Austria
Stadtpark

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    • Day 12

      Letzter Abend

      March 23, 2022 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

      Am letzten Abend ging es dann nochmals in ein Musical diese mal haben wir uns mal Cats angesehen. Das letzte mal ist mindestens 10 Jahre her. Vor habe wir noch einen kleinen Japaner gefunden der sehr gute Ramen angeboten hat. Das Musical selbst war wieder sehr schön. Morgen nach dem Frühstück geht’s dann leider wieder nach Hause.Read more

    • Day 3

      Sep 28 - More pictures from Vienna

      September 28, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      Each footprint can have only a maximum of 20 photos, so here are more pictures from this day in Vienna.

      We headed back out after our afternoon break, opting for a light dinner after snarfing down chocolate all afternoon. Our son, Patrick, calls us “The Grocery Store Gourmets” because of our propensity for eating from grocery stores when traveling! We found the ready-made section of the local grocery store and ate in the adjacent mall. Then we hit the streets again for more window-shopping. This time we found authentic Austrian wear. Fabulous. Oh yes, and Doug found chocolate gelato for dessert!

      The organ concert was most enjoyable. We were seated very near the organ console so we could see the organist playing the five upper registers with his hands and the lower registers with his feet. The sound in the cathedral was glorious.

      Time to call it a day. It's been another good one in Vienna. Step count - 23,000! That's over 10 miles - whew!
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    • Day 3

      Sep 28 - Exploring Vienna

      September 28, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      We both slept like logs in the lovely king-size bed – we needed it! Breakfast is included, so we trotted off to see how the Hilton chain does a breakfast bar. Wow! It was the nicest, most extensive breakfast bar, complete with a made-to-order hot section, that we had ever seen! The décor was lovely too. There is a little coaster on each table – turn it up to show “reserved” when you are getting your second cappuccino of the morning so no one will scoop your table. Great idea. Well done all around, Hilton! In a major departure from my normal routine, I had waffles and two cappuccinos to fire me up. Healthy cereal can wait for another day!

      Well-fed and watered, we set out to explore on another warm, clear, sunny day. High forecast of 26℃. There is a huge park near the hotel, so we walked the length of it. The Wien River runs through it. The brick and stonework along the canal are the star attractions, not the water which is just a stream these days. This river, in its earlier days, would have been an important commercial transportation route for the city. It joins the Danube just a few kilometres from where we are staying. In the park, we saw “Mom and Baby” fitness classes going on, teachers with kids doing phys. ed classes, couples canoodling before noon, and lots of people like us just enjoying being outside on a lovely September morning.

      From the park, we headed to St. Stephan’s Cathedral, hoping to do an inside tour. St. Stephen (or Stephan) was the first Christian martyred saint. He was stoned to death in about 34 A.D. after being accused of blasphemy. But the church was a mob house. The entire city today seemed to have twice as many people exploring it as yesterday. We did get tickets for an organ recital there tonight, so we didn’t feel guilty all day turning down the guys flogging tickets for music concerts that mostly feature Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, a suite that we’ve heard many times before.

      I was in Vienna last December on the Seven Sisters Loud and Crazy Christmas Markets Tour. Along for the fun were four of my sisters and two of our sisters-in-law. (If you want the blog link for that extravaganza, let me know!) We did see inside the church then, so my interior photos are from that visit.

      We nixed the Hop On Hop Off bus idea – the price, we found, was way beyond what we were prepared to pay. So, we walked and walked and walked. We started at the Opera House and headed generally west, stopping every couple of minutes to admire another stunning building or complex wrought iron works or to goo at another window display of things only the extra ordinally rich can afford. We spent lots of time on Kärntner Strasse, a wide, traffic-free zone with great people watching opportunities. This is the same road Crusaders marched down as they headed off from St. Stephan’s Cathedral for the Holy Land in the 12th century. In years past, a gate stood near here, through which a road led to the Kärnten region of southern Austria, hence the name.

      We stopped at the Monument Against War and Fascism, located in the Albertinplatz. The monument commemorates the dark years when Austria was under Nazi rule (1938-1945). The granite pedestals were cut from the infamous quarry at Mauthausen concentration camp. A very evocative and contemplative monument.

      One building overlooking the Albertinaplatz is the Albertina. It was once the home of Empress Maria Theresa’s daughter Marie Christina. A sleek, titanium canopy affectionally known as “the diving board” shelters the entrance way. The Albertina is now a museum for modernistic paintings (Monet to Picasso). The views from the balcony are delightful.

      Craving some shade, we popped into the Burggarten, once the private garden of the emperor. It is home to a famous statue of Mozart. He died just before his 35th birthday but left over 800 works of virtually every genre of his time. In a delightful touch, the flowers in front of the monument were laid out in the shape of a treble clef. Only in Vienna!

      From there, we headed to Maria Theresa square which sits between two fabulous museums, the history museum, and the natural history museum. Maria Theresa was the ruler of the Hapsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780. She fostered institutional, financial, medical, and educational reforms. She also promoted commerce and the development of agriculture, and reorganised Austria's ramshackle military, all of which strengthened Austria's international standing. On the negative side, she despised Jews and Protestants and often ordered their expulsion to the far reaches of her realm.
      This square was the site of a delightful Christmas market. How interesting to see how it usually looks!

      Still craving shade, we popped in to the Volksgarten with its beautiful rose garden. People can a commemorative rose bush/tree to remember a family member or friend, living or deceased. What an oasis of calm in a busy city! Last December, the bushes were all shrouded in burlap, giving the place an eerie, ghostlike appearance.

      We heard a military band playing and followed the sound. Sure enough, a troop of young soldiers was being inspected. Doug loves all things military!

      We bought our favourite lunch, chicken Caesar salads and a couple of cold drinks, and found a bench for al fresco dining. We remarked on how many elegantly dressed women of all ages there were. Vienna could give Rome a run for its money in contest for best dressed ladies.

      One more stop before heading back to the hotel for a lazy afternoon for Doug and a writeup session for me. Back in December, I found Läderach, a Swiss chocolatier. This is a mecca for all chocolate lovers. All the chocolate in made in big sheets, and you just show how big a chunk you want (note, I did not say “need”). We bought way too much and headed back with 14,000 steps to show for the day. Going to need at least 140,000 steps to wear off this treat!
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    • Day 2

      Sep 27 - Arrival in Vienna

      September 27, 2023 in Austria ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

      Sep 27 – Arrival in Vienna

      Our flight landed right on time, about 8:30 a.m. Vienna time – that’s 2:30 a.m. Ontario time. We breezed through passport control and retrieved our luggage. There was a driver waiting for us to take us to our hotel – the Vienna Hilton Park. The hotel was full of people in business suits. There is a huge conference going on right now – the 57th meeting of the EPCA – European Petrochemical Association. We were able to check in, but our room wasn’t going to be ready until normal check in time of 3:00 p.m., giving us almost six hours to fill up. Not ideal, given our lack of sleep. I did a Clark Kent clothing change in the washroom since the forecast high was 28 deg. C. We put our luggage in the secure lock up and set out to explore.

      We generally set our aim to be St. Stephan’s Cathedral in the heart of Vienna. We got a sandwich and a drink in a little corner store and then had chocolate croissants for dessert. We spent hours window shopping and walking and exploring. The architecture is fabulous and could be a theme for exploring Vienna all on its own. Vienna is a haven for high end shopping – designer clothing, gorgeous jewelry, traditional Austrian clothing, expensive pens, Swiss watches, handmade hats, tin soldiers, blown glass, ceramics, even fancy schmancy sardines. Little shops with huge bouquets of fresh cut flowers are on almost every corner.

      Vienna is a very young city – full of students and young families and hordes of youngish businesspeople, all extremely well-dressed. Business casual for men here means “no tie”. The city is incredibly clean – nary a scrap of litter anywhere. And the streets are hosed down regularly after the horse-drawn carriages make their way around with tourists happily sipping champagne.

      By 2:00 p.m., we were hot and tired. We sat in the park by the hotel for a while doing some good people watching, but we were fading fast. We took a chance that our room would be ready, and thankfully it was. We unpacked fast and hit the sack. In predicable fashion, Doug slept for three hours, and I didn’t sleep at all. About 6:00 p.m., we set out for dinner. We had spied a steakhouse in our earlier and without much trouble, we found it. Smoking is rampant here in Austria, and while not allowed inside in restaurants, it is allowed on the outdoor patios. It was a lovely, warm night and would have been perfect for outdoor dining, but the smoke was off putting, so inside we went. We had a lovely dinner and a celebratory drink each, and then found caramel gelato for dessert on our after-dinner stroll. The city is still alive and active in the evening.

      No firm plans for tomorrow yet, except to sleep in and avoid the early morning rush in the breakfast room. We might take the hop-on-hop-off bus tour to give the old pegs a bit of a break. My step count for the day was 18,400 – that’s about nine miles. That should offset the chocolate croissant, the gelato and wine. See you tomorrow.
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    • Day 8,718

      Steirereck, Wien

      November 13, 2023 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 7 °C

      2 Michelin Sterne
      #18 „50 Best Restaurants“
      Steirereck im Stadtpark
      Am Heumarkt 2a, Wien, 1030, Österreich

      „Die ist eine echte kulinarische Institution in Wien. Sehr modern geht es in dem Gourmetrestaurant im tollen weitläufigen Stadtpark zu. Schickes klares Design trifft hier auf die kreative Küche von Heinz Reitbauer, der regionale Produkte überaus präzise und raffiniert zubereitet. Ausgezeichnet auch der professionelle Service sowie die Weinberatung. Tipp: Lassen Sie sich auf keinen Fall den Brot- und den Käsewagen entgehen - beeindruckend die Auswahl!“

      „Contemporary Austrian brilliance in the heart of historic Vienna
      Let’s start with the setting: Much like chef Heinz Reitbauer’s cuisine, the restaurant itself combines the historic with the uber-contemporary. The original building dates from 1904, but the striking mirrored-glass extension has walls that raise up in the summer months to create semi al-fresco dining in Vienna’s green Stadtpark. The blonde wood and concrete interior is airy, stylish and sophisticated.
      The art of hospitality: Steirereck has long been a feature at the upper end of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list – and while that’s undoubtedly down to the chef’s vision and skill, it’s also a reflection of the outstanding and ever-evolving hospitality that is proffered, all orchestrated by doyenne of the dining room Birgit Reitbauer. Her warmth, attention to detail and deep knowledge is reflected across the team, and has created an accessible atmosphere that attracts global gourmets as well as local frequenters, and also earned Steirereck the Art of Hospitality Award in 2021.“
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    • Day 4

      Kitzbühel

      September 30, 2023 in Austria ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

      Heute kein Frühstück auf der Sonnenterrasse, windig und der Himmel bewölkt. Tut der Laune keinen Abbruch. Heute steht auf dem Programm eine Fahrt zu den reichen und schönen nach Kitzbühel. Was stellen wir fest beim parken ? Hier kann nur geparkt werden, wer bei der Einfahrt schon die Kreditkarte zückt. Wir schlendern zwischen Boutiquen, Designer-Läden Interierur-Designer-Läden und typischen Fachwerkhäusern und neu, stylich gebauten herum. Ich komme aus dem staunen und schmunzeln gar nicht heraus. Einkaufen und schauen erlebt hier eine neue Dimension. Möchten Sie einen Espresso oder einen Crement, hört fast an jeder Ecke. Die Angestellten sind entweder Paradiesvögel oder kommen gerade vom Laufsteg. An jeder Ecke werden z.B. Austern, Wein, Crement oder Champagner angeboten. Die Nachfrage ist riesig. Dementsprechend bund auch das Publikum. Den Nachmittag verbringen wir im Wellness-Bereich in unserem Hotel.Read more

    • Day 3

      Relax-Tag

      September 29, 2023 in Austria ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

      Der Tag beginnt für den einen, mit einer Tasse Kaffee, und für den anderen mit Sport am Morgen. Ich brauche glaube ich nicht zu erwähnen, wie bei uns die Aufteilung ist. Ausgiebig gefrühstückt haben wir beiden. Heute ist unser Relax-Tag. Ab nach draußen auf die Doppelliege. Wir genießen das Panorama auf den Nationalpark Hohe Tauern und werden vom Glockengeläute der Kühe sanft in den Schlaf getragen. Der Schwimmteich hat 19 Grad nur etwas für Mutige, Jürgen gehört dazu. Schon ist es Zeit für das Abendessen fertig zu machen. Wie schnell ein Tag mit Nichtstun vorbei geht.Read more

    • Day 2

      Sonntags auf der Ringstrasse

      September 17, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      Wikipedia schreibt zur Wiener Ringstrasse (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiener_Ringstraße…);
      "Die Ringstraße, die mit dem Franz-Josefs-Kai rund um das historische Zentrum Wiens führt, und ihre zahlreichen Bauwerke des Historismus zählen zu den Hauptsehenswürdigkeiten der österreichischen Bundeshauptstadt. Die Gesamtlänge des annähernd kreisförmigen Straßenzugs beträgt 5,2 km. Die Ringstraße selbst nimmt etwa drei Viertel davon ein; sie wird häufig nur der Ring genannt, obwohl dieser Ring, was die offiziellen Straßennamen betrifft, in neun Abschnitte geteilt ist.

      Der Ringstraßenstil als besondere Ausprägung des Historismus war stilbildend für die Architektur der 1860er bis 1890er Jahre."
      An diesem Nachmittag habe ich nun die Ringstrasse zur ersten Hälfte (bis zur Staatsoper) abgelaufen. Trotz des heissen Sommertages war diese Unternehmung keine schweisstreibende Angelegenheit, weil es auf der Ringstrasse doch viele schattige Alleen hat.
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    • Day 5

      Vienna, Schonbrunn Palace, MNP Opening

      October 15, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

      Today was an early rise because we had a 715 am flight from Kraków to Vienna. Upon our arrival at our hotel, we unpacked and headed out to Schonbrunn Palace.
      The palace was beautiful. We did the audio tour of all the rooms. It was amazing to see how the Hapsburg dynasty lived in their summer palace. The rooms were so well decorated and the masterpieces of artwork with a high attention to detail impressed both of us.
      Afterwards we strolled through the gardens eating my new favourite chips.

      Tonight was the MNP Opening Reception. MNP has come along way since 1997 ( our first trip) when there were 40 couples in Rome. Tonight we had 1500 people in 3 different ballrooms. Each room had different live entertainment and foods to try as part of tonight's theme " Taste of Austria.
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    • Day 7

      MNP Meetings and Wine Tavern

      October 17, 2018 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

      This mornings meeting was at the beautiful Hofburg Palace. The ballroom, the meeting was in had amazing paintings on the walls and the ceiling. It was a little cramped however, the partners I talked to said it was worth it.
      Afterwards we had a late lunch with our good friends Gerald and Myrna Braaten from Swift Current. Celeste booked Jamie Oliver’s Italian restaurant. We then proceeded to check out a famous dessert place Cafe Sacher. The line up stretched outside for a bit. It was well worth the wait .
      Tonight’s fun activity was we all went to various Wine Taverns. The one we went to dates back the mid 1600s. We had wonderful Austrian buffet dinner while musicians played.
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    Stadtpark

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