We spent most of yesterday getting here, and our reward today was the most glorious sunny weather. So we went to the Schoenbrunn, the opulent summer palace of the Hapsburgs and a regular destination for us on trips to Vienna. Still never actually been inside the main building, because when I was younger I wasn't interested, and now because tiny children + priceless furniture & artworks == bad mixture.

It's totally worth the trip for the gardens, though. Also, the cake. My Austrian colleague, bless him, e-mailed me a pictoral guide to his favourite cakes before I left, giving us whole new avenues to explore in this land of magnificent pastries. Today, we had our first encounter with Kardinalschnitte and I'm 100% certain it will not be the last.

Schoenbrunn: running outside
Humuhumu, clutching her green jelly baby, running along the pavement toward the front gates of the palace.

Schoenbrunn: the U-bahn journey
Granny and Humuhumu on the U-bahn on the way to Schoenbrunn.

Schoenbrunn: Humuhumu and jelly baby in front of the palace
Humuhumu and jelly baby in front of the palace.

Schoenbrunn: Kardinalschnitte
Essential cake and coffee stop. Today's cake: Kardinalschnitte.

Schoenbrunn: welcome to the gift shop
Humuhumu welcomes you to the gift shop.

Schoenbrunn: lamppost
Lamppost and Humuhumu.

Schoenbrunn: down the garden path
Humuhumu runs up the garden path.

Schoenbrunn: up the garden path
Humuhumu runs down the garden path, clutching a "very special stone". (Stone was exactly like 1000000 other stones in the grounds of the Schoenbrunn.

Schoenbrunn: under the cherry tree
Granddad and Humuhumu under the cherry tree.

Schoenbrunn: having a sit-down
Having a little sit-down with Granny and Granddad on a bench. Keiki is asleep in the pushchair with Humuhumu's sun hat over his face.

Schoenbrunn: through the arches
Bloke, Keiki and Humuhumu walking through vine-clad and still leafless arches into another area of the gardens.

Schoenbrunn: lost in the hedgerows
Getting lost in the hedgerows.

Schoenbrunn: one of many fountains
One of many fountains, and probably the least grandiose.

Schoenbrunn: statuary
There are rows upon rows of statues lining the garden walkways. For some reason Keiki was very taken with this one, pointing and babbling excitedly. Perhaps it was the hats?

Portrait of Mummy, by Humuhumu
Portrait of Mummy by Humuhumu after our return "home".

Unexpected flavour combinations
This is a flavour combination that I would never have predicted would be a hit. Humuhumu has a raspberry lolly in one hand and a chunk of very spicy sausage in the other. A plate of sliced cucumber sits between her and Keiki. (Keiki is offering me a slice of cucumber.) Both of them were enthusiastically alternating between those three things.


The EGU conference begins in earnest tomorrow, so we may not get to do a lot of sightseeing again until Friday. I may not be posting much between now and then. Although I may do a daily cake update as I make my way through my colleague's list. Because CAKE.
davidgillon: A pair of crutches, hanging from coat hooks, reflected in a mirror (Default)

From: [personal profile] davidgillon


Adorable pictures, and the Kardinalschnitte looks so enticing I actually typed 'adorable cakes' by mistake!
lurkingcat: (Default)

From: [personal profile] lurkingcat


Sunny weather, happy kids, and cake. From the photos it looks like you're winning at conference trips :)
sfred: Fred wearing a hat in front of a trans flag (Default)

From: [personal profile] sfred


The running photos are especially adorable. And your first offspring is a very good photographer!
azurelunatic: Vivid pink Alaskan wild rose. (Default)

From: [personal profile] azurelunatic


I have a very blurry but now fond memory of having been somewhere between the ages of 2 and 4 (unsure exactly where, but ambulatory and Fond Of Rocks) scrambling about on the great pile of rock left after oldschool Alaskan gold mining with a dredge. I had been picking up Very Special Rocks and putting them in the front pocket of my parka. Inevitably, I tripped and pitched over on my front -- and then could not get back up due to the number of rocks.

Deeply unfairly (heh) I was made to remove rocks from my pocket until I could in fact stand up again. They were all Very Special Rocks, and I was loath to leave any of them behind...
azurelunatic: Chocolate dessert, captioned No Artificial Shortages  (no artificial shortages)

From: [personal profile] azurelunatic


Also, cake is very important. *nods*
recessional: a photo image of feet in sparkly red shoes (Default)

From: [personal profile] recessional


Humuhumu needs to stop growing and looking more and more like a child instead of a baby, I am not ready for her to be that she was a baby just last month I swear. :|
cmcmck: (Default)

From: [personal profile] cmcmck


Familiar territory and great pics! :o)
gwendraith: (Default)

From: [personal profile] gwendraith


Adorable photos and the weather and location look gorgeous :)

Mmmm, cake.
redsixwing: A red knotwork emblem. (Default)

From: [personal profile] redsixwing


What a beautiful place. <3 And that cake looks astounding!

Sweet+fruity+spicy sausage is kind of a mainstay at one of the restaurants here, in which you can get a sweet cherry-chipotle salsa to put on your spicy sausage. Cucumber cools the mouth, so I can see where it fits in. Your kids have good taste.

On a side note I experienced a stroopwaffel the other day (it was an airplane snack) and thought of you.

Those are seriously good.
silveradept: A kodama with a trombone. The trombone is playing music, even though it is held in a rest position (Default)

From: [personal profile] silveradept


Looks like a great day, with gardens and cake and all sorts of very neat things!
whereisirisnow: (Default)

From: [personal profile] whereisirisnow


Aha, now I see the cake! Looks lovely indeed!

It was great seeing you today! :)
Maybe we'll run into each other during the rest of the week! See you!
forthwritten: stained glass spiral (Default)

From: [personal profile] forthwritten


I love how many of these photos are of Humuhumu running and looking so confident and happy. She seems to have two - and perhaps only two? - speeds! :)
askygoneonfire: Red and orange sunset over Hove (Default)

From: [personal profile] askygoneonfire


Oh wow, looks lovely. Vienna has never grabbed me, perhaps I should rethink (especially after seeing that cake!)
whereisirisnow: (Default)

From: [personal profile] whereisirisnow


Meeting you was really great! I hope you had a nice flight (both to the UK and the US) and maybe I'll see you there next time! :D
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