Towards the end of the 13th century the Habsburg family rose to power over the Babenburg family who had been in charge since the late 10th century...before that Charlemagne and the Romans. The Habsburgs were pretty much in control until the end of World War I. On the upside, there are really only 4 choices on any given history quiz but, on the downside, it's hard to really to differentiate one Habsburg from another...except Maria Theresa mostly because she is (a) Marie Antoinette's mother, and (b) the only woman.
The Innere Stadt (the part that was once protected by the city walls) is dominated by the Hofburg which is really just a big rambling palace that was created as one generation tried to one up the previous generation's living quarters. It's hard to understand how big the place is: six museums, a chapel, the president of Austria's offices, the national library, the Lipizzaner Stallions stable and their arena, a greenhouse, and a park. I'm sure I missed something. After a while you are pretty much just wandering around staring blindly at building after building. They are beautiful but after a couple of hours...they start to look a bit the same. I did enjoy my tour through the Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) but probably not why you think...it is full of things that just reasonably can't be legitimate. A unicorn horn (actually a narwhal tusk) and the nail that held Christ's right hand to the cross (presumable they just had it an old box before they got the 15th century case it is in now...I wonder who has the left one?) are stand outs in this category for me.
The reason I went to Vienna was to see the Gustav Klimt exhibit at Schloss Belvedere (another Habsburg Palace). Klimt is my favourite artist and this exhibit was especially curated in celebration of the 150th anniversary of his birth...so probably my only opportunity to see so many of his paintings in one place at one time. My favourite was a mural called The Longing for Happiness. It is painted directly onto the wall so it doesn't photograph very well...but it is incredible in person. On the opposite wall was Klimt's iconic The Kiss.
Next up was a quick stop in Salzburg. Growing up on the prairies the only picture in my mind of what Europe looked like was Julie Andrews running through alpine meadows and singing up a storm around fancy fountains, so, I've always had it in the back of my mind that someday I would go and see it for myself. I actually went on a Sound of Music bicycle tour which was great fun and gave me the opportunity to see a bunch of the real places from the movie. Some things were really great to see but sometimes it is better to just leave things in the movies. Turns out the mountain they walked over in the movie actually leads to Germany...I guess Hollywood wasn't troubled by these little details! Also, having stood at the door to the Abbey (see me below)...it is no wonder Maria didn't hear the bells for prayers...the mountain is several miles away.
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As a cap to my whirlwind Bavarian tour, I met up with some friends in Munich for Oktoberfest. What trip to Bavaria would be complete without a trip to Oktoberfest? It all starts with a parade of beer wagons pulled by heavy horses through the city to the festival grounds where the mayor taps the first keg to get the party started. The crowds, including us, just join the end of the parade and make their way to the festival to enjoy a few beverages. Amazingly, the majority of people are dressed in traditional dirndls & lederhosen. I understand from some first time lederhosen wearers that one must carefully plan ahead for bathroom breaks as suede trousers fastened with buttons are not that easy to get undone! The zipper is a much under appreciated invention.
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I did so many other things during my week: the opera, a Mozart concert in a castle, tours of a salt mine and the BMW museum, shopping, trains through the countryside, the Berchtesgaden region (where Hitler's Eagles Nest is), and much more...but it seems as though this entry is already long enough!
