Vienna -- Day 3 -- so much here

 

Oh dear-- my hair tells you that its another rainy day in Vienna, but we didn't mind.  We started this day bright and early with a taste (or a big piece) of another traditional Viennese food:  Sachertorte.  Sitting in the actual Hotel Sacher where it was invented.  The hotel has never released its actual recipe, but you can taste the apricot jam in it.     Mark added an omelett to his order and my caption   for this picture:  Mark silently asking why he ordered an omelett and coffee when he has that Sachertorte sitting right next to it.

 The national treasury -- lots of embroidery and jewels, and the Austrian History of Art Museum. 

  A 'minor' crown from the Hapsburgs

Narwhal tusk -- presented to  royal family when they thought unicorns were real.  This is long-- half again my height!  Must have been a big unicorn.  It was also considered magical and thus (not sure how that conclusion follows) was a symbol of Christ.

Then a butterfly museum -- small but lots of fun. Here's some snapshots:

Hard to tell the bugs from the flowers.

The black butterfly with the blue spots is the same species as his friend who is closed up and brown to his right.  See a better shot of him below.

Turned a little, that brown butterfly has 'eye' spots.

 Across a park to the Museum of Art History

 It is a truly an amazing collection of Rubens, and other greats.  And  in a drop-dead beautiful late-1800s building.  We both appreciate the collections, we truly do.  They are grand and iconographic in their own very realistic way.  And we more than admire the talent of the artists!  Nonetheless, we don't really like large art museums and trying to see all that greatness.  Our feet get tired, our bellies growl.  This is a snapshot from the 4th floor taken of the cafe area on the second floor.  

 we need smaller, more challenging museums.The next post is about our afternoon at just such a place.

Retirement Lesson -- know what we really like to do! 

VOYAYA