Lover of Wine – Travel along on our adventures – DAVID & JANEEN

Thursday morning – a beautiful day in Rotterdam.  Our adventure today was to prove very interesting and different.  First off, we loaded onto our coach and did a quick tour of the city ending up in the more or less downtown area.  From here we headed to the roof of a building to see what they are doing on it and to view the city in general.

Many of the buildings are relatively new, as the city of Rotterdam was pretty much destroyed in WW II,so there are not as many historical buildings to visit.  As the skyline has developed, there is a movement afoot to do something productive with the roofs and try and recapture some of the rain water that falls.  Our adventure today was to see what is happening on a couple of these roofs and to learn about the progress they are making in reclaiming rainwater.

Our first stop was on top of a seven-story building where a garden has been created.  We took the elevator to the top, plus some stairs, and found a coffee shop with the ‘garden’ around it.   Called Op Het Dak, it is quite a unique spot.  The indoor area, which seats about 45 people, leads out to a green and lush rooftop terrace where organic vegetables, edible flowers and herbs are complemented with dining tables and a great view of the Rotterdam skyline.

After visiting the roof, we stopped on the first floor (2nd floor for those of you in the US, as the ground floor of buildings in Europe are “0” not 1) where we went out onto a walkway that crossed over the street, went around another building that included a section to the old railway area.   The old railway station and the tracks are being modified to create a green area with various trees, bushes, flowers and other lovely spots.    

Sitting about 20 feet above street level, the narrowest and longest roof park in the Netherlands is being designed. Hopefully the final design will be inviting and be filled with colorful and fragrant landscape.

It is being constructed on the old rail line where the old train tracks will route visitors through the diverse landscapes of the park, hopefully connecting various neighborhoods in the area.  The “airpark” will offer space for walking, relaxing, grabbing a cup of coffee or a bite to eat, and even community gardening. Still very much a work in progress it reminded us of the New York’s High Line Park which was created from old elevated train tracks.

On the way back to the boat, I noticed this wall painting going on. I don’t think anyone else on the bus noticed it, or at least they didn’t mention anything. Kinda neat really.

After visiting the various gardens we headed back to the boat for some R&R and to get ready for our “Orange” night.

Orange is the national color of the Netherlands, for the House of Orange-Nassau that has been the reigning monarch here for nearly 500 years.  It’s common to wear orange at national celebrations such as King’s Day (April 27th each year).  The Mystery Cruise decided to have its own little Orange Party and it includes a Silent Disco in the Lounge.

Everyone was given a headset – and there were three different music channels to choose from. Thus, if you start to sing along, it could very well be a different song from what someone next to you is listening to. Very funny at times.

Tomorrow we head to Antwerp to have some chocolate!

Tuesday nights ‘reveal’ had Rik dressed up as Johannes Vermeer and Barbara dressed up as the subject of The Girl with the Pearl Earring, one of Vermeer’s most famous painting. So, that meant we were on our way to The Hague and a visit to the Mauritshuis Museum.

As were leaving the port, we pasted by the Noah’s Ark – see the giraffe on the right side…not sure where it was found, but it seems to be fairly intact.

During the morning sailing, Rik did a presentation on the history of the Netherlands and the various components that make up the country.   After lunch, we boarded the coach for a trip into town with a brief stop to sample a local treat – some ‘pancakes’ at Restaurant Oma Toos.  These light fluffy pancakes sprinkled with powdered sugar were very tasty and a nice treat.

Before going to the museum, there was a short walking tour highlighting some of the area around the museum including a stop at the Peace Palace. One of the most photographed buildings in The Hague and the icon when it comes to peace and justice is the Peace Palace.  The donation from Andrew Carnegie from the US resulted in the founding of the Carnegie Foundation in 1`903 and the creation of the Peace Palace.

There was also some interesting street art installations.

The art museum in The Hague houses the Royal Cabinet of Paintings which consists of over 800 objects – mostly Dutch Golden Age paintings.  These include works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Jan Steen and others.  Originally the 17^th century building was the residence of count John Maurice of Nassau.  It is now the property of the government and is listed in the top 100 Dutch heritage sites.

Johannes Vermeer, lived from the early 1630’s until his death in 1675.  He created paintings that are among the most beloved and revered images in the history of art.  Although only about 36 of his paintings survive, these rare works are among the greatest treasures in the world’s museums.  Vermeer began his career in the early 1650’s by painting large-scale biblical and mythological scenes, but most of his later paintings – the ones for which he is most famous – depict scenes of daily life in interior settings. These works are remarkable for their purity of light and form, qualities that convey a serene, timeless sense of dignity. Vermeer also painted cityscapes and allegorical scenes.

Clearly the hightlight of the museum, at least for our group, was The Girl with a Pearl Earring.  It is an oil painting on canvas which was completed around 1665. It depicts an imaginary young woman in exotic dress and a very large pearl earring.  

The painting represents a young woman in a dark shallow space, an intimate setting that draws the viewer’s attention exclusively on her. She wears a blue and gold turban, the titular pearl earring, and a gold jacket with a visible white collar beneath. Unlike many of Vermeer’s subjects, she is not concentrating on a daily chore and unaware of her viewer. Instead, caught in a fleeting moment, she turns her head over her shoulder, meeting the viewer’s gaze with her eyes wide and lips parted as if about to speak. Her enigmatic expression coupled with the mystery of her identity has led some to compare her to the equivocal subject in Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa  (c. 1503–19). Unlike the Mona Lisa, however, Girl with a Pearl Earring is not a portrait but a tronie, a Dutch term for a character or type of person. 

There are a number of very interesting works in the museum including several by Rembrandt including The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp in 1632, an interesting painting of two African men from 1661 and a self-portrait completed the same year he died in 1669.

After our visit to the museum, we went back to the boat and relaxed for the evening. 

Monday evening, after the ride back, from visiting the Coster Diamonds and Cobra Art we settled in for the evening on the Ship.  Before leaving Amsterdam however, we had a leaving celebration with a group of musicians playing on the dock – a drums and bugle group playing some wonderful calypso music.  Barbara and Rik dressed for the occasion and the whole group of us went to the sun deck to appreciate the music and entertainment.  Our ship sailed and off we went for our next port of call. 

 After the departing entertainment, we went back to the lounge for the reveal for the next day – a visit to Vlieland.  This would mean sailing all night, arriving early the next morning.  We woke up in the the port of Harlingen for our day’s adventure.  Looking out the window, I noticed a ‘whale’ across the harbor. 

As part of an international art project in 2018, fountains were placed in the eleven cities (or villages) each designed by a different artist from eleven different countries. The whale in Harlingen is one of the 11. It is located between the pier and the quay by the harbor. Once in a while you will see the whale blows water through its blow hole. As the water was a little bit lower than normal, you will see the whale was above the water.

Once we left the ship, we walked over to the ferry which would take us on the 90-minute trip to Vlieland.  The Island of Vlieland is known for its peaceful nature and many sand dunes.  It is located in the northern Netherlands and is the second least populated municipality in the Netherlands.  Our adventure had two options – a bike ride or a drive on the beach.  Needless to say, we chose the drive on the Beach. As we left the ship, the bike riders went in one direction and we boarded a bus for a quick ride to where our transport awaited.

The Vliehors Express makes trips over the sand desert which is some 20 square kilometers on the west side of Vlieland.  The Vliehors is also called the Sahara of the North due to the size of the area covered in sand.  Our transport was a converted military truck with extra wide tires.  Along the way, we were on the look-out for seals, but alas non were in evidence during our trip.  The highlight of the trip, beyond the unique adventure, was a visit to the Reddingshuisje or rescue cottage located in the middle of the sand dunes.   

The cottage dates from 1890 and was built here as a shelter for shipwrecked sailors. If a ship was wrecked during a storm, and survivors were able to make it to shore, they could reach the striking white house where blankets, basic foodstuffs and water were stored. There was also a telephone connection to a post house more than five miles away to alert someone of their presence at the place. After the storm had subsided, they were then picked up by horse and cart.  Nowadays the house is furnished with all kinds of things that were found during beachcombing. 

The fence is also made of driftwood and buoys. Everything that has washed up on the beach can be admired here, from cigarettes to messages in a bottle – small items stored inside the ‘house’ while lots of stuff arranged around the driftwood fence.

Since 1997, the rescue house has been one of the official wedding locations on Vlieland. This unique wedding location has been in the top 10 of the most beautiful locations worldwide for several years.  Inside the house, those who have been married in the house are allowed to write their names on the wall and ceilings.

After our visit to the rescue house we went back to where we boarded to reconnect with our biking friends and have lunch.  

After lunch, we walked through the village and visited various spots – of course including a gift shop or two.  

Once completed, we were to the ferry and back to our ship for the evening’s entertainment the ‘reveal’ of the next adventure.

On Sunday, we joined our second UniWorld Mystery Cruise adventure on board the River Queen in Amsterdam.  As was the case last year, when we went on our first Mystery Cruise, we had no prior knowledge of what was to happen beyond the cruise would start and end in Amsterdam.  

After getting checked in and partially unpacked, we joined our fellow traveller’s in the lounge for the ‘big reveal’ – what was to happen the next day.  

The Captain, and members of his staff, performed the required safety briefing and provided general information about the ship.  Once that was completed, Rik, the cruise director, continued the information ending with the ‘big reveal’ which was Barbara coming to the stage with a diamond tiara and a sparking red gown and a diamond topped staff.  

Seems we were to visit one of the foremost diamond houses in the world – Coster Diamonds is one of the world’s oldest and most trusted diamond factory has a rich and compelling history. Royal Coster Diamonds has been around for a long time, dating back to at least 1840.  I asked if there would be free samples, but alas, no there won’t be – however, I was told they do take credit cards.

The following morning, gathering together on the coach, we took a short ride to the Coster Diamond home in Amsterdam.  

As we entered the building, we watched two workers polishing diamonds.  Polishing, or faceting, uses a cast iron disc which rotates at 3200 rps and is impregnated with diamond dust and olive oil.  The diamond is set in an adjustable ‘dop’ and pressed against the disc.  The angle of the diamond must be changed for each facet.  Naturally he more facets results in a higher cost – and waste.

During the tour, our guide explained everything you may want to know about the mystical world of diamonds. He spoke about the origins of diamonds and the process a diamond goes through once it has been retrived from the ground. While we have learned about diamonds over the years, the four basic criteria hasn’t changed on how to evaluate a diamond – the 4 C’s carat, cut, clarity and color. There are a number of levels within each category each impacting the final quality and of course cost of the diamond.  There is so much more to know and appreciate about a diamond than just the sparkle. 

A regular brilliant diamond has 57 facets, while this unique diamond cut, of Royal Coster’s own patented diamond has no less than 201 facets. These extra facets make the light reflect even more within the diamond and creates a sparkling effect that is no match for any other diamond shape in the world.

During the presentation, our guide pulled a number of diamonds to share (they never left his sight) from very small to one that was 4 carats.  

After showing us a bunch of diamonds, champagne was presented.  In each glass was a very small ‘stone’.  The surprise, of course, was that one of these stones was a very small diamond.  

 Not sure what it was worth but a very nice souvenir of the experience.  Needless to say, we didn’t get the glass with the diamond.

Naturally, on the way out, there was a gift shop.  Fortunately, only post cards jumped out to find their way into Janeen’s bag.  I was ready to spend BIG but she wasn’t interested.  Maybe next time.

After our diamond adventure, we walked a few short blocks to the Cobra Art Company (www.cobraamsterdam.com).  This family business, started in 1983, is operated by Leon Jonkman – who just happens to be the husband of our Cruise Director, Rik.  This wonderful spot has a number of very interesting works including works printed on plexiglass and other materials.  

The place was filled with paintings, various objects and sculptures.  There were some very interesting displays and reminded me somewhat of the works we have by Jeff Burke (https://www.jtburke.com)  – who does photographic artwork in his studio in Pasadena.  In-addition to getting to enjoy the wonderful art, we had some very delicious snacks which Rik had made!  Seems Rik became quite the baker during the lock down and was amongst the finalist for the Dutch version of the Great Bakeoff.  

After our visit, we went to the trolly stop and boarded an historic tram for our journey back to the boat.  

Our local Guide did a great job describing all the neighborhoods we travel and some of the historical links to the past.

We have started another adventure.  On Friday, we departed from Richmond Airport to Boston – where we had a 7-hour layover before heading to Amsterdam.  This was the first leg of our trip.  We arrived in Amsterdam Saturday morning – dropped our bags off at our hotel and got ourselves to the Van Gogh Museum.  We took the train to the Central Station and started walking towards the Museum. 

 I had remembered all the bicycles but it always an amazing surprise to see so many and with so many different configurations.  

Over the last several years, we have seemed to be following Van Goh around.  While on a River Cruise, in 2019, we visited several places he had lived – most notably in a small village in the Brabant region of the southern Netherlands where he lived with his parents – and painted a number of images.  One of the most well know, is the Potato Eaters – which has been recreated in bronze in the village square. 

 Additionally, we visited several museums, particularly the Kroller-Muller Museum located a little over an hour from Amsterdam that has a large collection of his works.  And finally, we stayed in Arles in the South of France where Vincent lived for a while being treated for his depression.  So, it only seemed like a natural that we would arrive in Amsterdam and visit the Van Gogh Museum.  The last time we were here it was fully booked so I had gotten tickets well in advance.

After Vincent left Arles, he went to Paris for a short stay and eventually went and lived in the French village of Auvers-sur-Oise about 25 miles west of Paris.  During his final period of painting, he did 74 paintings in 70 days – a lot of output.  He was tremendously productive in these months and made several of his most renowned masterpieces, including Wheatfield with Crows, Doctor Paul Gachet, and The Church of Auvers-sur-Oise.  Unfortunately, his depression got to him and he took his own life at the end of July 1890.  He as only 39 when he died.

Vincent van Gogh left behind a magnificent body of work. He died just when his paintings were starting to be recognized and priced.  The exhibition did a good job of exploring his significance as an artist at the time.

The Museum has mounted a number of paintings from his time in Auvers.  It follows his output from  when he arrived in Auvers-sur-Oise, May 1890, where he optimistically and ambitiously set to work. He was highly productive: he often created more than one painting a day, while freely experimenting with new approaches to color, brushwork, formats and subjects.significance as an artist at the time.

The painting on the left, is Van Gogh’s first painting of the garden of Daubigny, the famous landscape painter who had lived in Auvers. Van Gogh used a piece of kitchen towel because he had run out of canvas. The painting on the right, The Church at Auvers-sur-Oise, 1890.

A panoramic-sized canvas allowed Van Gogh to portray universal, all-encompassing nature even more forcefully.

He painted Wheatfield under Thunderclouds (above) shortly after a turbulent visit to Theo and Jo in Paris. In both this work and Wheatfield with Crows (at the left) he emphatically tried to convey ‘sadness, extreme loneliness.’ At the same time, he believed that these canvases ‘will tell what I cannot express in words: what I consider healthy and fortifying about the countryside.’

Clearly the Museum put a lot of work into the exhibit.  Paintings are on loan from a number of collections – Van Gogh in Auvers and his Final Months is the result of years of research into the final period of Van Gogh’s life. But above was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see more than 50 paintings and 30 drawings and sketches by Vincent van Gogh that have never before been exhibited together, featuring exceptional loans from private collections and museums around the world.

We took the tram back to the train station, the train to the airport and the airport bus back to our hotel.  Tomorrow starts the first day of our Mystery Cruise.  Stay tuned.

The final day started at 2:00 AM when our alarm went off. Damn early for sure. Our flight out was scheduled for 6:00 AM so of course we had to get there 2 hours early, meaning we left the ship at 3:15 in the morning. We flew from Budapest to Paris, from Paris to London and then from London to Washington DC – so a very long day and three different flights.

It has been a wonderful adventure and one that we will think back fondly. Even though it was so damn early in the morning Barbara got up to see us off – and of course a final selfie for the collection. Empress Maria watched over the entire Mystery Cruise.

I have added a few more pictures that didn’t make into the dally blog – just for fun.

Janeen and I have already signed on for the first Mystery Cruise in 2023 – starts and ends in Amsterdam mid June. Won’t you join us?

For now, this Blog will be in hiatus until new adventures need to be posted.

Our final stop on our Mystery Cruise was Budapest.  This is a city we have visited previously and spent some quality time exploring the sites. 
 
Budapest is the capital and most populous city of Hungary and the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube River; the city has an estimated population of 1,752,286 over a land area of about 525 square miles.

The history of Budapest began when an early Celtic settlement transformed into the Romantown of Aquincum, the capital of Lower Pannonia. The Hungarians arrived in the territory in the late 9th century, but the area was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241–42.  Re-established Buda became one of the centers of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century. After the reconquest of Buda in 1686, the region entered a new age of prosperity, with Pest-Buda becoming a global city after the unification of Buda, Óbuda and Pest on 17 November 1873, with the name ‘Budapest’ given to the new capital.  Budapest also became the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a great power that dissolved in 1918, following World War I. The city was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Battle of Budapest in 1945, as well as the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. 

The central area of Budapest along the Danube River is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has several notable monuments of classical architecture, including the Hungarian Parliament and the Buda Castle. The city also has around 80 geothermal springs,the largest thermal water cave system, second largest synagogue, and third largest Parliament building in the world. Budapest attracts around 12 million international tourists per year, making it a highly popular destination in Europe

We spent the day exploring and enjoying the City. There are several monuments that speak to the history of the City and some of its troubled past. One that is particularly moving is Installed along the bank of the Danube River and is a monument consists of 60 pairs of 1940s-style shoes, true to life in size and detail, sculpted out of iron. 

This memorial is simple yet chilling, depicting the shoes left behind by the thousands of Jews who were murdered by the Arrow Cross.  This was a moving memorial – sad to think about the various families, father, mother, children who where all shot along here.

There are eight bridges that span the Danube but the most famous is the Chain Bridge. The Chain Bridge is the oldest suspension bridge in Budapest and is the Danube’s most renowned, connecting both sides of the city, Buda and Pest. The bridge’s real name is Széchenyi, in memory of the Count István Széchenyi, who helped build it, but is commonly known as the Chain Bridge.

One of the places we certainly wanted to revisit was the large market. The Great Market Hall was building in 1897 and is the most beautiful and largest of all Budapest market halls. The market hall is not only ‘great’ in size, but is also great in other aspects as the volume of trade taking place on a daily basis is amazing. There is food, and a vast amount of other stuff available to purchase. Janeen was specifically looking for a new purse and fortunately we found just what she wanted early on during our visit.

Back on the Boat there was the final evening and the Captain’s Farewell Reception – where of course I did a selfie with Barbara.

Later in the evening, the ship repositioned for better unloading of everyone and I caught a couple of nice evening shots of Budapest.

Tomorrow morning, the final day of the Mystery Cruise, we were up and out to the bus to the Airport at 3:15 AM – yes in the morning.

Friday – Day 8 of our Mystery Cruise and we were heading to Bratislava – the Capital of Slovakia.

Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is set along the Danube River by the border with Austria and Hungary. Bratislava is the largest city in Slovakia.  The population is about 450,000 and is the only national capital that borders two sovereign states.  The city has several universities and many museums, theatres and galleries plus other cultural and educational institutions.  While it doesn’t look very prosperous, it was ranked as the third richest region of the European Union in 2017 behind only Hamburg and Luxembourg City. 

It’s surrounded by vineyards and the Little Carpathian mountains, crisscrossed with forested hiking and cycling trails it attracts about a million tourists a year. The pedestrian-only, 18th-century old town is known for its lively bars and cafes. Perched atop a hill, the reconstructed Bratislava Castle overlooks old town and the Danube.

Out walking tour went past a number of places including the American Embassy – which they didn’t want us to take pictures of which I found interesting – so of course I downloaded a picture.

Along the way, we stopped in at Naštartované retro.  This café was created by three friends who were tired of meeting in various businesses around Bratislava and so the idea was born to create something for friends and guests where everyone will feel at home.

The concept of the place is very 70’s with lots of Czechoslovak artifacts on the walls and the front end of ŠKODA 100 car displayed inside.  All of the items belong exclusively to the 70’s and 80’s period.  Normally the place serves high-quality coffee, as well as specialties from the past, such as codfish, spreads, and Russian eggs. The assortment is always complemented by fresh desserts, and draft beer and kofola are a matter of course. 

 When we entered, there were bottles of local soda as well as the codfish spreads on the tables.  It was truly a step back in time, but unfamiliar to all of us but an interesting insight into the locals.

It seems they have a very different take on bagels. First they are not round, more of a crescent shape and often filled with stuff. We stopped and sampled a few and found them very tasty. The place we stopped has been around a very long time – over 130 years!

Throughout the City there are various art installations.  These artwork installations just sort of pop out at you as your walking along – very neat stuff.  

These art pieces are a stunning contrast to the Communist-era buildings that still dot the city streets. 

Having a good time and and adult beverage is also important. I found this quite interesting as I was walking around.

On top of one of the tall buildings, this St George the Dragon Slayer would normally be placed. However, the building is getting some work done and St. George gets to rest in the courtyard until it is once again placed on top of the building. Nice to get a close up of this wonderful building topper.

After our walking tour, we boarded the bus for a motor tour through more of the upscale areas of the city – including passing by various Ambasador’s homes (including the US Ambassador).

At the top of the hill, at the Castle, there is quite a view of the area below.

All in all a lovely day in this city.  Getting back to the boat, it was group picture time and a “white party” after dinner.

Day 7 of the Mystery Cruise had us docked in Vienna.  This is a city we had been to previously but this time we were going to have some new adventures for sure.  After a fairly brief coach ride, we started walking towards one of the most renown institutions in Vienna – the Spanish Riding School.

The Spanish Riding School is an institution dedicated to the preservation of classical dressage and the training of Lipizzaner horses. The leading horses and riders of the school periodically tour and perform worldwide. This school is one of the “Big Four”, of the most prestigious classical riding academies in the world.

The School is in central Vienna with performances taking place in the Winter Riding School, built between 1729 and 1735. The Winter Riding School is a sunlight-flooded hall, mainly white with some beige and light grey, with a portrait of Emperor Charles VI above the royal box and opposite the entrance (to which the riders always salute before they ride), which measures 180 by 59 feet and is 56 feet in height.

The riding school was first named during the Habsburg Monarchy in 1572 and is the oldest of its kind in the world.  Records show that a wooden riding arena was first commissioned in 1565, but it wasn’t until 1729 that Emperor Charles VI commissioned the architect Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach to build the white riding hall used today. We toured this facility and had the opportunity to watch a practice session.   

The Spanish Riding School was named for the Spanish horses that formed one of the bases of the Lipizzaner breed, which is used exclusively at the school. Today, all of the breeding of these horses is closely controlled and monitored and only stallions are used at the School (having some mares around would be very distracting for sure).  Selected stallions are taken to the breeding farm each year and are allowed to sow a few wild oats.

The Spanish Riding School has antecedents in military traditions dating as far back as Xenophon in Ancient Greece, and particularly from the military horsemanship of the post-medieval ages when knights attempted to retain their battlefield preeminence by shedding heavy armor and learning to maneuver quickly and with great complexity on a firearms-dominated battlefield.

Traditionally, Lipizzaners at the school have been trained and ridden wholly by men. In October 2008, two women passed the entrance exam and were accepted to train as riders at the school – the first women to do so in 436 years.

At the outset of our visit, we had the opportunity to meet one of the riders and learn about the overall process they go through.  It is clearly a long-term commitment as once you start there really isn’t a final end point until you decide to retire.

The rider may have several different horses they are training – ranging from new additions to the stables to older horses who have been at the School for many years.  Generally, the horses will remain active for 20 plus years and as previously mentioned are all stallions. 

It is a very impressive operation with a VERY long tradition.  Our access to the stables, walking course and the area was really great.  If you’re at all interested in more information about the Spanish Riding Stable, there is a very interesting book called The Perfect Horse by Elizabeth Letts.  This book describes the plight of the riding stables during World War II and is quite interesting.

When we returned to the Ship, we had a special treat as a ‘Mini Mozart’ was there to perform for us. She was all of 11 years old and clearly knew how to play the piano.

After returning to the ship, enjoying a little Mozart and having dinner, we re-boarded our bus and headed out to the Palais Belvedere for a private showing.

The Belvedere palaces were built in the early eighteenth century by the famous Baroque architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt to be used as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663–1736). One of Europe’s most stunning Baroque landmarks, this complex – comprising the Upper and Lower Belvedere and an extensive garden – is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today the Belvedere houses the greatest collection of Austrian art dating from the Middle Ages to the present day, complemented by the work of international artists such as Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Max Beckmann.

One of the highlights is the world’s largest collection of Gustav Klimt’s paintings including the famous golden Art Nouveau icons the Kiss (Lovers) and Judith. 

We had the museum to ourselves with a fantastic guide who was ready to spend several hours going over all of the collection.  

Most likely the most recognized painting in the collection is by Gustav Klimt – The Kiss. I have seen this hundreds of times on everything from bags to coffee mugs.

Regrettable, we didn’t have 4 hours but only a couple to explore and learn about this wonderful museum.  

Thus ended our trip to Vienna – a lovely day with many highlights for sure.

#ExploreUniWorld