The Gamelin Family tends to live by the motto: Celebrate early and often. (The females in the family also are afflicted with the irrational fear that our loved ones will starve to death between meals.) So, while I'm not crazy about having others acknowledge my birthday, you can bet I'm milking it for all it's worth in my own little world. My family also has a policy that an individual is at liberty to play the 'It's my birthday' card until the next family member's birthday. (This is like house rules in Monopoly, so play along, ok?)
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| Riding the carousel at The Prater |
This means, I've got almost all of July until Audrey gets to start raking in the birthday spoilage. It also means even though I went out almost all morning on my birthday, I still got to take my Sunday coffee break (birthday bonus!!) We had spent our morning at The Prater gawking at the rides (A & B were especially enamored of one that they thought resembled a dragon. There was lots of defensive roaring going on), so I was ready for some more mellow entertainment once the afternoon rolled around.
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| Cafe Griensteidl |
This time I found myself at Cafe Griensteidl lingering at the dessert display case. And apparently I'm destined to gravitate towards whichever Viennese sight is currently a personal obsession, because if Cafe Griensteidl were any closer to The Hofburg, it would be swallowed up by it. Located in St. Michael's square, The Griensteidl sits near one of my favorite fountains (adorning The Hofburg), excavated roman ruins and the noted Loos Haus, which was apparently deemed so grotesque by Franz Josef that he refused to enter or exit the palace through St. Michael's square. Amidst all this, I found respite in the Griensteidl over a melange and some topfenstrudel. To be quite honest, nothing of particular note struck me from this cafe. It is beautiful and well situated, the service was above reproach--my coffee and cake left nothing to be desired...everything expected was provided...except at little extra umph, perhaps? I wouldn't turn my nose up at a repeat visit, but the Griensteidl failed to capture my heart. Luckily there are still close to twenty cafes on my list left to visit. I'm sure one of them at least will fit the bill.
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| St. Augustine's Church |
I was not left wanting on this particular afternoon out, however. I decided to stop in to view the Augustinian church...something that literally has been swallowed up by The Hofburg Palace. It was originally built in the 14th century as a free standing building, but now is a part of the Palace complex. This is where marriage ceremonies for the Royal Habsburgs were preformed--some worthy of note being the marriage between Maria Theresa and Duke Francis of Lorainne as well as Franz Josef's marriage to Empress Sisi. In 1810 Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte married Archduchess Marie Louise here as well. And aside from the historic ceremonies held here, the hearts of the Habsburg rulers are held here in silver urns. You would expect a place so rich in history to be rocking. But I was the only one there.
The only one.
In this gorgeous church. With some very famous body parts and lingering hints of grandeur laying about.
This was the first time I have been alone in Vienna...completely alone...and I'm including my own apartment in this. The Augustinian Church, of all places is where I find true solitude.
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| No idea how long I stood and stared at this |
Dear Vienna, you never cease to astound, amaze and absolutely floor me.
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