An Evening at the Palace........

 We boarded our coaches at 5:15 for the drive into Vienna, a score of Cinderellas and their princes.  Everyone spiffed up a bit tonight for the event.  What passes for jewels are nestled in our slightly pleated cleavage and the men, tired from a long afternoon of sliding down the Wachau Valley in the sunshine, have made an effort in their jackets and ties.

We are docked at Tulln and the ship will leave for Vienna as soon as our buses depart. Guide Emil fills us in on history and surroundings during the forty minute drive to Vienna.  How strange to be in a city, perhaps even a bit unnerving.  After Amsterdam we have been cocooned on our ship or visiting rather small places.  At least it seems they were small because we never went through much urban sprawl during our stay.

Vienna is truly bustling under the sheen of a light rain.  We leave the buses and take a short walk to the Palais Pallavicini.  A man in black tie and gloves ushers us in and we ascend several flights of stairs to a salon where a trio in period costume are playing classical tunes.  There is brocade on the walls and ornate chandeliers shine.

Soon we are invited into a Baroque ballroom that is all gilt and mirrors anchored by a grand piano.  Seated at tables of ten, we are served a four course dinner, the interval between each course filled with either song, music or dance.  The tall windows overlooking the Spanish Riding School are open to the intermittent rain.





The pace is slow and it is a lovely evening.  At the close of the festivities we walk through the rain freshened air to reboard our buses and reunite with our ship, now docked here in Vienna.  We have no worries....it's not even midnight and our princes are safely in tow.

I apologize for these pictures. For convenience, I took my iPhone...with poor results.

Comments

  1. UnknownAugust 18, 2016 at 7:13 AM

    This post only reinforces my desire for more chandeliers and candelabras

    ReplyDelete

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