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Vienna Day 3
2008.10.12
More than the historical figure itself, Valerie and I talked about the relative difficulty of sculpting such a figure. This one was easier to do than the next one, apparently.
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More than the historical figure itself, Valerie and I talked about the relative difficulty of sculpting such a figure. This one was easier to do than the next one, apparently.
1
Valerie said something about how the angle of the horse's legs made this very difficult to create. I pointed out that the tail was also not connected, as the above one was. This was OBVIOUSLY much more important than knowing who these folks were!
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Valerie said something about how the angle of the horse's legs made this very difficult to create. I pointed out that the tail was also not connected, as the above one was. This was OBVIOUSLY much more important than knowing who these folks were!
2
The Library. Anyone recognize this spot from its less enlightened, wartime days? (Think "Austrian corporal.") Creepy. Glad it's being put to use providing education and information now. Together with compassion, some of the best tools against ignorance and cruelty.
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The Library. Anyone recognize this spot from its less enlightened, wartime days? (Think "Austrian corporal.") Creepy. Glad it's being put to use providing education and information now. Together with compassion, some of the best tools against ignorance and cruelty.
3
Valerie at a crime scene. We were on our way to see the Lipizzaners at the Spanish Riding School and she mentioned that, when she was a teenager, she and a friend put a block of laundry soap in this fountain. HAHAHAHA!
She said it was very beautiful, all the bubbles cascading out of the fountain... I informed her that there is probably still a warrant out for her arrest somewhere.
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Valerie at a crime scene. We were on our way to see the Lipizzaners at the Spanish Riding School and she mentioned that, when she was a teenager, she and a friend put a block of laundry soap in this fountain. HAHAHAHA!
She said it was very beautiful, all the bubbles cascading out of the fountain... I informed her that there is probably still a warrant out for her arrest somewhere.
4
The inside of "the world's most beautiful riding hall." The Spanish Riding School says it's been called that, anyway. Mostly by the Spanish Riding School. I think they tell you that so that you'll be satisfied with only taking pictures of the hall, as photos are not permitted during the performance. Sigh.
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The inside of "the world's most beautiful riding hall." The Spanish Riding School says it's been called that, anyway. Mostly by the Spanish Riding School. I think they tell you that so that you'll be satisfied with only taking pictures of the hall, as photos are not permitted during the performance. Sigh.
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These are the seats I'll be sitting in next time. And I'm going to bring a spycam.
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These are the seats I'll be sitting in next time. And I'm going to bring a spycam.
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After the performance, when the light has changed a bit. And there is the lucky employee who goes to pick up after the horses. (Yes, even Lipizzans poop!)
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After the performance, when the light has changed a bit. And there is the lucky employee who goes to pick up after the horses. (Yes, even Lipizzans poop!)
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"Apples?" (Across the way at the stables, after the performance.)
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"Apples?" (Across the way at the stables, after the performance.)
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I just like this picture. :)
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I just like this picture. :)
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The closest I was able to get this time around. Through the glass, with lots of zoom. There is a tour of the stables for quite a reasonable cost, but I opted to skip it this time. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- can't do everything in one trip or you have no reason to go back! ;)
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The closest I was able to get this time around. Through the glass, with lots of zoom. There is a tour of the stables for quite a reasonable cost, but I opted to skip it this time. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- can't do everything in one trip or you have no reason to go back! ;)
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Demel, the most upscale confectionery shop in Vienna. That horse is cake!
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Demel, the most upscale confectionery shop in Vienna. That horse is cake!
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From the inside. Alas for the construction work outside!
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From the inside. Alas for the construction work outside!
13
The Plague Monument. Valerie told me it was of the Baroque period, which explains its over-the-top ornate design. There are many lovely things in Vienna, but this is not one of them. I think I may have upset Valerie's national pride when I made a face and said, "eww!" Or maybe it was the, "Wow that's really ugly," that did it. But then, it's probably not fair to compare plague monuments to cake horses.
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The Plague Monument. Valerie told me it was of the Baroque period, which explains its over-the-top ornate design. There are many lovely things in Vienna, but this is not one of them. I think I may have upset Valerie's national pride when I made a face and said, "eww!" Or maybe it was the, "Wow that's really ugly," that did it. But then, it's probably not fair to compare plague monuments to cake horses.
14
We ate at a cafe near this sign. I asked Valerie what it meant and she didn't know. Normally the red line sign would mean no pedestrians or no walking or some such. But the sign right next to it seemed to contradict it. And there's something about taxis, too. In any case, she asked me to snap a photo so she could show friends later, so I did.
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We ate at a cafe near this sign. I asked Valerie what it meant and she didn't know. Normally the red line sign would mean no pedestrians or no walking or some such. But the sign right next to it seemed to contradict it. And there's something about taxis, too. In any case, she asked me to snap a photo so she could show friends later, so I did.
15
Inside
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Inside St. Stephen's Cathedral. After seeing the Lippizans, Valerie went back to the apartment. I continued on seeing sights and snapping photos. I had my iPod with me and listened to Rick Steves talk about the difference between Gothic and Romanesque architecture. I didn't quite understand what he was discussing with his cohost about having 6 tourists stand in a certain way and hold their arms out (need a diagram, I guess), so I was left with the, "Ooo it's big, gosh it's ornate, and wow look at that!" reaction of the uninformed. I did, however, look it up on Wikipedia when I got back to the apartment later!
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The pulpit. I'm becoming quite fond of pulpits. They are so lovely and spirally and organic!
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The pulpit. I'm becoming quite fond of pulpits. They are so lovely and spirally and organic!
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Detail of figure on pulpit.
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Detail of figure on pulpit.
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Coat of Arms of the Austrian Empire, displayed inside the cathedral. I don't know if this has something to do with the never completed Eagle Tower or not. In any case, people were flocking to it (*double* pun intended) almost as intently as the crowds at the British Museum zeroed in on the Rosetta Stone. More on various features of the cathedral here.
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Coat of Arms of the Austrian Empire, displayed inside the cathedral. I don't know if this has something to do with the never completed Eagle Tower or not. In any case, people were flocking to it (*double* pun intended) almost as intently as the crowds at the British Museum zeroed in on the Rosetta Stone. More on various features of the cathedral here.
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Everywhere you turned, something gold leafed and twirly and pretty.
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Everywhere you turned, something gold leafed and twirly and pretty.
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Easier to get the coat of arms from the rear than the front. Not quite as awesome as the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, but still pretty awesome. ;)
This view makes the cathedral look so arboreal. Seems there should be small capuchin monkeys and tropical birds flitting around!
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This view makes the cathedral look so arboreal. Seems there should be small capuchin monkeys and tropical birds flitting around!
23
The Albertina museum. I went to see the Van Gogh exhibit. Alas for me, just like at the Spanish Riding School, no photography allowed inside. I was there, my camera was there, but the snappity images on said camera are not there. Sigh.
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The Albertina museum. I went to see the Van Gogh exhibit. Alas for me, just like at the Spanish Riding School, no photography allowed inside. I was there, my camera was there, but the snappity images on said camera are not there. Sigh.
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Matching mum and son as she provides the reluctant scholar with an art education.
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Matching mum and son as she provides the reluctant scholar with an art education.
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Walking around the ring towards a train stop.
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Walking around the ring towards a train stop.
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Because when I think of Vienna, I think SUPERFLY!
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Because when I think of Vienna, I think SUPERFLY!
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Mini is not impressed with you. Perhaps you should offer her some whiskey for her kitchen assistance.
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Mini is not impressed with you. Perhaps you should offer her some whiskey for her kitchen assistance.
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Dinner. Valerie and Gustl's friends, Evelyne and Bobby, came over and brought a dish from northern Italy. No one knew quite how to describe it, though they'd had it several times. Basically, a pig's leg is... hollowed out? The meat and bone are removed, sausage is made of the meat and put back into the form of the leg. Only the hoof and a coating of fat remain from the original leg. I think. I'm not sure.
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Dinner. Valerie and Gustl's friends, Evelyne and Bobby, came over and brought a dish from northern Italy. No one knew quite how to describe it, though they'd had it several times. Basically, a pig's leg is... hollowed out? The meat and bone are removed, sausage is made of the meat and put back into the form of the leg. Only the hoof and a coating of fat remain from the original leg. I think. I'm not sure.
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We had it with VERY buttery mashed potatoes, lentils, and gravy made from the leg juices. It tasted not entirely unlike Spam, but WAY more delicious!
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We had it with VERY buttery mashed potatoes, lentils, and gravy made from the leg juices. It tasted not entirely unlike Spam, but WAY more delicious!
30
Gustl looks as if he is at a loss while playing Topwords. Topwords is the German language versions of Upwords, which is like 3-D Scrabble. Cool!
Evelyne does a form of travel art for a living. I don't know what the German word for it is, but there is no English equivalent. Basically, you do research for YEARS and recreate the travel of an historic personage, documenting it in photos and writing. I don't know who she was researching, but it had to do with Yunnan, China.
Seeings how she and Bobby do this sort of art thing all the time, and seeings how Gustl and Valerie are quite supportive of the arts in general and have, in fact, commissioned a few pieces themselves, they were quite tolerant of my photography.
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Gustl looks as if he is at a loss while playing Topwords. Topwords is the German language versions of Upwords, which is like 3-D Scrabble. Cool!
Evelyne does a form of travel art for a living. I don't know what the German word for it is, but there is no English equivalent. Basically, you do research for YEARS and recreate the travel of an historic personage, documenting it in photos and writing. I don't know who she was researching, but it had to do with Yunnan, China.
Seeings how she and Bobby do this sort of art thing all the time, and seeings how Gustl and Valerie are quite supportive of the arts in general and have, in fact, commissioned a few pieces themselves, they were quite tolerant of my photography.
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