Vienna

We arrived in Vienna around 6.30am and commenced a city tour at 9am rather than the alternative organised visit to Schonbrunn Palace or just wandering the city on our own. Ours was just one of literally many dozens if not more of tour groups crowded into the scenic spots so that it was almost impossible to admire any of the sights at leisure let alone get any clear photographs. In addition there is considerable restoration work underway on many buildings so, for example, photographing St Stephens Church would be ridiculous as it's facade is partially covered by a massive canvas with a painting of the facade that lies behind it!

Everywhere we have visited so far (Prague, Budapest and Bratislava) we have been hearing about the Empress Maria-Theresa and here she is in the grounds from where she reigned....

Carriage drivers did a brisk trade with tourists...

In the evening we attended a Mozart and Strauss concert by the Vienna Residence Orchestra at the Palais Auersperg. The concert is clearly targeted at the tourist market and we tour groups were wheeled in like boxes of potatos into the market but the performance was no less enjoyable for that.

Apart from the orchestral works, there were also performances by two singers and two dancers.

The Palais is a striking location even with it's military origins.

This is the dome over the room in which we attended the performance...