NYE in Vienna

A New Year's Eve post in March...here it goes. Our New Year's Eve began with a visit to the Upper Belvedere to admire the Klimt and Schiele works. We had a cold and sunny stroll to the Belvedere from our apartment and a great visit to one of Vienna's most famous museums. Afterwards we headed to another Vienna institution to warm up, Café Pruckel. 

 A few relaxing hours at Pruckel hit the spot. A delicious Wiener melange, some himbeer soda, and some dessert that we can't remember the name of. It was delicious! One of our favorite's of the trip.

We walked to the Stephansdom, another Vienna icon. The city arranges free waltzing lessons on NYE. How fun. Half the square was waltzing while the other half was watching it on big television screens.

Inside the cathedral

Outside the Oper on New Year's Eve

Hofburg

To ring in the new year, we headed outside for some fireworks. Vienna just doesn't have one fireworks display, they have several. We decided to catch out the display at Heldenplatz. 2012 brought us lots of happy times together and we're excited to see where 2013 takes us!

Fireworks above the Rathaus

Experiencing the best of Vienna

The Musikverein at night

Karlskirche

An evening at the Musikverein is a musician's dream. Where better can you hear waltz music and Strauss? In short, no where. Vienna is the best place to celebrate and admire waltz music. We had so much fun. It was really a magical evening.

We did not hear the Vienna Philharmonic, but attended a concert by the Wiener Ring- Ensemble. A smaller chamber group consisting of members of the Vienna Phil. We give the performers credit for trying to inject some humor into the performances. Perhaps it was geared towards a 75+ aged crowd, but still very entertaining. The very drunk man behind us found it hysterical. But of course, hearing such beautiful music and admiring top notch musicianship is always invigorating and inspiring.

At intermission, Jaap snuck a peak at the Großer Saal where preparation were underway for the big New Year's Concert that was going to take place two days later.

Here's Jaap at Café Museum before the concert. Not as funky and interesting as I remember from being a student. (It's now part of a franchise of cafés--blah). But what place isn't interesting when I have this handsome hubby to stare at all evening?