 |
| Photo taken by and property of TriniTravelDiva a.k.a NSL-R Vienna, Austria(July 2014) |
Vienna in summer, aahhh! She is such a magnificent old city with all of
her charm and warmth just waiting to welcome you. The city is exciting at the same time that she
is easy going, and you will find that is it easy to acclimate to both. Sidenote: Don’t worry, because you’ll unknowingly
ease into one or the other. The people I
came into contact with were eager to interact and I really had to put my
limited German speaking skills to the test, since my husband was not there with
me. People seemed to appreciate their
surroundings and their moods reflected the same. Also,
people were willing to offer information about where to go and what to see. Going for walks or just sitting on a bench
and watching Vienna go by, was a favourite pastime of mine because I saw a lot
from that vantage point. Also, being
there with family made the journey all the more worthwhile. Sometimes you need to have experiences
through different eyes, especially kids’ eyes, in order to really appreciate
them.
 |
| Horse-drawn carriages, Vienna, Austria (July 2014) Photo taken by and property of TriniTrave;Diva a.k.a NSL-R |
It is plain to see some of the cultural influences on
Austria. Mainly, the German language is
widely spoken. Also, Austria has a
strong and long-standing history with the various arts. You can hardly say Vienna without thinking of
the Viennese waltz, the Vienna philharmonic, the Vienna boys’ choir, or the
great classical musicians and artists who have all left their mark on art and music
today. The architecture also cannot be
denied with its gothic and German influenced styles. Many of Vienna’s buildings were damaged or
destroyed during World War II and many of the older buildings were renovated
and restored to almost what they were before the war. Buildings, like the famous St. Stephen’s
Cathedral in the heart of the city, was also damages and the renovations
somewhat altered the original details. Vienna would not be Vienna without the horse-drawn carriages. They are part of the landscape and a big draw for tourists
 |
| Photo taken by and property of TriniTravelDiva a.k.a NSL-R Vienna, Austria (July 2014) |
Having lunch or dinner (which of course should never be attempted
without wine) in the garden at Griechenbeisl, one of the oldest restaurants in
Vienna was a real treat. It was really
something special. No one rushes you out
the door and you are can truly enjoy the Griechenbeisl experience, which offers
an honest taste of Vienna. I long for
more Viennese cuisine, which has influences from surrounding countries, but
also has its own regional varieties. It was
some of the tastiest cuisine I’ve ever had. Imagine having a meal or a drink where the
likes of Mark Twain, Beethoven, Brahms came before you, is enough to make one
want to have every meal there. Eating
ice-cream is a popular thing to do and in recent years, other food options like
pizza, burgers, fried chicken and other fast food chains have all found a place
and have become available in Vienna.
 |
| St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, Austria Photo taken by and property of TriniTravelDiva a.k.a NSL-R (July 2014) |
Vienna offers many wonderful sights, which must be seen. St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which was under
construction while I was there, was as commanding a sight as ever, even with
all of the scaffolding around it. The impressive
Schoenbrunn Palace, Hofburg Palace and the zoo are just a few of the others sights
to see. There is a giant ferris wheel,
which has become a part of Vienna’s skyline and is a popular tourist attraction. However, walking along Mariahilferstrasse was
a much more fantastic experience. This is
the main shopping street in Vienna and it is a haven for shoppers who can
choose from designer labels to more affordable bargains.
Written by Screenname TriniTravelDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R) on 8/23/14 .
All photos taken by and are property of TriniTravelDiva (a.k.a. NSL-R)
No comments:
Post a Comment