Let There Be Sparkling Light

I snapped this photo and got in trouble for it.  Did not know we were not supposed to take photos in this room but had always wondered how those grand chandeliers were cleaned and was delighted to finally see a demonstration.  The guard said they clean them approximately every two years and she uses alcohol at home to make hers sparkle.  It appeared these fellows were using dry microfiber cloths.

Aqua-gate

This aqua-painted fence and gate in Vienna's Third District oddly reminds me that we are approaching the 40th anniversary of Watergate....

Springtime in Stadtpark

Springtime in Vienna's Stadtpark.  Ah, lovely!

A la Arcimboldo

Reminiscent of  Giuseppe Arcimboldo's 16th Century portraits made of fruits, vegetables, and woodland materials, this sculpture at Zum Schwarzen Kameel restaurant attracts lots of second glances.

Deserted Chairs

The cheerful sidewalk cafe tables and chairs of Vienna's Orlando di Castello cafe normally attract lots of customers but the recent chilly winds drove everyone inside.

Outside the Meierhof

From ornately designed gates and manicured gardens to rustic barns and farm animals, Schloss Hof Meierhof, near Vienna, makes a great day trip.  I hope to return in warmer weather.

Long-haired sheep.

A young colt.

Wagon wheels against a wall of vines.

Beautiful poultry.

Four-horned goats

She found a warm spot to read in the kitchen garden.

Schloss Hof Meierhof's Easter Market

If you wind through the villages rather than taking the motorway, about an hour outside of Vienna, not far from Bratislava, you'll find Schloss Hof Meierhof, one of the palaces of Prince Eugene of Savoy, who led a battle successfully protecting Vienna from invading Turks.  Today the Schloss is the setting for an annual Easter market.  Here are some of the interior sights from the opulent palace, built in 1725 and later owned and updated by Maria Theresia.