Beautiful Vienna

St Stephens Cathedral

 Monday, Dec 12

Docked in Vienna, our tour of Vienna by bus and walking started early at 8:45!  Seeing some flurries outside, and temps in the 20’s we bundled up well after breakfast and headed out.  The architecture is absolutely stunningly beautiful, as one building after another comes into view.  Our guide uses a cute phrase, “your eyes will come upon”, and they certainly do.  After a trip around some of the different sections, we entered the old town, where we joined him for a walking tour, and left him at the cathedral, where we had free time to explore and go to the market there. Vienna has several markets, and this one was not very large, so we started by going into the Cathedral, which we have done in most of the towns, then through the market.  We had discussed staying in town, where we would have to find our way back to the boat on our own, but it was getting colder, and often blustery, and we opted to meet him to guide us back to the boat for lunch.  

Floating swimming pool! 

Lines waiting to get into one of the more famous coffee houses 

The famous Hotel Sacher, where the Sacher Torte was created. 

Actually created to show the trinity at top, the depiction of the Great Plague epidemic in 1679 is what this statue is noted for, and the Plague Column is one of the best known artworks in the city. 

Josephplatz Square at Hofburg Palace, considered one of the finest courtyards in Vienna. 

The prerequisite for photos from the market, but with new treats! 

We were fortunate enough to be able to pick up an optional excursion in the afternoon which took us back into town (the river does not go into Vienna center), and do a behind the scenes tour of the Lippizans and the Spanish Riding School, so called because the horses were actually brought to Vienna by Maximilian II from Spain. We had seen the horses practicing the last time we were in Vienna, and I saw a performance once, but this was an opportunity to get behind the scenes, and it did not disappoint.

It had started to snow quite a bit and it was lovely, but cold!  We were told to enjoy it because it does not happen often in the city. It was rather fun being in the snow globe!  The horses even seemed to enjoy it, but were cold, as were we.  After our trour, we walked to a Viennese coffee shop, just like the locals do, and had coffee and the famous Sacher Torte.  

We started our tour ringside in the riding arena 

This horse, though 5 years old, has not shed his dark coloring yet. They are totally black at birth, and the white develops over time. 

Elaborate holders for the horse blankets! 

The tac room 

Sluka coffee house, serving wonderful pastries of all sorts since 1891, where we went for our Sacher torte

Susan and Allen enjoying Sacher torte 

Tables of three, so Clem joined some fellow passengers 

Oops…..so anxious for a taste I forgot to snap first! 

I opted for hot chocolate instead of coffee, and really got my chocolate fix! But there is something so comforting about hot chocolate when it’s cold.  

Cute holiday decorations on the coffee house. 

A pretty store window decked out for Christmas , with a stallion, of course! 

Some of the guests went to a concert at night, while we enjoyed a relaxing dinner and fun conversations with our table mates on board.