We arrived in Vienna and checked into the Hotel Am Konzerthaus and headed out the next morning to the Schonbrunn Palace. This magnificent palace dates from the 1500s and was developed by the Habsburg Emperors and was palace of the monarchies until the early 20th Century.
The center of Vienna is a rich mix of historical buildings and modern structures. It is a very progressive city that is filled with designer shops and it excudes economic prosperity and modern technologies.
After an extensive walking tour with our Globus Tours group we found a delightful Italian sidewalk cafe for lunch. It was a beautiful day and perfect for enjoying the food and atmosphere.
Following lunch we walked a few blocks to the Jewish Museum. This museum is a project of the Jewish community of Vienna to assemble and preserve all memorbrailia that relates to Jewish life, culture and history of the area.
On the main floor was a display that highlighted the treatment of Jews during the reign of Nazi occupation and terror. The following written graphic tells the story of a small girl that was sent to safety by her doomed parents. It is a heart wrenching tale of Nazi brutality and family tragedy.
These minature toys were intended to go with Lily, but she did not become aware of them until many years later.
Here are some more of the artifacts that Lily's parents intended to send with her when they sent her to safety in 1939. Anyone with young children or grand children would be greatly moved to see these simple symbols of family love and faithfulness.
Perhaps the most poignant aspect of the museum display was this cloth of yellow stars that Jews were forced to wear during the time of Nazi persecution. The Jews were forced to construct their own stars and then to wear them.
On Friday night we went to the Palais Auersperg to hear the Viennese Residence Orchestra perform musical selections from Mozart and Strauss. The venue was outstanding and the music was superb.
Here is the host of the concert introducing the program in the concert hall. He brought a friendly and informative greeting and told us that there would be no more pictures. So -- this was my last picture.
On our final evening we had a wonderful dinner at the Wiener Rathauskeller, which is a large restaurant located in the basement of the City Hall of Vienna. The entire massive building is impressive and the large vaulted dining area is unique and historic. A wonderful conclusion to our trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment