Euro 2008 soccer cleats

These huge soccer cleats were on display in MuseumsQuartier for Euro 2008 soccer championship. Each participating country had a shoe on display. I haven't been able to find the exact size of the shoes, but several websites have described them as "car-sized". One German website even described them as "the size of a mid-size vehicle". You've got to love that German preciseness.

Photo taken June 29, 2008.

And the winner is...

Spain won Euro 2008 and this lovely trophy to boot!

Sucession

This building was built in 1898 and houses some of the work of the art association Sucession. The association was formed in 1897 by Viennese artists who were not satisfied with the high-brow and conservative Kunstlerhaus association.

Photo taken June 23, 2008.

dragon fruit

Many types of unusual and exotic foods are available at the Naschmarkt, an outdoor market.

Photo taken June 23, 2008.

Naschmarkt

The Naschmarkt is Vienna's largest and most popular outdoor market. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, you can also find spices, cheeses, meats, fish, dried fruits, and nuts.

Photo taken June 23, 2008.

Oh, and it can kill you, too

I laugh everytime I see this warning on the cigarette packages. I guess the warning that smoking can kill you was not working. This warning says that smoking will make your skin age.

Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde

This building in Vienna's first district was built in 1870 and is home to Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, or the Society of Friends of Music. The goals of the society were to organize public concerts, collect historical musical documents and provide public music education. The government took over the music school in 1909 when the society was no longer able to support the number of students seeking an education, but the society continues to host concerts and collect musical documents.

Purgatory

I thought it was funny that there were vending machines selling cards, books and Fair Trade snacks in Votivkirche. But I thought it was really funny when I noticed they were decorated like heaven and hell.

Photo taken June 17, 2008.

Fernwärme Wien

This is an incinerator and heating plant. Pretty snazzy, eh? It was designed by Austrian painter and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who also designed the famous Hundertwasser Haus of Vienna.

Photo taken June 16, 2008.

Jack and Coke

I was surprised to see a can of whiskey -- it just doesn't seem like the stuff should come in a can. But then Brian pointed out that it's not just whiskey, it's whiskey and cola.

Photo taken June 16, 2008.

Flower boy

This is one of my favorite photos. I was trying to take a photo of Votivkirche in Vienna when this young boy approached me to give me a rose. I was familiar with this scheme -- a child tries to give you a flower and then demands money or picks your pockets. So I ignored him and continued to try to get the photo I wanted. But he kept waving the flower in front of my camera. So finally I turned the camera on him and he gave me the mischievous smile you see here. I showed him the photo and then he left, smiling. And I'm pretty sure it's not because he picked my pockets. (As far as I could tell, everything was still there.)

Photo taken March 10, 2008.

Keywords: flower, sell, scam, kid, child

Horse and Carriage

This is one of the many horse and carriages in Vienna's first district. But perhaps it's the only pink carriage with white horses. I think they're catering to the princess crowd.

Photo taken March 18, 2008.

Keywords: Manner, carriage ride

Mary and Christ statue

This is one of the many statues of Mary inside Stephansdom. I haven't been able to find information about this statue and who these people are inside of her cloak.

When my family visited earlier this year, my niece bought a book about Vienna that had several pages of information about and photos of Stephansdom. This statue was in one of the photos and my niece wasn't going to be satisfied until we found this particular statue. My sister has some cute photos of the search on her blog.

Keywords: Stephansdom, St. Stephen's Cathedral, statue, Mary, Madonna, Christ

Gold on blue

This statue is located between the main university building and the Rathaus -- on the opposite side of the street. I have no idea what it commerates, but I thought it looked lovely against the blue sky.

Photo taken June 9, 2008.

Keywords: statue, blue skies, angel

Burgtheater

The Burgtheater is directly outside the barriers for the FanZone for the EuroCup. But it's getting in on the action with the huge soccer ball on it's roof.

Photo taken June 9, 2008.

Keywords: football, soccer, FanZone, UEFA, Eurocup

Griechengasse

I don't know how many times I walked passed this little street before noticing how quaint it looked. It's just a small side street that comes off Rotenturmstrasse, the main street that runs between Stephansplatz and Swedenplatz U-Bahn stations. You wouldn't guess it from the photo, but I'm pretty sure there's a Starbucks right around the corner.

Photo taken March 25, 2008.

Keywords: side street, 1st district

On the roof

Many of the tall buildings in the city have trees or other plants growing on the roof. I found these bare trees against the bright blue sky striking. Perhaps I will have the chance to go back and see the trees again now that they are blooming.

Photo taken April 10, 2008.

Keywords: trees, blue skies

Canola fields

This photo was snapped during the train trip from Vienna to Zagreb last month. I didn't know what it was at the time, but we saw several fields of these vibrant yellow flowers. I found out later that they are canola.

Photo taken May 3, 2008.

Keywords: train, canola, fields, flower, landscape

City view

I took this photo from the Riesenrad, or giant ferris wheel. I love the way the clouds look. The tall buildings in the back center are UNO City. I think the white building to the right of UNO City is the tallest apartment building in Vienna.

Photo taken March 18, 2008.

Keywords: UNO City, city view

World's largest inflatable tent

Yesterday on my way to class I noticed workers laying out huge tarps in Sigmund-Freud-Park near Schottentor. On my way home from school, I saw them inflating something. And today, I saw this. It's the tent for the EURO Experience Tour -- part of the Euro Cup festivities beginning this week. And it's the world's largest inflatable tent (approximately 45ft x 130ft x 200ft and weighing ten tons). The exhibit has already visited 12 other cities and will open in Vienna on June 5th and remain open until the end of the Euro Cup games. You can see here, among other things, the EURO trophy.

Keywords: EuroCup, UEFA, soccer, football, trophy

Cafe Central

I think this Brian's favorite cafe in Vienna. At least one of his favorites. I like it as well, but I wouldn't call it my favorite.

It opened in 1860 and was part of the Viennese intellectual scene. It's pretty touristy these days, but I think it's still well visited by the locals.

Photo taken June 2, 2008.

Keywords: Cafe Central, coffeehouse, cafe