Saturday, September 23, 2006

Belvedere Palace and Gardens


After the Museum I found this lovely place where I found a beer, and toasted the health of the West. I found out later that Austria, forever "neutral", in June sold Iran 500 50 caliber rifles, a certain quantity of them - sniper rifles.

In recent weeks the number of sniper attacks has gone up in Baghdad, and most of them are kills on US soldiers, penetrating their helmets and armor. SO - I'll still toast the health of the west, but I regret doing it in Austria.










A very un-Victorian winged lioness guarding the Gardens.















VERY un-Victorian. These gardens were immaculately manicured. With little trees shaped into perfect cones, alternated with ones shaped into perfect cylinders and terraced, bubble-like coifs. (alas, not photographed, and thus not pictured).





Here's a great idea for a cocktail garden. As one walks closer to the Palace, the gardens separate and deviate into a labyrinth of smaller, private, landscaped sanctuaries like this one. Between the pairings of trees are hedgerows linking the two that you can walk behind. (You could change clothes behind these.) Park benches and grassy areas round out the ambiance. Viennese were camped out here reading, picnicing and couples enjoying each others company. I envisioned an elaborate cocktail-party with A-list guests strolling around, getting lost - and not wanting to get found.

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