Sunset Obsession #13

Finally the days are long enough that I can resume my after work bicycle tours during which I usually take photographs of the sunset... In the coming months you will surely see many more sunsets on this blog ;-)

The Lion is Watching You

This lion watches everyone who goes in and out of an apartment building in the 4th district and the people who pass by...

The Perfect Tourist

With his art installation "The Perfect Tourist", Hubertus von Hohenlohe invites both Viennese citizens and tourists to capture the magic of the Upper Belvedere in a perfect photograph. The installation offers visitors to the Belvedere Gardens an opportunity to immortalise themselves in the Baroque ambience of the Lower and the Upper Belvedere with the aid of a specially designed mirror. Usually there is a line of tourists who want to take a picture in front of this mirror...

Flowers And the Upper Belvedere

Well, this is not the first time that you see the Upper Belvedere on this blog, but it's the first time that you see it with such beautiful flowers.

Sunday Flowers #147

"Nature always wears the colors of the spirit." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Look up

A beautiful Baroque building in the city center. I especially love the balcony and just learned that in Vienna the first balconies were built in the Late Baroque.

Peekaboo

The spire of St. Stephen's Cathedral seen from Praterstraße in the 2nd district.

Inside the French Embassy #3

The Salon Devambez, named after the series of paintings by André Devambez "Life and modern inventions".

Inside the French Embassy #2

The dining room of the French Embassy, a beautiful ambiance.

Inside the French Embassy #1

During the "Day of the Open Memorials" last September I managed to finally visit the French Embassy. The Art Nouveau building was designed by Georges Chedanne; Tony Selmersheim was responsible for the interior decoration which was created by the most renowned French and Austrian artists and craftspeople of the time. Let's start our tour with the "Salon doré".

Vorgartenmarkt

Sunday Flowers #146

"If you are not a flower, don't be a thorn." - Kurdish Proverb

Burggasse 98

What would you do if you owned a building with a boring façade? The owner of this house in the 7th district decided to invite street artists to redesign it so that it's now a contemporary art object. The new façade was officially presented to the public on August 8, 2014.

New Danube

The day before yesterday I took the first after work bicycle tour and shortly after my start I enjoyed this view of the New Danube, a side channel on the eastern side of the Danube. The New Danube was created to provide flood relief by containing excess water. The Donauinsel (Danube Island), made out of the removed material, separates the new waterway from the main channel of the river.

Gold | Ver Sacrum

The next Life Ball, one of the biggest AIDS charity events in the world, will take place on May 16 at the Vienna City Hall. Every year the ball is dedicated to a special subject, this year it is "Gold - Ver Sacrum". The current window display of the Swarovski store was inspired by this motto and created by set designer Simon Costin.

Office Buildings

Office buildings on the banks of the Danube Canal.

The Boats are Back

Last Saturday was a very sunny and warm day (20°C/68°F), so I grabbed my bicycle and finally took the first tour this season along the Old Danube. The boats of the sailing schools have already been put to water and are ready for action...

Vienna City Marathon

Yesterday the 32nd Vienna City Marathon took place. Shortly after the start the 42.742 participants from 129 nations passed by my place. As last year I managed to spot two friends of mine and we waved to each other. The marathon was won by Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia, 2:07:31) and Maja Neuenschwander (Switzerland, 2:30:09).

Sunday Flowers #145

“A tulip doesn’t strive to impress anyone. It doesn’t struggle to be different than a rose. It doesn’t have to. It is different. And there’s room in the garden for every flower." - Marianne Williamson

Japanese Tea House

The Setagaya Park was designed in the traditional Japanese style and therefore also has a tea house. The Setagaya district in Tokyo is a sister district of Vienna's 19th district where this park is located.

 

Cherry Blossom

Despite of the recent bad weather the Japanese Cherries in the Setagaya Park are already blooming. Please click here, here and here for more photos of this Japanese park in spring.

Villa Hohe Warte

The castle-like Villa Hohe Warte was erected in 1907/08 by the architects Edward Lasch, Josef Pürzl and Julius Fröhlich, and housed a municipal orphanage until 1946. Afterwards it was used as a children’s home and consultation center of the Youth and Family Office. In 2013 the building was sold to the People's Republic of China that wanted to use it as its UN Embassy, but when I passed by the heritage-protected villa some days ago, it still seemed to be vacant.

Rusty Gate

It seems that I have a new obsession: rusty things... Behind this gate in the 19th district lies the Villa Hohe Warte. If you want to see a photo of the building please come back tomorrrow.

Giant Mushrooms

I discovered these two "Giant Multiple Mushrooms", sculptures by Belgian artist Carsten Hoeller, during my yesterday's walk in Augarten. The sculptures are composed of four different types of mushrooms. Since 1994, mushrooms have been a regular feature in Hoeller's works, probably due to his education as scientist and his doctorate in biology.

Still waiting...

We are still waiting for springlike weather... The forecast for the Easter weekend was rather bad. Even if we were lucky enough to have some sunshine on Saturday and Sunday, it was quite cold. The outdoor areas of the cafés and restaurants are still deserted.

Happy Easter!

The Easter Bunny on this cake is a little late, he's still painting eggs...  I hope you finished your preparations in time. Have a Happy Easter!!

Cute Easter Bunnies

Easter decorations made of felt, seen at the Old Viennese Easter Market in the city center.

Flying Easter Eggs

Easter eggs as hot air ballons in the window of the K. u. K. Court Confectionary Bakery Demel.

The Well-Laid Table

Last Sunday I was invited to a pre-paschal girl's night at a friend's place. This is how the table looked like before we sat for dinner.

April Theme Day: My Camera-Shy Self Portrait

When I saw this mirror in a shop some years ago, I just couldn't resist taking a self portrait ;-)
Click here to view thumbnails of all participants in the theme day.