VIENNA a city for life

Life may not be the party we hoped for but while we are here we should dance.  (Unknown from VIENNA blog)

I plead innocent!  Before we left on this trip I was made to solemnly promise that the days would be easier and that there would be fewer things crammed in.  I was reminded on more than one occasion to decide on a few highlights because it is impossible to fit in everything.  So the decision to take a train trip to Vienna was not my idea ... however, I had no problem agreeing to it!

An early rise saw us scooting across the street to the Budapest train station.  After a coffee and a cocoa filled croissant (just to make it sound healthier!)  we boarded the train and headed off for the day.  Once we arrived in Vienna we found the tourist information kiosk, bought a metro pass  acquired a map of the city and the metro system and we were off. 

We landed in the city centre at St. Stephens cathedral.  Any number of people attired in period costume tried to convince us to buy tickets to tonight's concert but alas we had to decline as we would be on our way back to Budapest.

St. Stephens is an imposing building and an architectural marvel.  As we stood in the shadows of the building my friend FC and I wondered how they managed to put it together so beautifully and how the heavy pieces were placed  long before the days of cranes and heavy equipment.

My DH and I figured the musical production would have been unbelievable with the music ringing from the rafters.  I feel a return visit to this city lies in the future!

Wandering around the cathedral as always was a fabulous experience.  I love to people watch.  Some were very solemn, others deep in prayer and some availed of the photo opt.  One of the most beautiful experiences however was when a Sikh gentleman came in, sat in the pew before the altar in one of the chapels, placed his hands in the prayer position and sat and prayed.  He was in a sacred place, acknowledged it as such and observed devotion to the deity.  Once finished he quietly exited the pew, reached down and touched the floor and then proceeded to the exit and there he touched the holy water brought it to his forehead and went on about his day.  It was a touching and profound experience.  

The other experience in that square today was five minutes before noon.  The bells started to ring softly and then more and more were added.  They rang for about ten minutes.  A call to break, a call to prayer, a reminder of what time it is.  It would mean something different to all those who heard it.  I took a moment and paused.

After lunch we were off again and search as we might we never did find Mozarts place that was marked as a must to see on that map.  Giving it up as a lost cause we decided to just wander the streets.  We hopped a tram and found ourselves in the Museum Quarter in what was once the imperial castles.  The turrets and spires soared in the sky and we were in awe.  Wandering the streets, hopping on and off the tram was a lot of fun  as usual and meant that were were able to cover a very small section of the wonders and beauty that there is to see here.  Across from the wine bar where we were enjoying an Austrian libation I noticed the flag on the building that said Vienna, the city of life.  It truly is a beautiful place.  Every street offers something to exclaim and marvel over.  

St. Stephens 

The high altar and centre aisle

One of the concert salesmen  in costume

Street View

Imperial building in the museum quarter

 Spires in the distance

Another of the buildings, semi circular shaped

One of many fountains.  The detailing is beautiful

Mozart statue.  The treble clef is all little flowers.  They must trim with scissors!

Tulips are in bloom

This building was the one we saw the spires of some distance away.  My little map did not tell me what it was.

Here is the front of it

Loved the shape of the domes on the roof.  A random building with so much detailing to admire