Sunday got off to an early start due to our morning activities; see (hear) the Vienna Boys Choir sing at Burgkapelle, followed by a horsey show at the Spanish Riding School. Conveniently, the events are located in the same area (Hofburg Palace), however, to ensure standing room tickets for the Burgkapelle, it is imperative to get there early due to the limited allotment. Luckily, there is a distinct advantage getting to the Hofburg first thing in the morning, there are very few tourists to obstruct pictures.
No tourist in sight
Enjoying the quiet morning at the Hofburg
Before the buses arrived
The Vienna Boys Choir sing at the weekly Sunday mass held at Burgkapelle, a small chapel located inside the Hofburg Palace. The line for standing room tickets starts around 8:15 and can quickly accumulate with tour groups arriving by the busload. Fortunately, the line was relatively short when we got to the chapel. A half hour later, an attendant distributed tickets to the patient freeloaders. Also, my parents could be heard singing joyously knowing I attended a church service for the first time in (well) over a decade - my heathen skin remained un-scorched. During the service, neither the choir nor the members of the Wiener Philharmonic are visible to the audience. Although, when mass concludes, the choir sings a final song in front of the altar - the only time photography and/or video is permitted. Immediately following the "concert," we walked the short distance to Spanische Hofreitschule.
Vienna Boys Choir
Pre-show, no pictures during event
Where we ended up standing for the performance
The line for standing room at the Spanish Riding School begins a half-hour before showtime and can crowd quickly due to the bottle-necked gate. Once inside, there is limited room available and the spots directly behind the seats fill up first - a cutthroat affair. We had selected our location, but were kindly asked by an employee to stand to the side (not behind the seats) because we were near the entrance. As the show edged near, more and more people crowded the area, attempting to swoop -in on our area like hyenas. To get our spaces back, we had to be assertive and state our claim to our (standing) seats - with little recourse, sans some disappointing snarls.
Ruin of Carthage (Roman Ruin) and carriage ride
Schönbrunn Palace
Back to back posts with a picture of us.
Non-scaffolding part of Gloriette
The performance started shortly after the designated time, beginning with the young stallions, a display of fancy hoof-work from the immature steeds. There were four programs in total, the best of which included the jumps and the Ballet of the White Stallions. The announcer described the jumps and prances as natural horse behavior, neither coerced nor contrived - although, that is clearly debatable. When the show ended, our bodies were strained - having stood all morning took a great a toll. A long Metro ride to the Schönbrunn Palace was a much welcomed idea, provided we could find seats.
Palace through fountain
Neptune Fountain
Turtle Fertility Statue...?
We were on the Metro for eleven, glorious, time-consuming stops, minutes that added up for some much needed relief. At the palace, we grabbed a pamphlet that delineated the different priced tours and amenities access. Unfortunately, photography is prohibited inside, therefore; we decided to pass on the idea of frivolously spending money. We were content with exploring the massive grounds of the Schönbrunn, the grandiose summer residence of the former Imperial Crown (Hofburg Palace was the winter residence). Our time in Vienna was drawing to a close, but we still had enough time for one last activity. We returned to the Hofburg District and enjoyed some coffee and Viennese pastries at Cafe Hawelka before heading back to the airport to catch our flight back to Germany.
Having abstained from travel the last two weekends, our drought ends with a trifecta of trips in the coming weeks. First up, Wien, or as it is commonly known, Vienna. We have set foot inside Austria once before, but barely constitutes a visit because we stopped to take pictures along the Lech River on our return trip to Garmisch-Partenkirchen from Neuschwanstein Castle. The day before our flight, we spoke with a neighbor who was in Vienna nearly thirty years ago. When we told him we would be there for the weekend - he laughed , and now we know why. Wien is similar to the final obstacle course of Double Dare*, there is so much to do, but not enough time. Our neighbor was absolutely right, however; we still accomplished a lot given our limited time.
Stephansdom
Inside looking at something religious
Tiled roof
After the hour-long flight, we boarded the train downtown to a station where we would switch to the Metro; oddly, the transfer had us walk through a mall. The shopping mecca was hosting a modeling contest when we arrived, but there wasn't an over-30 division - sadly disqualifying both of us from consideration. We briefly shopped at a grocery store to purchase water and our first taste of the local Wein in Wien. By the time we checked-in and settled in our room, it was time for dinner. Ultimately, we decided on a sushi restaurant near Karlskirche in the Karlsplatz District. Later, we complied a list of top attractions - knowing it would be impossible to see it all in a weekend. Regardless, we would make our best effort to accomplish everything.
Unassuming Dominikaner Kirche
Sensory overload
More religious things and such
Stitched panoramic of ceiling of Dominican Church (Church of Saint Maria Rotunda)
Following breakfast in the morning, we began our sightseeing by traveling to the closest site, Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral). The tiled roof is one of the most notable sights in the city and reminded us of the similarly decorated Saint Matthias Church in Budapest. As we walked through the district's streets, we passed one of Mozart's apartments and stumbled upon Dominikaner Kirche (Dominican Church/Church of Saint Maria Rotunda). This church has one of the most beautiful interiors of any we have seen throughout Europe - and we have seen an ungodly amount. Continuing southwest, we entered the neighboring Hofburg District and made our way to Michaelerplatz.
Kirche St. Michael
Organ of Saint Michael's Church
Fountain at Hofburg Palace
Our arrival to the Hofburg Palace was a sensory overload; an imposing, ornate structure surrounded by a sea of tourists. Escaping the masses, we briefly visited Kirche St. Michael, opposite the former Imperial Palace. Entering the archways of the Hofburg, we stopped by the Spanische Hofreitschule (Spanish Riding School), but unfortunately missed the start of the 11:00 show. However, we were able to garner standing room tickets for Sunday's performance. Behind the main facade lies the courtyard where the Imperial Gate can be found. Located through the gate is Burgkapelle - the chapel where the Vienna Boys Choir perform at the weekly Sunday mass. Maintaining our southwest course, we passed the National Library and proceeded to the Museum Quarter.
Facade facing Michaelerplatz
Hofburg Palace
Imperial Gate
Panoramic taken early Sunday morning, hence, less people
The weather took an ominous change for the worse and started to rain on our parade. Being surrounded by large buildings, we took shelter in the closest one, the Museum of Fine Arts. When the rain subsided, we headed towards the Rathaus and Votivkirche. The Rathausplatz was lively, playing host to an unknown festival where Schlager could be heard from the quaint beer houses and traditional Tracht was the outfit of choice. Following a transient tour of the church, we boarded the nearby Metro and continued to our next destination, the Belvedere District.
Rathaus
Museum of Natural History through gate
Votivkirche
Taking the regional train to Wien Rennweg, we quickly found the Belvedere Garten, but there didn't appear to be a viable shortcut to the upper and lower residences. While we walked around the park, we became engrossed with the beauty and architecture of the Belvedere Palace(s). To finish the sightseeing portion of the day, we strolled over to Karlskirche. This famous landmark unfortunately carried an €8 admission fee, €8 more than we were willing to spend. Instead, we were content to take pictures outside before moving on with our day. Lastly, we foraged for an early dinner because we had tickets to the evening's opera.
Gates of Belvedere
Upper Palace
Closer view
View from lower palace
We arrived to the Staatsoper about a half-hour before the show and wanted to give ourselves plenty of time to walk around the theater to explore the opulent rooms. The performance of L'italiana in Algeri was much better than our first opera experience in Budapest. There, during Die Frau ohne Schatten, Barak the Dyer - tirelessly pushed an over-sized tire around the stage for unknown reasons (not to mention, but really mention, the ("blind/sunglasses wearing") unborn children aimlessly meandering around the stage). To end our day, one thing was blatantly clear; between the palaces, the gardens, the pristine landscaping, and the architecture - Wien quickly rose on the list of our favorite cities.
