Another trip another blog, this time Vienna, the culture-packed capital of Austria. I was going through old blog posts recently to fix some formatting glitches and it's a good job I keep writing these because I generally don't remember quite a lot of what I've done. So I guess I'll keep blogging until it becomes a completely obsolete medium and the site gets shut down. Which can't be that far off, because blogs are very 2010.
Vienna always comes top of those 'best cities to live' rankings that appear in the press from time to time and so I was intrigued to see why it's regarded so highly. A lot of that is down to Vienna's high quantity and quality of social housing, rent controls, great public transport – many of the things that make a well run modern city. (And something a lot of modern cities lack.)
It really had the feel of a great place to live while I was there. Admittedly I was only there for a few days and I'm sure Vienna has its own problems but I couldn't see many. Culture, food, drink, beautiful architecture, history are all there in abundance. Apparently there's an old stereotype about the Viennese people being rude, but I didn't encounter that at all.
Most importantly, I ate apple strudel on multiple occasions. The best one was probably in Cafe Landtmann, where Sigmund Freud is said to have gone between classes at the University of Vienna right across the road. Now it's a bit of a pricey tourist trap but I had to go in one of Vienna's fancy cafes while I was there and pay €6 for a coffee with extra ambience.
Kimchi on sweet potato fries – I'm not normally a food pictures person but this was the first thing I ate in Vienna and it was immense.
Does it count as street art if it's not on a street? Let's call it some graffiti with an admirable message.
Dr Freud will see you now. This the waiting room for patients of Sigmund Freud or his wife, Martha. This is the only room in the museum restored to what it once looked like, the rest of it is nice but a bit underwhelming.
One of the Easter markets that were on in the second half of March. This one sold thousands of painted eggs.
The roof of Stephandsom Cathedral and its multicoloured tiled roof is right in the middle of Vienna's city centre.
Another angle of Stephandsom Cathedral, with dramatic sculpture.
One of Vienna's many pretty town squares, I think this was the Jewish Square
So sue me, I took another food photo. This time its apple strudel. If you go to Vienna and don't eat strudel I don't think we can ever truly be friends.
You might recognise this if you've seen The Third Man, a film from 1949 starring Orson Welles that was set in Vienna. The bottom left of the photo has a little portrait of Welles.
Back in the Easter markets again, this time taking a photo for Vita so she can see how big the eggs in Vienna are.
Can't remember what this church was called, but it was on the edge of the old town and made a nice photo with the steps leading up to it.
Some culture from the cheap seats at the Musikverein. The Bavarian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Simon Rattle. At €10 for a standing ticket, you can see something pretty spectacular for an affordable price. (Sitting tickets went up to €130)
A mural of Mozart, possibly Vienna's most famous resident
Belvedere Palace on the outskirts of central Vienna.
