AUSTRIA Vienna

Austria Vienna

Vienna is a few steps into Austria from Bratislava Slovakia. I was determined not to miss the city on my sweep south in the Outback of Europe.

My GPS worked again and was useful to direct me to a parking spot beside the metro. I made sure that i photographed the station so I would not forget where to return to tonight. Vienna was experiencing on of its hottest day this summer. High 30's and reaching in excess of 40 degrees once the big white building started radiating reflected heat. I took a circular tram ride around the city to orientate and find he venues i had circled for further investigation. I played some classical music from Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin on my Ipod as i wandered the streets looking at the massive opera houses where the greats played their music.

The town center was heaving with tourist, ideal if you were a vendor of ice cream and water. I generally avoid the churches but St Peters in the center was well worth a look . Very ornate and gold guilt statues. The Church was cool inside which was another factor in my standing and admiring the architecture and statues. Everywhere in Vienna is a photo opportunity. The amount of top rate statues scattered around the city and in the parks was interesting , Im particularly drawn to the 'Horse and Man', there were plenty of them.

Monday is a bad day for Museum-ing. Staff have worked the weekend when most tourists are about and needed a day off. Never mind there seemed to be plenty to chose from that were open , The fine arts Museum was closed along with the Lipizzaner Museum associated with the Spanish riding school. I could have a tour of the stables and tack rooms but that was at 1500 hrs too late and too hot to linger . The horses are 'at rest', out of the city during the peak of the summer.

I visited the Natural History Museum, I try not to compare the museums but I was very impressed with the presentation especially the bird section. I was able to see birds close up that I have seen on my travels only through binoculars. i.e Cranes , Storks, Eagles, and a vast number of seabirds. The New Zealand section has about 10 Kiwis of the tree varieties in different poses , what really surprised me was the 6 stuffed Kakapo parrots on display in one cabinette. No wonder they are close to extinction.

My next Museum , to escape the heat, was the Palace kitchens , an array of porcelain , cutlery , table settings, crystal, all of varying ages and designs. I thought I had paid to go into the Palace proper but my understanding of the Austrian written language let me down.

The Terracotta Army from China was in town. I planned my visit early to beat the crowds on my second day. Held in a special museum for visiting exhibitions and with the appropriate scene setting representing China I was lead past the introduction of Where, Who, Why, and a 20 minute Video of How, they put together this '8th wonder of the World'. 80 or so warriors , a sample of their steads and a an array of tools and finds, made up the presentation . With the use of lighting and video effects they were able to give a realistic impression of the massive find in China . To look at the unique faces of the warriors , some with smiles , some with stern looks was memorable . I snapped a few photos without flash which illustrate better the variety and intricacy of the warriors .

I took the tram across the Danube River and walked back across to the old town . Tourist boats , pleaser craft and industrial barges make their way up and down the silted waters . This was further than i anticipated a the Danube has two main channels at Vienna and a separate canal which the main town is centered . The two main river sections were a kilometer wide each separated by a meridian island used for sports and recreation.

Vienna city is a loverly city clean, tidy and well organized. I'm sure there would be many more attractions that I will follow up on my next visit.

On to Hungary and Budapest,

I wonder what will happen next

Alvin