Schönbrunn Palace - Wednesday

Today we went to Schoenbrunn Palace.

We entered at the back gate, and saw the Palm House--I bought a ticket and went in to the green house. There were three environments inside, and it was like a garden, not like a utilitarian place with plants in rows. There was even a stream and little bridges. The high arches above, the decorative details up so high, all not utilitarian. And I was happy to be there.

The were three environments. The one to the right was quite humid. There were a bunch of young people in there taking pictures, enough to make me wonder if a photography class was there. Also, there were giant snails in what looked to me like a rabbit hutch, with a pile of cut-up rabbit-food vegetables to feed them. M. said there were snails as big as that out in the woods, that's just what they're like out here.

The environment to the left of center had lots of arranged flowers--azalea bushes trimmed as small "trees", lots of mums in pots. In the center and to the left many pumpkins are gourds were on display too.

In the gardens, I love all the long vistas with trees arranged evenly spaced on either side of the path. There was a tall (40 foot?) wall of tree trimmed thin like an espalier without supports, and an arched doorway opening into that section of the garden.

In the palace, I loved the parquet floors and how grand everything was. When I got to the Imperial section, the parquet floors used contrasting species of wood in more complicated patterns with curves and circles. I saw the very Imperial style sleigh bed Napoleon's son died in, and the lark which he had stuffed. Also, the state bed that Maria Teresa inherited from her parents. Lots of Chinoise--one room white with blue pictures and wallpaper I would call the willow room. There was one room with black paneling and gold detailing that was like a chinese screen interpretation of wall treatments.

We stopped at a restaurant on the way home, where they make gluten-free food, so we could all eat there together. I had venison.