Vienna and Bratislava
And so, welcome to the 'all about my holiday' entry. I'm going to keep it pretty minimal, actually, as I have a lot of work I need to get on with now. But, in simple list form:
This is what we did:
Thursday 4th - arrived, checked in, had Wiener Schnitzel in a humble little back-street restaurant about 30 yards from the hotel.
Friday 5th - spent most of the day in the Greco-Roman sections of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Was awed by the quality of the collection, and particularly thrilled to see both the Gemma Augustea and the Senatus Consultum de Bacchanalibus in real life. Met Daz's friend Liz for dinner in the evening.
Saturday 6th - went to the Schönbrunn Palace, spending the morning in the gardens and the afternoon in the palace interior. Particularly enjoyed the fake Roman ruin in its gardens, but also the general neo-Classicism which completely dominates the entire complex. Attended a beautiful performance of Mozart's Requiem in the equally neo-Classical Karlskirche in the evening, and was particularly thrilled when they encored with his 'Ave Verum Corpus' (which I am especially fond of because Alessandro Moreschi recorded it with the Sistine Chapel Choir).
Sunday 7th - met up with Daz's friend Liz, and visited Mozart's house in the afternoon. Explored the Jesuit Church in the afternoon, then proceeded to the Kaisergruft to visit lots of dead Habsburgs. Had dinner together in the evening.
Monday 8th - visited the Ephesus Museum, a separate off-shoot of the Kunsthistorisches Museum where portable finds from the Austrian excavations at Ephesus (and also Samothrace) are displayed. Proceeded onwards to the musical instruments museum which was covered by the same entrance fee. Went round to Liz's flat in the evening to meet her guinea-pigs, and continued onwards to a nearby bar for dinner.
Tuesday 9th - got up early to catch the Jetfoil along the Danube to Bratislava (about 60 miles away). Spent the day exploring the old part of the city - saw St. Martin's Cathedral, Old Town Hall, Primate's Palace (that's 'Primate' as in archbishop, natch: not ape) St. Michael's Tower,Bratislava Castle, St. Elizabeth church and Slovak National Museum. Was amused by museum attendants who politely but firmly insisted that we saw things in the Right Order, and would not let us wander around at will. Ate delicious pork escalopes in creamy blue cheese sauce for lunch. Ended up buying a nice top in Benetton in order to use up surplus Slovakian korunas before catching boat home. Met up with Liz again in evening.
Wednesday 10th - visited the newly opened and very impressive Roman Museum in the Hoher Markt, where you could see excavated officer's houses from the fort of Vindobona in situ, as well as all sorts of exciting Roman-period finds from both the fortress and its surrounding civilian settlements. Afternoon at the Belvedere gallery, where much Klimt. Evening in a traditional wine-bar where Liz had grown up, and where you could drink must and sturm from the family's vineyards. Ate a delicious cheese and spinach strudel.
Thursday 11th - flew back; immediately developed asthma on returning from warm continental air to dank English air; slept a lot.
And these are the pictures:
Schönbrunn Palace gardens
Venus fountain at Schönbrunn Palace
Fake ivy on fake Roman ruin, Schönbrunn Palace
Roman fantasie, Schönbrunn Palace
Gardens and house, Schönbrunn Palace
Baroque church interior, Vienna
Purple Sshhh bag at Hofburg Palace
Foaming wake on the Danube
Devin castle, left bank of the Danube
Intensive building work in Bratislava
Nový Most (New Bridge), Bratislava
Purple Sshhh bag at St. Martin's Cathedral, Bratislava
Infinite mirrors in the Primate's Palace, Bratislava
Stove and chandelier in the Primate's Palace, Bratislava
Unkempt rooftops, seen from St. Michael's tower, Bratislava
Bratislava castle seen from St. Michael's tower
Old Town Hall, Bratislava
15th-century dragon head, Bratislava castle museum
Municipal logo, Bratislava
St. Elizabeth church, Bratislava
I have, incidentally, submitted both of the purple Sshhh bag pictures shown above to the library's bag travel map, along with the signpost one from Belfast, since that one seems to have been the eventual victor in my poll.
Click here to view this entry with minimal formatting.
This is what we did:
Thursday 4th - arrived, checked in, had Wiener Schnitzel in a humble little back-street restaurant about 30 yards from the hotel.
Friday 5th - spent most of the day in the Greco-Roman sections of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Was awed by the quality of the collection, and particularly thrilled to see both the Gemma Augustea and the Senatus Consultum de Bacchanalibus in real life. Met Daz's friend Liz for dinner in the evening.
Saturday 6th - went to the Schönbrunn Palace, spending the morning in the gardens and the afternoon in the palace interior. Particularly enjoyed the fake Roman ruin in its gardens, but also the general neo-Classicism which completely dominates the entire complex. Attended a beautiful performance of Mozart's Requiem in the equally neo-Classical Karlskirche in the evening, and was particularly thrilled when they encored with his 'Ave Verum Corpus' (which I am especially fond of because Alessandro Moreschi recorded it with the Sistine Chapel Choir).
Sunday 7th - met up with Daz's friend Liz, and visited Mozart's house in the afternoon. Explored the Jesuit Church in the afternoon, then proceeded to the Kaisergruft to visit lots of dead Habsburgs. Had dinner together in the evening.
Monday 8th - visited the Ephesus Museum, a separate off-shoot of the Kunsthistorisches Museum where portable finds from the Austrian excavations at Ephesus (and also Samothrace) are displayed. Proceeded onwards to the musical instruments museum which was covered by the same entrance fee. Went round to Liz's flat in the evening to meet her guinea-pigs, and continued onwards to a nearby bar for dinner.
Tuesday 9th - got up early to catch the Jetfoil along the Danube to Bratislava (about 60 miles away). Spent the day exploring the old part of the city - saw St. Martin's Cathedral, Old Town Hall, Primate's Palace (that's 'Primate' as in archbishop, natch: not ape) St. Michael's Tower,Bratislava Castle, St. Elizabeth church and Slovak National Museum. Was amused by museum attendants who politely but firmly insisted that we saw things in the Right Order, and would not let us wander around at will. Ate delicious pork escalopes in creamy blue cheese sauce for lunch. Ended up buying a nice top in Benetton in order to use up surplus Slovakian korunas before catching boat home. Met up with Liz again in evening.
Wednesday 10th - visited the newly opened and very impressive Roman Museum in the Hoher Markt, where you could see excavated officer's houses from the fort of Vindobona in situ, as well as all sorts of exciting Roman-period finds from both the fortress and its surrounding civilian settlements. Afternoon at the Belvedere gallery, where much Klimt. Evening in a traditional wine-bar where Liz had grown up, and where you could drink must and sturm from the family's vineyards. Ate a delicious cheese and spinach strudel.
Thursday 11th - flew back; immediately developed asthma on returning from warm continental air to dank English air; slept a lot.
And these are the pictures:
Schönbrunn Palace gardens
Venus fountain at Schönbrunn Palace
Fake ivy on fake Roman ruin, Schönbrunn Palace
Roman fantasie, Schönbrunn Palace
Gardens and house, Schönbrunn Palace
Baroque church interior, Vienna
Purple Sshhh bag at Hofburg Palace
Foaming wake on the Danube
Devin castle, left bank of the Danube
Intensive building work in Bratislava
Nový Most (New Bridge), Bratislava
Purple Sshhh bag at St. Martin's Cathedral, Bratislava
Infinite mirrors in the Primate's Palace, Bratislava
Stove and chandelier in the Primate's Palace, Bratislava
Unkempt rooftops, seen from St. Michael's tower, Bratislava
Bratislava castle seen from St. Michael's tower
Old Town Hall, Bratislava
15th-century dragon head, Bratislava castle museum
Municipal logo, Bratislava
St. Elizabeth church, Bratislava
I have, incidentally, submitted both of the purple Sshhh bag pictures shown above to the library's bag travel map, along with the signpost one from Belfast, since that one seems to have been the eventual victor in my poll.
Click here to view this entry with minimal formatting.