Beattys Overseas

John and Franz - the BEST!Friday morning, after a full breakfast buffet at our hotel (included!), we met Franz, Vienna’s IPA representative. The IPA (International Police Association) is an excellent professional and social network for active and retired police. During this trip, we have planned to make contact with a number of local IPA sections, and Franz has been the most accommodating and generous yet. He suggested the hotel where we stayed (it’s always best to have a local’s opinion on these things), and offered to show us the city on Friday morning. Despite a steady rain, the three of us ventured out for a walking tour of ‘The Ring’ of Vienna’s most important landmarks. Franz retired from the Vienna PD after 41 years and now works with the United Nations in a consultation position. A life-long Viennen, his historical knowledge and anecdotal offerings made for a thorough and entertaining tour. We shared lunch, then parted ways with the promise to keep in touch (Thanks Franz!!).

John tinned us into the stable at the Spanish Riding School and we had a private tour - it was spectacular!  See our photos of the visit. 

Gazelle, by Toulouse-LautrecThe rest of our Friday afternoon was spent at the Albertina museum, which offered both an amazing exhibit of the Habsburg State Rooms (yea, more interior design ideas!) and a recently-acquired private collection of Monets, Chagals, Latrecs and Picassos. Yes, I said Private Collection.  Apparently, this couple - Rita and Herbert Batliner - recently donated their long-established personal collection of art to the Albertina; a collection which contained multiple pieces from some of the most prized artists of the last two centuries. We giggled at the thought of owning art like this; waking up and scratching your behind in front of your very own Picasso...  It was a very crowded exhibit, but we managed our way through, and even took a few photos of our favorite works. (Yes, taking photos in the exhibit was not allowed, but we kept our flash off and expect that none of you will turn our photos into money-making reproductions.)

A quick trip back to our hotel had us freshening up and dressing up for the Symphony. We were so excited to see this performance, as we knew we were attending a genuine Viennese music concert, and not a Mozart/Strauss-ized tourist version from the street hawking guys. The crowd at the Symphony was a little geriatric, as is almost always the case at classical music performances... I almost lost my cool when John allowed a pushy old woman to cut in front of us in line at the coat check desk; a woman who I would swear was the actress that played the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. I was steamed (no one cuts in front of me without getting an earful about it), but because she was old and rickety and frankly, so scary-looking, I didn’t make a fuss. Whatever, I’m at the symphony in Vienna!!!!

Vienna PhilharmonicThe performance of Brahams' Requiem was incredible.  A huge choir and two operatic soloists accompanied the symphony, whose powerful presentation shook our seats – even in the WAY back!  The conductor was the star of the show, though, with very exaggerated movements and a passionate style.  We left the performance with chills; it was the perfect way to wrap up our stay in the Austrian capital. 

However, we actually ended the night at a piano bar near Stephansplatz called Bellini.  From the outside, it looked to be a classy and compact Italian-style bar, but inside it was the Viennese version of NYC's Mimi's, the piano bar near our apartment with a zany singer behind the keys and a crowd of 60-something singles.  Yikes.  The performers were a husband/wife (or maybe brother/sister?) Slovakian pair singing Italian, English and German soft rock tunes.  The man played an electric keyboard just like the one that John took his piano lessons with, and the woman, dressed in a black & gold prom dress, used a wireless microphone to sing and move around the tables of this small bar.  We sat in the back and people-watched.  It was entertaining, and a hilarious frosting on the cake of our visit to Vienna.