Lazy Day in Vienna

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Happy July 4th U.S.A...but no parade in Vienna. We decided to sleep in and do some odds and ends today. Mary needed to purchase a new suitcase; who knew that cobblestones and suitcase rollers don't mix. Mom and I went grocery shopping. Thank goodness the packages had pictures on them. For all I knew I could have been purchasing a can of sardines!

We were able though to squeeze in a few hours of sightseeing and stop for a Torte in Café Sacher.

The Capuchin Church is very unassuming from the outside, but its importance lies underneath...the Imperial Crypt for members of the Hapsburg dynasty(149; including 12 emperors and 19 empresses). Oddly, it's only the bodies and not the organs that are buried here (guts are in St Stephens Church, and hearts are in Augustinian Church).

Next stop, the Albertina. Former Hapsburg palace and now an art museum. Its latest exhibition collection presents masterpieces of the Modern art world, spanning Monet to Picasso and Baselitz.

In front of the Albertina is a gripping WWII war memorial; the Anti-War and Facism Monument. On this spot was an apartment building. During an air raid on 3/12/45, 100 residents were buried alive in the basement and were unable to be rescued. This monument is made up of four pieces to highlight the violence and tragedy the Austrians faced during WWII while under Nazi rule.

Our final stop was the world famous Café Sacher. Known for its chocolate cake (Original Sacher-Torte). The café has been a meeting point for famous figures like Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth II, and John F Kennedy.

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Photos

Capuchin Church
In the heart of the city. The Imperial Crypt for the Hapsburg dynasty.

Capuchin Church - Imperial Crypt
Sarcophagus' are on display. Above is Emperor Franz Joseph and his beloved wife Sisi.

Albertina
This palace turned art museum contains over 60,000 drawings along with a huge contemporary collection of masterpieces.

Albertina - Monet
Water lilies. Reminded us of our trip to Paris and the Orangerie (one of our most favorite museums!)

Albertina - Picasso
Woman with a Green Hat. How can you look at a Picasso and not smile.

Albertina - Andy Warhol
Mao Tse Tung. I know that we can easily do this from our laptop now. But you have to appreciate how Warhol diluted and distorted the Chinese leader image.

Anti-War & Facism Monument
The large marble columns are called the Gate of Violence and represent the victims of both war and concentration camps.

Cafe' Sacher
Elegant dining room and waitstaff

Cafe Sacher
Mom and Nancy enjoying chocolate cake