Vienna 2007
The travelblogging continues!
[Full set: Vienna 2007 on Flickr.]
20th November 2007
The solo part of my round-the-world adventure began in Vienna. I flew from Cyprus at stupid o'clock in the morning into the pre-dawn cold of Vienna airport. I managed to find my first hostel easily enough - Wombat's - and then I took myself out for a coffee and croissant at the train station, which is where I needed to be in order to book the first of my Eurail trips.
Museum Quartier
I also picked up a 3-day Vienna Pass which was very helpful indeed. My first stop was the Museum Quartier, where I spent the rest of the afternoon. It was cold outside so art galleries and museums were perfect.
I took myself to the Leopold Museum (saw some Austrian art like Klimt and Schiele and also an exhibition of art nouveau furniture) and also went to MUMOK, where I saw some Warhol, pop art and some crazy/interesting photographs and performance art from the 1960s.
Snow on the ground is such a novelty for me.
In my diary I have written that I was feeling a bit tired, lost and lonely, so I went back to the hostel for a nap. In the evening I had a free beer in the hostel (I love a hostel with a bar!), did some emailing, and got chatting with a woman from Colorado called Jen, who was also travelling on her own.
21st November 2007
Had a big and much needed sleep-in before heading out to book my train seat to Krakow. Then I headed to Hofburg Palace.
Hofburg Palace, Vienna
I walked around for quite a while in the brisk can-see-my-breath air, before finding the main entrance and deciding to check out the Kaisserappartements - the imperial rooms of Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth, better known as Sissi. There was a whole exhibition dedicated just to her and her strange, rather sad life. I enjoyed learning about her and the Austro-Hungarian empire.
I was also strangely fascinated with one section of the museum which was a massive display of silverware, tableware and glassware from the Habsburg empire, including gifts from Queen Victoria and Louis XIV. There were so many beautiful and opulent objects - far more interesting than I had anticipated.
Coffee and applestrudel in the Hofburg Cafe.
The most perfect afternoon tea! I tried to practice my German when ordering, but the waiter got in quickly and was pleased he could practice his English, which was, of course, brilliant, in that annoying I'm-European-I-can-speak-five-languages way.
In the evening I strolled around the shopping district. There was jazz music and gluhwein and the city was all twinkly and festive in the lead up to Christmas.
Hofburg Palace by night
Wien at night
St Stephen's.
Blurry photo but what a gorgeous roof. I hadn't seen it during the day.
Jumpys: kangaroo-shaped paprika-flavoured snacks. I had to try them!
22nd November 2007
My last day in Vienna I jumped on the tram that goes on the ring-road around the city. I also hunted down the Freud Museum, which is in the building where he used to live and work.
Freud's couch.
I didn't get psychoanalysed but I did see lots of Freud family photos and letters. In the afternoon I did a spot of souvenir shopping and back at the hostel, my new mate Jen came to find me to see if I wanted to join her to see if we could get the cheap seats (well, the standing room only spots) to the opera. I'm glad she invited me because I probably wouldn't have gone by myself. We got tickets for only 2 Euros, we hired some binoculars for fun, and we saw Romeo and Juliet. I was a bit miffed that there was no Prokofiev awesomeness, but I suppose that's what I get for not knowing my operas from my ballets. In any case, it was pretty special to see an opera in Vienna. A lovely way to end my stay in this gorgeous city.
Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera)
[Full set: Vienna 2007 on Flickr.]
20th November 2007
The solo part of my round-the-world adventure began in Vienna. I flew from Cyprus at stupid o'clock in the morning into the pre-dawn cold of Vienna airport. I managed to find my first hostel easily enough - Wombat's - and then I took myself out for a coffee and croissant at the train station, which is where I needed to be in order to book the first of my Eurail trips.
Museum Quartier
I also picked up a 3-day Vienna Pass which was very helpful indeed. My first stop was the Museum Quartier, where I spent the rest of the afternoon. It was cold outside so art galleries and museums were perfect.
I took myself to the Leopold Museum (saw some Austrian art like Klimt and Schiele and also an exhibition of art nouveau furniture) and also went to MUMOK, where I saw some Warhol, pop art and some crazy/interesting photographs and performance art from the 1960s.
Snow on the ground is such a novelty for me.
In my diary I have written that I was feeling a bit tired, lost and lonely, so I went back to the hostel for a nap. In the evening I had a free beer in the hostel (I love a hostel with a bar!), did some emailing, and got chatting with a woman from Colorado called Jen, who was also travelling on her own.
21st November 2007
Had a big and much needed sleep-in before heading out to book my train seat to Krakow. Then I headed to Hofburg Palace.
Hofburg Palace, Vienna
I walked around for quite a while in the brisk can-see-my-breath air, before finding the main entrance and deciding to check out the Kaisserappartements - the imperial rooms of Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth, better known as Sissi. There was a whole exhibition dedicated just to her and her strange, rather sad life. I enjoyed learning about her and the Austro-Hungarian empire.
I was also strangely fascinated with one section of the museum which was a massive display of silverware, tableware and glassware from the Habsburg empire, including gifts from Queen Victoria and Louis XIV. There were so many beautiful and opulent objects - far more interesting than I had anticipated.
Coffee and applestrudel in the Hofburg Cafe.
The most perfect afternoon tea! I tried to practice my German when ordering, but the waiter got in quickly and was pleased he could practice his English, which was, of course, brilliant, in that annoying I'm-European-I-can-speak-five-languages way.
In the evening I strolled around the shopping district. There was jazz music and gluhwein and the city was all twinkly and festive in the lead up to Christmas.
Hofburg Palace by night
Wien at night
St Stephen's.
Blurry photo but what a gorgeous roof. I hadn't seen it during the day.
Jumpys: kangaroo-shaped paprika-flavoured snacks. I had to try them!
22nd November 2007
My last day in Vienna I jumped on the tram that goes on the ring-road around the city. I also hunted down the Freud Museum, which is in the building where he used to live and work.
Freud's couch.
I didn't get psychoanalysed but I did see lots of Freud family photos and letters. In the afternoon I did a spot of souvenir shopping and back at the hostel, my new mate Jen came to find me to see if I wanted to join her to see if we could get the cheap seats (well, the standing room only spots) to the opera. I'm glad she invited me because I probably wouldn't have gone by myself. We got tickets for only 2 Euros, we hired some binoculars for fun, and we saw Romeo and Juliet. I was a bit miffed that there was no Prokofiev awesomeness, but I suppose that's what I get for not knowing my operas from my ballets. In any case, it was pretty special to see an opera in Vienna. A lovely way to end my stay in this gorgeous city.
Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera)