Strange House

I don't know how many times I have already walked or biked along the Old Danube, but only last week I discovered this strange , eye-catching house. It is sourrounded by rather "normal" little houses so it sticks out even more...

Déjà Vu

Today's photo is very similar to the one I published last Monday, I know. My excuses are that we had another sunny (and hot) Sunday, that I'm a terrible creature of habit and that I'm a Little obsessed with my walks/bicycle tours along the Old Danube (as you may already know)...

Sunday Flowers #189

"The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration." - Claude Monet

Toast Hawaii

After having visited the exhibition about the 1970's at the castle Schallaburg, it was time for a snack. The friend who accompanied me, ordered a toast Hawaii, a popular snack in Austria in the 1970's: an open sandwich consisting of a slice of toast with ham and cheese, and a maraschino cherry in the middle of a pineapple, grilled from above, so that the cheese starts to melt.

Excursion to Schallaburg #3

After the government of Lower Austria had bought the Schallaburg, the castle was completely renovated, and in 1974 opened as a museum. Since then there has been a new exhibition every year. Currently there's an exhibition about the 1970's.

Excursion to Schallaburg #2

From the 17th until the 20th century, the castle Schallaburg changed owners several times - it remained private property until 1945 when it was confiscated by the Russians (after the end of World War II Austria was occupied by the Allies). Ten years later the castle became property of the new Republic of Austria. In 1967 the government of Lower Austria bought the castle from the Austrian state.

Ecxursion to Schallaburg #1

The other day I made an excursion to the castle Schallaburg  in Lower Austria. The castle was first mentioned in records in 1242. From 1456 until 1614 the Schallaburg  was in possession of the Von Losenheim family. During this time the castle was extended significantly and transformed into a Renaissance castle.

Old Danube, Donauturm & Boats

Another photo fom last Sunday when it was hot and sunny. The forecast for the next days is rather depressing: drop of temperature and rain...

Sunny Sunday

Yesterday was a sunny and hot day. As it was also very windy, I didn't take a bicycle tour but a walk along the Old Danube. There were a lot of sail boats, surfers, sun bathers and people who had a picnic - even if you can't see them in this photo...

Sunday Flowers #188

"Very often, people are obsessed with what others think of them.
 It's like if a flower wants to be a cactus or a palm but it's not.
A flower is a flower, and that's enough. That's all you have to do is be a flower." - Stjepan Hauser

A Bakery for Raw Food Eater

If you practice raw foodism, this bakery in the city center is the perfect address for you. All the beverages, cakes and sandwiches are organic, vegan, lactose, gluten and soya-free, without industrial sugar and have not been heated above 42°C. I discovered it last week, hastily running errands for my job, so I didn't go inside, but I want to savor one of their cakes as soon as possible.

Indoor Mural

The Wien Museum invited three Austrian street artists to do an indoor mural on the subject "250 Years of Prater". Here's the work of artist Perkup.

Prater Attractions

Some attractions of the Wurstelprater amusement park, currently on show in the exhibition "Meet me in the Prater! Viennese pleasures since 1766" at the Wien Museum.

Giant Ferris Wheel

Here's one of the photos I took in the exhibition "Meet me in the Prater! Viennese pleasures since 1766" at the Wien Museum: it shows a model of the Giant Ferris Wheel, located at the entrance of the Wurstelprater. It was constructed in 1897 by the English engineer Lieutenant Walter Bassett Bassett and was one of the earliest Ferris wheels ever built.

My First Guided Tour for Instagrammers

 

Last Saturday I took part in a guided tour for instagrammers through the exhibition "Meet me at the Prater! Viennese pleasures since 1766" at the Wien Museum, an exhibition on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Prater. We were allowed to take pictures and some of the participants immeditaley published their photographs. For me it was rather strange to observe all these people not really watching the exhibition, but their smartphones... By the way, have you already had a look at my instagram account?

250 Years of Prater

The Prater is a large public park in the 2nd district - but it's not only an oasis of greenery, it includes also the Wurstelprater amusement park. Originally this area was the imperial hunting ground. Emperor Joseph II opened the area to the general public in April 1766, so spring 2016 marks the 250th anniversary of the Prater. The window display of a confectionary in the city center was inspired by this anniversary.

Sunday Flowers #187

"What a desolate place would be a world without a flower!
It would be a face without a smile, a feast without a welcome.
Are not flowers the stars of the earth,
and are not our stars the flowers of the heaven." - A. J. Balfour   

Deserted...

The past few days were rather chilly and rainy, and the forecast for the long weekend (Pentecost) isn't any better. The outdoor areas of the cafés and restaurants will be rather deserted...

Dystopia Eutopia

"Dystopia Eutopia" by Austrian Artist Victoria Coeln is an intervention on the occasion of the "Festival of Joy” (celebration of the 71st anniversary of liberation from the Nazi Regime) on May 8, 2016. As night falls, raster patterns and barbed wire overwrite the two most distinctive gates in the centre of Vienna, the Heldentor (Heroes’ Gate, in this photo) and the Michaelertor (Michael’s Gate). Over a period of 40 nights, the synthesis of raster, barbed wire and grand architecture creates an image of eutopia and dystopia. Eutopia describes an ideal society, dystopia its opposite. Contrary to conjecture, Eutopia and Dystopia do not constitute polar opposites in society but only exist as a pair, as two sides of the same coin. 

Disco Atmosphere in the Museum

We are still at the "Kunstschatzi" event at the Kunsthistorisches Museum on Tuesday evening: With the loud music and the mirror ball there was an unusual disco atmosphere in the cupola hall of the museum.

An Evening at the Museum

Yesterday evening I attended the "Kunstschatzi" event at the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien. Art lovers could not only take part in guided tours with such appealing titles as "dressed - undressed" or "good looking guys", but also enjoy cocktails and music played by a dj.

Sunset Obession #26

I usually return home from my evening bicycle tours around sunset... and I usually take a picture of the sunset ;-) 

Donau City in Evening Light

Some days ago I did the first after work bicycle tour of the season and enjoyed this view of the modern Donau City.

Sunday Flowers #186

"All seasons are beautiful for the person who carries happiness within." - Horace Friess

Hercules Atlantes

In case you need two hercules atlantes for your apartment, house or garden, the auction house located in Kinsky Palace is currently offering these two at the price of € 150.000,- - 300.000,-.

Palais Kinsky

Kinsky Palace in the city center was commissioned by Count Wirich Philipp von Daun, the construction started in 1717 under the direction of Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt, a famous baroque architect. In 1784 the palace was sold to the Bohemian Kinsky family, therefore it's also known as "Palais Daun-Kinsky".

Enjoy the (Holiday) Silence

Today is a public holiday (Ascension of Jesus) and I guess I will take another walk along the Old Danube. I'm wondering how long the "obsession" with these walks will last...

Headwear between Utility and Utopia

"Fashion Utopias: Haute Couture in the Graphic Arts" - that's the small exhibition that I visited last Sunday at the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts/Contemporary Art (MAK). On the basis of graphic artworks from the late 15th century to the 1930s, the exhibition illustrates the historical development of a passion for designs that fall between the extremes of utility and utopia. I happened to join an interesting guided tour focusing on headwear fashion.

Austrian Museum of Applied Arts

On Sunday I visited a small exhibition at the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts/Contemporary Art (MAK). The museum was founded in 1863 as the "Imperial Royal Austrian Museum of Art and Industry" and designed by famous Austrian architect Heinrich von Ferstel. Today it houses a collection of applied arts, design, architecture and contemporary art.

Eyes Open

During yesterday's afternoon walk this colourful mural by American visual artist Lisa Marie Thalhammer caught my eyes. That's exactly what I do when I walk the streets of Vienna: I keep my eyes open, always in search of a good subject for a photo...

May Theme Day: Smell

Currently the Lilac all over Vienna is flowering and the city is filled with its typical sweet fragrance...