2024.10 Austria (I) Vienna

I arrived in Vienna by plane early in the morning, and Huawei's SkyTum automatically activated on my phone, ensuring internet access. After landing, I first picked up a rental car and drove to a hotel one stop away from Schönbrunn Palace. After checking in and freshening up, I took the subway (bought a one-day pass for 8 euros) to the city center for a city walk. I didn't drive because most attractions are in the city center, and parking is inconvenient. I haven't been to Vienna in over 20 years; it feels like only yesterday... I was so young back then...

In the typical Chinese tourist style of checking off attractions, we quickly toured Belvedere Palace, Karlsplatz, TU Wien, the Musikverein (Golden Hall), Hofburg Palace, the State Opera, and other well-known landmarks. A few things worth mentioning:

Belvedere Palace: It is definitely a luxurious palace second only to Schönbrunn. It was once the imperial palace of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Habsburg dynasty. Empress Sisi once lived here. Entering from the west gate, you can immediately see the pointed Gothic spire of Karlskirche. The palace gardens are extremely vast, stretching about one or two kilometers. Walking on the small gravel paths, you can go all the way to Karlskirche/Karlsplatz. Along the road, there are many sphinx statues, all with beautiful female faces and bare chests facing you. My companions couldn't help but wonder. Generally speaking, since ancient Greece, the West has always admired nature, and combined with the Catholic reverence for the Virgin Mary, overall, they appreciate and celebrate the radiance of motherhood.

Karlsplatz: By chance, we encountered a subway ticket inspection. The inspectors stood at the subway exit, only visible when you reached the stairs, but by then it was too late—there was no escape, only submission. The fine would have been 60 euros. Of course, we are law-abiding citizens; when out, we always buy tickets and validate them (similar to Germany, by stamping them at the entrance validator).

Musikverein (Golden Hall): I had a smoke on a bench in front of the Vienna University of Technology, then crossed the street to the Golden Hall and the Opera House. Around the Golden Hall, there are photos and names of eight famous musicians on the ground. My learning is limited; after repeated checks, I only recognized Schubert, Strauss, Schönberg, and maybe Brahms and a few others. I don't recall Mozart being there. At the Opera House, there were well-dressed scalpers in 19th-century costumes selling performance tickets. We didn't have time to listen.

Hofburg Palace: The Habsburg family truly reigned over Austria for eight hundred years. China seems to have no match for this (the Zhou Dynasty also lasted about eight hundred years, but from the Western Zhou onward, the royal power declined, and various states fought for hegemony, so it was far from effective rule). Hofburg Palace is magnificent, with a vast lawn stretching endlessly. The weather was kind, with white clouds lingering.

Parliament Building: The building itself is also grand, but after just seeing Hofburg Palace, it seemed rather ordinary. There are a few statues nearby, likely of figures who made significant contributions to the country, but I knew nothing about them and didn't even feel like looking them up online.

We had roast chicken online and drank my favorite wheat beer. The bill was about 20 euros, plus a tip, total 50 for two.

The next morning, we went to Schönbrunn Palace, the imperial summer residence, comparable to our Summer Palace in Beijing or Versailles in France. Upon entering the main gate, the imposing grandeur was evident—the vast square was at least as large as the square in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City.

Schönbrunn covers a huge area, though probably smaller than the Summer Palace. Its overall layout is radial. At one spot, there were ruined walls that reminded me of the Old Summer Palace ruins.

The highlight was climbing the small hill behind the main palace. Looking back at Schönbrunn from the hill, it shone brilliantly in the sunset glow.

There was a café at the top of the hill, where we had a small drink, experiencing the beer of bygone aristocratic days. The total with tip was 15 euros.

Our quick visit to Vienna ends here. Next, we will head to what is domestically known as Austria's most beautiful scenic area, Hallstatt.