Savored in all of its Mediums

It can be a sealed container of emotions, a flowing stream of ideas, or an abstract, obscure vision. It can represent a distant past or an unforeseen future, sometimes simultaneously. It can be created by staying in the lines, thinking outside the box, or modeling the successes that have come before. It can be a concept, a production, a tangible piece of work, even a college degree. It can be timeless or completely outdated, often transcending generations and not only existing in spite of language barriers, cultural values, and educational backgrounds, but thriving all the more. It is art - almost impossible to define, but present around us, beyond us, and in us. One of the most incredible things about Europe is that art is, literally, everywhere - from the architecture, to the cuisine, to the storytelling and the proper fine arts. And when we get to escape work and immerse ourselves in places we haven't yet been, the arts have a way of standing out, making us feel alarmingly alive and yet humbled at the same time. Having recently returned from Budapest & Vienna, we can say that we fancied Budapest quite a bit, and absolutely fell in love with Vienna. Both cities are alive with arts of all kinds, Budapest clearly a bit more "Eastern" as far as European cities are concerned. Both are captivating in their own ways, Budapest in its prideful, prosperous ascent from its relatively recent communist past, Vienna thriving with both historical tales and present-day charm, regal and stunning, yet not at all pretentious. In our five-day exploration of these two cities, we can proclaim, without doubt, that we thoroughly enjoyed the arts....

The Art of Healing

As Bryan frequently says, "When in Rome..." and when in Budapest, one must absolutely indulge in their thermal spas, a staple healing fixture in the daily life of the locals. And indulge, we did...taking a break from our usual 8-10 hour days of walking and exploring, to rest our feet, soak up a bit of sun, and relax in the pools, both indoor and outdoor...

The Szechenyi Baths, Budapest

The Art of Theatre & Dance

With both Budapest & Vienna world-renowned for their opera, music, and ballet, we decided that our trip would be incomplete without some sort of fine arts experience. Once we discovered that the Opera House in Budapest did not have any performances on during our evenings of availability, we were determined to experience the Opera House in Vienna. At the end of a very long first day in Vienna, we arrived outside the Staatsoper just as they opened the doors for the evening. We headed straight for the ticket counter, and with tickets upwards of 150 euros for seats, we opted for the standing section tickets, at a nominal 4 euros each, for the ballet "Homage to Jerome Robbins," commemorating the U.S. choreographer known for his direction of Broadway's West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof. Expecting the standing section to be a bit of a hectic mess, we were pleasantly surprised to find the standing section rather organised in rows, with padded rails to lean on. The inside of the Opera House was stunning, mostly filled with dressed-up locals in the expensive seats, and casually-dressed, English-speaking tourists in the standing section, fit for a king and comfortable for the commoner as well, much like the rest of Vienna. The way in which sleek ballet dancers and an illustrious orchestra can tell a story, with no words, is absolutely incredible...which, incidentally, was quite lucky for us, being in a non-English speaking Opera House.

The Art of Enjoying Wine & Local Fare

With a few of its suburbs known for their production of white wine, Vienna (from the word Wien, meaning wine) has a leisurely, relaxed approach to the enjoyment of wine. Certainly not for those who are pretentious about their wine, the suburbs of Vienna are dotted with Heuringer wine gardens, restaurants outfitted with outdoor patios and shaded gardens, created especially for the consumption of locally-produced, refreshing white wine served up by the mugful, alongside traditional Viennese Wienerschnitzel, sausage, and potatoes. Vienna is also a city defined by its cafe culture, boasting a number of both simple and quaint, elegant and extravagant cafes, having served the likes of Mozart and Beethoven, offering beverages and desserts of all sorts, including the infamous Viennese sachertorte, an apricot-filled chocolate cake. Art is truly alive over a gorgeous slice of apple streudel and a rum-spiced hot chocolate, enjoyed within four walls once graced by the live music of Mozart.

Heuringer wine garden in Grinzing

The Art of Storytelling

As we've gotten older, Bryan and I have both further developed our love for history, attracted to the rich stories, the intriguing architecture, and the ancient remains, adding texture and depth to the paper and print history textbooks that we've studied over the years. Having read about the magical area of the Danube River valley known as the Wachau, about an hour train ride outside of Vienna, we arrived at the train station, took the next train to Melk, a small medieval town on the Danube, and hopped aboard the Brander river boat. For approximately two hours, the river boat meandered along the Danube River, through the Wachau valley, with crippled medieval castles perched on the hilltops, fields of apricot orchards and wine vineyards, and charming riverside towns steeped with character. Thanks to a bit of narration on board, we learned of Richard the Lionheart's imprisonment in the castle of Kuenringer, and the tales of mystery and death in the 13th-century Burg Aggstein. Indulging a bit of my own family history on this trip as well, having remembered my grandfather's story about his family and its Austrian roots, I had a lovely time posing for a few photos outside of Cafe Drechsler in Vienna (an alternative spelling for Drexler), just for my Grandpa Jerry. And lastly, what artistic image is more reminiscent of storytelling than the quintessential horse-drawn carriage, as seen throughout the cobblestone streets of Vienna?

Benedictine Abbey, Melk

Kuenringer Castle on the hilltop

Medieval towns in Wachau valley, along the Danube

For Grandpa Jerry...

Outside the National Library, Vienna

The Art of Perspective

In cities like Budapest and Vienna, graced with architecture of worlds old and new, perspective can be enjoyed from many angles, various heights, and numerous vantage points, offering up enough architectural gems for even the healthiest of appetites.

Stephansplatz, Vienna

A View of Pest, Budapest

The Chain Bridge across the Danube, Budapest

Matthias Church, Castle Hill, Budapest

Heroes' Square, Budapest

Budapest by night

Regardless of how you define it, enjoy it, take it in, or revel in it, art can be appreciated and savored in all of its mediums, shapes, and expressions, from food to architecture, to storytelling and a way of life. How fortunate we are, to be in the presence of art.

-B&B

"Let me ask you something, what is not art?" ~Author Unknown