Today our plans are to visit the Vienna Prater - an amusement park best known for its large Ferris wheel. My grandfather's first date with my grandmother, Olga, was at the Prater...and it was on the Ferris wheel where he declared they would marry someday.
My day began with our usual breakfast. I received an email from the Wien Museum with forms needed to obtain photos and permission to use the photos, of 4 Josephu pieces; two by Florian and two by Josef. The are a death mask of Holzknecht, a bust of Robert Schumann, a bust of Robert Kronfeld and a bust of Karl Seitz. The pieces are in the archives and it will take some time to get photos to me. George helps me fill out the forms and fax them off. I also got an email from Herr Gutschi apologizing, concerned he seemed unfriendly during my visit. I assured him I realized is was the language barrier and not to worry, and thanked him for allowing my take photographs.
George and I go to the Leopold Museum in the Museum Quarter. During these days I haven't had the chance to go inside museums and places of historic note (which I will absolutely do on some future visit). among the art are works of Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt.
After a coffee at the Leopold, we head over to the Gesellschaft der Musickfreunde and meet with Ilse Kosz, the archivist of their library. He we fill out forms requesting photos and permission, for the bust of Grünfeld is also not available.
George and I then go to the Prater where we are soon joined by Brigitte. We ride the large Ferris wheel. The beautiful views of Vienna were made dramatic by an approaching thunderstorm. We take cover inside a cafe, where I enjoy another family treat, palatschinken. a thin crepe filled with apricot filling.
Next, we're off to another search for a piece by Florian entitled "Chimney Sweep," which is located somewhere among a cluster of apartment buildings. We searched for quite a long time. Several of these are under remodeling and there are spots where something has obviously been removed - like artwork. George inquires with several workers and we are directed to a project supervisor, where we learn the piece we are seeking has been removed and will be placed back up when remodeling is done. George does an excellent job of befriending the supervisor, who then calls the stone mason, who confirms he has the relief. George and the stone mason agree that we'll meet another day and view the piece.
Another day. But tomorrow, we take a break - a vacation within a vacation, or perhaps a vacation from this vacation.
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