On our very first day in Vienna, after our carriage ride we strolled and toured, just to get our bearings. We went to St Stephans [above], which is truly the “soul” of the city. Just out side they were selling tickets for the Mozart concert to take place that evening…..I told you the “ticket story in my first post]. As you can see from the photos, it is a magnificent ornate cathedral…..and the photos do not do it any justice. The upper left photo was taken that evening during the concert, and the picture below of Jac was taken in one of the sitting rooms of the Sacher Hotel after the concert. The hotel is known for the “Sacher Torte”……delicious! You can see from that room the Viennese style….very elaborate…..very ornate…..very beautiful. The picture below that is of Jac standing in front of the cathedral before we discovered we didn’t have the tickets! All ended well….the concert was lovely and the Sacher Torte….well, nothing needs to be said about that…..just thinking about it makes me want to go back to Vienna.
P.S. … In shameful self defense, my bathroom floor is TINY …
Cathy in PA
Oh, just lovely; thanks Louis & Jac! I particularly love that floor; once made Walter lay green and white marbelized porcelain tiles in my bathroom floor on the diagonal like that … he still doesn’t like to talk about it; maybe that’s why his real name is Grumpy LOL …
Thanks so much,
Cathy in PA
Hi Louis —
Bonjour! Delighted to hear that you and Jac had a fabulous time in Vienna! Such a lovely city. And, I agree, love that delicious Sacher Torte! Thanks for sharing your creative postcards with us. If you and Jac ever want to treat yourselves to something special in Austria, stay at the Hotel Sacher in Salzburg. Gorgeous hotel and perfect location. Thanks again.
Thanks once again for sharing, Louis! Back in the day when we lived in Vienna, St. Stephens, along with many other buildings, was covered with scaffolding to restore it after the massive bombing of Vienna during WWII. It will be wonderful seeing it again standing tall and proud! I am also struck by the informality of dress of the tourists. Another change from back in the day! With her understated elegance, Jac of course stands out! Did you all get the chance to at least see the interiors of the Staatsoper and the Musikverein? They are both magnificent, made even more so when you are listening to the sublime music being played within. Next trip!!! I am happy that you got a taste hearing Mozart inside St. Stephens!
The people on the street were more than casual or should I day less than. Unfortunately much of the church is covered in scaffolding because they are cleaning it…..and it needs it badly. You can see where if has been cleaned and the stone that has not is black……we did not see the inside of either of those places. There was one tour at 3pm the same day we when to see the horses, also at 3pm.
Yes, the inside is very blackened. Not surprising after many centuries of incense and candle smoke! I’ll be interested in seeing how the Viennese dress now. I have read more than a few Vienna blogs where the locals comment (unfavorably) on the sloppiness of tourists, especially at their nicer restaurants and concert, opera, and theater venues. I read one post where a tourist asked if it was OK to wear jeans to the Staatsoper!!! I about fainted. Back in the day the Viennese were always simply but nicely dressed. A familiar sight was an older woman of the age to remember WW II in her immaculately tailored suit, hat, and a cane to whack on the knuckles any young person she felt was being discourteous! Woe to the young man who did not give up his seat on the tram to either a woman or an older person!
Jac and I were sitting in a lovely park getting off our “feet”, one afternoon, after a day of walking……it was still quite warm. We saw two of the ladies you spoke of [at separate times], definitely in there late 70’s early 80’s…..dressed to the 9s with their hats, short cotton gloves and canes. Still making their faces up……a little too much blush, which I found charming! There was no mistaking they were Viennese by their outfits. Nothing you would ever see American women of the same age wearing. I am sure they had stories to tell.I am afraid you are going to find things different from what you remember.
I’m sure I will. Many Austrian children were left orphans after WWII and the women thought it was their responsibility to parent all Children of Austria. Which they did with abandon! I always like to stay in a more residential area no matter where I go, and that is the case for our Vienna trip. The district we will be in is where the original University of Vienna is, Alsergrund, also a very old district, and the students and also probably the faculty there will be much more informally dressed than what I remember. However, a cellist friend here who performed recently at the Musikverein said that the audience there either looked embalmed and very stern or very artsy with long hair and beards. Very different faces as he looked out on the audience :-).
It’s not fair how Jac puts every other tourist to shame in that picture of her in front of the cathedral. Class will tell.
As a good friend of mine says “Better to forget your dress than any manners you might have.”
Thank you for sharing your photos and your trip experiences with us! I have been to London a long time ago and would love to go back. I’ve never been to Austria (except in my heart from watching the movie The Sound of Music) but would also love to go there. So glad you and your lovely wife are having this fun trip along the way!
I’m swooning from the opulence. Have not been to Austria since ’74. Too long to be away…
This brought back memories of our trip to Vienna (BC) Before Children!I remember taking a photo of the altar at St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the guard there told me in Italian — not to take anymore photos. I said to my DH– “ooh he thinks I am Italian and that you are English!” We also visited the Sacher Hotel to sample the Sacher Torte as well!
We would love to return there to visit again someday.