Vienna Blog

I’m back! And I had a great time!

Vienna was an awesome city- beautiful at all times of the day- PACKED with more art than you can see in three days (we barely skimmed the surface!), and full of amazing history and information!
The Hapsburgs knew how to party, let me tell you! They had all KINDS of palaces- summer homes, winter homes, regular homes- awesome! Lots of silver and pretty china, great clothes, and furniture of course- not to mention some heavenly gardens! I learned a lot about Franz Joseph and Elizabeth, or “Sisi”- interesting people. Interesting country!
The art was already amazing! Klimt, Schiele, Kokoshka, and a really great temporary exhibition of our country man’s work- William Eggleston (whom I REALLY enjoyed!). Plus mix in some Monet, Van Gogh, Rubens, Titian (which was great- a whole room for my Venetian boy!), Degas- on and on! Oh yeah, and Picasso- don’t tell anyone, but I’m really not a fan. I think I am coming to appreciate him, but I’m not a fan in most cases. So yeah. AND I got to see so many things that I learned about last semester- I took a class called “A Return To Vienna In 1900”- it was basically every cultural aspect going on in Vienna at that time (since it was basically the intellectual and creative capital of the world then...) and it was SO awesome! Then to get to go and SEE all the stuff I learned about! AMAZING! Go to my photo album to learn a bit and see some fun pictures!
I have to say that the food was enticing- NO pasta in sight, except in the cheesy italian restaurants- but you best believe I was not a frequenter there! When I received my first plate at lunch last Friday that was piled high with meat, potatoes, and dark, dense, moist (oh boy!) bread, I KNEW I was going to like Vienna! Oh- and I did!
I got to see the Spanish Riding School (located in Vienna... hmmm.. actually, lovely white stallions- LOVE HORSES! I’ve concluded I MUST ride again! It has been SO long! And to remember that feeling- of cantering, of galloping, of jumping with horses- amazing!), and I went to my first Opera at the Vienna State Opera house- I did it right with standing room only the first time- so that means I’ll really appreciate that center box when I get there!
All in all it was a great trip- even the overnight train was really not bad! Though the blankets were a little sketchy, if you can get yourself away from thinking about how many people’s hair is on it, and focus on the fact that yes, your sheets ARE clean, you took them out of the plastic yourself, you might just get some shut eye!
I’m sorry this was kind of a weak entry on Vienna, but there is so much ELSE going on that I don't’ want to think back when I’ve got all this stuff swimming around in my head NOW!
Hopefully more tomorrow! Ciao for now! OH- and I can HIGHLY recommend Vienna to any traveler!