Onward to Vienna, Austria!
Eager to see Vienna when we arrived, we devised a plan for dinner and dessert/coffee. Dinner was in the Stephensplatz area at a restaurant called Figlmueller, famous for its wiener schnitzel. We got a table right away, even though it was crowded. We, of course, ordered the weiner schnitzel, which was huge and barely fit on the plate it was served on. For sides we got a mixed salad and browned potatoes.
After, we walked a few blocks over to Cafe Halwelka, a Viennese coffeehouse that opened in 1939. We ordered coffee with whipped cream and an apfelstrudel to share. The coffee was dark and creamy, slightly bitter, but perfect when paired with the sweetness of the apple strudel. But what I enjoyed most was the casual, unhurried tempo, which allowed us to linger long after our coffee, dessert, and water were finished.
The next morning we went back to Stephensplatz to see St. Stephen's Cathedral. Exiting out of the metro, the cathedral towers above. The inside is rather dark, even though there are numerous windows and stained glass. It is incredibly detailed, particularly impressive given it was built in 1160!
We walked over to Le Bol, a French cafe, for breakfast. It was an internet find I had looked at the previous day. From what we could tell, it was a pretty local crowd. People seemed to be meeting up with friends and colleagues for a leisurely breakfast. A bowl of fruit and yogurt, a croissant, a cappuccino, and a glass of water later and I was satisfied and ready to explore.
One of the only things on our itinerary for Vienna was going to the Hofburg Palace. We had decided to spend our time in Vienna a little more spontaneously, therefore not much was planned out beforehand. A ticket to the Hofburg Palace admits you to the Imperial Silver Collection, the Sissi Museum, and the Imperial Apartments.
The Silver Collection is ridiculously big and encompasses the Hapsburgs various dining services and centerpieces. One set was commissioned for this, another for that, one was commissioned and never used and one was commissioned for journeys alone, etc. Interesting tidbit, some of the royal dinnerware is still used for state functions, so at least it does more than sit in glass cases!
Micah acting all royal-like.
Chocolate and coffee are two things Vienna is famous for doing well. The wall below is from a chocolate shop called Xocolat. Not only did this place produce their own chocolate goods, but they also gathered and sold chocolate from all over (although I didn't see any from the U.S., Hershey's anyone?).
We also went to Cafe Central, another Viennese coffeehouse. However, I would recommend steering clear of this tourist trap. The space is nice, large, curved ceiling and marble columns. It's fancy alright, but very touristy. Stick to Cafe Hawelka, it is much superior.
We then randomly decided to go to the Vienna Ferris Wheel and take a ride. Micah enjoys being able to have a grasp on the layout of a city and I swallowed my fear of heights to not only go but to suggest it.
We did get some great views of the city, that is when I was not practicing breathing relaxation techniques because the kids that were in our car enjoyed running from one side of the car to the other to have it swing back and forth.
Vienna was beautiful and elegant. It was communal and reflective. In the day and a half I was in Vienna, I drank coffee four times (two coffeehouses, once for breakfast, and once for a nightcap at a bar). Each time a little glass of water was served with it. To me, this tradition speaks of hospitality and offers the encouragement to stay a little while. As with dining experiences in Europe, customers aren't pestered to leave. Customers ask to leave instead of the other way around. And in this atmosphere, community is created and fostered. Experiences such as these seem to be more than just eating food or drinking coffee, there is an element of enjoyment in shared time and space with others.
Next: Prague!
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