Our days in Poland were a precursor too the primary focus of our trip … A few years back, we completed a two week river cruise on the Rhine and Danube Rivers. That trip ended in Budapest, Hungary. This trip completes the Danube almost all the way to the Black Sea. But it revisits Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest which was fine with us before sailing off in uncharted Eastern Europe. So this blog entry revisits Vienna and I will focus on two parts of the city which we didn’t visit last time.
The Lipizzaner Stallions
We were able to attend one of their practice sessions which consisted of five horses and riders practicing their various prances for 30 minutes, and then having another set come out for another 30!minute session.
This is the ring where the stallions perform and practice. Photography was not allowed during the riding session so I had to improvise mine from other sources. Needless to say, the riding ring is exquisite and the horses are magnificent.
The Lipizzaner horse breed was developed in the Habsburg Empire in the sixteenth century. The horses mature slowly but live well into their 30s. They often perform well into their 20s. Their color becomes more gray as they age.
The other activity we did was tour the Schönbrunn Palace, the summer palace of the Hansburg rulers. The size of their palaces blows you away. While the Hofburg Palace in the center of town remains the site of Austria’s government, the Schonbrunn Palace and its 1441 rooms have been restored and are open for touring.
The palace is also surrounded by beautiful gardens that are well worth a walk.
The interior rooms in the center of the complex were used by the royal family, while the two sides were used by servants and guests. The palace has been restored and is worth the time to visit.
The Adventures of Barry Brink 