persiflage: 4 1/2 hours later on the train..

I arrive in Vienna. I almost scratched this place off of my list, but I am SO GLAD I didn't. Even though I don't think it's fair to compare cities in different countries.. so I won't, I'll just say that I stayed a day longer in Vienna than I had (pseudo) planned :) It might have been because the weather was so much more enjoyable and tolerable than in Prague.. or the fact it's gorgeous, and imperial and striking.. woo.

My first morning there, I just started wandering.. not really with any direction or purpose, just to kind of see what was around me. get my bearings. and then BAM I accidentally run into this.. I suppose it would be hard to miss, but still a pleasant surprise when you turn a corner.
Hofburg Palace
This is the Michael wing from the 18th century.

The Swiss Gate of the Palace

Next to the palace is the Spanish Riding School (Spanische Hofreitschule) and I made it there in time to see the morning practice.. it was really neat there were a few groups of about 6 or 7 riders that would come out and just warm up and ride their horses.. practicing random moves, directions, gallops etc..
I totally did this for you mom :)

Prunksaal building, with a statue of Joseph II

This is the Pestsaule Monument, for all of the people that died of the plague.

St. Peters Church.. my timing is immaculate, I walked in just in time to sit down for mass.

Pretty, but not the most impressive from the outside.. the inside was one of the most ornate and gorgeous I've seen.

Mass was at noon I think.. either way, I was hungry.. this is what I ate from a little corner bakery. It had a surprise layer of sauerkraut under all of this.

So at this point I've decided that I hate travel books... and that I hope never to buy one again. They are so deceiving and worthless, all you need is a map.
Reading my book I bought for Vienna gave me no hope of making it to the Jewish part of the city in the same day as seeing the Imperial city. Apparently they've never seen these little legs move.

I found the Jewish quarter. This is a Holocaust monument. It is a library, with all of the books spines facing inside. Along the base of it are the names of concentration camps, and in front of it is a dedication in German, Hebrew and English to the 65,000 Austrian Jews who died.

Then I found the massive St Stephen's Cathedral.

and half of it was under scaffolding and things were being removed for restoration I'm assuming.. I thought it was an odd sight..

I watched her get lowered down on the crane.. it just looked funny to see the statue tied up

Then of course, I went inside.

As I was leaving the cathedral, I stumbled upon a street act..

(can anyone tell me where I've heard this song??)

Then then then, I took the advice of the bartender at the bottom of my hostel the night before.. she told me to visit Schönbrunn Palace... mmmm my favorite! I didn't go inside the Palace, I spent too much time wandering it's HUGE grounds.. and I went back for a bit the next day, to wander some more.

(I do this better than dad) ;)

The back.. or the front? who knows. beautiful either way.

the poor birds had to stand

then behind the above fountain there was this hill where you could see this monument standing up there.. a hill?! London doesn't have any of those! So I just HAD to climb it.

Then when I turned around.. I was surprised with this view of the city!!

The next day, I spent time at the palace again.. just wandering, then I went north east of the city to Prater to see the ferris wheel. And well, that's really all it is. A big ferris wheel.