Schnitzel and Strüdel Heaven

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Leaving our apartment in Budapest laden like two pack mules, we made our way to the train station where we boarded a lovely Railjet bound for Vienna. Once we arrived we found using the Metro System to be a piece of cake, or maybe I should stay "Strudel"! We exited the Metro station and found ourselves in the most beautiful city. Lovely shaded biking and walking paths formed the median between lanes of traffic while exquisitely grand buildings lined the streets. We made it to our Pension only to find that we couldn't get in until 4:00 and it was only 2:00. Curtis went off in search of a bank machine while I guarded the bags, people watching from the bench. We then enjoyed a nice light lunch before heading back at 4. We buzzed and waited, waited and buzzed. Finally by 4:20 we slipped in when someone came out and followed the signs to the 4th floor. Just as we got off the tiny elevator in front of the door labelled "Pension Riedl" a young couple was also going in so once again we slid in with them. No one was at the front desk so the couple found an envelope on the desk with our name on it which contained our key. We quickly found our bright room and dropped our bags.

While in Costa Rica we had met a wonderful young couple, Annemarie and Roland. We had exchanged email addresses with the intent of visiting with them in Vienna. Unfortunately Annemarie was called away on business but sent us a very long and detailed list of tips for Vienna, complete with the names of their favourite cafes and the best Schnitzel place in town! We soon headed out and walked to the Danube. On the side opposite to us there were hundreds of people sitting on lounge chairs soaking up the sun. We then followed streets towards St. Stephen Cathedral which is a gorgeous Gothic church, massively destroyed by fire in 1945 during the war. We were able to get inside where mass was being held. We then wandered the pedestrian streets past Wurstel stands, cafes, and restaurants. We stopped at windows that were selling adorable, traditional Austrian dresses. We found "Fıglmüller", the schnitzel house which had a long line out front. Curtis slipped in to make a reservation for Wednesday evening but was told they do not take reservations, you just join the queue. We the found a small alley that lead to the same restaurant with another doorway. No problem making a reservation there! We then meandered our way through the streets, out to the ring and into Burrgarten Park. We cannot quite get over the beauty of this city. As we walked around, our heads seemed to be on swivels, trying to see each and every beautifully ornate and grand building. As dusk descended we sat down at a small Viennese restaurant where Curtis enjoyed Bratwurst and sauerkraut!

Tuesday morning we armed ourselves with our map and plan. Not devoting nearly enough time to staying in this city we highlighted what we wanted to see and after breakfast at a cafe we caught the Metro bound for Schönbrunn Palace. Thıs palace ıs massıve and ıs the former summer resıdence of the Habsburgs, boasting 1,441 rooms. We bought our grand tour tickets and wandered through 40 of the chandeliered and grand interior. The splendour differed from room to room from Bohemian crystal chandeliers to hand-carved wooden ones with gold-leaf gilding. We visited the Mirror Room where 6 year old Wolfgang Mozart performed his first concert. We wandered through the opulent grand room, complete with frescoed ceilings and you only had to close your eyes and imagine the balls and concerts played here. We also got to visit the Great Gallery, the site of the famous 1961 summit between John F. Kennedy and Nikita Krushchev. During the war this palace escaped harm, having taking only one hit by a dud bomb. Speaking of duds, during our tour we encountered the moron of all morons. A large tour group was listening to their guide explain the history behind the rooms. One rather short, stocky tourist was approached by the guide, on the request of security, and asked to not take pictures. He said, "I've already been told 6 times!". She retorted with a look of frustration, "Then stop taking pictures!". Honestly, it seemed that he felt affronted at being told again. We just rolled our eyes and continued on. As we continued our tour we learned about the quirky nobles who once resided there. The most famous was Empress Maria Theresa who bore 16 children, marrying off all but one (her favourite) for political reasons.

After leaving the palace we then wandered through the beautiful Schonbrunn Park which was opened to the public in 1779! This huge park and garden area was breathtaking. We wandered through a wisteria-covered arbor, taking in the sweet scents. Looking towards the end of the wide expanse we could see the Neptune Fountain, finished in 1780. It was elegantly decorated with sea goddesses, nymphs, vases, garlands and conch shells. We then made the long journey past beautiful manicured lawns and flowerbeds to the Gloriette, a huge decorative monument that towered above on the peak of the hill, giving a beautiful view back on the palace. It was very busy as they were setting things up for their Vienna summer concerts. We then followed a variety of paths that wound through this park, complete with runners galore!! We came upon a number of small fountains and replica of a set of Roman Ruins called the Ruins of Carthage, constructed in 1778. It is built into the side of the hill as a garden feature! We then came to the Obelisk Fountain which had a huge balustrade decorated with vases and an obelisk sprung up from the centre. The mountain grotto had river gods and huge stone turtles. Unfortunately the water was not running through the fountain. Leaving this beautiful park we caught the Metro in order to visit the busy, vibrant, Naschmarkt. This outdoor market consisted of a street lined with 2 or 3 rows of shops and restaurants. The selections were amazing! Cheeses from around the world, olive bars, every kind of salami imaginable, spices, dried fruits, oils and vinegars! We enjoyed a great falafel wrap and then set out to walk around the Ringstrasse.

When thinking about the geography of Vienna you have to imagine it as a target with concentric sections. St. Stephan's is the bulls-eye and surrounding the Old Town is a circular road known as the Ringstrasse, marking which used to be the city wall. You know you are following the "ring" because every street name ends in "ring". Very helpful indeed! While walking along the pedestrian paths which run beside the endless bike lanes, we came to beautiful parks, churches, and everywhere we looked we were treated to the examples of stunning and grandiose architecture. Every single building consisted of large columns, statues and other stone decorations. We got to see the Parliament building which was Roman in its appearance, the Opera House, as well as the huge square which housed the Museum of Fine Arts and its mirror image across the square, the Museum of Natural History. In the centre stands a huge monument of the Habsburgs showing Marie Theresa at the top receiving a scroll from her father granting the right of a woman to inherit his throne.

We soon made our way back to our Pension, another 8 km of walking under our belts. At 4:00 we went to meet Roland at Cafe Pruckell and it was so nice to reconnect with him! We shared tidbits from our journey and he talked to us about his love of Vienna.

Later we headed for Figlmuller where we were treated to the most delicious Schnitzel! It was 30cm in diameter, hanging over the edges of the dinner plate. It came with a wonderful salad. We just laughed and were really glad we had done lots of walking during the last week because we both finished our thinly coated Schnitzel!! After dinner we got talking with 2 men beside us, a father and son. The father is from the States and the son has resided in Budapest for 18 years and owns a restaurant there, which ironically we had walked by. We talked education differences between the States and Canada as well as our mutual travel experiences. It was a wonderful evening and we know that someday we will return to this exquisite city in order to truly enjoy more of this pleasant, laid-back city where people sit over coffee, indulging in decadent pastries. classical music plays in restaurants, and world-class museums await to be visited.

Tomorrow we are off to Salzburg for 2 days and then it's on to Germany!

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Photos

Gigantic Schnitzels at Fıglmüller's
We Cleaned Our Plates!