Vienna and The Kiss

Vienna is a city of art, culture and refinement. In addition to being the home to Mozart and a plethora of museums it is also home to the less well-known histories of the “poke a nun” and “beach a bitch.”
Don’t ask.
Okay, well if you must know, Mark narrated a tour of some of the lesser known tourist spots of Vienna for me. A tour not many are lucky enough to experience. No one else in fact I’m sure.
We had major problem during our days in Vienna. It was sweltering. Temperatures of 40+ (that’s 100+ back in the States) and humid. Sticky, sweaty, I don’t care if we do or see anything even if we are in Vienna hot. Fortunately one of the things on my list for Vienna was a certain museum which I figured would be air conditioned and out of the sun. I’ve actually had very few lists during the past months of being away. I am usually (as anyone who has ever lived with me can attest to) a devoted list maker. I make to do lists, shopping lists, what I’ve worn for the past month list (a certain Jane Kim Gauger would want to be sure I included the what I’ve worn list, in any list I make about lists). But I am a relaxed enough traveler that I don’t feel the need to make lists while on the road. Besides I don’t have enough clothes in the backpack to warrant a list of what I’ve worn over the past month.
But, in Vienna as we struggled to get motivated to even leave the hostel, I came up with a list of one item for Vienna.
“The Kiss.”
Photographic reproductions of Gustav Klimt’s most famous painting don’t really do the piece justice. I suppose that’s probably true of a lot of art. Seeing the real thing gives you a real sense of why it is widely considered a masterpiece. For “The Kiss” the pleasure of the real thing lies in the color. Klimt painted with real gold and silver that not only shimmers and shines in person but gives an almost 3-D quality to the piece.
We sat on a bench in the gallery for a good 20 minutes just looking at the painting and soaking up its beauty.
Artistic bliss.
And the bench was right by the air conditioning vent. I’ve never loved a painting more.