In and around Schwarzenbergerplatz -the Belvedere Palace and Linke Weizelle

The Karlskirche and Henry Moore statue
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Last night after a wiener schnitzel on Greichengasse I walked back from the Innere Stadt through the Holfburg courtyards. I walked through the gate of In Der Burg and heard Martial music ahead. I emerged from the passageway at Heldenplatz. The whole facade of the Hofburg was lit up and draped in the flag of the two headed eage of Austria. Some kind of veterans day was going on. A giant television screen showed the exploits of the Austrian army and a vast crowd of soldiers and veterans looked on. I listened to the martial music and enjoyed the spectacle. But after a while the Austrian bombast got to me....and I had to take myself away.

The facade of Ober Belvedere
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I have found Vienna a very dificult city to crack. its wonderfully refined and clean, but maybe thats the problem. I am used to the cut and thrust of London. The wellbehaved city on the Danube hasnt shown its real face to me. Its probably a wonderful place to raise kids and grow old - but if you are young and ambitious and want big city life you probably head for Berlin, Frankfurt or Munich. But the Viennese I have met have been gentle, courteous and relaxed - perfectly attuned to the life here.

have found Vienna a very dificult city to crack. its wonderfully refined and clean, but maybe thats the problem.

The gardens at Ober Belvedere
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Today is my last full day of sightseeing and it is yet another Habsburg palace. I caught the tram down to Schwarzenbergerplatz (what a mouthful?). Viennese buildings have their own style and look. They look extremely delicate being white or pastel with a porcelain sheen. Schwarzenbergerplatz is endearing because it contains a real brutal monument left by the Soviets. A great black stone spire with a jet of water shooting 30ft into the air. God, its ugly - but perversly I loved it.

Behind the fir trees is the gorgeous Karlskirche - one of the loveliest baroque churches I have ever seen. A lavish green dome sits above a white marble church flanked by two ornately carved columns. But nearby are the gardens for the Belvedere Palace. The palace is in two parts, the Obers Belvedere at the top of the hill with gardens sloping down to the Unter Belvedere. The Ober Belvedere was massive, its facade carved with filigree and dotted with statues. The gardens are just as lovely with fountains, topiary and gushing statue fountains.

The Unter Belvedere is another art gallery but was a palace created by Prince Eugene of Savoy. Not the prettiest prince in the kingdom he remained unmarried but amassed a superb collection of baroque art. It also houses brilliant work by Gustav Klimt. I had 'the Kiss' to myself for a number of minutes before a squadron of Austrian schoolchildren came up behind me.

The rest of the day was spent on the Kartnerstrasse - Viennas main shopping street and poking my nose into the famous Opera house. My way back was via the Linke Weizelle where a permanent market was in place. The market is a maze of bierkellers and butchers.

Beer and sausages? It doesnt get any better then that..