Waking up in Vienna. My first trip on a night train.
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I met up with Jon and Amara.
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And we began our tour at Stephansdom. Yes, we climbed those 343 stairs up the steeple.
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A view of the city from the steeple of Stephansdom.
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An interesting building and alley next to Stephansdom.
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A closer look at the Operahouse statue.
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Jon & Amara admiring Karl's Kirche.
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The stately Karl's Kirche.
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The refecting pool in front of Karl's Kirche, looking away from the church at a building across the square.
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A close up of a tower of Schloss Belvedere.
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The back of Scholss Belvedere, and a glimse of the gardens, which extend much, much further.
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The Hundertwasser Haus (Hundred Water House). Designed by a famous Austrian architect by the same name. Said to be "an enemy of the straight line", his work is a mixture of bizarre and fantastic shapes and colors. I found it like a real-life Dr. Suess book.
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The back of Hundertwasser Haus. People actually live in many of his creations, including this one.
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Amara and I eating lunch under the yellow canopies of Hundertwasser Haus.
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A fountain in the front of Schoenbrunn.
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A portion of the back gardens of Schloss Schoenbrunn.
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The fountain in the back gardens of Schoenbrunn.
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Jon & Amara posing in the Shoenbrunn gardens.
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The gardens/grounds of Schloss Schoenbrunn are so expansive there is a complete Zoo within them.
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The tigers... always my favorite attraction at any zoo.
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This was my first zoo visit in Europe, and like most things here, the zoo was far more accessible than in the States, where establishments have to be so lawsuit-proof and the public bears no responsibility for common sense.
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The animals, the colors, the surrounds were all breathtaking. I was loving every minute with my camera in hand.
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A museum of some kind... I think.
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A Mozart statue. No trip to Austria would be complete without it. The treble clef out of flowers was a nice touch.
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A kind stranger took our picture by the statue.
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The Hofburg (Imperial Palace) once served as the residence of the Hapsburg emperors. Today it houses several museums and the Imperial Chapel, home of the world-famous Vienna Boys Choir.
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The other side (front?) of the Hoffburg.
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Buildings across the street from the Hoffburg. ;-)
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Vienna's main shopping district.
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An intriguing clock with life-size figurines.
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The Rathaus building (city hall).
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Hofburg Theater, across the street from the rathaus.
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