Saturday in Vienna

This morning we went to the Naschmarkt which is the largest market in Vienna's and it's most populart. Located at the Wienzeile over the Wien River it is about 1,5 kilometers long. The Naschmarkt has existed since the 16th century when mainly milk bottles were sold (as Milk Bottles were made out of Ash (Wood from an Ash-Tree), "Asch"(English for "Ash")led to the name "Aschenmarkt"). From 1793 onwards, all fruits and vegetables brought to Vienna with carts had to be sold here, while goods arriving on the Danube were sold elsewhere. Nowadays, you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables from around the world, exotic herbs, cheese, baked goods such as bread, kaiser rolls, and torte, meats, and seafood. There are also a lot of small restaurants which offer e.g. sushi, kebap, fish, seafood, traditional viennese food such as Kaiserschmarrn or Palatschinken (compares to rolled up crepes) and stalls which offer clothes and accessories. Since 1977, the market extends further along the Wienzeile to an adjacent area every Saturday, when a flea market takes place there and the flea market was open! Well Alameda may become an agenda item in the next few weeks up for discussion.....Some pictures of this incredible market follow:

Just finished lunch ...I had a Schnitzel and Sally had a Beef Salad....and the obligatory Austrian Beer....

Walking to Cafe Sacher passing the Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper)  It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera (Wiener Hofoper). In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian Republic, it was renamed the Vienna State Opera. The members of the Vienna Philharmonic are recruited from its orchestra.  The Wiener Staatsoper is one of the busiest opera houses in the world producing 50 to 60 operas per year in approximately 200 performances. It is quite common to find a different opera being produced each day of a week. As such, the Staatsoper employs over 1000 people. As of 2008, the annual operating budget of the Staatsoper was 100 million Euros with slightly more than 50% coming in the form of a state subsidy. The opera company operates a repertoire system: more than 50 productions are staged every year, and there is a performance nearly every day for ten months of the year.

Hotel Sacher, Vienna

Sally deciding what to have...well I'd say Sacher Torte to start with.....coffee to accompany....maybe  a few pancakes....

St. Stephen's Cathedral (German: Stephansdom) is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP. Its current Romanesque and Gothic form seen today, situated at the heart of Vienna, Austria in the Stephansplatz, was largely initiated by Rudolf IV and stands on the ruins of two earlier churches, the first being a parish church consecrated in 1147.

Riding the U Bahn enroute to the Wiener Riesenrad...stopping of course to eat the required wurst and beer...
On the Riesenrad obviuosly great views of the city were there to enjoy........some pictures follow:

You can even rent a private car for candlelight dinners...as it goes around each time it stops at the bottom waiter get on and deliver the next course...what a concept!

A couple actually enjoying the private dinner...I think she's not amused that I'm taking pictures of them!!

It was then back to the hotel bar for a couple of G&T's and then retiring to figure out the packing routine for the morning.

Tomorrow we go to a performance at the The Spanish Riding School in Vienna and is the only institution in the world which has practiced for over 430 years and continues to cultivate classical equitation in the Renaissance tradition of the haute école. The objective of classical equitation is to study the way the horse naturally moves and to cultivate the highest levels of haute école elegance the horse is capable of through systematic training. The result creates an unparalleled harmony between rider and horse.