Catching Up

Today is our second day in Vienna.  Two days ago, we visited Bratislava on a busy Saturday afternoon.  Bratislava was lively and fun, with street performers and events and groups of rowdy young men at bachelor parties.  Our little walking tour concluded with a string quartet performance in a little church.  The young Slovakian guys played early Mozart and the Dvorak “American” quartet.  The acoustics were typical of a church, that is to say, a little muddy, but the performance was excellent.  I especially enjoyed the lento movement from the Dvorak.  I don’t know much about the quartet, but they were great, and probably enjoy playing for the visitors passing through on the riverboats.  The historic downtown of Bratislava is right on the Danube.  We just walked into town.

Yesterday, we had a little bus ride into Vienna, as Vienna itself is on a canal of the Danube, not the Danube proper.   Our bus gave us a ride around the Ringstrasse, and then we had a walking tour of the Imperial Crypt where many, many Habsburgs are buried in elaborate coffins. Kind of gloomy.  Larry and I then peeled off from the walking group, and went on a nostalgia  tour of Vienna.   I’ve been in Vienna several times, and have my favorites, Figlmuller for Wienershnitzel, and Demel for Viennese pastries.  We ambled around, I did some shopping, and then we caught the shuttle back to the boat.  

The unexpected treat for the evening was a reception at the home of the U.S. Ambassador to Austria (newly appointed by Mr. Trump).  His wife is the daughter of one of our shipmates, hence the invitation.  His name is Trevor Traina (I think) and he is a San Francisco venture capitalist billionaire, about 50 years old.  The Ambassador’s residence is in the Bauhaus style, immense, newly decorated by the Ambassador and his wife, with painted walls, new furniture, and his collection of photographs (giant photographs) all over.  We had wine and beautiful snacks.  He talked a bit about current Austrian politics (they have a 31 year old Chancellor here in Austria, the youngest head of state anywhere.  Ambassador Traina called him a kind of even younger Justin Trudeau, Gavin Newsome type.  So now I can say I have shaken the hand of the hand that shook the hand of Donald Trump.  Now I must go wash my hands.