Sunday 7 December 2008

Viennese Encounters


The Rose Garden in Winter
City Hall, Votiv Church and Burgtheater
under a wintry sky.

The Imperial Palace
Leopoldine Wing of the Hofburg
View from Heldenplatz

The Reader in Winter
Rose Garden
Volksgarten

The Curious Cat
Stephansplatz

Bill, Is This You?
Musikhaus Doblinger
Dorotheergasse

Santa?
Kohlmarkt

Edged in Gold
C. Bühlmayer
Durchgang - Passage
Michaelerplatz to Habsburgergasse


Visions of Sugar Plums
meet the last rays of the sun.
Demel's at Kohlmarkt

Oysters of Normandy
Prawns with Habanero Chili
Foie gras and chestnuts
in orange butter and Grand Marnier
Boehle
Delikatessen & Fine Wines
Wollzeile 30

*
Photographed
December 6, 2008

16 comments:

  1. All poetic and magical - the cat in the window etc but the lady reading her paper on the bench was quite splendid.
    We had three flakes of snow last night - but they melted already.......

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  2. I feel like I just walked through town with you this morning. "The Reader" made me giggle. It looks like an army of goblins are right behind her and there she sits, in her fur coat, engulfed in the day's news. I showed my husband the "Curious Cat" photo and we both said "lace curtains" at the same time. When we went to Europe 2 years ago, that was his first time ever to visit and one of the things he kept commenting on and taking pictures of were the lace curtains. We now have lace curtains in our kitchen :D Oh, I just LOVE "walking" through your beautiful city....especially during the holidays! The shop windows are magical!!
    ~Allie

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  3. Elizabeth,
    thank you for sharing your impressions! I was beginning to be a little upset about not managing to be out there and taking photos when the sun's shining. ;-)
    The sun actually come out around noon, for less than an hour or so, but now everything is enveloped again into that blue-gray mysteriousness. The better to resist temptation to walk into the streets and rather do necessary work at home! :-)

    Allie,
    sights like "The Reader" really make my day. I simply admire the sheer will of the Viennese people to go out and enjoy themselves in the outdoors, whatever the temperature.
    It was actually not too cold yesterday, I did fine with a light coat, walking for several hours without getting cold. Never without my boots, though. ;-)

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  4. Merisi,
    Thanks for taking us along on your strolls. It is delightful to see your photographs. The lady reading the newspaper shot is fabulous. Her intensity is admirable. Hey, that Santa Claus needs to be fattened up!

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  5. Merisi, I enjoy these walks through Vienna to see the sights. Excellent inspiration to plan a trip for next summer.

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  6. Love the covered rose plants, I did not know they did that! Ha! That is living in Southern California for ya.
    Love the Reader, looks like ghosts behind her...

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  7. You make even the gray day look fun and interesting...

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  8. Celestial Charms,
    you are welcome! :-)
    Yeah, that Santa definitely needs to eat his dessert with whipped cream. *giggle*

    Barbara Martin,
    wonderful, planning a trip is a lot of fun! :-)

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  9. Y'know, when I first saw your top picture, I thought it was a crowd of refugees cloaked in blankets.

    Dramatic captures indeed.,

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  10. Lori Lynn,
    I don't remember seeing roses in winter garb either, was a first for me too.

    rambling woods,
    thank you, you are very generous!

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  11. The third photo is a winner. Gave me a good laugh :-)

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  12. wandring star,
    I agree, quite dramatic those rose wrappings! ;-)

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  13. The first shot looks like a group of hooded monks. It made me look twice. Love the curious kitty too.

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  14. Britt-Arnhild,
    legions looking over your shoulder! ;-)

    Photowannabe,
    the huddles masses,
    yearning to read the news. ;-)

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  15. That Santa is far too young to be the real thing! I love the old lady reading in her fur coat.

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  16. lorenzothellama,
    could have been an intern,
    couldn't he? ;-)

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