Christmas markets in Europe and Caribbean cruise (RTW)

[VPS]

At Vienna, I had booked an 'executive' room at the Novotel at the Hauptbanhof, and this turned out to be a good choice. Can get onto the metro from here and a direct service to the airport when I need to fly out. Executive rooms on the 18th floor (top one of accommodation) - nice views, quiet and a free minibar!! Very fast WIFI - 120Mbps. The hotel has a LOT of families staying - so the Exec floor was again, a good choice. Lifts weren't too busy.

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They didn't exactly go all-out with the Accor welcome gift!
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Another advantage of being at the main station is that there are lots of shops, including an Aldi. I was so short of fruit & veg that I bought a litre of fruit & veg vitamin/juice and damn near skulled it.

As usual, the room was hot, and this time the window only opened via a tilt. However an angel at reception found me a pedestal fan which made all the difference.

I know I'm a grumpy old woman but honestly if there is an energy crisis can they just not overheat everything so you don't have to have a fan when it's 5 degrees outside. I'm just jealous because it was 40 in Adelaide yesterday but only 38 today

 

[Flyfrequently]

They didn't exactly go all-out with the Accor welcome gift!
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Not having much luck with your welcome gifts, beats the pasta though @RooFlyer eh?

 

[Flashback]

I know I'm a grumpy old woman but honestly if there is an energy crisis can they just not overheat everything so you don't have to have a fan when it's 5 degrees outside. I'm just jealous because it was 40 in Adelaide yesterday but only 38 today

If there are radiators in the room, set them down to 0 / off by twisting the TRV. If not... then could be underfloor heating in which case you're SOL and window opening is your only solution.

 

[VPS]

If there are radiators in the room, set them down to 0 / off by twisting the TRV. If not... then could be underfloor heating in which case you're SOL and window opening is your only solution.

Usually it’s just aircon controls that don’t go below 20

 

[RooFlyer]

If there are radiators in the room, set them down to 0 / off by twisting the TRV. If not... then could be underfloor heating in which case you're SOL and window opening is your only solution.

Sure, my mission on arriving in the room is to hunt down any possible sources of warmth. I found an innocent looking white vertical panel which looked like a piece of wall was actually the front of a heater. Towel racks.

But even with everything off and the window open, the room is basically surrounded by a heat brick.

I have one trick up my sleeve for this trip trip anticipating these hot rooms. I’ve actually packed a sheet with me in my checked bag so at least I have something over me rather than those doona things which is the only thing they have on most beds. Next time I would also seriously pack just one of those little usb fans.

It was the same in Canada when I lived there for a couple of years and also when I was visiting regularly, staying in apartments. I was in the one apartment in a big tower block and it was as hot as hades and I called the property manager and said what’s any solution. They said no that’s how it is. So I said I’ll open all the windows. It was -30° outside and they said - no you can’t do that itll freeze the pipes. Well, I did and the fell of the Frigid air coming for the windows just like a waterfall.

I moved out as soon as I could.

 

[SuePa]

I have one trick up my sleeve for this trip trip anticipating these hot rooms. I’ve actually packed a sheet with me in my checked bag so at least I have something over me rather than those doona things which is the only thing they have on most beds

I take the doona out of the cover and just use the cover. I hate not having a top sheet.

 

[RooFlyer]

A full day (well, as much of it as is light) to re-explore Vienna. I had a couple of must-sees and then would see what happened.

Free brekky at the Novotel, which was a zoo - so many family groups! I greedily heaped the raspberry coulis over my bircher muesli and grabbed a banana. Some real cough coffee.

I have resisted understanding the Hapsburgs during all my interest in history (just too complicated) and I only reluctantly took more in here. I am, however, currently watching 'Empress' on Netflix about Sisi/Elisabeth, the wife of the second last, and last substantive Emperor of Austria, Franz-Joseph (he died 1916 and the empire ended in 1918).

Metro into downtown and thankfully less crowded than yesterday. First stop the State Hall of the Austrian National Library. I love a good library (and I know @Drakecula does too) and this was a great one. Built in the 17th century, 80m long and 20m high; over 200,000 volumes with many from the 16th century. I've been reading The Library. A Fragile History

https://www.amazon.com/Library-Fragile-History-Andrew-Pettegree/dp/1541600770

... and its a depressing read, going though how libraries were accumulated, then destroyed or dispersed time and time again. This had a collection of one of the early German prices.

What I wasn't expecting was the crowd here. Long line to get a ticket



And the gallery itself was very busy. But spectacular

















What's on the shelves?



Of course there are always twits like these - the staircase is packed going up and down, but we can just sit there and play on our phones. Coz.

 

[RooFlyer]

Then the Imperial Crypt, which I only noticed on the City Card list of discounted places to visit.

The Imperial Crypt

Advice and information for visitors to the Kapuzinergruft or Kaisergruft that's the last resting place in Vienna of dozens of Habsburg monarchs

www.visitingvienna.com

From that website:

The last resting place of numerous Habsburg emperors and others associated with the dynasty is below a monastic church in Vienna’s centre: the Kapuzinergruft (Imperial Crypt).

The complex houses the Imperial Crypt, known locally as the Kaisergruft or Kapuzinergruft: the last resting place of dozens of Habsburg emperors, empresses, archdukes, archduchesses, their spouses and their offspring; an accumulation of corpses from one of the most famous ruling dynasties in world history.

Inside the crypt, you stand within touching distance of Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico.

Or Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Franz Stephan, the Holy Roman Emperor.

Or Emperor Francis II/I, founder of the Austrian Empire.

Or Empress Elisabeth, the iconic Sisi.

…and many (many) more.

Yes, many more; room after room. The most recent occupent was interred there about 2010. Interesting, one of the descendants of the last Emperor (1918) refused to accept the end of the monarchy and so is refused an Austrian passport. He lives in Switzerland. Another descendant (his ?brother) does accept the end of the monarchy and works as a member of the European parliament.

The early ones (16th/17th/18th centuries) are incredibly ornate.







Tomb of Charles VI died 1740
Holy Roman Emperor
Archduke of Austria
King of Hungary
King of Bohemia
King of Spain

Kaiser Karl VI.: Kapuzinergruft - Wien

Durch die Pragmatische Sanktion ermöglichte Karl VI. seiner Tochter Maria Theresia, den Thron des Habsburgerreiches zu erben. *01.10.1685 Wien - †20.10.1740 Wien

www.kapuzinergruft.com

d 1740

 

[RooFlyer]

Then one of the biggies. Maria Theresa (she of the Plaza and statue at the markets) and hubby Franz I

Kapuzinergruft (may need Google Translate)

You can read about her here. Formidable!

Kaiserin Maria Theresia: Kapuzinergruft - Wien

Maria Theresia war die einzige Frau, die je Österreich regierte. Sie führte die Schulpflicht ein und schaffte die Folter ab. *13.05.1717 Wien - †29.11.1780 Wien

www.kapuzinergruft.com

 

[RooFlyer]

Many rooms, many tombs



Another one I had my eye out for was Franz Joseph I and his wife Elisabeth 'Sisi', the subject of the Netflix serial Empress.

Sisi to the left and one of their sons on the right.



The crypt:

Kapuzinergruft

www.kapuzinergruft.com

Sisi's life was rather controversial and she was murdered by an anarchist in 1898.

Kaiserin Elisabeth: Kapuzinergruft - Wien

Elisabeth, genannt "Sisi", galt als die schönste Monarchin ihrer Zeit. Sie hasste den strengen Wiener Hof und flüchtete sich auf lange Reisen. *24.12.1837 München - †10.09.1898 Genf

www.kapuzinergruft.com

Toward the end of the complex are the more recent incumbents - descendants of the Hapsburgs who reconciled with the abolition of the monarchy.

 

[RooFlyer]

Been an interesting few days. The day before I arrived in Vienna my heart irregularity started increasing; it sort of comes and goes but was noticeable all day that day. My cardiologist assures me on several occasions that there isn't really anything that could happen that would require me to rush home. For tachycardia (sustained rapid heartrate >100bps) I have some effective pills and if I were to go into flutter (sustained arrhythmia) , that's OK for a few weeks its just a matter of putting up with some discomfort.

That night, I may well have been in a bit of flutter and when I went to bed my heart was pounding, irregularly. No way I could get to sleep as is, so I took a Stilnox. That worked for sleep and also calmed things down but from then on I was very sensitive to any increase. And increase it did, for hours at a time but it calmed again. And so it went for the next day or so until yesterday when I think I could call it back to normal (ie irreg low levels of irregularity). Anyway, it really put a dampener of doing things, so Vienna was a quiet day. Oh, I also developed what I think is cellulitis in one lower leg, which I'm treating with an antibiotic Cefalexin.

Shame, but I did see more of Vienna than before. Last on the list was the Neue Hofburg. Its worth reading about here

The Neue Burg wing of the Hofburg

A look at this home to various museums, the Austrian national library, and other historical collections.

www.visitingvienna.com

TL;dr is that the huge arc building that looks like the main building is in fact one of the youngest and was begun in the late 19th century as a new palace for the imperial family and completed in the early 20th Century. Unfortunately by that time the imperial family were no more. Amazingly, a mirror building was planned to face it, but never got off the ground.









There are no State Apartments to view, just the Armory and a music museum via a self guided audio tour which was far too long winded for my interest. The entrance hall is pretty nifty.









... and so on. At last one of more interest



Amazing staircase - you can't see it all from any vantage point

 

[OATEK]

Sorry to hear your struggles, but glad you got a good look around in the Hofburg. We really enjoyed our visit there a few years ago.