Pay $3.25 for a slice of Viennese torte (141Cong.Rec. E637)

The last time I was in Vienna, I was in junior high, and before returning there recently, my recollection was of a city with long boulevards of imposing buildings. As TJ and I wandered around the Austrian capital, my memories seemed not too far off. As the seat of a former empire, beautiful facades are everywhere, such as along the downtown ring in the Museums Quarter (top left), home of the Leopold Museum, with Austrian art, and Mumok, with modern art. In the inner city, St. Stephen's Cathedral stands out among the many historical structures (top right). And certainly, city hall, or Rathaus, puts others to shame, even when it is all decked out for an annual Film Festival (bottom). 

 

Almost just as lovely are the spaces in between, such as the plaza that is shouldered by the Natural History Museum and the Art History Museum (top). And of course, within the old city, you can get lost in its many cobbled streets as you gawk at their charm (bottom left). Just keep enough wits about you that you don't get run over by tourist-laden horse-driven carriages (bottom right).

But if you go even just a bit beyond the tourist cluster, Vienna's grungy edges start to show. The footpaths along the Danube Canal, for example, are filled with some off-color official artworks and some equally risque unofficial graffiti (top). The pomp of the typical Viennese circumstances faded away at some canalside establishments, including the Badeschiff, which features a floating pool (bottom left). The umbrella-covered picnic tables on the boat's top deck provided some shelter with a view, and some refreshment, during a spot of rain (bottom right).

 

We weren't the only ones imbibing on a drizzly Friday afternoon. Although perhaps not as blatant as Germany's, Austria has its own brand of beer culture. You can let it all hang out with friends, downing multiple pints in wood-paneled dens like Hawidere (left), or you can adopt a more sophisticated air, sipping refined beverages on the outdoor terraces of hipster joints like Mel's Craft Beers and Diner (right). 

If you are of the truly cultivated class, or among the many sweet-toothed tourists, you can head to Cafe Sperl for a different kind of drinking (left). Many Viennese coffee houses have java menus longer  than bars' lager lists, due to all the variations in espresso orders. I can't remember exactly which combination I opted for, but I know I offset my bitter brew with some saccharine sachertorte (right). 

Despite my belief that it is a well-balanced meal, chocolate cake was not my only nourishment of the day. We circled around the blocks-long Naschmarkt a couple times in order to find a good late breakfast (top). It wasn't quite time for Zur Eisernen Zeit, or "At the Iron Time," because it wasn't open yet (bottom left), so we chose some seafood snacks at Fischviertel (bottom right). 

For linner, we sought out a traditional beisl, or bistro. For once, the guidebook was spot-on when it recommended the quaint courtyard of Amerling Beisl (left). TJ had a very generous meat-and-cheese platter, and I stuffed myself with a vegetarian version of Rindsgulasch (right). 

After a detour down the Danube, I met some friends for lunch before my flight home. They took me to Cafe Prueckel, which expertly presents the ritual of traditional Tafelspitz, or boiled beef (top left). Before I caught a train to the airport, I took one last look at the outdoor and indoor wonders of the city, strolling along the paths of the Stadtpark (top right) and straining my neck at the Museum of Applied Arts, which reminded me in construction and collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (bottom). It was a last -- and lasting -- reminder that Vienna is a true place of beauty, even behind the surfaces of its edifices.