Day 4 - Vienna (20 June 2019)

What a full day with some fun memories built in!  We drove from Garmisch to Vienna this morning. We started the day by going to Lidl to get some breakfast...except it was closed because it is a German holiday. 

So instead, Laura and Tyler dropped me off (I had already been signed out of base privileges), and they went to the commissary to grab some groceries.  Laura told me that it took a little time because her card wouldn’t work. However, all’s well that ends well and we got what we needed, then set out on the road again towards Vienna!

Driving in to Wien (Vienna in German), it felt a lot like driving in to Prague. I knew it was a completely different city, but the architecture and layout of the buildings felt fairly similar for the first few minutes. 

We found our fourth floor flat, and learned there was an elevator after we carried up all of our stuff.  However, the view from the top wasn’t too shabby!

The first thing we did after dropping off our bags was to drive in to town and park the van. We wanted to take the tram that goes around the ring road, but couldn’t find it right away.  Although not our original plan, we ended up finding a ring road tram with good commentary!

It started to rain while we were on the tram, so we were grateful for the shelter, and learned a lot of interesting things about this city that loves classical music! 

It seems that all the great classical musicians played here. In between the commentary, there were clips of various artists playing. Delightful!

Just as we were getting off the tram, the heavens opened and decided to spit rain at us. We took shelter under a bratwurst stand for a few minutes to get our bearings. 

We knew we wanted to do a self-guided walking tour, which started at the Opera house. It was about a mile away. So, off we went when the rain was just at a drizzle. 

It was like the rain was washing all of the faces of the buildings for us!  Tyler decided we needed to take refuge, as the rain started coming down in enormous drops. I was glad we did!  It started hailing for a minute not too long after we sought shelter. 

When the rain had slowed considerably, we continued on walking where we found St Stephen’s Cathedral. What an impressive structure!  It was so large that I wasn’t able to fit the whole Cathedral in the same picture. And the tile designs on the roof!  Wow!

As the weather goes, we needed to take a break from being soaked again. So, we found an overhang and stayed out for a few minutes. Right then, the sun shone through the rain. Talk about creating memories!

We made our way inside the cathedral, after we found the entrance. They were having Mass!  What a treat!  They also allowed visitors inside while it was happening, which was a blessing to not be dropped on for a few minutes. 

The inside of catherdrals is always so incredible to me. In addition to learning how they workshop their Maker, the architecture and stained glass is always impressive.

When it had stopped pouring rain, we headed back outside to continue on with the walking tour. Look at the view (and the roof) though with the clouds and the sunshine!

Walking around the streets, even in the rain, helped Vienna to have its own personality for me. This city is a grand mleange of old and new.  

There are loads of shops, mixed in with all of the historical buildings too. 

We continued walking in the drizzle toward the Opera house. As we walked closer, you could hear opera music!  There was a performance of Othello, and they have a jumbo trim so you can stand outside and listen for a bit!  They also have stars in the ground for all of the greats (like the Hollywood stars). 

The opera music floating through the air finally made it feel like I was walking the streets where Hyden, Mozart, etc. performed some of their masterpieces. 

As we continued on the walking tour, we saw the restaurant where the first Sacher torte was sold. The line was too long to wait and try them, but I’m sure they’re delicious. 

Vienna has a deep-rooted history. Not only was this the stomping grounds of the Hapsburgs, but they played a major part in both WWI and WWII. You can feel echoes of its past as you walk through the streets. 

The city of Vienna has even installed drinking stations because it sometimes gets a little warm as one is out and about!

As we continued on our walk, Vienna felt more like herself to me. The elaborate architecture mixed with the stark minimalist made for a unique experience. 

After a dinner stop for unique pizza, we were on our way!

We found our way into St Peter’s church a few minutes before it closed. Not only was it beautiful, but the organist started playing and there was even a singer before we left!

We walked the streets towards to the Hapsburg’s palace. 

Holy. Smokes. That place is gorgeous. You can tell they had both money and power. Just in front of the palace were some Roman ruins too!

It kind of feels like the whole city has been steeped for just enough time for one to appreciate its flavor. 

Through the palace arches, we walked towards the New Palace. It was on the balcony in the last picture in this section that Hitler declared Vienna was a part of the Third Reich. It was sobering. 

Our final stop was to see the statue of Maria Theresa of the Hapsburg Family. She had 16 children, and made marriage alliances that profited her country with all of her children. She was the only (powerful) female ruler!

A few finally things to see, and then we headed back to the hotel. 

Vienna was a surprise for me. I think the rsinnenhanced the experience. There were less people on the streets, and it cooled down the air. The history funds deep in this city, and if you concentrate, you can almost feel it seeping into your soul, like a delightful opera melody.