The weather being quite pleasant, we ambled along the Danube for awhile before heading "inland" toward Stefansdom. The facade of Zum Goldener Becher is gilded even more by a couple of discreetly placed Golden Arches.
The Dom itself is obviously undergoing a lengthy exterior restoration and the pedestrian mall is far more crowded than we've been used to experiencing on our most recent three chilly December visits to Vienna.
Our leisurely stroll leads us to the Albertina Museum, where our Austrian Airlines boarding passes allow us a discount entry of 5 Euros each.
It's a marvelous museum that we've never before visited, housed in what was a residence for important guests back in the "olden days" of the Empire. It's not anywhere near as large as Schloss Schönbrunn, the royal residence, but it's very impressive and it's been beautifuly restored.
Toward the end of our visit, as we proceed chronologically from Michaelangelo and Albrecht Dürer up through the Impressionists, the Expressionists, Picasso et al, we're very impressed by a living artist, Gerhard Richter, who refuses to tie himself to one style.
How have we ever missed the Albertina? There are just so many wonderful museums and other sights to explore, so today's visit was a pleasant new experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment