Randoms of Vienna

"When the soul looks out of its body, it should see only beauty in its path.  These are the sights we must hold in mind, in order to move to a higher place."- Yusef Lateef

Random pictures of Vienna that didn't make the posts.

Leopold I built St. Peter's Church as a thank-you for surviving the 1679 plague. It is Baroque at its best.  Deb and I attended an organ concert in the afternoon.  The organist played four classical pieces including Mozart and Strausse.  Unbelievable acoustics.  I was afraid to cough.

As we walked towards this artwork, unbeknownst to us, it was a staircase.  Awesome.

Rose stain glassed window from St. Stephen's Cathedral.

The windy day on the North tower at St. Stephen's Cathedral.

Freezing cold, windy as all get out, scared at how high we are, but happy, happy, happy girls.

Christmas booths with food and drinks in the pedestrian only area near St. Stephen's Cathedral.

Incredibly, everyone attends these.  Not only tourists, but young people, families and people on their way home from work.  They are opened everyday and all day into the evening.

Below is the Holy Trinity plague column.  It is 60 feet tall covered with angels and cherubs and a golden Father, Son and Holy Ghost at the top.

Leopold I also commissioned this be built as an additional thank-you for surviving the plague. It was a massive epidemic of the bubonic plague which claimed the lives of over 75,000 Viennese.  At the time, one third of the city of Vienna.

This random shot was taken while walking the city;  found as a decoration on a building.

I just could not decide on what to wear for the Opera.  I opted for this little number that I had hanging around.

At dusk, St. Stephen's Cathedral is decorated with spot lights that make the neatest colours on the church and ground.  The little children love it.

Deb giving this fellow...who looks like one of the Baldwin boys....a helping hand.

I made a wee mistake in a previous post.  The Sacher Torte was originally made at the Cafe Sacher.  It is in our "1000 Places To See Before You Die." 

You got it...we had to go and try it.

Chocolate heaven.

When we are lost, we love to cut through a tunnelled area we have never been to see where it leads.

You never know what treasures are beyond the darkness.

For the life of me, I know this guy, but what is his name?  Looks so familiar?  Maybe an acquaintance? Family? Co-worker, boss?

I will remember.

Everything in Vienna was about Mozart, but in the Vienna Opera house they did have a bust of this fellow who we all know.

We did do the tour of the Opera house but didn't get to a concert there.  But we heard an awesome tip from our tour guide.  If you show up three hours before the show starts, you can get in line to purchase 'standing room' tickets for 3-4 euros a person.  They start at over 25-300 + euros for seats.

We did get to a concert at another Palace one evening.  No photos allowed.  Classical music, waltzing, ballet and opera singers were all included in the production.  Front row seats as we made a deal with a seller in front of St. Stephen's Cathedral.  I am usually leery of these sellers, but we saw no other option to hear classical music in our short time in Vienna.

In a word:  Awesome.