Belvedere Castle in Vienna

The third day I traveled around Vienna again by underground, tram,and walking. When Joe got home from work we took the motorcycles on a shakedown ride. Just so I could get the feel of the bike and be certain that I was comfortable enough to ride it. We rode out to a Heuriger in Spitz but more about that later. I got a rather late start to the day and so went directly to OMV for lunch and to meet some of Joe's colleagues, They wanted to meet the Biker Chick. My plan was to do Belvedere Castle and again I got all screwed around but with perserverence I did it. So here goes. OMV has a cafeteria like no other and for 5 euros total we both had a gourmet meal. No wonder Joe does not take his lunch to work. They do however have tight security and Joe had to card me in and out. After lunch we did a little stroll around before Joe went back to work and I continued sightseeing. These of some of the photos of Joe's office.

 

 

 

Then it was on to Belvedere Castle. It was an amazing place like all the others but first I headed to the Alpine Garden and then to the Botanical Garden.

 

Part of the Alpine Garden

Don't know how this got in here. This is the baroque church at Karsplatz Plaza.

 

 

 

Okay more Alpine flowers

Bonsai tree in the garden

 

 

Neat window in the bonsai garden

 

 

There were so many beautiful flowers and then I went on to the botanical gardens.

This is a nail tree

This is a bamboo grove

 

 

And finally the Belvedere castle itself

 

 

Now back to our shake down ride and the heuriger which is a family winery who get a license to serve food and their wine. They cannot be open all the time but when they are they put out a braided straw circle which indicates they are open today. Joe has become friends with the one family and we had a cheese and bread plate which we ate at a picnic table. We had this garlic cheese spread called Liptauer that is soo good .

 

 

 

 

After dinner we continued our journey through the countryside and ended up in the small town of Melk over which the Benedictine Monastery resides. It certainly was a sight in the setting sun.

 

 

 

 

Notice how this house is formed around a prexisting rock,

And so home to the apartment in Vienna.

The next night when Joe got home we sorted things out and packed what we needed for the trip and then I asked Joe if we could go back to an old tavern we had passed before . Built in 1447 we had a beer and I had cream of asparagus soup and Joe had apricot ice cream puffs which he said were very good. The place is called Griechenbeisl, Joe and I have had fun with the names of places and things and I say Okay How do you spell that.. This Inn has a long and interesting history.

Twice the Turks attacked Vienna and the walls of the house which was situated near the line of defense shook with the impact of the attackers cannon balls. Many famous people have gone there and signed the wall in one of the rooms. Johnny Cash, Richard Wagner, Mark Twain,

Beethoven and Mozart to name a few. Pretty neat place. And so ends the episode. Tomorrow we head out on our motorcycle trip.

As you walk in you can look down into the dungeon and this is what will great you.