VIENNA

Vienna: 

• Early on was a Celtic settlement, and became Roman in the first century AD.  Has a metro population of 2.9 million, nearly one-third the population of Austria and the 5th largest city in Europe.
• Lies on the Danube, on the eastern edge of the Vienna Woods.
• 582 miles from Amsterdam and 152 miles from Budapest.  7616 miles from Honolulu.

• 
  I was first in Vienna nearly a decade ago and toured Shonbrunn Palace (above--a stop you should make if you ever get here), hearing about Maria Theresa who once lived there, and a person I claimed to be the Most Extraordinary Female in History.  Why?

• Was active around the time of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
• Blond, blue-eyed and short, at the age of 23, pregnant with her fourth child, her father, Emperor Charles VI (right) of the House of Hapsburg, suddenly died.
• The emperor not having a son, Maria Theresa became the first female ruler of the empire, which included Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Transylvania, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria, Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma.
• 
  Mind you, her husband, Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, was not exactly a liability, although he was known to have mistresses.  However, he was not involved at all with running the country, but instead, became quite a successful entrepreneur.  To the right are Maria and Francis, with son Franz Joseph.
• THEY HAD 16 CHILDREN.  

• 
  Franz Joseph became Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia, and was President of the German Confederation from 1850 to 1866.  Incredibly enough, he was still running things in 1914 when his heir apparent, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, were assassinated, and Joseph's staff essentially sent the ultimatum that sparked World War I, resulting in 9 million deaths.  He died at the age of 86!

• 
  Youngest daughter was Maria Antonia (Marie Antoinette, right), who became Queen of France and guillotined by revolutionaries.  With husband Louis XVI.
• Maria Theresa was hardly perfect, for she was a bigot and had a dislike of Jews, but allowed them flexibility at commerce.
• A devout Roman Catholic, she found a way to tax the clergy and introduced secular subjects such as law into their universities, initiating the decline of theology as the main foundation of higher education.
• Reformed their educational system and improved medical care.
• Outlawed witch burning.
• Not an intellectual and was smart enough to recognize the mental superiority of her advisors.
• Earned a ton of titles, but was never made Empress.
• Marie Theresa ruled for 40 years.  
• The country was on the verge of bankruptcy when she took over, was challenged by several nations who wanted to test her mettle, but she persevered, and her territories, and Europe in general, prospered for more than a century after she passed away.  Overcoming economic turmoil, though a series of wars and all the politics associated with her job, she continued bearing children to the age of 39.
• Surviving smallpox at the age of 50, she lived to the ripe old age of 63, when the life expectancy in Europe in the late 1700's was around 33.
• I had a weiner schnitzel and beer.

With that major diversion, back to Vienna today.

• Is called the City of Music, for composers Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Mahler Schubert and Strauss II lived and worked there.
• So did Sigmund Freud.
• The Tiergarten Schonbrunn is the world's oldest zoo,
• This where Snow Globes were invented...in 1900 by Erwin Perzy.
• There are 1730 acres of vineyards within the urban boundary.
• 
  The Economist rated Vienna as the Most Livable City, for the third straight year.  #2 is Copenhagen, and #3, our final stop before returning to Hawaii, Zurich.  The highest ranked U.S. city in 2024 was Honolulu at #23.  Damascus, Syria was listed as the least liveable city.

Our view of Vienna, a photo collage with no words, beginning with my Blue-Bar Pigeon(s) greeting.  Should you ever come to Vienna, you will want a guided tour.

Tomorrow we will be in Budapest.

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THE VIKING TIR: From Germany to Austria

 The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.4% on Friday, and broke its all-time high, rising 189 to 44,911.  The S&P 500 also got to a record high, increasing 0.6%.

Donald Trump is also on a roll.  Amazon has a wide assortment.

I go to the Orient a lot, and the dollar to yen exchange rate the past year has been great.  Up to 160 yen/dollar.  Today, still a good 150 yen to the U.S. $.

However, I'm in in Europe, and the $ to Euro rate is now close to parity. 

Well, not quite today, for you need to pay $1.05 to the Euro today.  But equality occurred in 2022 after a period of 20 years, and remains in this range.  So both Europe and Japan are good places to visit these days to get value for your dollar if you live in the USA.  Unfortunately, this good fortune does not work the other way around for those in Japan and Europe,

Okay, the Viking Tir was repaired, I think, and we are on our way to Melk, Austria.  A few photos.  Last night we had a goodbye German supper.

Appetizers.

My dinner.

Desserts.

That black piece is a Sachertorte.

Evening ended with Schnapps, which refers to any kind of strong, dry spirit.  Typically, they include fruit brandies, herbal liquers and so on.  Served in a tiny glass, you consume it all in one quick slug, and yell anything from prost to whatever.

After dinner, we found out that the company decided to open up its bar because of the accident.  Drinks that cost $18/half shot were now free.  We were entertained by our Program Director Steve, who we think might well be the most valuable staff player here on the Viking Tir, but also on any cruise we've so far had.  He was a former professional singer.

We did not buy a drinks package because wine and beer comes free with lunch and dinner.  The alcoholic drinks however, are very expensive.  Just a typical HALF jigger of scotch can cost you up to $17.  Here are two price lists.  These are half a jigger prices, and we were served full jiggers and doubles.

The staff was very generous.

At one point, we were accumulating drinks.

I finally settled on Glenmorangie, Highland Park and Macallan Whiskies, plus a Wachau Cognac.  What you see below would have cost me at least $100.  Triple the eventual cost, as this went on for a long time.  All free because we at this point were still on a stuck ship, with the prospect of spending the rest of the cruise being taken by buses to hotels,

Walked 766 steps two days ago and 340 steps today.

Lunch today was black bean soup, salad and spaghetti putanesca.

There is a story to the above.  Puttana in Italian means whore.  Rumor has it that this sauce, Puttanesca, ws created by prostitutes as a quick meal in between tricks.  I wrote about this 5 years ago.

Tomorrow, a tour of Melk Abbey and a hopeful arrival in Vienna, Austria.  At this point, not a sure thing.

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THE BEAUTIFUL BLUE DANUBE RIVER

The Viking Tir is now on the Danube River, the final leg that started with the Rhine River, then the Main River, and onto the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal (106-mile long connection completed in 1992) with 16 locks).  

• The Danube is the second-longest river in Europe, 1051 miles in length, after the Volga River in Russia, from the Black Forest into the Black Sea.

• 
  Flows through 10 countries, including Ukraine (border with Romania).
• The river water is opaque and greenish-brown.  

• 
  In other words, the Danube is NOT blue.  
• You might see photos of what looks like a blue Danube, but that is more a reflection of the blue sky.

• 
  The most polluted is the Ganges River in India, with the Mississippi at #5.
• Rivers all pick up soils from land, and man-made waste, so the water color reflects the mineral content.
• But the Danube is beautiful, matched with gorgeous surroundings.
• There are four Danubes flowing through Vienna, called Old Danube, New Danube, Danube and Danube Canal.
• 
  Austrian composer Johann Strauss II composed The Blue Danube in 1867.
• One compilation shows that the 11 of the top 13 Viennese waltzes were written by JSII.  His Father, Josef Strauss, composed the other two.

• 
  From Quora:  Determining the "best" recording of Johann Strauss II's "The Blue Danube" can be subjective and depends on personal taste. However, several recordings are frequently praised for their interpretation, quality, and historical significance:

Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic - Karajan's recordings are renowned for their lush orchestral sound and precision. His interpretation of "The Blue Danube" is often considered one of the definitive versions. 

Carlos Kleiber and the Vienna Philharmonic - Kleiber's energetic and dynamic conducting style brings a unique flair to the waltz, making it a favorite among many classical music enthusiasts.

• 
  André Rieu - Known for his engaging performances, Rieu’s recordings often feature a more popular, accessible style that appeals to a broad audience.
• Georg Solti and the Vienna Philharmonic - Solti’s recordings are known for their clarity and vibrant orchestral textures, providing a compelling interpretation of Strauss’s work.

• 
  Zubin Mehta and the Vienna Philharmonic - Mehta’s interpretations are also celebrated for their elegance and sensitivity, making his recording noteworthy.
• Surprising that the highest rated was by the Berlin Philharmonic.

Associations with the Blue Danube River:

• Of course, that waltz.
• Wiener Schnitzel.
• A Viennese cutlet made from a thin (3/16 inch), breaded, pan-fried veal cutlet in lard or clarified butter.
• Serving it with sauce is considered a sacrilege in Austria.Usualy with capers and anchovies, plus a salad.  Pork is a variation, and cheaper.
• First appeared in 1857.
• 
  Sachertorte.
• A chocolate cake (torte) invented by Franz Sacher (of his hotel) in 1832 for Prince Metternich in Vienna.
• Has a thin layer of apricot jam between to halves.
• Served with unsweetened whipped cream.

• 
  Vienna Boy's Choir.
• 100 boys ages nine to fourteen forming a choir of sopranos and altos.
• They are selected mainly from Austria, but also from many other countries.
• There are four touring choirs, performing 300 concerts/year.
• Dates back to the late Middle Ages.
• But officially founded in 1924.
• Wears blue and white sailorsuit with a dagger design.
• Here are their most popular songs.

I will well remember this cruise on the Danube because our ship got stuck during the afternoon in a sandbar before we got to Melck.  Here is photo of attempts to disengage the ship during dinner.

We learned that we would be in place overnight until another ship came to help dislodge ours.  Luckily, around lunchtime, we escaped.

However, as of mid-afternoon, we remain in the same general area to insure that the ship is river-worth while underwater checks are being made.  Stay tuned for our future, which tomorrow should find us in Vienna.

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