As we did yesterday, we decided to change our plans when we got up this morning.  Again, we had intended to visit Schonbrunn, but the forecast was for clouds (as it turns out, we’ve had sunshine almost all day) and we were worn out from our late tour around the city, so we decided to put Schonbrunn off until Saturday.  That left us, for the second day in a row, without any major or concrete plans.  And, for the second day in a row, our day didn’t suffer for the lack of itinerary at all.

We set off to walk around the Ringstrasse (the major thoroughfare that encircles the 1st district and which occupies the space where the wall of the city once stood).  It’s a great way to see some of the most significant sights of Vienna — the Rathaus, Parliament, some of the biggest museums, the Hofburg, the Opera House.  It’s also a place we’ve spent a lot of time.  We run there, and it is a wonderful place to stroll with the kids, or for B to practice riding his bike.  It’s a reference point for me in Vienna, so it’s fun to share it with Mina.

We’d already been to visit a lot of the sights along the way, but a few were new to us.  Mina had the excellent idea to cross the Ring and climb the drive in front of the Parliament building, which gave us a lovely view of the 1st district that I’d never seen before.  We walked through Maria Theresien Platz, looked at the Museum of Natural History and the Art History Museum.  We walked to the Opera, looked around, and decided to head back.

Just as we turned to go back, though, Mina saw a cafe sign:  Eiskaffee.  Eiskaffee is espresso, ice cream and whipped cream.  It’s wonderful and yummy, and we introduced Mina to it on Monday.  The boys were napping in their stroller, so we decided it was definitely time for an eiskaffee break.

It was a wonderful, very Viennese experience — drinking eiskaffee, sitting in an outdoor cafe by the Opera House, talking and enjoying the beautiful afternoon while the boys slept.  (Never mind that it’s still *March* and, in that way, it’s a very odd Viennese experience.)

We finished our coffee, shopped for postcards, picked up lunch and headed home.  We are having a GREAT time.  Mina can stay however long she likes — I love sharing Vienna with her.