Night Lights

Yesterday we made a second spirited try for the swimming spot on the Donaukanal (the one we reached only after its closing following a sweaty bike ride earlier in the week). We took the U-Bahn this time.

Strangely enough, by the time we emerged from underground, the sunny hot day had been replaced by thunderous downpours. But we soldiered on past the masses of swimmers departing for the day...

...and arrived to find we had the place all to ourselves. The rain abated long enough for J and K to paddle around in the 80-degree water. M wasted too many precious minutes finding a place to change into his swim trunks. By the time he was suited up, the lifeguards were whistling everybody out of the water due to lightning danger. Ach! Anyway, he was wet and refreshed from the rain.

 The Albertina Museum, where M went to see the famous Durer drawings today. He found only a few facsimiles on display, but consoled himself with the current Picasso exhibition.

 (Albertineplatz)

 (Josefplatz, in the Hofburg Palace complex)

 (The In Der Burg, also Hofburg)

(Maria-Theresienplatz)

(Mariahilferstrasse)

 

J spent the morning with K on the Prater, visiting the various fun-park attractions, including the massive Ferris Wheel and the Liliputbahn (mini-train).

 The Ferris Wheel was this tall!

 We spent the evening on the town.
 Here's the Karlskirche at night, with a very well-attended cinema under the stars.

 (The Philharmonic hall)

 At the Rathausplatz, we found a Berlin opera performance projected onto a massive screen on the front of the neo-gothic city hall, and a thousand people out to enjoy the scene.