Vienna 2018: Big Plans!
(2023-07-17 It seems I kept short notes during my 2018 week in Vienna after all: nicely collected in my Moleskine Vienna notebook. Notes are very brief, mostly in Dutch, translated into English.)
Day 1 - Trainride
Not too special, happy to have booked the slow journey between Köln and Frankfurt: very Rail Away!
Day 2 - Pride Parade
All of the Ringstraße was closed, including getting into the center of Vienna, because today there is a very large Pride Parade / Rainbow Parade.
Instead of moving into the center of town, I’ve changed my plans and off to Schönbrunn, to the Palmengarten and Hietzing Station. Many photos (see: Photo album Vienna 2018) taken.
Dinner? Trzesniewski, bad cold coming in, no taste.
Day 3 - Sick Day
Stayed mostly inside, only went outside for a short walk, cold too bad, tried to stop using the nose spray. Headache, but did see all Footbal WC games.
Day 4 - Keith Haring
9-11AM Feeling better so back into town. Breakfast on the go and ready for the Albertina Museum and its Keith Haring exhibit: AMAZING!
11:15AM PSK (Postsparkasse): go back and bring different lens for camera.
12AM-4PM Siësta
4PM Back into town, time for drinks and early dinner. I knew there was a good BBQ place in town, The Brickmasters. Sitting outside, nice local brews (Schremser Vienna 1P, Sierra Nevada pale ale), and of course a decent portion of pulled pork: a bit too much meat, but it was wonderful to have again. There was a spice in the pulled pork that I could not quite determine. Was it kummel? No idea. Time for a coffee, then off to bed to fall asleep with Belgium playing their match.
Day 5 - Otto Wagner, Wien Museum
9:45AM Karlsplatz, Breakfast across from the Henry Moore statue. It’s going to be another warm day, but as on every other day, a cool wind is blowing. Next to me on the bench someone is keeping track of others via a team mobile, while informing them where to find Madam X, which Ubahn she’s travelling on. Madam X has a white rose and gold-colored clothes. I’m waiting for Wien Museum to open at 10AM to see an Otto Wagner exhibition.
10:00AM Wien Museum What a wonderful exhibit, beautiful designed, endless drawings and explanations on Wagner’s work. I even saw the design he made towards the end of his life for the Peace Palace design competition! Imagine how it would have been: to have an Otto Wagner building near my home.
Next off to the Otto Wagner Pavilion, the original Stadtbahn designed by him. I think the lady working the register at this small building was the same one I saw there two years ago. Bought some postcards, which I sent off into the world.
1:00PM Failed picnic/lunch at Belvedere as my taste is still M.I.A.
3:00PM Off to MAK (Museum für angewandte Kunst)
Great overview exhibit on the influence / followers of Otto Wagner on design. Also saw an amazingly displayed exhibit on Asian porcelain vessels. MAK ticket included a visit to PSK, so back to that amazing building, but I am tired and my eyes have seen enough. Tried to check out a CityBike and I was pleasantly surprised my account was still active. Take away dinner: El Burro.
Day 6 - Belvedere
Got up late and on to Oberes Belvedere. Great place to find a trashcan to get rid of a large bag of dirty tissues! Back on the road, on a bike, but gosh Vienna is certainly not a flat city! Onto an UBahn to get into the center of town, to Stephansplatz but due to the busy tourists hanging around, onwards to Café Korb for breakfast.
Always a great place to hang about, with wonderfully Viennese waiters, slightly grumpy but gentle and forthcoming in the end: American tourists will start a long complaint from a waiter. Walked to graben, to Julius Meinl, for some shopping. Quickly back to the apartment, because I can’t have these delicacies melt while I walk around the city. Outside it’s over 30°C!
Lunch again on the go, eaten while sitting in the shade of Stadtpark, but then it was back to the heat of public transport, because I wanted to see more Otto Wagner buildings at the Linke Wienzeile. Camera equipped with the correct lens and I took a large number of photographs. It was difficult to check Wagner’s own house. Walking back via the Naschmarkt, always a bit disappointing because it’s so much of the same. No dinner at Neni am Nasch this year, while I have recommended them to many friends asking for tips.
The Secession is completely covered in scaffolding, so I skipped it. Back onto the public transport on my way to Coffee Pirates. Bought a wonderful cold brew from them in a lovely bottle: one to keep! Back to the apartment for a lie down before heading out for a local restaurant, Winklers Zum Posthorn: wonderful service, wonderful food!
Day 7 - Going home
Until Passau all was quiet on the train, after that it was very noisy in Ruhebereich: mostly annoying people who would not stop talking/using their phones. At Frankfürt a quick burger for dinner, then on to a very busy train, busy private compartment. It was not until Düsseldorf that we realized we were all Dutch! About a 25min delay at Köln because the trains could not be disconnected and I was glad to be back home again!
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