Colourful Mural

The colourful mural "Atlantis-Klang-Haus“ by Austrian poetic surrealist Helmut Kand in the 6th district has recently been restored and now catches again the eye of the passers-by.

Modern Façade

During a recent bicycle tour this façade of a car park caught my eyes. Well, red is one of my favourite colours...

Green Door

A green door in a courtyard in the city center, framed by Virginia creeper and flowers.

Wedding Cakes

Currently a lot of confectionaries are displaying wedding cakes in their windows, because the summer months are THE months for weddings.

Friendly Alien

Is he an advance-guard of more friendly aliens who live in Vienna's canal system? I will keep you posted...

Sunday Flowers #153

 

"In June, as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them." - Aldo Leopold

Peace Museum Vienna

The Peace Museum Vienna strives to contribute to world peace by educating the public about peace heroes. It spreads the word of peace through discussions and encourages all its visitors to think about how peace may be achieved. An important project of the museum is the "Windows for Peace" initiative: Influential figures from throughout history who have devoted their lives and careers to peace and tolerance are showcased in the windows of surrounding local businesses.

Tattooed Back

When I stopped to take a photo during my last bicyle ride along the Old Danube, this young man's tattooed back caught my eyes. I think one tattoo can look good, but I'm not a fan of too many tattoos. What do you think?

Sunset Obesssion #16

Guess what I did yesterday evening! Yes, I cycled along the Old Danube and took another sunset photo! On the water you can see a floating restaurant, it must be a great experience to have dinner there.

Acrobatics in the Park

Last Friday evening in Augarten: While other people were relaxing, reading, chatting, walking their dog, sitting on benches, laying on the grass, this young couple was doing some acrobathics... I couldn't stop watching them...

Some motivation for Dog Owners

There are a lot of dogs in Vienna... polluting the streets. Dog owners have to clean up after their pet when out for a walk, otherwise they have to pay a fine. The municipal government  tries to motivate the dog owners to comply with the laws with this sign that you can find nearly everywhere.

A Quiet Harbor

Yesterday evening I took another bicycle tour and passed by this small  and quiet harbor for sailing boats at the New Danube. The modern building in the background is the Millennium Tower, completed in 1999 for the coming of the third Millennium.

Sunday Flowers #152

"What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade." - Gertrude Jekyll

Pick a Poem

According to the idea that art has to be present in the public space, the author Helmut Seethaler has been writing poems on scraps of paper and sticking them on lamp posts in Vienna's main streets, on building site fences, on trees in parks and on the walls of subway stations since 1973. He was reported for damage to property thousands of times until in 1998 finally the Supreme Court classified his activity as "art" and therefore as "worthy of protection".

A Relaxing Afternoon

Yesterday's public holiday was a very sunny and hot day. I think most people spent it sunbathing and swimming, but some chose to relax in the courtyard of the MuseumsQuartier (MQ). The newly coloured courtyard furniture was delivered just in time. Since 2007 the visitors of the MQ can vote the seasonal colour of the so-called "Enzis", this year they opted for "mermaid".

Sunset Obesssion #15

Didn't you miss it? Another beautiful sunset seen from the bank of the Old Danube...

European Bicycle Day

Today is the European Bicycle Day. It was established in 1998 to show that the bicycle is not only the most environmentally friendly but also the healthiest means of transport. As you probably know by now, I love to do after work bicycle tours during the warm season. But sometimes I'm lazy and just cycle to Augarten, sit on a bench, lay my legs on the bicycle and read a book or magazine.

View of The Town #10

Last Sunday I left central Vienna and took a walk through the vineyards at the foot and on the hillside of Kahlenberg and enjoyed this view of the town.

June Theme Day: Stylish

Today's theme day is a good opportunity to present you the "dirndl", the traditional Austrian dress which consists of a bodice, a short or long sleeved white or chequered bluse, a wide skirt and a colourful apron. There are dozens of dirndl varieties, many of them characterise a specific region. Traditionally the skirt is ankle long for festive dirndls and knee high for every day versions. The placement of the knot on the apron is an indicator of the woman's marital status: A knot tied on the woman's left side indicates that she is single, a knot tied on the right means that she is married, engaged or otherwise "taken", a knot tied in the front centre means that she is a virgin and a knot tied at the back indicates that the woman is widowed. You don't really see Viennese women dressed in dirndls, they are mostly worn in rural areas, but of course there are several shops selling these dresses.
Click here to view thumbnails of all participants in the theme day.

Sunday Flowers #151

“Flowers are the music of the earth.” - Marty Rubin

Closed for Renovation?

I don't know if this café/pub is only closed for renovation or if it will be transformed into a shop, but I find the colours rather eye-catching.

Have a Seat

I love bright colours, I love tables and chairs, so I just couldn't resist taking this photo... During the last rather chilly and rainy week the outdoor areas of the cafés and restaurants have been deserted.

Palais Sternberg

When Palais Sternberg was erected in 1820/21, it was located in the Viennese suburbs. Over the centuries the city expanded and today it's in a quite central location and houses the consulate of the Italian embassy and the Italian Cultural Institute.

From Vienna With Love

If you like the gay-themed traffic lights that were recently installed at numerous pedestrian crossings in central Vienna, you can now buy magnets and postcards of the male and female couples and spread some love. I certainly will buy some of these cards!

Percussionists

Well, the music really goes on in Vienna... On Sunday afternoon these two percussionists enthralled their audience and the passersby in the city center.

The Music Goes on

After an exciting week the 60th Eurovision Song Contest ended on Saturday with the spectacular grand final. Sweden won the music competition (click here for the video of the performance), Austria got disappointing 0 points... Although this event is over, Vienna is still a city of music, even the mannequins in the windows of the department store Steffl play instruments...

Sunday Flowers #150

“...and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?” - Vincent van Gogh

EuroArt

As part of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), 40 pieces of the MuseumsQuartier courtyard furniture were decorated by 40 Austrian artists, with one piece of furniture dedicated to each ESC participating country. The artworks will be auctioned off for charity on 27 May.

A Sign of Tolerance

For the start of the Eurovision Song Contest the usual single, gender-neutral figures of the traffic lights at 120 pedestrian crossings in central Vienna have been replaced by male or female gay couples to show the city's open-mindedness. Originally they should be removed in June, but due to the positive public reaction and an online petition the city of Vienna decided that they would become a permanent fixture.

Eurovision Village

Last year Austria won the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), so this year the music event takes place in Vienna. There are two semi-finals (the first took place on Tuesday, the second will go off tonight) and on Saturday there's the finale. The Eurovision Village in front of the City Hall is currently a hotspot for the ESC fans. It offers live music from Song Contest participants, public screenings, themed evenings, a family program and much more.

Augarten Porcelain Cup

The Augarten Porcelain Manufactory was founded in 1718 and is famous for the delicate and graceful shapes of its porcelain. On this cup you can see the Augarten Castle where the manufactory has been residing since 1923 and where today there's even a porcelain museum. By the way, even today the porcelain is produced and painted by hand.

Vintage Signs #3

Browsing some photos of last year, I stumbled upon this vintage sign that indicates the relaxing gawn at the Pötzleinsdorfer Schloßpark in the 18th district.

An Afternoon at the Buschenschank

Last Saturday I spent the afternoon with a friend at a "Buschenschank" in the 19th district. A "Buschenschank" is a wine-tavern, where the winegrower serves his own wine, apple cider and fruit juices and a limited selection of cold food. While the wine and the non-alcoholic beverages are served to the tables, you have to get the food at a self-service buffet. A "Buschenschank" can only be open a certain amount of time a year and indicates that guests are welcome by hanging a couple of conifer or fir twigs a the entrance door.

Sunday Flowers #149

 “She did not need anyone else's love when she had roses.” - Holly Lynn Payne

So many varieties...

On this panel you can see 32 different varieties of citrus fruits. How many can you denominate?

Vienna Citrus Days

Yesterday I attended the "15th Vienna Citrus Days" at the Schönbrunn Orangery. The information and sales exhibition presents a historic collection of citrus trees. The program also includes tastings of culinary specialties, guided tours and lectures. When I entered the orangery I was overwhelmed by the perfume of the orange and lemon blossoms...

Canoe Polo

Have you ever heard of "canoe polo" or "kayak polo"? This sport combines canoeing and ball handling skills with an exciting contact team game. Each team has five players on the pitch, who compete to score in their opponents goal which is suspended two metres above the water. The ball can be thrown by hand, or flicked with the paddle to pass between players and shoot at the goal.

Happy Birthday, University of Vienna!

This year the University of Vienna celebrates its 650th anniversary. The public university was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and the third oldest university in Central Europe. This photo shows the main building, designed by Austrian architect Heinrich von Ferstel and opened in 1884.

Liechtenstein Garden Palace #3

The Liechtenstein Garden Palace houses the collection of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. The art collection consists of masterpieces from the early Renaissance to the High Baroque and can only be viewed as part of an event or a booked guided tour on request.

Keep off the Grass

Well, actually there's a sign saying "Private Property. Keep off the grass!", but with yesterday's fine weather the grass was just too tempting...

Sunday Flowers #148

"If you enjoy the fragrance of a rose, you must accept the thorns which it bears." - Isaac Hayes

Reed at Sunset

Yesterday evening I took another bicycle tour along the Old Danube (I'm such a terrible creature of habit) and took some photos of the sunset. And then the reed caught my eyes...

Sunset Obsession #14

An impression from my bicycle tour along the Old Danube yesterday evening.

Wisteria and Façade Detail

He doesn't seem very happy about the blooming wisteria...

Spring Evening by the Water

I know, I'm repeating myself, but I really love the quiet atmosphere of the Old Danube, especially when the evening falls.

Reflections #29

Modern office buildings aren't always beautiful, but often they are good for taking photographs of reflections ;-)

ESC Herald

This year's 60th Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) is imminent (May 18-23), and this time the event will take place in Vienna. The city is very excited about that... To spread some ESC atmosphere the Viennese parks have been decorated with more than 150 life-size singer figures. They are indeed eye-catching, but so far looking at them hasn't helped me to get in the ESC mood...

Sunday Flowers #148

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit,
and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” -  Henry David Thoreau

Chocolate Flowers

These chocolate flowers are looking way too cute to be eaten...

May Theme Day: Revolution

At the beginning of the 20th century the "Loos Haus" was an architectural revolution: In 1909 the banker Leopold Goldstein commissioned the Austrian architect Adolf Loos to construct a commercial building on Michaelerplatz for his enterprise. The building caused a great scandal because of its, at that time, unusual plain facade without shutters, mantle stones or other ornaments. The general public demanded the demolition of the building and Emperor Franz Joseph I refused to enter the Imperial Palace from Michaelerplatz ever again.
Click here to view thumbnails of all participants in the theme day.