In front of the palace

We spent a few hours at the Schönbrunn Palace today. Kalyn asked a young woman to take this photo, and she was from California. 
The 1,441room palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historic monuments in the country. The history of the palace and its vast gardens spans over 300 years, reflecting the changing tastes, interests, and aspirations of successive Habsburg monarchs. It has been a major tourist attraction since the mid-1950s. Amazing to walk through some of the rooms, so opulent! We did an audio tour rather than a guided tour, so much to take in, a bit overwhelming. There was a Christmas market set up on the grounds, crowds there to take that in as well as touring the palace and walking around the grounds. It’s so beautiful, and we were imagining what it must be like in summer. We went back into the city for supper, ramen in a tiny Japanese restaurant. We walked a lot again today. It definitely feels like winter here now!
Not nearly enough time to enjoy everything that Vienna has to offer, but it was great to take advantage of Kalyn’s free weekend to see some of the sights. We’re driving back to Straubing tomorrow morning and are hoping for a less foggy day so that we can see some of the countryside.