Day 41. Monday 11 May.

Another late start to the day after some trip management…neither T nor D checked the weather forecast and as we headed down Taborstrasse it was obvious we’d been neglectful – it was a dark and stormy morning threatening. T had identified an op-shop & was occupied for a good 45 minutes: D took the opportunity to have a haircut. ‘Not too short’, he said. ‘Parted?’ ‘Yes’ ‘Ah! – classic’.

Sky was by then then spitting so dropped in for the worst coffee on this trip, and pretty much the worst service. D ducked back up the street to buy an umbrella (to add to our collection back at the apartment), was horrified at the prices, but eventually found one that we could afford without a bank loan.

Sharing the tiny brolly we caught the Yellow Bus on the Blue Line, planning to travel along that route until it met the Green Line, which would take us out of town to an elevated viewpoint. From there, the plan was to work back to the Yellow Line in order to get to the Upper Belvedere (T had set her heart on seeing some Klimt and of course D obliged). Great plan. Timing was a bit tight, but workable – until the downpour started with thunder & lightning a delayed bus driver swap, the reasons unexplained. Thankfully, we were high and dry onboard, watching those who unfortunately weren’t. There were upset Aussies, who alighted, talking about going home to change clothes, others who also lost patience and got off, and an upset Korean who made frequent, increasingly agitated but polite trips from upstairs to query what was going on. Folk were edgy, we didn’t know what the issue was but presumed that the torrential rain was part of the delay. Eventually, with the rain abated, we got going, but our plan was in disarray. Struck up a conversation with an Indonesian tourist (living in Montreal) & topics quickly landed on the state of the world under the influence of the current US President, and the unsuitability of the US First Lady and Duchess of Sussex for office/position.

Got off bus as close as we could to Belvedere (having created a new plan) and walked there. T was still concerned about having left our apartment windows ajar…what would we find on return?

Rain stopped, we  arrived at the Belvedere, footsore but dry, in time to sample high Viennese cuisine: we were hungrier than ‘cake’, & there were no sandwiches, so the waiter recommended the next best thing: a traditional Viennese thin sausage, mustard and grated horseradish on a bread roll, that would be quickly delivered in time for our 1600 entry. T, still wondering why she agreed, reckons the horseradish came close, but not close enough, to saving the dish.

Made our way through check-in (8 mins before our 4pm slot) & into the galleries. Of the Klimts, there were a good number: portraits, landscapes and of course ’The Kiss’. The grounds, buildings and exhibitions were grand: we needed much more time. We agreed later that this visit was just a snapshot (as lots of them are); it would be easy to spend weeks and still not cover all that is offered. We also noted that there are a lot of events and activities coming up, as the season progresses (opera & concerts aplenty) that we would have liked to attend.

By 1700 we were done, unable to tackle more than Klimt, so headed out, hoping to get the Yellow bus, on the Yellow Line, back to the Opera House, to then get the Yellow bus on the Blue Line to the closest stop to home. Not so straightforward, as the Ho/Ho bus finishes at 5. So, it was a walk home, all the while watching the sky. Made it just before the next downpour, so at least that worked! And the apartment was high & dry, including this morning’s laundry.

T chopped another red onion, the half zucchini, some broccoli heads….to go with the last of the pasta. But there are a few fresh items to carry tomorrow, as well as the staples…

By train to Prague tomorrow. D is hoping for a railway pie.