Vienna & Bratislava

Max and I took a trip to Vienna, Austria for a quick 4 day vacation. We'd been planning the trip for a couple of months and the timing worked out well as we seemed to need some time away, especially since Max's work life has gotten a bit more hectic lately. The first place we checked out was the Belvedere Palace (above).

Belvedere Palace was the home of Frenchman and military leader Prince Eugene of Savoy (the same Savoy, I think, as the region we live in now). Currently the palace houses art, most famously that of painter Gustav Klimt, of whom I am a fan. We got to see one of his most notable works, The Kiss, and it was certainly a highlight of the trip.

The food in Vienna was very good. If you are a meat and potatoes person who enjoys a good beer, then you'd be set in Vienna. We had wienerschnitzel, bratwurst, strudel, potato salad, and then some. Yum.

The next morning we headed downtown to see the Hofburg Palace and Imperial Treasury. We learned a lot about the history of the Habsburg monarchy and empire. For six centuries, members of the Habsburg family ruled Austria and many were also rulers of the Holy Roman Empire (which was massive by the way). The assassination of Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne, started WWI and ended the Habsburg rule.

Ever wonder what the world's largest emerald looks like? This 2,680-karat emerald is just part of the Habsburg family jewels. The entire collection is just ridiculous. Considered to be the biggest and most important collection of royal jewels and artifacts, the Treasury documents the political and spiritual power of the Holy Roman Emperor.

That afternoon, we went to see Stephansdom (Saint Stephen's Cathedral) in the city's center. It was difficult to see the entire cathedral since much of the exterior is under construction and entrance to the nave cost a fee, which we weren't up for paying. It was still impressive.

Saturday morning we took the hour train ride over to Bratislava, Slovakia. Max's grandfather had come over from what is now Slovakia, so we thought it'd be neat to see a little bit of the

country from which he came. Bratislava reminded us a lot of Tallinn, Estonia, which makes sense since both are recovering from communist rule. Above is the last surviving tower in the city, St. Michael's Gate.

I understand zero Slovak, but here is my rough interpretation of this sign in the bathroom: "Here is your chance to get some toilet paper before entering the stalls. Should you pass up this chance, no other toilet paper will be provided for you. Have a shi**y day."

Throughout the city, there are several cannon balls lodged in the walls of buildings from Napoleons’ siege on Bratislava. This one is located just to the left of the big window on the Old Town Hall.

We hiked up to the Bratislava Castle to see it and to get a view of the town. This once military fortress was transformed into a royal residence for Maria Theresa, the only female ruler in the Habsburg dynasty. She was also the mother of 16 children (the youngest being Marie Antoinette) whom she married off to other royalty to increase the family's power.

This is a view from the castle of the old town and modern Bratislava. It was a very interesting city. It certainly is no Vienna but it definitely had a charm of its own. Travel writer Rick Steves refers to Slovakia as the "West Virginia of Europe", which it maybe, but it was still worth us exploring and we actually spent most of the day there.

Vienna was great. The people were really nice, the food was delicious, and the culture was really interesting; the dish display in the royal apartments was even interesting, that's right dishes. Our tour to Bratislava added a certain flavor that would have been missing had we not gone. With Max's vacation running low, this may be our last trip for a little while but we'll keep you posted.