Tag: Austria

Contemplating Austria

Contemplating Austria

Understanding the Viennese Paradox Anticipating a visit to Vienna, I am trying to understand the place, its past, its present. Mention Vienna and pastries come to mind along with classical music. Austria as a nation is a bit more confusing,…

Austrian Anomalies

Vienna

Looking for Understanding in France and New York I don’t know much about Austria beyond the Sound of Music. Little makes sense to me about Austria despite my efforts to understand. How could the homeland of Marie-Antoinette, who herself struggled…

Celebrating Louis XVI

Excess at Versailles Photo credit: L. Tripoli

Accomplishments besides Marrying Poorly Louis XVI, king of France, was born 261 years ago on August 23, 1754, and what many seem to remember about him is his wife, Marie-Antoinette, originally of Austria, and his general ineffectiveness in leading his…

The Sunny and Strategic World of Les Andelys

It was on our first stop away from Paris that I realized I didn’t remember enough about the history of France. On the Uniworld River Baroness with the Senior and the Youthful Adventurers, we awoke to sunny, pastoral town of…