Schönbrunn Palace, Austria
by arianambrand
It was so strange to be here again, after having visited in 2006 with the orchestra. The last time, it was hot and sunny and the hedges were green. It was really pretty desolate this time around.
But the clouds broke up a little bit and it actually became quite nice out.
Having lost everyone I was supposed to be with (I still maintain that they got lost, but that might be a losing battle) I gave up on waiting for them and climbed the hill to the Gloriette.
It really is lovely up there. I spent the next hour following squirrels in the woods and attempting to photograph them, which was not successful.
It’s so funny to think that when this was built, this was the countryside, where the royalty could get away from the stinking hot city in the summer. It is now a bare two U-bahn stops from our hostel in central Vienna, and completely surrounded by city. Definitely worth it for a morning’s wander.
So what did I do (besides fail to photograph twitchy red squirrels) after having been abandoned to my own devices? Explanations to come in the next post.
Hungariana 
Ariana:
We love ALL your posts, and are so glad you are having such a good time in the Hapsburg Empire. We hope the math is interesting and not too, too utterly challenging. It’s great that you are having such a wonderful experience abroad.
We are feeding the kitties while your parents are away. The cats are very lonely for you.
Much Love, Grandmother and Grandfather
My favorite story about the Schönbrunn was the one about Hayden as a St. Stephen’s boys’ choir member climbing the scaffolding during construction of the palace. Empress Maria Therese caught him. Oops. Boys will be boys.
Did you make it to St. Stephen’s Cathedral?
WB
I did! It was kind of crowded though, and the scaffolding was covering most of the bell tower so I didn’t go up. It is a nice building though.
You should have climbed the scaffolding.