We reach or "metro station", and this time decide to ride the metro instead of the Tram. Reason is two fold. We can reach the city center without any metro changes.
An interesting thing to note about vienna public transport system is that unlike many other countries, there is no checking.
Nobody checks our tickets and passes, no gates are there where tickets are to be inserted. You just walk into the metro.
Only thing required is to get the "pass" punched from a slot machine, which validates it.
your time starts when you punch the pass.
Passes can be punched in trams or at metro station.
That said, there is no checking. Atleast we did not see any. I guess they may be having surprise checks now and then, but the system runs on trust.
Our destination today is Stephen-Platz, or St. Stephens square.
Its a city center in the true sense.
Multiple metro lines criss cross it, and from this place, you can practically catch a metro to any part of the city.
We are tired, sleepy and hungry, but all that will have to wait. For now, we have reached Stephenplatz.
Like many other city centers, this is a place of music, fun and general roaming around. Cars are restricted here, confined to the outer areas of the city center, and only some taxis are permitted.
you can ride a "rickshaw" if you want too!
So here comes the first click of the day.
This picture was very tilted. I had to straighten it in PP. Everything I click this evening would be tilted. I guess thats what lack of sleep and hunger do to you
The guy in Red T-shirt also appears to be in similar state as ours.
So what do you do in St. Stephans square.
You walk into the Stephensdom, or St. Stephens cathedral. Its old. Really old. Older than me, or you, or our grandfathers. Its construction was completed in 1160, but thanks to continuous repair and reconstruction, it looks like new.
A point to note here. While in India ASI considers altering the colors, or sometimes even the facade of important historical buildings as restoration, Europe is different.
Here when they restore, they try to be as original as possible.
Light is not good since its evening and cloudy. This time of the year, sunset happens around 8pm, but good light lasts only till around 5pm and only till 3 or so if its cloudy
And it stays cloudy quite a bit in this region!
The highlight of any cathedral or Church (Kirche) in Europe is the carvings and statues. Europe has a statue fixation. It rivals the status fixation of Khujaraoh, and even surpasses it. There are all kinds of statues. Many depict good over evil, or Archangels like Michael and Raphael slaying the devils minions. Unlike the superhit series supernatural, Angels are good guys here.
A closer look at the main section
Some more interior pics.
I am sleepy and tired, so I just put it to ISO 1600 as I try to hold my hands as steady as possible.
As it gets darker, we decide to get out. Tomorrow is the day we see vienna, and the cathedral will be on our TODO list.
The clock
In any european city center, you do not need a watch. All you need to do is look up. There will be a clock tower there, showing the time
The time is 5:19, and my camera says its 8:49. See, still following India time. It will be two days before I realize my camera is on India time, and fix it. I told you I was forgetful. Since I did not write it down that I need to change time, India time it was!
A popular touristy gimmic is the horse drawn cart. You can pay 10 EU and get on it, and be given a history tour of city center. As budget travellers we chose to just click it from outside
Another interesting thing. Every time a horse did its rear end job, the owner would get down, and clean the excreta. So there are lots of horses, but no excreta, unlike our horsy hill resorts, which have few horses but tonnes of manure lying around.
This is then disposed off in a "compost" collection center, where it gets sent to the villages and countryside to be used as manure. I am not joking, its true!
A view of the exterior car parking area at the edge of the "center".
As you can see, car population of Europe is very different from what we have in USA. Cars here are smart, Mini, Fiat 500, Fabia and various other small cars. Even the BMW 1 series is popular. SUVs are extremly rare, and so are large cars like the big mercs and VWs.
I try and shoot the whole cathedral, and then I miss my 10-24. That lens is made for architechture. I guess I should have borrowed somebodies 350D or something for cathedral photography. But no use crying over spilt milk. I would have to shoot these wonders with 24mm equivalent. No 16mm joy for me!
This is the actual square. Its beautiful, though I am unable to capture it propery given the light and my state of mind
A closer look
Do you notice the net?
Its for those pesky pigeons. Some major landmarks have netting to prevent poop. Poop control is taken very seriously there.
The crown
The local mcdonalds with cathedral in background
As we walk around, we hear music. Music so melodius that it pulls us towards it.
Its a local band, performing Last of the Mohicans
We spend a lot of time here.
And recognize another song. Nothing Else matters. In S&M, metallica could not do it so well as these guys did it. Should have taken a video. but sometimes music is so enchanting, that you forget where you are.
Finally as the evening progresses, hunger and tiredness win, and we decide to go back to our hotel
A parting shot
For dinner its time to eat Rajma Chawal of MTR. We still have two nights in Vienna, and two nights in another Austrian city till we can reach switzerland, and start cooking.
The hotel is quiet, inspite of the huge rush. Being a multy storey budget hotel, it stays quite full.
We sleep early. Tomorrow is going to be a long long day.