Trip to the former Austro-Hungarian Empire - Day 5

     After a vigorous biking trip from the day before, I stayed in bed late just to cover from the exhaustion. By the time I get up it is almost time for lunch. But first need to find a ATM to get some Euros, almost always the cheapest mean to exchange for foreign currency.

Temperature continued to stay above average. It had even threatened to break into 30s degree Celsius (about mid 80s Fahrenheit)

Pho noodle shop - a discovery while searching for an ATM

Only German menu available in the noodle shop but the Asian (Vietnamese?) waiter speaks really good English. I didn't detect any German accent at all

My usual choice of dish, brisket on the side pho. unlike what you find in Boston, the beef is somewhat cooked. It could be that Austria has a more stringent law regarding eating raw meat

Once my stomach got its proper attention, it is time to start today's program. When I visited Kunsthistorisches Museum, the ticket I got would allow me to visit the Hofburg Treasury at *any* time within one year of the ticket purchase, a €6 bargain! When is better to take advantage of that than now?

Hofburg Treasury, part of my combo ticket to the Kunsthistorisches Museum

Crown of the Austrian Empire

The sceptre that matches the crown

The imperial orb that matches the crown

An Austrian pin-ball machine? Actually this a cradle, a gift for Napoleon's son when Napoleon was the husband of Marie Louise, Princess Imperial and Archduchess of Austria

Spaghetti bolognese will be my dinner for the night

Reliquary containing a piece of the lioncloth of Christ

Reliquary containing a piece of the tablecloth from the Last Supper

Reliquary containing a tooth of John the Baptist

Besides being part of the Kunsthistorisches Museum combo ticket, the Hofburg Treasury is also in close proximity to my destination of the day - La Bohème at the Vienna State Opera House. So the itinerary is strategically planned, and quite well arranged I must say.  



Vienna State Opera House, just minutes away from the Hofburg Treasury

The Opera House offers 567 discount standing-room tickets (stehplätze) for each performance. It is not open for sale until one hour before the performance and you have to wait in line for the ticket, just €3-€4. Even after you have secured the ticket, you need to get in theatre right away to occupy the more favorable (standing) position before everyone else.

The cheap standing room tickets will not be on sale until one hour before the show starts at the side door of the Opera house

Just look for the sign that said Stehplätze

Just look for the sign that said Stehplätze

I arrived around 6:10 p.m. by then there are at least over 150 people waiting in line for the 7:00 p.m. performance already

Mission accomplished

The sumptuous interior of the opera house

The sumptuous interior of the opera house

You can relax and enjoy a glass of wine in the cafeteria before the show if you pay the full price ticket

But for us who only have the standing room seats you need to get in the theatre early so that you can grab the spot with best view available

Scarf and handbags come in handy when you need to 'mark' your spot

For the scarf-less one, you can improvise with the program brochure

There is a LCD for each seat showing the subtitle (in English) of the opera

Even the standing room seats have no exception

Next: Trip to the former Austro-Hungarian Empire - Day 6