Today we went to Schloss Schonbrunn. Originally built in the middle ages it came into the Habsburg's possession in 1569 and in 1612, Emperor Matthias gave it its name. Turkish wars destroyed much of it, and in 1728 Emperor Charles VI had it rebuilt and given to his daughter Maria Theresa. She married Franz Josef, had 16 kids and married off most of them to achieve stronger political alliances - so she became known as the mother-in-law of Europe. In response...

On today's agenda is the Belvedere. This was a palace built in the late 1700's to be a simple garden home for Prince Eugene. Simple of course does not describe this lavish structure ornately decorated with greek themed statues and frescoes. I didn't get the entire history of the place yet, but know there was a fire here in the 1950's which destroyed many of the internal frescoes and furniture. It is now a museum of a grand collection of Austrian artistry fr...

We woke up to an overwhelming breakfast buffet. Meats, cheeses, fruits, breads, oh my. While munching on some dried fruit and nuts I bit into something very hard. At first dismissing it as something "Viennese" I soon realized it was one of my crowns from my teeth! It had cracked in half and broke off. Fearing pain and beginning to realize how far away we are from our lifelines, I soon realized it was going to be ok. I'll just have a hole in my smile (towa...

We left Prague by train at about 10:45 am and arrived in Vienna at 5:30 pm. It was a long train ride, but absolutely did not seem like it! The day was beautiful and the green countryside rolling by us enchanting. It gave us a little time to reflect on our visit to Prague. Prague is a treasure. That so many ancient and medieval buildings and roads still exist is a miracle given the number of wars and political take overs this country has endured. It is a...

Good morning! On Thursday we woke up to sunshine and a little warmer weather. We went back up to the castle - first stopping to grab a "take-away" cup of warm spiced wine! The castle is grand and the church even more so. The gothic architecture and baroque intereriors are indescribable. The view over the city was clear today and we spent time reflecting on our visit. Off in the distance you can see the TV Tower: a modern monstrasity dominating the skyline ...