Spanish Riding School

On Sunday morning we had a late start after the evening string quartet performance, catching the train into the centre (Karlsplatz) and walking to the Spanish Riding School. We had bought tickets to the morning performance and opted for specific seats, rather than free seating as we had been warned that otherwise Sophie and Will might not be able to see much. The performance was great, not necessarily very showy and entertaining but the level of detail and horsemanship was superb. The horses made full sets of flying changes and a couple performed a set of pirouettes and leaps. After the performance, we caught the underground to Schobrunn Palace and watched a strudle-making display that had rated highly on trip advisor. Sophie and Will didn't like the taste of the strudle - and we were happy to finish off their leftovers. We are all mostly recovered from a cold but still headachey, so went back to our room for a rest and to see more of the Olympics on TV. In the evening, we walked to Praterstern to visit the park and came across a more substantial theme park than we had expected. We cut through the amusement park (via an ice cream) to the green park on the other side, then found some basic dinner (cheese toasties) at the train station before heading home. We heard fireworks that night.

On Monday, I took the train into town for a last look around, assuming that everything would be open but found most shops closed for a public holiday. I trained back out and we all caught a train along the canal for a look around and then back past our station (Vorgartenstrasse) to the island in the middle of the Danube. We found a Spanish food restaurant (e.g. nachos) for lunch on the river, walked across a floating bridge to near the UN headquarters and caught the train home. It took most of the late afternoon to catch up on emails, photo sorting and printing boarding passes for tomorrow. John also caught the train back into town for a final look around and brought some dinner home. Off to Croatia on a flight tomorrow. The train system, across several country borders was too hard to book remotely - so, we have opted for a flight. Hopefully, it will be a restful day after a relatively busy time in Vienna.

At the Spanish Riding School

Spanish Riding School

Lipizzaner Stallions

Carriages outside the Hofburg

Paying buskers on the underground to Schoenbrunn Palace

Strudle-making demonstration

Sophie at the Schonbrunn

At the Schonbrunn

A park on the way to Praterstern

Amusement park at Praterstern

Outside the amusement park

Walking past the Staatoper this morning

Catching the train to the canal on the Danube

Restaurant on Danube Island

One of the 3-4 UN headquarters in Europe

Modern apartments in Vorgartenstrasse