Wiener Weinwandertag: Sneak Preview

Once a year, in the fall, Vienna's 700 hectares of private vineyards (230 in all!) open their gates and let us roam further than we usually trespass on our morning outings.  All of the heurigen will be open, as well, offering hungry wanderers small plates of food, truly local wines, and amazing views. And the weather is forecast to be rather cooperative, too!

Fret not if you will not be in the area this weekend. Clayton Theodore and I did a little sneak previewing of our planned family outing on Sunday for you! Our first challenge this morning was to not be konk-ed on the head by falling horse chestnuts.  They are everywhere and many of them are large, like 2 inches in diameter large. I cringe when I hear the chestnuts hitting cars that are parked beneath the trees. Rather unfortunately, too, they are inedible. Oh, the jars of marron paste I had envisioned...

Signs! I'm sure the city of Vienna would not want to lose a happy wanderer. 

We got an early start.

This is a time when I wish that the Internet had Aroma-Vision.  With harvesting getting underway, there are mounds of aromatic, very aromatic, fermenting grapes and grape stems waiting to be mulched back into the Earth. On some of the warmer mornings recently I am convinced a contact buzz is a definite possibility.

A few of the celebrities awaiting those who venture high enough.

We decided to follow a path that we've never taken before (probably because we rarely take the paved paths.)  There were lots of staircases that did not seem to go anywhere.

Plus a delightful architectural feature.

Haha. For the wanderer who has had a little too much sturm.

Our two-hour Wien Weinwandertag brought us up to a heurigen with beautifully clear skies and an equally beautiful view of the snow-capped (!) western range of the Alps. Just the respite we need before heading back to the house.  Happy wandering to you, wherever you may go this weekend!