After saying our good-byes last night we took buses to the Vienna Airport today. Most were flying home today but I stayed an extra day in Vienna. I was a happy tourist again today and have MANY pictures to share.
I had to take a train from the airport to Vienna and then the U-Bahn (subway) to the Stephansplatz where my hotel is located. I had to do this with all my luggage in tow!
I was so very happy to check in to the Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth. It is very close to St. Stephen’s Square and tucked away into a side street off the Kanter Strasse (walking street). Past guests at this establishment have been: W.A. Mozart, Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, and Edvard Grieg. I’m guessing they didn’t book their stays on Orbitz like I did.
Hotel Kasierin Elisabeth Lobby
I was hungry when I arrived at noon so I went the best place in Vienna (at least in my book), La Piazza! This time Marcello talked me into trying something new, rather than the pizza I’ve had the last two times.
Spaghetti with clams and tomatoes
I then came back to my air conditioned room at the hotel. Yes, I said air conditioned!!! It was all I could do to tear myself away from the first soft bed and cool room I’ve had in two weeks but I decided I’d better get my money’s worth of Vienna. And I did.
After a short walk around Stephansplatz I walked down Graben strasse and then to the Hofburg Palace. I mentioned it in a previous post. It was the Hapsburg Dynasty’s main palace in Vienna. Now it houses museums.
Hofburg Palace
I knew museums and the opera house would be open on Sunday, so I saved these two places for today. The first place I visited was inside the palace at the museum of ancient instruments.
Museum of ancient instruments
The museum includes many instruments that were not necessarily “ancient” as much as historically significant.
This piano originally belonged to Clara Wieck and Robert Schumann. After Robert’s death the piano was given to Johannes Brahms.
The two instruments on the far right belonged to Beethoven and are displayed here with a portrait of him as a child.
The museum was well worth the price of admission. But I was ready to walk a bit until touring the historic Vienna Opera House. On the walk I ran across a funny site in one of the U-Bahn stations.
Opera toilet (with music!)
A nice park was on my walk from the museum quarter to the opera house. A statue honoring Mozart was in the park.
It was in the park that I purchased a small watercolor painting of the Vienna Opera House for 10 Euro. The picture I took below is of the same view as the watercolor.
I was in luck. An english-speaking guided tour of the opera house was about to begin so I jumped in line. I mentioned before that much of the opera house, originally built in the late 1800s, was destroyed by fire after being bombed in WW II. A small percentage of the original house remains, including the staircase.
Jeanne and I had the opportunity to see the opera “Carmen” here ten years ago when we were in Vienna for a couple of days after getting engaged. It’s a beautiful place as you can see from the photos below.
In the picture below you can see the “standing room only” stalls in the center back. That’s where Jeanne and I got very inexpensive tickets to the opera 10 years ago.
The tour included a look backstage.
After the opera house it was a brief stroll back to the hotel where I am now at 6 p.m. I’m extremely tired and not looking forward to getting up so early to get on a flight in the morning. I will have to leave the hotel at about 4:45 a.m. in order to catch the U-Bahn to the train station, then on to the airport to check in 2 hours ahead of my flight.
I connect in London, where I have a two hour layover and then a 10 hour flight to Houston. My trip finally concludes sometime after 7 p.m. Monday evening when I finally get to see Jeanne and the boys at the airport. That is. . . unless they need someone to give up their seats on the flight home! Keep checking your text messages Jeanne, just in case ;-}
After all the beautiful things I saw today I have to say my favorite is the one below:
A/C unit in the hotel!!!
Thanks again for your support and comments on the blog. I imagine I’ll update it some in the future but it won’t be every day. Check back if you’re interested in the Lucas family!
Auf Wiedersehn
Mark
Hey bud. Thanks for sharing all of the great photos and info. We look forward to seeing you back home!
No Shumann pianos, but LOTS of ice and air conditioning!
Fascinating trip! Thanks so much for sharing.
Mike Henry just told me about your blog, Mark, so I thought I’d give it a look and was mildly surprised to see myself smiling back at me a couple of times. I also wanted to take a last opportunity to say how great it was to join you as part of the festival. For me, a trained musician, for whom music became an avocation rather than a career, as mountain top experiences go, this one was Everest–for the people I met (Austrians, Americans, & others alike; directors, musicians, and “ordinary” people); the quality of the literature; the quality of our performances; the venues, and our astute audiences. I don’t know how it could be topped, but to do it again. I am extemely gratified to hear a careerist say as much the same.
A couple of notes: that Oper potty in the underground? You have to pay a couple of Euro to get in. Rita & I extended our euphoria w/ an extra 5 day swing around the country by rail. We learned the airport and nearly all train stations have lockers you can store your extra luggage and avoid having to lug it all back to town.
Oh, and though we have struggled a bit for a few seasons, GO BUFFS!
Hey there! Great to hear from you. Hope it’s ok that your picture was on the blog. I had such a great time meeting and performing with all of you. Best to you and yours!
No problem at all. Thanks… And I’ll also take the credit for that photo of you & Super G. Piece of cake though: I had *great* subjects.