Kunsthistorisches Museum and More

I am starting to get in the groove of things here in Wien. Riding the tram is pretty natural, I feel like I know how to behave in public without sticking out too much, and I am beginning to feel comfortable in the city. I was worried before coming abroad that living in a city of 1.8 million people would be overwhelming and give me anxiety, but that hasn't been the case. Vienna is said to be the most livable city and is also the safest city of its size. Still, coming from a hometown of 7,000 and a college town of 30,000, I still had to learn to be cognoscenti of my surroundings. However, in the short time that I have been here, I have acquired a sense of my surroundings from observation, and I feel confident that I know how to keep safe. Therefore, I am now more willing to wander on my own during the day without any anxiety. This is a new and fun experience for me! 

Today was a day of history! I love history - especially when it is presented in a narrative way so that I can imagine real people and dialogues - although I don't necessarily remember the hard facts/details. This afternoon we went on a guided tour of the Art History Museum, which is in the Museumsplatz (an area with a variety of museums). Our tour guide, Dr. Benesch, is a well established art historian in today's art history circle, and her father was probably the most renowned art historian in the last 200 years. She is so knowledgeable! We looked primarily at mid-seventeenth century paintings. Her talks focused mainly on the aspect of light in the paintings, and how the use of light differed drastically between three Italian cities (Florence, Venice, and Rome) even during the same era. I had no idea how much detail and information I was missing! Not to mention how large some of the paintings are! Many wouldn't fit on a wall in an average sized home. The building itself, built in the late 19th century to house the imperial art collection, is an architectural masterpiece. The doorways are twice my height, and the ceilings arch to the height of gymnasiums, with intricate moldings and details. Dr. Benesch emphasized the educational experience that was intended when visiting the museum, however, as an older Viennese woman, she did not hesitate to instruct us on how to walk and stand and appreciate the museum properly. After leaving, my roommate remarked, "We will be so cultured after this semester in Vienna!" 

After the tour I was feeling pretty tired, so I decided to get outside for a walk and fresh air! I am continuing to explore the inner city when I have the chance, so today I decided to walk to the Hochstralbrunnen (Jet Fountain) which was built in 1873 to commemorate the completion of the first water-line from the southern Austrian Alps into Vienna. No pumps included - this is considered the best city water in the world. I'm getting used to it, but Hood River water is way better! True to its name, the fountain is magnificent and huge and mists out at least 20 feet. Apparently at night it is colorfully illuminated! Directly behind the fountain is a large Russian Monument. After World War II, Vienna, like Berlin, was a divided city. Russia was the last country to leave, and built this huge monument strategically by one of the most important monuments to the Viennese people. Oh, those Russians... According to contract, if the city were to allow the monument to fall into disrepair, Russia could re-invade Vienna, taking over the city! 

Here is a photo of the fountain and monument:

And another picture from my walk. I love how much greenery there is in the city, and how clean it is!

Ich liebe dich und ich vermisse dich - I love you and I miss you.