The morning was spent sailing - making our way to Vienna. Along the way were several small cottages. Each seemed to have a fishing net suspended on a long pole over the water. At one of the cottages I happened to see a man have a device set up inside his cottage so he could operate the device without going outside.
At 10:30 a.m. we had an apple strudel making demonstration. Executive Chef Florin and the Pastry Chef Mihai showed us each step of the process. We didn't get a taste - that will come on Thursday night.
We had an Austrian Lunch Buffet. Among the items was an Austrian goulash - as you see in picture below it is topped with a sunnyside up egg.
Around 1 p.m. we arrived in Vienna. Once we were settled in port, we departed on a city tour of Vienna which pointed out all the major sites. Stopping near the Inner city, we took a walking tour visiting the National Library and the Spanish riding school - home of the Lipizzaner stallions. The Spanish Riding School in Vienna is the only institution in the world which has practiced for nearly 450 years and continues to cultivate classical equitation in the Renaissance tradition of the Haute Ecole (advanced components of classical dressage). The Library and the riding school is all part of the Hofburg Palace. The palace is the former imperial palace in the centre of Vienna. Part of the palace forms the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria. Built in the 13th century and expanded in the centuries since, the palace has housed some of the most powerful people in European and Austrian history, including monarchs of the Habsburg dynasty, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was the principal imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn Palace was their summer residence.
Look closely and you can see the stallions in the stalls.
Returning to the ship there were a few of us that got ready for our optional evening event - a Heurigen Dinner. The congenial atmosphere of cozy, family-style wine taverns, known as Heurigens, is perfectly complemented by hearty food, lively music — and locally produced vintages, of course. Heurigens traditionally have rustic decor, open courtyards with outdoor seating, and accordion bands playing traditional Viennese songs. We visited one of the oldest and most famous Heurigens, the “Wolff ” in Neustift, which opened in 1609. The restaurant is surrounded by vineyards, so in keeping with the theme of this evening’s tour, we also learned about local wine-growing traditions and sampled some local vintages. It was a fun evening!
