Cream coloured ponies and crisp APPLE STRUDEL...

door bells and sleigh bells and SCHNITZEL with noodles....

Today was my last day in Vienna. Elwira and I met early and went to Kaisergruft or the Imperial Vault as they call it in English, but I would more accurately describe it as the imperial crypt. They give you a map as you walk in and a family tree of the Hapsburg's so you can track what coffins you are looking at. The coffins are really ornate and almost works of art themselves. Usually the Emperor or Empress is in the center of a big room in a giant coffin surrounded by his or her children in more modest homes. I found out that their bodies were kind of mummified, their organs were taking out and are housed in containers in the catacombs of St. Stephens Cathedral (which I already saw) and their hearts are buried somewhere else. I tagged along a little to an English tour and heard some stories about the families, Sisi, Napoleons wife (a Hapsburg) and Napoleons son.

As the lyrics of My Favorite Things suggest apple strudel and schnitzel are considered Austrian delicacies. During my stay here I have made an effort to taste both, along with fresh horseradish (its actually dry and really liked shaved radish), sauerkraut, wiener schnitzel and apfelstrudel. YUMMY!

Now its Bye Bye to Elwira and off to Prague!