Arriving with high expectation for this visit, it is Wien...Schönbrunn Palace--Habsburg BIG, with 1441 rooms, and huge elaborate gardens whichf s Monarchy opened to the public in 1700's
Our surprising first Vienna view was going up the U-Bhan stairs into the Stepansplatz into the dominating morning shadow of Saint Stevens Cathedral, and to meet our impressive Wein Guide, Garhardt... On the Graben, once the edge of a Roman army camp, and in medieval time the city ring road, and now a great pedestrian zone was the attention getting Holy Trinity sculpture given in thanks for the end of the killer bubonic plague epidemic...Hang a left on KohWe markt the expensive upscale shopping street, and Demel housing the ultimate Viennese chocolate shop...later for us a great stop to see the chefs in the kitchen and sample cake and coffee...Into Michaelerplatz and the entry to Hofburg Palace, residence of the rulers of the expansive Austrian Hungarian Empire...We returned later to enjoy the large athletic Lipizzaner stallions show in the Spanish Ridding School...Garhardt climbed onto an overlook of the Vienna State Opera House, site of the classical music world led productions...Vienna, the world's capitial of classical music played in the 19th century Opera House that has featured the finest directors and famous performers Luciano Pavarotti, and Placido Domingo...A plant the flag statement, meant to show off and impress, the Kunsthistorisches Museum, with the impressive Habsburg art collected by the rulers of an empire which included Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Germany and Austria...The main staircase attention getter is Canova's Theseus Clubbing the Centaur...Jolting reality of Caravaggio, the Madonna of the Rosary, the saints kneeling have dirty feet, and David with the Head of Goliath with Goliath bearing the face of the artist himself, Caravggio...Velázquez true as life portraits of family Habsburg cousins in both Habsburg ruled Austria and Spain...Appreciated from our previous Best of Turkey Tour, The Ephesus Museum displayed artifacts from the Roman city in central Turkey...Following this Germany Switzerland and Austria Tour we sampled several of the famous coffee institutions....Cafe' Hawelka "a--"dark brooding Trotsky atmosphere, paintings by struggling artists who couldn't pay for coffee"---sat with our coffee and read our choice of international news papers---phone calls for regulars at Cafe' Hawelka...Cafe' Central, " a classic place...serving fancy coffees"...With "schmaltzy tunes on a fine Vienna-made Bösendorger"...Cafe'Sacher, "home of the wolrld's classiest chocolate cake"...People watching with The Opera House background on the Kärntner Strasse...
Our final Huddle...Lots of fun and great exchanges at the last Tour Group meal...A really pleasant conclusion to days of great sites and experiences...Our guides, highly educated passionate dedicated teachers, patient men who worked hard to make this a special experience for each of tour member...Our tour group represented many corners and points of view of our country...