Crescent Egg Sandwich for Dinner

I had to miss my classes today because I woke up with a fever. However, it allowed my to sleep about thirteen hours, stay in bed all day, and read an entire book! My suitemates were all very kind in asking how I was doing and taking notes for me in class.

Unscheduled Meals and Acustic Guitar

Today was another lazy, sweat-pants Sunday. I had homework to accomplish, but I got to sleep in, I watched the season premier of one of my favorite shows, and I got to relax with my suite-mates. Sometimes these days are just what I need!

3000 Good Things: A Dream Come True!

Amalia in Salzburg!

We got our target heart rates charted first thing in the morning yesterday. We had planned to leave the apartment at 5:20, but didn't leave until 5:30, and had to wait a while for the first tram. So when we got off the underground at the Westbahnhof, we booked it! It probably would have been quite the site: five girls running through a mostly empty station just before 6 am on a Saturday, but thankfully we made it with a couple minutes to spare. What a relief!

The five of us had our own cubicle on the train, so we were able to shut the door, turn off the lights, and spread out a little bit to rest. I listened to music, and got to watch the sunrise over the fields, with scattered fog burning off. Being a nature girl, it was nice to see fields and trees and cows!

We arrived in Salzburg a little before 9:00 and made our way to the meeting point for our "Sound of Music" tour! Our guide, a middle-aged American man, was a hoot. He was full of terrible puns and jokes, he sang along to the sound track, and he acted out different parts of the movie to illustrate what we were going to see next. We couldn't stop laughing! 

Our first stop on the tour was the lake that the children and Maria are canoeing in when The Captain and Baroness Shraeder get home. Here is a photo of me in front of the lake (which is home to several swans and ducks!) 

Next we went to the Gazebo that was built for the famous "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" number. It has actually been relocated because of the large number of tourists that want to see it. 

It is now located on the Hellbrunn palace grounds, which has a lovely garden, with tall flowers, perfect for hiding behind. :)

We then reloaded the bus and drove out to the beautiful lake district near Salzburg, meanwhile listening to, and of course singing along with, the "Sound of Music" soundtrack! Unfortunately the overcast and fog did not burn off in Salzburg yesterday, so we did not see any mountains or hills (a reason - among others - to return!), but it was still a gorgeous drive through the country and past the drinking water quality, freezing temperature lakes. The next destination on our tour was Mondsee, where the church that was used for the filming of the wedding is located. The population is just over 3,000 (half the size of my beloved Hood River), and the culture of the town reflects that. Women wear dirndl and men wear lederhosen, and the people are so friendly. We had a bit of free time in Mondsee, so we decided to go to a little cafe for an early-afternoon treat. 

Our timing was perfect when visiting the church. One wedding was just ending, and the next was starting to set up, so we had a little time to look around and listen to the brass choir warm up. The church is gorgeous and very recognizable from the movie. 

After our tour we visited the lovely Mirabell gardens where the majority of the "Do Re Mi" scene was filmed. I have no idea how many times I have seen the movie, probably about 75, so I know it pretty well. I could probably recite most of it, needless to say: it was a priority to essentially reenact that scene! So, I marched around the Pegasus fountain.

I ran through the hedge tunnel, then spun, skipped, and sang!

The gardens are absolutely beautiful. I was amazed by all the colorful flowers at this time of year. 

Salzburg has its own lock bridge. Isn't Pauline sweet? 

As all the girls I was with, including myself, are music majors, we had to see the house Mozart was born and grew up in. It is now a museum, which we chose to forgo this time. 

By this point it was 14:30 and I hadn't really eaten since 5:00, so we decided to find a lunch spot. On a side street in the old-town area we found a little hunting-lodge-esque traditional Austrian restaurant. After a while a group of women in dirndl came in, they starting singing some traditional songs at one point, and most other people in the restaurant started singing along. I decided to try their version of a squash ravioli. It was delicious, and I think it is the first time I have had a meal in this region of Europe with complex flavors, rather than just a comfort food quality. 

This church went through a refurbishment project that was just completed this year. I loved the all white interior. It was simple, and un-overwhelming to look at, because details blended into the background until I was ready to look at them. 

More churches can always be found around another corner. I like the ivy growing on this one. 

Pauline, Jenna, and I decided to walk around a little bit while the others sat on the church stoop. Salzburg is a wonderful town for exploring.

I even found my soul pickle!

What a fun group of girls with which to spend a relaxing day in Salzburg!

More Maria Moments: Splashing in the fountain during "Confidence."

The old-town square of Salzburg:

We ended the day on a hotel roof-top cafe with an excellent view of the old-town below. 

This day has been about 14 years in the making, and it did not disappoint. I could barely contain my excitement all day. I can't even explain how much fun and how memorable of a day it was. For any "Sound of Music" fan, it is a must. Salzburg is a wonderful city in its own right, as well. A city of about 150,000 people, it has a special charm, and the people are more friendly. The atmosphere feels very relaxed, which I'm sure is partially due to the fact that we were there on a Saturday. Wearing my dirndl also added to the magical-ity. 

Anticipation

The mornings are starting to get cooler here in Vienna, especially in the wind tunnel that is Liebhartsgasse, so it was especially hard to leave my heater perch this morning, but I put on my scarf and somehow we made it to class on time. German was a frustrating affair again, so I was glad for it to be over, and the start of the weekend!

Pauline, Jenna, and I decided to go to Mariahilferstraße, which has a lot of shops on it, to look around a bit. It was fun to explore a new area!

This evening Jenna made us crescent breakfast sandwiches for dinner! Yummy! And I am currently in the middle of watching 'The Sound of Music' with a few friends, eating chocolate, and getting excited about our trip tomorrow!

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good night!

26.9.13

1) Hot tea and chocolate

2) Afternoon nap

3) Hot shower

Twenty-Six is a Popular Number in Our Family

I tried to select a variety of photos to share from my 10 day trip. Enjoy!

Prague

This is the monastery that we saw the night of our first day in Prague. 

The next day we returned to the castle district, and below is a photo of my in the Cathedral within the castle grounds. It took about 600 years to complete, so there is a variety of architectural styles, although the decor is Baroque. 

Prague is famous for the defenestration of un-liked leaders. This is a photo out the window of the second, and most famous defenestration. Current presidential offices are all on the ground level with securely locked windows. 

My favorite area in the Prague Castle! This courtyard demonstrates architecture from Roman through 20th century neoclassical. 

This is a photo of my suitemate, Natalie, and myself, overlooking Prague. 

This beautiful garden was a formerly the garden of a private palace, but is now open to the public. This day was perfect for a stroll through the archways and passed the pond. 

And apparently it is common to have peacocks in Prague gardens!

A canal of the Vltava River. 

Old-town Square, Prague. 

Happy to be getting on the subway and going back to the hotel for the night. 

This is probably the best thing I ate the entire trip! 

The Prague Volksoper, built during the reign of Maria Therasia. Isn't it magnificent?

Krakow

"Eros Bandato, " by Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj, which apparently controversially found its home in the Market square. 

In the bell tour at the Krakow Castle Cathedral. Touch the bell while making a wish, and it is supposed to come true!

I loved this little bit of art on a side-street in Krakow. 

Here is the wall I described in my blog a couple days ago. It was built from the remnants of headstones that were destroyed in this Jewish grave yard when it was used as a dump during World War II. 

Lunch at a fun little restaurant in Krakow. We noticed that restaurant wait staff was very friendly in Krakow! 

The sun decided to come out for our second day in Krakow. Here is a photo of the Krakow Market Square and the clock tour in the background. 

This salt mine chapel is constructed entirely of salt, with some wood. Even the chandelier! Absolutely incredible.

I had to taste the salt!

Budapest

The view from the fortress on the Buda side of the river. What a gorgeous day!

Statue park by the art museum. 

In the ruins of a Roman Amphitheater. The amphitheater was built slightly outside of the city walls, to be used as protection in case of invasion. 

These ruins were the public baths in the civilian section of the ancient city. Unlike in Vienna, the city of Budapest hasn't gained much elevation in the past 1600 years, so these ruins are essentially at ground level. 

The wholes in this stone were for drainage. I was standing on a 1800 year old road. How crazy is that?

My first big-kid coffee had to be documented. An Americano, although the proportion of espresso to water was probably only 50:50. It was pretty good! (Especially with my sweet desserts to cut the bitterness!) 

Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days in Wien

I was SO grateful to be able to sleep in and relax this morning! I didn't have to worry about doing anything quickly. It was a morning just for me! (I am looking forward to having Wednesday mornings like this every week!) After laying in my cozy bed for a bit, wandering around the apartment, sitting on my favorite perch (aka the heater in the dining room), and making some English Breakfast Tea (my favorite!), I decided it was time for a topfengolatsche! But since it wasn't quite time to get dressed, I pulled a sweatshirt on over my PJs - which are a T-shirt and athletic shorts, so not too bad - put my hair in a bun, grabbed two euro, my key and my mug of tea, and went next door to buy my pastry. Hopefully I didn't offend any high fashion Viennese... :)

I proceeded to spend the morning relaxing and watching TV. I think my body is still trying to catch up from the trip, so the laziness was wonderful!

I had class today from 1:15-6:00. I have never had classes that go past about 3:30, so it is strange havig class until 6:00 three days a week, but I also have the benefit of having only German on Thursdays and Fridays, leaving most of those days free! Every semester schedule has it's ups and downs.

I am getting pretty excited about the material of my classes. It seems like they should all interrelate pretty well, which I always enjoy. I love when my brain is working on one common goal/subject from multiple perspectives!

I plan to have pictures for you tomorrow! But for tonight, Gute nacht.

Die Commutemusik

I'd be lying if I told you that I jump out of bed in the morning, ready for another day of class. Although I enjoy attending school, I would far prefer to stay in my comfortable bed, in my comfortable apartment, with hot tea and a good book, than start the commute to school in the morning, sometimes having to squeeze onto a crowded tram with other students and workers, or run to catch the tram last minute. However, I have discovered something that I think will help: Die Commutemusik (a word I invented, inspired by German compound words). I listened to 'Magic of Ireland' this morning, which helped me relax in the midst of the crowd. It also helps set the tone for the morning/day. At different times of the day I listen to different albums. I guess most people my age wouldn't find this idea so novel, but I have never been one to just listen to music, so it's fairly new to me!

Day two of class was interesting. It is always tiring to get into a new routine, but this time I also have to adjust to different teaching styles! We have a new German professor for the semester, and she did not speak a sentence in English the entire time! Ahh! I feel like I probably only understood about 1/3 of what she said. I will have to constantly pay attention to have any clue what is going on.

I was able to get a nap in today after work and before I had to be back at IES for my psychology class, which was much needed, and I am looking forward to having the morning off tomorrow!

That is all for now!

Der erste Tag der Klassen

And we're back! I feel a bit like I've been jolted back to reality. This afternoon I had three 1.5 hour classes in a row. Wowza! My lumbar is complaining! However, I don't think my classes will be too time consuming outside of the classroom, and the material/professors all seem really interesting. It will be nice to add some variety to my course list.

I also started working in the library at IES today. I work six hours a week. I think it will be a pretty quiet job (a chance to do the homework, hopefully!) although I did return and restock my first book today!

I am very glad to be back to a familiar transportation system, making my own food, sleeping in my bed, etc!

I'm hoping to get some photos up from the trip soon, but I'm still catching up on the resting/adjusting to class schedule. Stay well! Liebe Grüße!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

I am home, at it feels so good! I have always appreciated the relief of getting home after a long trip or vacation, and today is no different. It is odd to me that Vienna feels like home, though.

Yesterday we toured a bit more in Budapest. We got to spend a lot of time walking around the Roman ruins (Budapest was a Roman city, called Pannonia, from the first century AD through the end of the fourth century). It was crazy to walk through what used to be an amphitheater where people fought to the death, and a civilian bath house. It surprised me to find a lot of trash and broken glass in the amphitheater, and that there were no restrictions on where one can walk in the ruins. If those ruins had been in Prague or Vienna they would have been surrounded by fences or Plexiglas walls. I can imagine myself playing in the ruins of the bath when I was littler. That would have been great fun!

It was a nice day for the outdoors, so after our lunch on the Danube, we walked around the castle on the Buda side. From the castle wall there was another great view of the city below (and our cylindrical hotel). There seemed to be a little bit of a lack of respect for ancient architecture within the castle walls as well. For example, one of the buildings that was destroyed during bombings in World War II has been left in the exact state, and not refurbished.

Another thing odd about Budapest: After their independence from the Soviet Communists was gained, rather than destroying the Communist statues, as other cities did, the statues were collected and placed in a park. I'm not exactly sure why...Budapest puzzles me. Our tour guide mentioned that Hungarians like to laugh about their problems, and make things into jokes, so if they aren't laughing, things must be very bad. Perhaps this lighthearted culture is not one I can understand.

Tomorrow is the first day of our regular semester, and I am excited to begin! Gute nacht!

Tower of Babel

This morning we joined Dr. Szirmal, a Hungarian art historian of significant prestige, for some site seeing and a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts. From the Gellert Hill on the Buda side of the Danube river, an old fortress, we were able to get a great panoramic view of the city, and learned some history of the country. It was a beautiful morning for this, and we took the opportunity to take a group photo. 

At the museum, built in the Baroque style (this was mandated since the funding was provided by the Hapsburg empire) I saw some original Da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Raphael. 

We had the afternoon free, but my energy level was in the red, and I wasn't feeling well/could barely keep up with our elderly tour guide, therefore I opted to come back to the hotel, after stopping off at a Spar for hummus, bread, carrots, and an ice tea, had my meal, watched some BBC, and took a long nap! I woke up completely disoriented, but feeling much more rested. I then showered, and am now watching BBC again. This group trip has taken a lot of energy for an introvert, so it has been nice to be alone for the past several hours!

A note on the hotel: 

First of all, our hotel is hideous from the outside. It's a gross baby blue/grey cylindrical, 20 story building. The furnishing is equally aesthetic: ply-wood desks and tables, and a gross grey fabric for the bed covers, curtains, and chair upholstery. It could certainly use an update! Worse still is the lack of wifi in the rooms! We have to be in the lobby to use the Internet, which is a pain. And there are only two elevators that seem to have minds of their own. 

Regardless, the hotel is full, and languages are abundant! I feel like I'm at the Tower of Babel because every group/couple of people seem to speak a different language! I've heard Spanish, French, German, Italian, Hungarian, English, and Chinese at least! Plus other languages I can't detect. I don't know what language to use to say thank you or please, so I just bow and smile, which seems to work. 

I think tonight will be an early night for me. I hope to be able to keep up with the site seeing tomorrow! 

Ants and Buses

Today we left Krakow and drove through Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to Budapest! Normally I am great at long drives, but today I was glad for our frequent stops. I was so antsy! No position felt comfortable, no music or audio book suited me, I didn't feel like chatting it up, I just wanted off that bus! Eventually we watched a German rom-com, which I enjoyed and helped me through. After getting to Budapest, we had dinner at a sports club (random? - the wrestling championships are in Budapest this weekend, so apparently restaurants were a bit hard to come by). It was a buffet (yay!) so I didn't have to feel terrible about not eating very much of my serving. 

It is now just after nine o'clock, and I am tempted to go to sleep already! I don't know how I can be so tired from sitting on a bus all day, but it is what it is. 

Gute nacht from Budapest! 

More of Krakow

Today was set aside as a free day in Krakow. There are a lot of museums, shopping opportunities, and other churches/historical sites to visit. This morning a group of five girls went to the Schindler's Factory museum in the area of town that used to be the Jewish Ghetto. If you aren't familiar with the book/movie, Oskar Schindler ran a textiles factory that employed Jews. He was instrumental in saving the lives of many Jews by employing more than necessary, and doing everything in his power, including sacrificing everything he and his wife owned, to prevent the deportation of his workers. The museum was just opened in 2010, and walks visitors through years 1939-1945 in Krakow, specifically. The main focus is not on the factory itself, but attention is given to how the factory was influential in the city. I learned today that Poland had just celebrated its 25th year since its declaration of independence the month before Germany unexpectedly invaded. (No declaration of war was made.) In the museum I didn't want to leave the between-wars section. Krakow, and all of Poland was so optimistic going into the 1940s. The country was growing in population and economic stability. People were happy! The Jewish population of 25% was well integrated into society. Obviously, things began to change quickly. I won't give a history lesson, although the museum did a great job of moving through the years with a multi-sensuous technique. It was interactive, and the colors, lighting, sounds, etc, established an appropriate mood in each section. We could have spent a lot more time in the museum, but had planned to meet for lunch back in the old town. 

After lunch we took a bus out to nearby Wieliczka to see the 700 year old (and still in use) salt mines. That was an adventure in its own right! Krakow has mini buses that are more like large mini vans or shuttles, that barely stop when letting passengers on and off and the bus driver didn't speak English. However, there was a friendly Polish women on the bus that was very helpful. When we got to the proper stop, it was unclear where we were supposed to be, but we found the ticket kiosk and purchased our tickets just in time to join the 3:30 English tour. 

I am so glad we visits the mines! The underground architecture, machinery, and salt carvings were incredible. We started by going down 360 stairs (which I thought might take the whole 2 hours) and emerged 64 meters underground. Over the course of the tour, we continued going down to a depth of 135 meters, which is only the third of nine levels deep! In fact, on our tour today, we saw only 1% of the mines! One of the main attractions of the mines, and my favorite part, was the chapel. Entirely made of salt carvings, the chapel was huge and decorated with chandeliers and artwork. It was very beautiful! Apparently it is used for mass every Sunday. How would you like to go to church 110 meters underground every Sunday?! 

Tomorrow we depart Krakow (noo! I could spend so many more days here!) and drive to Budapest! But now, I sleep. 

Heavy History

I described my initial love for Krakow last night; the large, open square, quaintness, and how safe it feels, however, Poland, and particularly Krakow, has a very recent devastating history.

This morning we had a tour of the old town, castle, and Jewish quarter. We were able to climb up the clock tour to see a rain and cloud obstructed view of the city below. We visited a cemetery and a synagogue that had been used as a dump during World War II. Most of the headstones before that time were destroyed, so when the cemetery was restored to its rightful use, the broken headstones were used to make a memorial wall.

The morning tour and the persistent rain/cold temperature (10* C) set the mood for our afternoon. Today I visited the Auschwitz Concentration camp. I don't really know how to describe my experience there. I felt angry, confused, a little scared, but mostly extremely sad. I just don't understand how a person can lead so many people to do such horrible, horrible deeds. I just don't get it. Auschwitz 1 was not destroyed during the Nazi retreat, and has been kept in its original exterior form, while the insides of certain structures are used to display photos, examples of living quarters, and belongings of the people that were brought to the camp. The aspects that were the most heartbreaking to me were the pictures of the children clinging to their mothers and waiting to be sorted into the productive and unproductive, (about 75% of the people brought to Auschwitz were sent directly to the gas chambers), the tiny baby clothes and shoes from innocent, perfect children that were never given a chance at life, and the huge mound of hair (only a small fraction - the hair of 50,000 people) that is on display.

Auschwitz 2, also known as Birkenau, was a labor camp for men, situated about 3 kilometers from Auschwitz 1, and about 20 times the size. Unlike Auschwitz 1, Birkenau was partially destroyed by fires set by the Nazis during their retreat in January 1945. The four gas chambers are among the destroyed buildings. However, the general outline of the camp is still observable, and a couple buildings are currently used to display the living situation. The camp was built on the site of a destroyed village, and built from the rubble and remains of the village homes by the camp laborers. When materials were exhausted, horse stables in Germany were deconstructed and transported to Birkenau to be rebuilt as living quarters. Stables that had previously been used for 55 horses were transformed into housing for over 400 men.

The statistics and tragic stories go on and on, and I'm sure I will need to continue to tell them as I process what I saw today. Being a sensitive and empathetic person made this an extremely emotional and challenging day. The tragedies that took place in the concentration camp are more real and apparent to me than ever before, yet I don't think it will ever be possible to truly understand what happened and what the victims went through.

The night ended at a traditional Jewish restaurant, with a private concert by a violin, double-bass, accordion trio. The music was beautiful, emotional, and creative. It felt like an approriate ending to the day.

And with that, I say good night, and I am so grateful for all of my friends and family. I love you all!

Already in Love

We departed Prague this morning, and began our nine hour bus drive to Krakow, Poland. Certainly, we could have shaved 3 hours off the trip if we hadn't stopped, and having been trained by my parents on all those trips to Medford, that is the travel method I far prefer! However, we had to allow our bus driver breaks, so we stopped four times along the way, and made a day of the thing. They showed a couple movies on the bus - I saw Space Jam for the first time - and I read, slept, ate my lunch, stared out the window at the scenery, etc. Thanks to my earplugs and an empty seat beside me, the trip wasn't so bad.

When we arrived in Krakow we were given our room keys, maps, and city guides, and a few hints about the city. Dinner tonight was the first meal we were in charge of on our own. I went with a group of five other people in the direction of the old city. After walking around the main square a bit, we realized it would be better to use out guides to find a recommended restaurant. We ended up going to a restaurant just outside the old city that served traditional Polish food, and was extremely inexpensive, but with great service (not very common in this part of Europe) and a fantastic atmosphere. I really loved it! The decor was awesome! Pretty soon, three other IES groups arrived. I had a cabbage wrap with rice and mushrooms, and a mushroom sauce, as well as sweet cottage cheese Pirogi (Polish dumplings). It was way too much food, so I shared the Pirogi with my table, then with another IES group that was waiting for their food. Even so, with tip and a beverage, my meal was less than $8. 

After dinner we meandered back to the old city an wandered around the large square in the center, where we found ice cream! A perfect dessert! 

I don't know exactly what it is about Krakow, perhaps it's that fact that the layout feels more straight forward than Prague, or perhaps because there are a lot less people, but I instantly felt a connection to this city, and so much more comfortable. It feels less like a city, and more like an over-sized village. I'm already in love with this city, and ready to learn more about the history tomorrow!

For now, good night. 

Die Volksoper

Today was a roller coaster of emotions! We started our day and tour in the Jewish Quarter of Prague, and learned about their history. The first Jews to settle in Prague were from southern Spain, and other parts of the Mediterranean, escaping persecution. The varying governing forces in Prague, and their history includes a lot, had different views of the way to treat the Jewish population. For a time, hundreds of years ago, they were forced to wear yellow hats, both to distinguish themselves and to be humiliated, and were only allowed out of the ghettos for certain hours if the day. One king discovered that the Jewish people had higher than average incomes, so he taxed them more, impoverishing the community. It was also an extremely crowded section of the city; naturally over-population caused a lot of sickness. The space was so limited, that the cemetery  has 10 to 12 layers, as they had no choice but to keep building up. Even being that the current roads are far higher than the ground level about a millennium ago, the cemetery has created a hill about 15 feet higher than the current road in some places. About 90,000 people are estimated to be buried in the cemetery. 

One of the Hapsburg rulers, Franz Josef, had a lot of interest in social reform, and instituted religious freedom, so the ghettos were finally destroyed. However, the Jewish population continued to struggle against unfair treatment. During World War II, about two-thirds of the Jewish people in Prague were killed in concentration camps. Many of the synagogues and other monuments in the Jewish quarter of Prague were also destroyed during the war. 

After that aspect of the tour this morning, people were clearly exhausted and a bit more serious. The rest of the morning tour was lighter and involved more walking through historical and current highlights. After lunch, which concluded with a delicious chocolate cake, I decided to use my free time back at the hotel. I needed a little down-time!

This evening, and our stay in Prague was concluded with my first Opera! It was 'The Bartered Bride,' a modern Czech comedic opera. I really enjoyed it! The set was intriguing, and the story was sweet (similar to 'The Fiddler on the Roof'). I'm glad my first opera was of the comedic variety! 

Walking through Prague

Today was a very full day! We went non-stop from breakfast at eight through about 11:45 pm! Such a long day, with many exciting things to report, yet tomorrow will be another full day, and I don't want to get to bed too much later than I already am! I'll do my best to give the reader's digest version!

This morning we had a guided walking tour (with headsets!) of the Prague Castle. It took over 1000 years to be completed, so the architecture varies from Roman through Classicism. In one particular courtyard, almost every style is represented. It is pretty incredible! There is a very large Cathedral on the grounds, that is the 7th largest gothic cathedral in Europe, about 120 meters in length. The cathedrals in this region are pretty interesting, because they are gothic structures, but the gothic artwork and designs were destroyed at the beginning of the 30 Years War when the Protestants looted the cathedrals. When the counter reformation occurred, the cathedrals were redecorated, but in the baroque style. So the cathedral is a gothic structure with baroque ornamentation. (Sorry, no pictures this week, it's too difficult on my phone!)

After lunch we had more sight-seeing in the older part of the city, including a viewing of the astronomical clock. We walked through a garden in a palace that takes the space of 15 other palaces. The palace is now used for the seat of the upper senate, and the gardens seem to be for public use. Today there was a music festival and a lot of free food.

After dinner we went on a river tour, and saw the city from another view. Overall, a very good day!

I hope everyone is healthy and happy. Love!

We Eat Like Prague

I'm done with my German final, and am in Prague! (New city, different currency, different language!) Wow! What a crazy long day it has been. We left Vienna around one, then drove to the Czech Republic, stopping for a couple pit stops. We also had to deal with a decent amount of traffic/construction. After arriving in Prague and quickly checking in at the hotel, we had a traditional dinner at a nearby restaurant, well, at least the meat eaters did. I had some extremely buttery sauteed mushrooms with a cold, over-poached egg on top, and four deep fried chunks of cheek pea or potato or starch something? Not really sure... It definitely wasn't my favorite meal, but still, an experience.

After dinner we drove up to the monastery and Prague Castle, then did a little walking tour down the hill. This city is so beautiful, and since it's built on a hill, you can see a lot of it from the top.

More tomorrow after a more extensive tour and sight seeing! For now, sleep!

Stairs and Stares

Today was a near repeat of yesterday, so I won't bore you with the description, but rather comment on the Austrian Stairs and Stares.

Many of the buildings in Vienna are very old (obviously). For example, the palace that IES uses has two huge doors at the entrance, and a walkway wide enough to drive a horse drawn-carriage through the entryway, and into the courtyard, then to the stables in the back. There are other aspects of the building that indicate its age, such as the bathrooms that are just closets built in hallways with a toilet inside, because the palace did not originally have plumbing. Being that we climb a lot of stairs in the morning to get to our German classroom, I have spent a lot of time thinking about them. The stairs are considerably shorter than the standard stair height in the US (and this has been noticeable throughout older buildings in the city). I hypothesize that this is because women had to wear huge dresses that disabled them from taking large steps. Another thing about the stairs: there are a lot more of them! The ceilings are very high, which creates a humbling effect, but that means more stairs, and when I still want to be in bed in the morning, climbing them is a feat! About 100 every morning! Sometimes it helps to sing "Climb Every Mountain" whilst making the trek. 

To discuss the homophone: Austrians stare. Although I find this an awkward custom, I rather appreciate it. I always wanted to stare at people that I found intriguing, and now I can! Sometimes I'll end up having a staring contest with someone on the tram or someone that I'm passing on the sidewalk. It feels like a game. 

Well, it is far later than I wish, and there is still studying to do for my German final tomorrow! I am SO looking forward to getting it done! Gute Nacht!

Study Study Study Study Study

Well, the title says it all... Or at least most of it. I had been hoping to get out and adventure to a new part of the city today, and although the whether did not prohibit such activity, I did not sleep well last night. So after German I could think of nothing else but to go home, make lunch, unwind with an episode of Gilmore Girls, and take a nap! So that I did. I definitely needed the down time.

After my rest I started studying. I've been feeling unprepared, and like my brain hasn't absorbed enough information, so today I made a bunch of online flash cards and practice, practice, practiced! Quizlet is the bomb! Although studying is tiring and not the most exhilarating, I feel much better after having spent several hours on vocab! Hopefully class tomorrow will help solidify and clarify what is expected of us on the exam. It is crazy how much material we have covered in three weeks! I'm hoping the Alton Brown over-night French toast method (allowing a lot of time for the bread to properly absorb the egg batter) also applies to brains and language material!

I am very much looking forward to the end of the marathon of the next day and a half, and the start of our week-long break! Gute nacht, everyone.

Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding, and Other Important Food Discoveries

I'm certain you all will think the only thing I do is eat, from reading my blog! I am very passionate about food, so the food moments certainly stick out of my day as high points.

This morning our German class started the day in the Naschmarkt. Our class was divided into groups of two or three, and instructed to buy different types of items from the vendors. My group purchased falafel, (Yum yum!) which is abundant in the Naschmarkt, and hummus. Other groups got fruits, veggies, breads and pastries, meats, cheeses, and juices. We all then reconvened in our classroom and had a little feast, with plenty of food to go around (and around again!). My favorite item was the topfengolatsche, which is a crescent like pastry with a creamy, cheese-like filling. So fantastic! It was also fun to socialize with my German class, and have our professor explain to us different Austrian dishes and popular foods.

As I am in charge of all my own meals, I've been trying to accumulate a list of fairly quick and easy dinners that vary. I decided to buy some gnocchi at the Spar a few days ago, and today I prepared a warm salad with arugula-like lettuce, roasted butternut squash, and gnocchi, tossed together with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It was so good! A nice variety of flavor with the sweet from the squash and nutty-ness of the lettuce, and it matched the weather this evening nicely. It was a meal I would happily repeat!

This evening our RA expressed her surprise that none if us had ever heard of self-saucing chocolate pudding. She is from New Zealand, and expected it was a typical American dish. She told us all we were missing out, and made it for our dessert. I can't really liken it to anything I've had before. It was similar to a molten lava cake, except that the cake is baked in a 9x13 glass dish, and the lava bit is a different texture. Almost like what we would call chocolate pudding, but hot and runny! Anyhow, it was chocolatey and gooey, and hot! How could you go wrong? Especially served a la mode! Mm mm! My tummy is going to bed happy tonight!

Tomorrow I hope to explore a bit, if the weather permits! Gute nacht!

Short and Swedish

The early mornings continue, and the weather is getting cooler. (Yay sweaters!) Today started our first day of the last week of the German intensive. Modal verbs anybody? I'm happy to have checked my second German exam off the list, and I think it went pretty well! I also got to register for my regular semester classes, and although the anticipation overwhelms how exciting that moment actually was, it's nice to be done, and have my schedule settled.

I guess that is all for today. Stay well, everyone!

A Weekend In

This weekend my body decided to be sick again! I don't remember giving it permission to do so, but I guess I needed the rest, because I slept several hours Friday, Saturday and today during the day, as well as at least 9-10 hours every night. I feel a bit better tonight though, and do have some highlights from the weekend to share. Let's make them all about food, hmm?

1) Saturday for lunch one of my suite-mates made fried rice. She had never made it before, but certainly had eaten it a lot! She was so excited and nervous (that it wouldn't turn out). It was pretty cute to watch! Of course it was delicious, and we all devoured it up. Yum yum! Hopefully she'll whip out some other Korean dishes this semester.

2) One of my favorite and usual snacks has been apple sauce with cinnamon, raisins, and honey. (Honey is one of my favorite food groups! I try to include it in my meals everyday!!) The great thing about this snack is that it is perfect for any time of day, and healthy, right? The apple sauce here is also very cheap, about 70 cents for a jar (less than one American dollar) so I guess if I run out of money from buying pastries and exploring Eastern Europe, I'll always have my apple sauce. : )

3) Saving the best for last! This morning my usual yogurt breakfast didn't sound exciting enough, so I decided to make my favorite breakfast food: french toast. I cut thick slices of my bread from the Turkish bakery next door, and soaked the two pieces in two eggs and cinnamon. Thus, the french toast was very moist and egg-y (my favorite!!). I topped it with a thin layer of powdered sugar and finely diced fruit, then drizzled honey over the whole thing. And, because I don't think taunting you with the description of my breakfast was mean enough...I'll share this picture with you!