Wednesday 7th August, 2013
Hello, darlings! Itās Emma here, back from a whirlwind adventure in the enchanting city of Vienna, the heart of waltz and waltz history. As I sit here, sipping a frothy cappuccino in a charming cafĆ©, surrounded by the delicate aroma of strudel and the tinkling melody of street musicians, my mind is filled with the echoes of elegant music and graceful dance. Vienna is, quite frankly, a dream come true for a tutu-loving ballerina like me!
The journey here was pure delight, you see. I traded my usual pink tutu for a fabulously chic vintage floral dress (still pink, of course!) and boarded the Orient Express, a glorious relic of the past, its carriages oozing elegance and glamour. It was like stepping into a vintage movie scene. Each stop was like a portal to another time ā Bratislava with its fairy-tale castle, Brno, Pragueā¦ and each city had a little something special, little touches of elegance, architectural wonder and cultural delight. But Vienna was something special, a place where history and charm coalesced to create a beautiful symphony of grandeur.
The first stop on my Viennese escapade had to be the Hofburg Palace, a majestic architectural marvel that once housed emperors and empresses. It felt like I was walking through the pages of a historical romance novel! I can't tell you how much I loved seeing the lavish interiors, from the magnificent apartments adorned with priceless artworks to the opulent Imperial Treasury. Imagine, dear readers, rows upon rows of sparkling jewels, jeweled swords and the crown itself, gleaming with its dazzling gemstones. The only thing missing was a fairy-tale princess!
From the royal heights of the Hofburg, I descended to the charming cobbled streets of the city, its charm spilling forth from every corner. It felt as if the city itself was whispering tales of its glittering past, every building, every square echoing with the elegant rhythms of waltz music and the whispers of historical whispers. The streets pulsed with life ā street musicians played with passion, artisans displayed their wares in colorful stalls, and cafe society, dressed in its finery, languidly sipped on their cappuccinos and talked. I even saw a street artist drawing with coloured chalk, his colours bright and bold against the stone backdrop. Everything was bathed in a glorious summery sunshine ā so warm, so vibrant, so inspiring!
But Vienna was much more than beautiful architecture and bustling street life, for this is also the city where waltz was born, the city of Strauss, where the music flows through the city as freely as the Danube flows past it. And naturally, for a ballerina with an obsession for tutus, there was only one place I had to go, a place that is quite frankly, a dream come true for ballet enthusiasts like myself.
Viennaās State Opera, a majestic, gilded, almost otherworldly building that has been hosting grand performances for almost 150 years. The minute you enter it feels like you are stepping into another age, an era of elegance, glamour and romance. On my first visit I had the privilege of seeing an extraordinary production of Giselle, a classic ballet full of romance and passion, performed by dancers with incredible skill and grace. As the music started and the dancers gracefully flowed across the stage in a tapestry of movement and expression, my heart skipped a beat, it truly was magical. The costumes were simply breathtaking, exquisite examples of fine artistry and a tribute to the artistry of dance and its connection with fashion.
It was after the performance, at the grand and beautiful Opera Ball that I met Wolfgang, a fellow ballet lover with whom I shared a delightful waltz in the elegant ballroom. I learned he is a historian who specialises in the history of ballet, and we spent hours chatting over cocktails about the glorious era of tutu history. Itās hard to imagine, but the tutu as we know it now was a recent creation! It began in the 1830s in response to the Romantic era of ballet, and it quickly transformed the world of ballet. The tutus helped to emphasize the movement of the ballet dancer, allowing the grace and skill of the ballerina to be shown in its full beauty and glory.
There are so many amazing shops in Vienna, especially the vintage clothing shops. They are a ballet-lovers paradise with vintage dance costumes and accessories, some even dating back to the turn of the century. My latest find, tucked away on a tiny street, was a divine 1920s tutu, made of the most exquisite silk in the palest, almost lavender, shade of pink. I just had to have it!
And, I would be remiss if I didnāt mention Viennaās other, more practical, transport delight! The famous Vienna Lipizzaner stallions, which are as iconic to this city as Mozart, Schubert and Strauss! This morning, I visited the Spanish Riding School to watch a performance, which is as much a dance as a riding display, and was completely blown away! It is truly an extraordinary and beautiful art form! I had always been enchanted by the beauty of horses but never thought I would be enchanted by a horse's dance! The precision of the moves and the beauty of the horses themselves is truly amazing.
However, no blog post of mine can be considered complete without a word about Viennaās amazing selection of cakes! After all, what's a trip to Vienna without indulging in some delicious Austrian confections! Vienna is quite literally, a confectionerās dream. My absolute favourites were the "Sachertorte", a dark, chocolatey masterpiece and the "Apple Strudel", perfectly flaky and sweet. If youāre looking for a light and fluffy delight, try the āPalatschinkenā, Viennese style pancakes that are the best Iāve ever tasted!
As the sun begins to set on another fabulous day in Vienna, I bid you farewell, but promise to return next week with more adventures from this magnificent city. If you're reading this and have a hankering to visit Vienna, my dear reader, donāt delay! But most importantly, never forget the power of a pink tutu! It has the ability to transform ordinary days into magical adventures.
