Friday, September 1, 2017

Mishaps and Interesting encounters--Part 3


So back to Vienna, we went on that wonderful little Zillertal passing picture book  scenes--the green steeples showing allegiance to Salzburg diocese.


And the red steeples belonging to Innsburg



Looking out from our comfortable train.


Saying good bye to the Zillertal to board a larger train at Jenbach.
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We returned to Vienna where we stayed at the Speiss and Speiss for three glorious nights, another lovely hotel

Our room was large and extremely comfortable looking out onto pool and gardens.

 Breakfast room where we enjoyed the best breakfast, especially the scrambled eggs--I'm not sure what the chef did in his tiny kitchen, but they were the creamiest, melt in your mouth eggs ever.


We saw a huge retrospective on Lawrence Alma Tadema at the Lower Belvedere. Tadema was a favorite with Victorians and his work is gorgeous. Those prudish Victorians especially liked his nudes--okay, as they were portrayed in his scrupulously researched classical antiquity paintings--distant enough for the Victorians. These paintings provide the basis for what ancient times looked like in many movies such as Quo Vadis set, as this exhibition showed.

Tadema was known for amiable personality and loved to entertain in Casa Tadema, his home, a labor of love for him. 

His portraits include Paderewski, the Polish musician-- We lived in the Paderevium in Poland!





A lovely one of his wife called Memory painted after her death. I could certainly identify with this one as I think back through my life often.


From Lower Belvedere to Upper Belvedere--last time we were here, there was snow everywhere


Wonderful vistas to view and the weather was perfect!

And so much art to see! We saw these crazy heads done by respected 16th century artist Franz Xaver Messerschmidt.



We also went to the national museum with this gold statue of Neptune as its symbol.

Here we are having fun with mirrors!


We saw this bearded woman who seemed to be a celebrity as there were crowds and photographers gathered around her.

And, work by Klimt and Egon Shiele, the wonderful artist who died during the flu epidemic in his twenties.

Much in this cafe!


Street scenes in Vienna--so much fun. Of course so many coffee houses to duck into but we sat outside and enjoyed beer and a shandy at Cafè Prûckel.










We could watch the opera going on from a screen! And we did go to one music event at a lovely music theatre.

Lots of  bustling shopping streets!


With great window displays!

Dancing in the street!


Coffee houses galore!


Delicious pastry shops!


And we went into the Jewish museum here on this platz.


Full of those stunning sad stories....















What a marvelous city Vienna is and hope to return.

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