Day 2 - Vienna (Part 3)

And we were back on the road again, the Family of Five right up front, walking with a spring in their step, me way at the back, huffing and puffing and don't forget "limping". (from the bruises on my knee.) It was a good thing that I brought a pair of khaki shorts, which I had to wear for the .. umm... next couple of days. My jeans would have rubbed against the bruises and - oh.... the agony of bruises!

MUSEUM QUARTER

Museum Quarter

MUMOK Ludwig Foundation

MUMOK Museum of Modern Art

Pinocchio

Leopold Museum
(square building on the right)

PARLIAMENT

Parliament

STADTPARK

Stadtpark

Municipal Park

CITY HALL

City Hall (Rathaus)

Sewage Cover

Votive Church (spires in the distant)

BURGTHEATER

It was said that actors used to sunbathe on the roof of the theater until 1977. There were even showers for them to cool off.

Burgtheater
(Directly opposite City Hall.
Rathausplatz is the open space at the center)

By this time, we were famished. At the end of the block from City Hall, we came upon a cafe restaurant named "Einstein". It looked like as good a spot as any spot for a chow down so we settled for some.

Sausages and croissants (keeping it safe)

Rosenspritzer

Wiener Schnitzel Popular Viennese cuisine. Veal, usually served with fried potatoes, gravy, green or snow peas.

Ms Walk-Faster was a little disappointed with my choice. (Sausages and croissants.) There are three things you must try in Vienna, she declared. Wiener Schnitzel (veal chop) Sachertorte (chocolate cake) Concert

Ceiling

She finished her Wiener Schnitzel with relish so it must be pretty good. My sausages were great as was the Rosenspritzer. 

When the bill came, there was this matter about tipping. Diners typically declare how much tip was to be retained by the waiter or waitresses, and having deducted same, the change was then returned to the diner. That settled, it was our turn to split the bill. This proved cumbersome for the itemized billing was not in English and we had no idea what we ate. At this point, Ms Walk-Faster suggested that we ask for separate bills in future meals. That sounded like an idea. Time to hit the road.

Art Creation at Stadtpark

Votive Church Second Highest church also known as Ringstrasse Cathedral

Votivkirche built on the spot where a former prince archbishop was unsuccessfully assassinated.

University of Vienna

BUNDESGARTEN / VOLKSGARTEN
(National Garden / Public Park)

This was originally the private garden of the archdukes. It was opened to the public since 1825. (Volksgarten)

Theseus Temple to house remarkable artwork by contemporary artists one at a time

Grillparzer

As you can see from the pictures, the shadows were lengthening towards the east. It was time to return to the hotel.( Heck! As far as I'm concerned, that was long overdue.)

Just as we walked past City Hall, my phone rang. I could not intercept the call in time but my premonition told me to expect the worst. Fretting over issues with no solution is the last thing I should do but I did it well.

Temperature: 23 deg C, cold and bright at 9.30 pm.

It was time for dinner so we went out with a heavy heart.  Roast pork knuckles, with buns, lemon spritzer and beer (Total : EUR9.10) Back at the hotel, a new text message arrived. Ginger is vomiting and purging - traces of blood in the latter. I sent a distress message to our family vet but it was a case of doing too little, too late. By 2 am (Venice time) Ginger was dead.

I could not speak. The train complex opposite my window looked desolate. Tears blurred my vision. There was nothing to be said. I was filled with remorse. If it hadn't been for Venice, perhaps ... perhaps ... I could have saved her.

Eight years is a long time.

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