A library, a crypt, and wiener schnitzel

We met Geraldine and Thomas mid morning and visited the state hall of the Austrian national library, one of the most beautiful historic libraries in the world. It was built in the early 1700s in the Baroque style. We’ve never seen anything quite like it before. Breathtaking.

Thomas stopped us in front of a building and explained that it was Vienna‘s most famous dance school. He was to have had lessons there as a boy, but refused. As a result, he never learned to do a Viennese waltz. We chuckled and I commiserated with Geraldine because Brad is not a dancer either. So Geraldine and I decided to waltz in front of the school right then and there. Brad videoed our performance 🤣 (A tourist family from Peru witnessed our dance and said it made their day.)

From there, we went on to visit the Kapuzinergruft, the crypt of the Habsburg emperors. Established in 1618, there are now 150 people in the crypt. The early coffins are particularly ornate and macabre. If you’re ever in Vienna, don’t miss it.

We then hopped on the subway and headed to The Hundertwasserhaus, a residential building designed by Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Read more about it here: https://www.visitingvienna.com/sights/hundertwa…

We had a casual patio luncheon in the same neighbourhood and then hopped back on the subway to return to the hotel to have a rest and get gussied up for dinner at the famed Sacher Hotel.

The Sacher Hotel is across from the opera house and is a favourite for after opera dining. For our friend Thomas, it’s a place he went to often with his father when he was a child. Its restaurant is famous for wiener schnitzel and Sacher torte. The dining room oozes old world luxury. A fitting end to our time here.Read more