a report from Vienna. The train and taxi system worked well, Araminta. Just a pity it was raining when we arrived, courtesy of Niki.com, which is Niki Lauda’s latest venture into running an airline.
The weather today couldn’t have been better, with blue sky and sunshine. We finished a day’s walking round the main landmarks with a visit to the Spanish Riding School in the Hofburg. Unfortunately no photography is allowed. We saw the horses in their stables, but were not permitted to pat them and certainly not to offer them sugar lumps or Polo mints. Each horse has his diet written up outside his stall, according to what training he is doing, and the bedding, either straw or sawdust, also depends on his programme. They really are beautiful animals. I felt sorry for the one brown one, but apparently the saying is that so long as there is one brown horse in the riding school, the school will survive.
There is a plaque in honour of General Patton who brought the 2,000 horses which the Nazis had moved to Bohemia back to Vienna before the Russian army got to them. It was basically a moonlight raid to get them all across the frontier in April 1945. So he saved all the original blood-lines.
The stables have their own fresh water supply and the horses don’t like the water offered them when they go on tours abroad. In a couple of months they will be off for their summer break in the countryside in July and August. It seems like a great life except for one thing. Only stallions are strong enough for the “airs above the ground” and they can’t have a mixed stable, so celibacy is the order of the day for many of them. Even at the stud farm they are kept in separate herds, mares with foals and stallions. Obviously some of the stallions are chosen for stud, but not all.
Those Lipizzaners not chosen for training are sold, so if you’re looking for that different sort of present …
Boadicea's Chariot 
I don’t suppose they would like the chlorinated water, when one is used to well water the tap stuff tastes like chemical warfare!
Jolly good about Patton, in 1945 on the Russian front they wouldn’t have lasted long, been eaten!
Interesting, thank you.
Evening Sheona: I’m pleased it all worked, and what a lovely post. Pity that you weren’t allowed to photograph the Lipizzaners though. I would love to visit the Spanish Riding School!
I’m delighted that the travel arrangements worked out so well. Sounds as though you had an interesting day – hopefully ending in a good meal?
Prague next stop?
Thank you for your comments, ladies. I asked the tour guide if all the riders are male. There is now one girl among the new pupils. It’s a tough training to become a rider – about 10 to 12 years. The oldest rider is now 70. It’s a labour of love and a job for life.
I’d forgotten how generous Austrian portions can be, Boadicea. So far I haven’t had room for any Sachertorte. I’ll have some on the way back. Off to Prague tomorrow.
Enjoy yourself, Sheona. And thanks for looking in and posting this. 🙂
“There is a plaque in honour of General Patton who brought the 2,000 horses which the Nazis had moved to Bohemia back to Vienna before the Russian army got to them. It was basically a moonlight raid to get them all across the frontier in April 1945. So he saved all the original blood-lines.”
A great General who was instrumental in making France a safe place for MoO to plant his seeds.
Enjoy your break sheona.
P.S. Nice post.
I have distant relatives (by marriage) in Vienna and have visited that historic city several times. The palace of Schönbrunn and the Riesenrad remain my favourites and I can watch the atmospheric “The Third Man” as often as you care to screen it.
After one such visit Zangada and I ended up celebrating a surreal New Year in Braunau-am Inn, birthplace of one A. Hitler, not that they advertise it very much. We joined the townspeople in the main square where an outdoor disco was lubricated by stalls selling beer and glühwein, the latter vitally important as it was sixteen degrees below zero. Throughout the evening the DJ played a limited repetoire of songs, prominent amongst which was the spoof version of Smokie’s “Living next door to Alice” which included the immortal line “Alice, Alice, who the f**k is Alice?”. A couple of thousand inebriated Austrians bawled out that line every time, presumably without any real idea of its meaning.
OZ
I trust Boadicea will understand why I have removed two comments, one of which was a stupid, personal remark. I have also removed my response to it. The second unwelcome comment, from the same blogger, was a standard attempt to turn a post on Vienna onto the subject of France.
The journey from Vienna to Prague was through the Austrian wine region first with the new leaves on the vines giving promise of good things to come. Lots of lilac growing wild by the roadside too, which was very pretty. The Czech countryside looked unspoiled, with only the occasional village and surprisingly little livestock. We are still trying to work out why the bus journey should be shorter than the train, even travelling at a very sedate pace.
Thanks for your comment OZ. When I was young, it took me a long time to figure out who the third man was! Great film. Since the equivalent German verb is only different by one vowel – “i” instead of “u” – perhaps the inebriated Austrians did understand.!
Off now to stroll over the Charles Bridge and brave the pickpockets. What’s the Czech for “See you, Jimmy!”
An evocative piece of music OZ that lives on. Here is a little clip for your enjoyment. Have a look at the very start of the clip and think Janus. 🙂
Ah, Tocino. Thank you for the clip. They don’t make ’em like that any more, more’s the pity.
OZ
Sheona: I saw the comment and was tempted to remove it myself, but left it for you to see and deal with as you saw fit. No problems, I have done the same myself to comments that were unwelcome on my posts and removed all references to those comments… why spoil a good narrative with unrelated junk!
Good that the journey was reasonable. We went to a castle, the name of which eludes me at the moment, the countryside was magnificent.
Charles Bridge! It was packed to capacity when we were there. However, I’m an early morning riser and wandered around Prague at 6.00 am – it was beautiful at that of the morning, one could even hear the birds singing.
I hope we get treated to some photos when you get back.