Today we did something out of character: we went to a museum. Museum Hundertwasser is not just an attraction for the art and ideas of Friedensreich Hundertwasser as the spectacular building may be the main draw. Kunst House Wien (where the museum is housed) is a former furniture factory that FH remodeled and completely transformed. The building is unmistakable, with a variety of quirky features, including pillars that look like candy sticks, reflective tiling, uneven floors, and an overall incongruous flair that makes it quite visually interesting. FH believed that blocky modern architecture is a visual nightmare and that design concepts should be more aligned with nature, which can be summed up by his quote "The straight line is godless".
Our favourite part of the museum was the temporary exhibition by the photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, whom neither of us had encountered prior to today. His candid photographs, shot almost entirely in black and white, provide a visual slice of life that really manages to set you in the moment. HCB called that "the decisive moment", when everything aligned and the photo could be shot. In fact, he was so concerned about the aesthetic of his photography that he refused to let his images be cropped for printing. Very cool! He also seemed to have a knack for timing, as he was in India during the assassination of Ghandi and was the first western photographer allowed behind the Iron Curtain following the death of Stalin.
We finished our day strolling around Rathaus Park, which is where the main Christkindl Markt is located. The Christmas markets are extensive in Vienna, however they are much more commercialized than we had imagined. But at least we were able to confirm that Santa Clause can indeed levitate, which must be the first step in teaching his reindeer how to fly.