Austria Oct. 2013

    From the train in the way to Vienna, I am treated with the most picturesque countryside. I can hear Julie Andrews singing while skipping over the hills.    

    Graz was the 2nd capital of the Austrian Empire in the 16th century.

    The armory museum is the biggest in the world, preserved from the 1700's. 

     Dogs can come into restaurant.

Smoking everywhere, restaurants full and the streets as well. Payback is hell.  Had the best Schnitzel in years, pastries are heavy and undercooked, candies and cookies do not appeal to me. Good thing. Then, there is pumpkin seed oil. So tasty and can be used for so many dishes. Yesterday I had:  Saures Rindfleisch. Thin sliced beef kind of floating in pumpkin oil and vinegar, surrounding a pile of onions, and a sliced egg on top. Delicious. Another speciality is a sausage on a roll with raw horseradish grated on top. 

   Graz has the most preserved old town in Europe, and the biggest town of Italian architecture outside of Italy. Poverty is the best preservation for architecture and monuments. Older buildings have had plaster scrolled decorations added in later times. 

     Landhaus the council chambers, has   Baroque interior and most beautiful stucco ceiling design, now, with modern council round table and chairs. Quite a contrast. 

     One building is covered with frescos from 1360 depicting Greek and Roman Gods. The owner was not titled and so to compensate and show his wealth, made these beautiful frescos with Italian artists. 

     The Kunsthaus is the House of Art for the modern artists, it looks like a big blue bladder. 

     Dom of Graz is very plain on the outside and was connected to the government house for the head of Styria, with a bridge so Emperor Frederick III  could come to church without mixing with the common folk. The confessionals are works of art comprised of inlaid wood of different colors. The pulpit is carved in very high relief and glowing from gold leaf. Lots of carved marble statues on the altar, marble was brought from Italy, mind you, not such good roads then. What a feat.