Rome Is Where the Heart Is: City of the Lipizzaners

I really got my horse fix today! We began the day with a delicious continental breakfast provided by the hotel. There were cheeses, breads, cereals, yogurts, jams, toast, cold cuts, and so much more. The guy at the reception desk was so darling in his Ray Ban glasses and perfect English. He helped us get to the main part of the city.

We headed down the street to see the famous Spanish Riding School. We got to see the Lipizzaners working in the morning exercise to music and it was absolutely amazing. The horses were so muscular and looked like they were dancing on clouds as they picked up their feet and placed them with precision. Everyone was mesmerized and gave appropriate claps when the riders got their horses to perform fancy dressage moves. They were all decked out in their uniforms of long coats, Austrian hats, and tall boots with spurs. Each horse was different and seemed to be in a different level of training. I loved every minute of it.

We then went to Cafe Mozart, on my parents recommendation, and enjoyed goulash soup and delicious desserts! We ate way too much and had to go walk around to walk some of it off haha!

We headed to Hofburg Palace next and it is so big and has several museums in it. Since we're under 19 we got in free too! We went to a section that had sculptures from the city of Ephesus. It was really cool seeing the columns and pieces of the architecture. Then we went to a museum of musical instruments which was beautiful. Then we moved on to the best part, the armory! I got to see lots of horse armor, saddles, spurs, and knights all decked out in their attire for fighting and jousting. It was really cool to see since I'm reading Game of Thrones right now and it's all about knights and kings, etc.

After the palace we moved on to the Austrian National Library which was out of a fantasy it was so spectacular! There were walls and walls of books with ladders, different levels, globes, and statues everywhere. I was at home for quite some time there snapping away with my camera as you will see later :). (Think Belle's library in Beauty and the Beast.)

We began to get tired but we wanted to see St. Stephan's Cathedral. We walked the famous shopping streets with big names like Gucci, Tiffany, and Burberry, towards the church. One store had live models in it which was hilarious! When we got inside, it was filled with different colors as the sun streamed through the windows. It was magical. Anne and I lit devotional candles too. After a very long day, we headed back to the hotel this afternoon. We have continued to enjoy our Viennese fruit too!

Today I reflected on just how blessed I am to be on this trip. I don't know what I did right to get here but I am so glad that I am. We've seen so much and had so much fun already and our adventure has only just begun. I always dreamed I would get to see the famous horses in Vienna but I never thought I would see them. At only 18 I saw them and it was like they were pulled out of historic Vienna and displayed right there for my 2013 eyes. Traveling is everything I hoped it would be and more.

More pictures await!