Let’s talk about schnitzel. I had it for dinner last night. Mmm mmm good. To be specific, I had wiener schnitzel. But here in Vienna I could have had any number of schnitzel offerings that are on the menu. My guess is that they’re all good. Continue reading “It’s All About the Schnitzel”
Exploring the Innere Stadt
We’re walking in the area of Vienna called the Innere Stadt. If we were in a city in France, the corresponding term would probably be Centre Ville. The idea is that it’s the heart of the city. Based on what we’ve seen so far, it looks like Vienna’s Inner Stadt is the place to be. Continue reading “Exploring the Innere Stadt”
The Waltz King
We’re in beautiful downtown Vienna, Austria, home of the Waltz King, Johann Strauss II. We arrived earlier today, rested up, and now we’re out and about, just starting to explore the pedestrian zone of the Innere Stadt. Continue reading “The Waltz King”
Discovering Vienna
What do you think of when you think of Vienna? Hmmm… classical music, for sure. Strudel, maybe. Vienna sausages? Those don’t count. I don’t know much about Vienna at all. That’s about to change, though, because we’re going to spend a few days discovering Vienna. Continue reading “Discovering Vienna”
Arrivederci Firenze!
It’s our last day in Florence. We don’t have a set plan for the day, other than to walk around and enjoy the city. We’re not ready to leave, but ready or not, tomorrow we’ll have to say arrivederci to Firenze. Continue reading “Arrivederci Firenze!”
Brunelleschi’s Machines
Florence, Italy’s Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, a.k.a., The Duomo, dates back to the 15th century. Construction of the massive church took fifteen years. Its architect and designer, Filippo Brunelleschi, invented a number of specialized machines to support the construction effort. Without Brunelleschi’s machines, the Duomo might date back to the 16th century instead of the 15th. Continue reading “Brunelleschi’s Machines”
The Biggest Dome in the World
In the 15th century, Florence, Italy was becoming a center of wealth and power. And what do the wealthy and powerful often like to do? They like to build something to show it off. What better way for 15th-century florentines to strut their stuff than to build a gigantic church having the biggest dome in the world? Continue reading “The Biggest Dome in the World”
Il Contesto – The Contest
The year is 1401. In Florence, Italy, the wealthy cloth merchants’ guild – the Arte di Calimala – is sponsoring a design contest. The winner will get the job of making a set of new doors for the Baptistery of Saint John. It’s a big deal. The artist who wins the contest will be highly esteemed and famous forever. Continue reading “Il Contesto – The Contest”
Nighttime in Florence
Emerging from our cozy little restaurant into the dark, wet streets of Florence , we were happy to discover that the rain had stopped. In fact, we were just plain happy. Dinner was so good and so much fun – not the first time that’s happened in Italy. Now it’s time to take a walk and see what nighttime in Florence looks like. Continue reading “Nighttime in Florence”
Dinner in Florence – Mangiamo!
Today we took a day-trip from Florence to Siena. Siena is impressive, even on a drizzly fall day. We had an excellent lunch in Siena, but that was hours ago. We’re ready to have our first real dinner in Florence. Continue reading “Dinner in Florence – Mangiamo!”
