Peterskirche, or St. Peter's Cathedral, in Vienna, which has free organ concerts daily at 3PM.
Scroll down to new oddities added January, 2010.
As the old year fades away and we look to our future, the rich history of Austria and its years of glory offer a view that puts a life in perspective. At one time the Hapsburg empire was the dominant world force, with Maximilian the First (1459 -1519) at the helm.
To gain insights into this monarch, who brought the first international mail service and the first standardized coins, we took the panorama train from Vienna to Innsbruck, where he ruled under the famous Golden Roof. He wanted to be the people’s king and is known as the father of PR. His paintings and images were everywhere, on the coins and in the books that he published in German with the new printing press at his disposal (previously, books were printed in Latin). For the many who couldn’t read, he provided vivid pictorials of his life and triumphs.
Keiko gazes on the foothills of the Alps on our way to Innsbruck.
Innsbruck, which means Bridge on the River Inns, is where Max the First resided in Ambras Castle, which houses the Cabinet of Art and Curiosity. It was the custom for monarchs to create private museums containing the art and strange objects they collected from the vast territories they ruled. The one in Innsbruck is the last in the world, as all the other collections have been broken up and distributed as individual works.
Mr. Bonzai gazes on the town of Innsbruck with the Alps in the rear, enshrouded with fog at the tops.
There is a painting of Gregor Baci, who took a lance through his eye that penetrated through his head, and he survived. Other paintings include Vlad the Impaler (Dracula), the Hairy Man (who was a favorite at court and fathered Hairy Children). Giants and dwarves were believed to be God’s miracles and were treated with reverence.
Respected members of the Royal Court: the peasant giant Bartlmä Bon and his little friend.
Stay tuned for more photos and tales of our adventures in this small country that once ruled the world, yet today still holds a vast historical treasury. Austria has learned from its past and is today one of the countries that knows its limits and has done surprisingly well when many other countries have boasted of their power and lived extravagantly, only to find that their coffers were emptied.
UPDATE: JANUARY 3, 2010
He went to the Head of His Class!
This is Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris, who met his death around 273 A.D., almost two millennia ago. The Romans, who then occupied Paris, already had their hands full in fighting off barbarian hordes when this charismatic Christian arrived on the scene. According to legend, Roman soldiers tortured Denis near the present site of Notre-Dame and then decapitated him on the slopes of Montmartre. Then—still according to legend—the martyred saint astonished one and all by picking up his head and walking northward almost four miles until he collapsed on the site now marked by the cathedral (formerly the abbey church) that bears his name.
And here we have a painting of the daughter of Petrus Gonzales, the “Hairy Man.” His entire body – including his face, was covered in long, wavy hair and he was an immediate medical sensation. He became quite fluent in the language of the affluent, Latin, and took to wearing splendid robes that actually further accentuated his furry covered face. It was in this way that Petrus became a sought after court guest, a prodigy royal dignitaries and ambassadors flocked to see.
Antonietta Gonzales
Nearby are two portraits, one of Gregor “Here’s Looking at You” Baci, who survived after a lance went through his head. He became a “conversation starter” at palace parties.  Below is the famous portrait of Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Count Dracula. Inspired by Vlad’s festive costume, I have just finished writing my new holiday horror musical, “Vampyre Santa.” ©2010 by Mr. Bonzai. All rights reserved.
Gregor Baci (top) and Vlad IV Tepes.
You must log in to post a comment.