't know much about Vienna before going. I knew it as the home of various composers, and some cliches about the Habsburgs; but I didn't know about Vienna the medieval fortress city that later repelled Ottoman invasions. Or about Vindobona the Roman legionnaire camp found under their city streets. OR had I ever HEARD about Schonbrunn Palace, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as a comically large mansion.

I still don't know what this was

We found this hop on hop off bus service that hit all the major tourist places for a reasonable rate, which we used a lot. Lured in with the price and promise of air conditioning, we didn't anticipate it being such a cattle call. Still, I am glad we did it.

The bus tour dropped us at St. Charles Church, built after the city survived the plague.

 

My attempt at a montage

Then to St Stephens, which dwarfed St. Charles.

Left                        Center                         Right

Now all but the top and bottom.

Holy moly.

We took a few different tours in this place. One of the crypts (No pictures allowed. The Habsburgs organs are embalmed there! Also their bodies, but separately). Another tour of their treasury of relics(!). On this tour was St Valentine's Chapel (complete with skull of St. Valentine)

The oddest part was there there was absolutely zero explanation here

Just out of the frame of these you can find a part of the table cloth 

from the last supper, and a jar of snake oil...

After the treasury we took an old sketchy elevator to the top of the north tower, where it was creaky, breezy and beautiful.

The camera was facing forward, but I was looking down.

We then went to a Viennese Roman museum showcasing some roman ruins they discovered under a street while they were digging canals.

If I see Roman ruins cooler than this on the trip I will eat my hat

We also went to a couple Viennese Palaces.

First was the Belvedere. Summer home of Prince Eugene of Savoy (and his pet LION). Nowadays it's an art museum, filled with medieval and modern art (and Gustav Klimt!)

I'd show you guys the inside but, I was shocked to discover, NO PHOTOGRAPHY

Then we went to the Habsburgs home Schonbrunn Palace.

Zowie 

Once again, no photos allowed inside the palace. 

But frankly, I had more fun outside 

 Not pictured here HEDGE MAZE

The back house. Seriously.

Inside the palace was a guided tour of a labyrinth of massive rooms decorated with gilded chandeliers and frescos. Also a small music parlor where Mozart put on his first concert (at 6 years old!) Lots of Habsburg love on the tour, which I guess made sense, but felt odd.

So Vienna was cool. I feel like I merely scratched the surface of the place, but I get the impression that will be happening a lot on this trip. Tomorrow is a train ride into Munich and Ashley's parents are flying home, making it just the two of us.

Also you can start expecting posts soon from other people on this blog, documenting as different paths converge or some more appropriate way to say that.