So, today we woke up in Vienna, somewhere I have always wanted to visit. We must be moored some way from the famous Ringstrasse as the view from our window was very uninspiring - motley modern buildings and something particularly hideous and out of keeping with the "elegant Europe". That particular building, it turns out, was designed by Harry Seidler. So initially I was very disappointed as Vienna was not as I had imagined.
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| A bit hard to see, but this "balcony" is actually a very good example of trompe l'oeuil. |
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| A tourist in Vienna |
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| What someone, who shall remain nameless, described as "a tasty pair". But before you all go "yuck" I should point out that this statue is completely edible - sculpted from marzipan |
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St Stephens - for a change a Gothic, rather than baroque, cathedral.
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This morning there was a city tour for three hours and this was very interesting. We had a bus ride round the city, along the Ringstrasse and past most things of note and were then dropped off in the centre of town for a visit to the national library (it seems Austrians like their libraries). Apart from all the books, many handwritten centuries ago, there was more interesting trompe l'oeuil to admire. Again a flat roof but you would have sworn there was a balcony up there with people leaning over the balustrades.After that we had an hour or so to wander round town (yet another street lined with brand name shops like Gucci, Armani and Zara) and admire the Gothic cathedral, St Stephens.
After the morning tour we changed our minds and decided Vienna is really a very attractive city. You just have to be in the right part.
At lunch, completely by coincidence we sat with a couple of women who are virtually neighbours of Richard. They live in Effingham, home of the golf course where we were comprehensively beaten by Jack.
Geoff managed to find an English newspaper while we were in town this morning so we are having a relatively quiet afternoon.
Still no snow, but it's cold and sunny, so much more conducive to sightseeing than rain.
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