Music and gold

A golden day at last - beautiful sunshine.  Perfect for a lazy saunter around town.  

Would you believe it, no sooner had I emailed Mandy to remind her to pack a brolly, than I discover I left mine in last nights restaurant!  So as rain is forecast for later today it has become a matter of urgency that I buy another!

So we combine that shopping expedition with finding Helen’s sandwich shop - the one recommended by Rick Stein.  Which we did very easily - thank you Helen!  It’s a great spot.

A massive array of delectable little open sandwich’s to choose from - 1.30 euro each.  So we selected a plateful each, accompanied by a glass of wine (most locals were choosing either a tumbler of wine or a small glass of beer).  At first it was standing room only in this tiny shop, with people spilling out on to the footpath.  But then we swiftly grabbed one of the 4 or five tables with seats crammed together.  They are like gold and swiftly taken when vacated.  (We’re beginning to get the hang of this - no pleases or thank you - keep a sharp lookout for any sign of movement to vacate a seat - then swiftly grab it before anyone else gets the chance!)

Now back to St Peter’s Church - one we had tried to look at earlier but had been closed for a service.  Unassuming on the outside but glittering with gold on the inside.

And the finale for the day: the Mozart and Strauss concert in the Musikverein Wien, Goldener Saal - The Golden Hall of the Vienna Concert Hall.  (Played by 18 members of the Vienna Philarmonic Orchestra.

The hall is smaller than I thought it would be, but glittering and atmospheric.  Packed to the gunnels of course, and I’m so glad we were in the stalls as unless you were in the front row of the side gallery you wouldn’t see much at all.  I’ll watch the New Years Eve concert on TV with new insights.  It was a lot of fun though, seeing the orchestra dressed up in powdered wigs, breeches and all, and there was audience participation with clapping too.

I felt very sorry for these ladies, who have had to stand there supporting the balcony for a nearly 150  years!

And then I took a good look around and noticed that all the decor, even the ceiling murals, was of semi nude women!  There were a few men, but they were head and shoulder busts only (no pun intended!)  Must be because all the artists, artisans and architects were male in those days.