No Guide, No Problem

Today was the first time on this whole trip where we had activities scheduled but had no guide or transportation to help us get there. So it was up to us to navigate Vienna's streets and subway lines to fill our day, and I'm proud to report that everyone made it back to the hotel no worse for wear!

Our day started with the morning exercises at the Spanish Riding School located adjacent to Hofburg Palace, which we visited yesterday. I think most of us were a little underwhelmed by the exercises because they basically consisted of horses trotting around a big open arena-type building. Once in a very long while one would jump, and that was about it. We also couldn't take any pictures inside, so that made it even more disappointing.


After we left the riding school and ate lunch, we made our way to Schönbrunn Palace, the summer home of the Hapsburgs. As you can see, it's quite a majestic building with acres and acres of gardens to explore.

This evening most of us went to a concert that was a mélange of symphony, opera, and traditional dancing including, of course, the Viennese Waltz. We had to have been the youngest people in the there by 20 or 30 years. Still, it's difficult to say that you were in Vienna without having gone to some kind of concert. (I mean, we walked by the main opera house, and they were broadcasting the opera taking place inside on this huge outdoor screen for people to watch for free. Sound familiar, Penguins fans?) I think everyone had a pretty good time at the concert, and we made it even better by stopping off for some of the famous Original Sacher Torte at the Sacher Hotel on our way back.