The weekend was absolutely packed to the minute with activities but also absolutely fantastic.
Because we did SO much I'm just going to list everything, and then go back and add details.
I have John Mayer pulsing through my headphones and my cappuccino by my side--LEGGO.
Thursday:
- Tram around the Ring Strausse/Walking tour of the city
- Highlight: St. Stephan's Cathedral
- Hapsburg cemetery
- Turkish Bakery
- Summer night concert at Schonbrun Palace
Friday:
- Musical Instruments Exhibit at the Fine Arts Museum
- Lunch at the Market
- Tour of the Vienna State Opera
- Seeing "Die Rheingold"
- Hostel bar
Saturday:
- Belvedere Palace
- Lunch at Turkish restaurant
- Coffeehouse
- Photos in the garden
- Winery
- Ferris Wheel
Sunday:
- Vienna Boys Choir
- Apfelstrudel at the royal bakery
- Seeing dancing in the square
- Tour of Schonbrun Palace
We arrived in quite a rainy Vienna, and luckily I had already donned by trench and rainboots, and packed my umbrella. Who knew rain gear was such a must in the summer in Austira, as it is in Gainesville?
Despite the precipitation I could tell that Vienna was a beautiful city. I am not much of a city girl, so the fact that I loved it so much from the beginning was actually surprising to me. Here are a few photos from the tour:
My favorite part was by far St. Stephan's cathedral. We have been to many beautiful cathedrals and churches since the first one on our walking tour of Munich, including the amazing Salzburg Cathedral, but something about St. Stephan's literally took my breath away.
Maybe it was the gothic architecture, or maybe it was the string quartet playing classical music on the "stage" (altar). Maybe it was the quiet refuge from the storm outside, or maybe it was the mere presence of the Lord in His house. Whatever it was, it was powerful, and I had to consciously focus on taking air into my lungs and silently releasing it back into the holy space.
Technically before we even started the walking tour we went to the Imperial Crypt where the Hapsburg family members are buried. The Hapsburgs were rulers in Vienna for many years and...that's about all the history I can tell you. MUSIC nerd here ;)
Nevertheless, the caskets were truly beautiful:
Nevertheless, the caskets were truly beautiful:
We learned more about Franz Joseph when we toured Schönbrun Palace a few days later...But here he lies:
People still bring flowers to his grave.
After the walking tour we made our way back to our hostel, WOMBAT!! (We stayed at a Wombat in Munich too, they're so cheap and include breakfast and have a bar...they're fantastic).
It was soon time to grab a bite to eat and then head to the Sommernachtskonzert (yes, there really are German words as long as English sentences), which just means Summer night's concert. It is a tradition for the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to play at Schönbrun Palace. There are seats close to the stage for the elite but it is free for the public! There are also a limited amount of seats for those who show up early. My advisor Mutlu goes early every year, and since it was rather chilly and rainy this year, we were definitely hoping and praying to be able to sit down. Mutlu is Turkish, and brought us to a Turkish bakery that she likes. We all tried feta pastries (which were delicious) and on a whim a bought baklava, which later changed my life.
Seriously. This baklava was probably the best thing I have ever tasted. I wish I had a picture but that wouldn't necessarily look appetizing to most people so...Just take my word for.
We scored seats and then had to sit and wait for roughly...3 hours. I had no idea what I was going to do with myself for that long amount of time but before I knew it I was having hilarious conversations with a couple of classmates and the time was flying by. Before the concert started we took a bathroom break and got hot chocolate and I split the largest pretzel I have ever laid eyes on. It was tasty.
I was absolutely exhausted by the time the orchestra began playing, but the music was undeniably beautiful. They played Strauss, Berlioz, and Lizst. Before long, the featured soloist Lang Lang came out and played his piano concerto, immediately followed by Rondo alla Turca by Mozart (I love that piece!).
Lang Lang was my favorite part of the evening--his playing was incredibly emotional. I have always struggled with getting caught up in getting the music right--it is only when I write my own songs that I indulge in emotional playing and singing. But Lang Lang was emotional in his performance through and through. This is what touches people, especially those who don't know to listen for the rondo form or analyze his piano technique. I have to remember that music is inherently emotional, as much as it is inherently vibrations in the air.
I wish I had photos of this event, but since it was raining I did not bring my camera or phone. I'll have to steal some of my friend's photos on Facebook and put them on here at some point. :)
The next morning we rose early and excitedly to have our first full day in Vienna. We by going to the Fine Arts Museum, where we were given a tour of the musical instruments exhibit. I feel that this part of the trip was not given enough hype at all, so here is my attempt to compensate--
THIS. MUSEUM. HAS PIANOS THAT BEETHOVEN AND SCHUBERT PLAYED ON. THE BENCH THAT CLARA AND ROBERT SCHUMANN SAT AT TOGETHER, COMPOSING, EDITING, SINGING, PLAYING..I SAW IT!!!
*Swoon.*
Hopefully that did it for ya. It truly amazed me.
Our tour guide had a great sense of humor and was able to play all these instruments that he told us about...he started with different recorders and ended with the bagpipe. I took so many photos. Here we go...
We grabbed lunch at the market--I went for a grilled chicken sandwich and split a strawberry cake with Hannah--and then met back up at the Opera house for a tour! This place was so freakin' gorgeous I really just need to show the pictures. But you should know that they put on a different show every single night. Different singers, costumes, and sets. These productions are so expensive that the government has to heavily subsidize them!
As if our day wasn't packed enough, there was still one more tour on our agenda. We met back up with everyone (we missed the EU kids who met with an Ambassador while the music students checked out the opera house), and got a tour of the United Nations. There we talked about nuclear weapons and some other things I don't remember because I was so tired. We did see a conference room which I thought was rather fantastic! They talked about interpreters which interested me because both my grandmother and uncle are Spanish interpreters!
As soon as we were released from the UN, a group of us sprinted back to the subway station to get back to the Opera House. We ran to the line for standing room, and then waited. And waited. And took pictures. And snacked on some gross salami jerky. And waited some more. And got scared that we weren't going to get tickets. And waited some more.
And then the line moved!! And we slowly but surely got inside and got tickets. We were slightly confused because the tickets had assignments which told us to go to the top floor. So we did. Konrad had told us that everyone brings a scarf to mark their place, then leaves and doesn't return until the show started. What he didn't tell us was that people used one scarf to save 2-3 standing spaces. We frantically looked around and settled for the second to highest row. I was immediately extremely disappointed. During the tour earlier that day the guide mentioned that in the worst seats in the house the acoustic was still wonderful, but only half the stage can be seen. From where I was standing, I had an incredible view of the orchestra pit, but could only see stage left. Depressed, I left to use the restroom and find some food before the show started.
My friend Kayla and I decided to round out our experience by buying some overly priced food (really we were just starving). I got a tuna salad open-faced sandwich and a tiny little chocolate cake. Both were delicious and were able to tide me over for a few hours.
We got back up to the top floor and had to check our coats. Then I took a few photos and anxiously awaited for the show to start while the orchestra warmed up.
The show was enjoyable, but standing was more painful than I had anticipated, especially after a full day of walking and standing. Nevertheless, we all pushed through and had a good time. The only thing that was open to satiate our hunger was the classic, all-American MICKEY D'S! Yay.
I ordered a huge cheeseburger and ate happily, discussing what we could make of the plot and things we liked and disliked about the performance.
You'd think after this long day that we were all ready to pass out face-down on our hostel beds (and we were), BUT we decided to go check out what was happening at the bar downstairs. It had been weeks since all of us got to hang out like we did in Munich, since we all live with different host families that are spread out across town. We got drinks and danced to old favorites (even put in a song request for "Yeah" by Usher). I really needed to burn off all the calories I consumed at McDonalds! ;) It was a great end to a great day.
Again, we got up early on Saturday, but this time on our own accord. It was our free day in Vienna, and we had a lot in mind to do! We started the day at Belvedere Palace, which is the perfect combination of a beautiful palace and fantastic art museum. We took photos, took our time going through the museum, and then it was off to the city center for lunch!
We sat down at a Turkish restaurant that Hannah had been to the night before, and ordered "kabob", which are delicious lamb medallions. It was served with rice, lettuce, and a fabulous sauce. Then, since we couldn't possibly be done eating quite yet, we hit up the coffeehouse that our tour guide had recommended, and all ordered coffee and pastries.
After we were all stuffed beyond comprehension, we roamed the city, doing shopping and brief photoshoots along the way. The gardens were so huge and just breathtaking, with views of all of the important, tall buildings surrounding us.
My feet were aching because I chose the worst shoe imaginable for our busy day, so I was grateful when it was time to go home and change. We briefly rested then got dressed up for the winery.
After two trains and a bus ride we arrived at an adorable town that reminded me so much of Germany. We entered into the winery and were immediately glad that we decided to check it out. However...it was not AT ALL what we were expecting.
We soon realized that hardly no one in the entire place spoke any English. Our waitress brought us two containers of the house wine, one red and one white, and never came back to us. We sat there trying to decide what to order and then waiting for her to return for at least twenty minutes. Finally we called her over and she explained that where we were sitting was not served by the waitstaff--we had to go to the buffet. A couple of us went over to check it out, and there are no words to describe how confused we were...one of us grabbed a tray only to be abruptly reprimanded in German.
Photos to come with all of these stories :)
Eventually we were all happy with our delicious food and wine. We went back to the hostel for those who were tired, stopped by the bar to say hello to those who were spending the evening there, and then went to the city ferris wheel. It was a few Euros and a nice view. Hannah and Kayla took it to the next level by going on a grippy-looking indoor roller coaster...I opted out and enjoyed the horror stories afterwards, lol.
The next morning I woke up more exhausted than ever before, but powered through and packed and got ready to go see the Vienna Boys Choir. We grabbed a quick breakfast, and then met Allison, who affectionately refers to herself as "Mom" (because she is actually old enough to be our mom, haha), downstairs in the lobby. We dropped off our luggage in the storage room and were off!
Vienna was empty and quiet on a Sunday morning, as well as sunny and just gorgeous. After riding the subway, the walk to the church was lovely. We waited for a while in a beautiful garden outside of the church, then decided to buy cheap tickets so that we wouldn't have to stand. (Standing at one performance that weekend was more than enough for most of us..)
The venue was absolutely gorgeous--full of white and gold like the Mozarteum recital halls. Of course we took a few photos...
(Photos to come).
I enjoyed the performance so much, more than the opera two nights before, and the orchestra concert the night before that. I never knew how much choir was "my thing" until I was there, swooning over the angelic blend of sweet voices. Before they started the Mass, they openly rehearsed. When we went to the water closet (restroom), the rehearsal space was only a few feet from us...When I realized this I "fan-girled" pretty hard.
After the Mass finished the Boys Choir did a special performance at the altar. I took a video (of course).
Our ears were delighted so of course, it was time to entertain our tastebuds again. Another place on our Vienna bucket list was the "royal pastry shop". I chose a classic apfelstrudel and was not disappointed.
Before long it was time to meet everyone back at the hostel, but before getting on the subway, we happened to come across a huge group of people folk dancing! There were trained dancers in traditional dirndls and lederhousen, and one dance leader (with whom I identified with after singing a song called "Hans und Grethe" by Mahler). I took photos and a video because it was just so charming. I wish I had the guts and the time to jump in there and dance with an elderly Viennese man in lederhousen. That would have been quite the memory.
We met at the hostel to go to Schonbrun Palace, the same place we saw the Vienna Philharmonic on our first night. At this point the adrenaline and caffeine were wearing off and I was starting to crash.. We rode the subway to the palace, took lots of photos, and then took an audio-guided tour through the museum. It was beautifully decorated/preserved, and the information coming from my headset was quite interesting. After the tour, I was really crashing, but we simply had to take photos with this gorgeous trellis adorned with red roses, especially since they are a symbol of Hannah and I's fraternity, Sigma Alpha Iota...
(Photos to come).
Our trip ended here and my beyond sleep self was quite grateful to head back to the hostel, grab a bite, and board the train back "home" to Salzburg. Our first test in music history (which just happened to be the midterm), was the next day, so I tried to study as much as I could. Inevitably, I ended up napping (especially after nibbling on the AMAZING Turkish baklava that I packed).. I also indulged in numerous laughing fits with Hannah.
And that's all folks. That was Vienna.
Tschus!
Princess Samantha
People still bring flowers to his grave.
After the walking tour we made our way back to our hostel, WOMBAT!! (We stayed at a Wombat in Munich too, they're so cheap and include breakfast and have a bar...they're fantastic).
It was soon time to grab a bite to eat and then head to the Sommernachtskonzert (yes, there really are German words as long as English sentences), which just means Summer night's concert. It is a tradition for the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to play at Schönbrun Palace. There are seats close to the stage for the elite but it is free for the public! There are also a limited amount of seats for those who show up early. My advisor Mutlu goes early every year, and since it was rather chilly and rainy this year, we were definitely hoping and praying to be able to sit down. Mutlu is Turkish, and brought us to a Turkish bakery that she likes. We all tried feta pastries (which were delicious) and on a whim a bought baklava, which later changed my life.
Seriously. This baklava was probably the best thing I have ever tasted. I wish I had a picture but that wouldn't necessarily look appetizing to most people so...Just take my word for.
We scored seats and then had to sit and wait for roughly...3 hours. I had no idea what I was going to do with myself for that long amount of time but before I knew it I was having hilarious conversations with a couple of classmates and the time was flying by. Before the concert started we took a bathroom break and got hot chocolate and I split the largest pretzel I have ever laid eyes on. It was tasty.
I was absolutely exhausted by the time the orchestra began playing, but the music was undeniably beautiful. They played Strauss, Berlioz, and Lizst. Before long, the featured soloist Lang Lang came out and played his piano concerto, immediately followed by Rondo alla Turca by Mozart (I love that piece!).
Lang Lang was my favorite part of the evening--his playing was incredibly emotional. I have always struggled with getting caught up in getting the music right--it is only when I write my own songs that I indulge in emotional playing and singing. But Lang Lang was emotional in his performance through and through. This is what touches people, especially those who don't know to listen for the rondo form or analyze his piano technique. I have to remember that music is inherently emotional, as much as it is inherently vibrations in the air.
I wish I had photos of this event, but since it was raining I did not bring my camera or phone. I'll have to steal some of my friend's photos on Facebook and put them on here at some point. :)
The next morning we rose early and excitedly to have our first full day in Vienna. We by going to the Fine Arts Museum, where we were given a tour of the musical instruments exhibit. I feel that this part of the trip was not given enough hype at all, so here is my attempt to compensate--
THIS. MUSEUM. HAS PIANOS THAT BEETHOVEN AND SCHUBERT PLAYED ON. THE BENCH THAT CLARA AND ROBERT SCHUMANN SAT AT TOGETHER, COMPOSING, EDITING, SINGING, PLAYING..I SAW IT!!!
*Swoon.*
Hopefully that did it for ya. It truly amazed me.
Our tour guide had a great sense of humor and was able to play all these instruments that he told us about...he started with different recorders and ended with the bagpipe. I took so many photos. Here we go...
We grabbed lunch at the market--I went for a grilled chicken sandwich and split a strawberry cake with Hannah--and then met back up at the Opera house for a tour! This place was so freakin' gorgeous I really just need to show the pictures. But you should know that they put on a different show every single night. Different singers, costumes, and sets. These productions are so expensive that the government has to heavily subsidize them!
As if our day wasn't packed enough, there was still one more tour on our agenda. We met back up with everyone (we missed the EU kids who met with an Ambassador while the music students checked out the opera house), and got a tour of the United Nations. There we talked about nuclear weapons and some other things I don't remember because I was so tired. We did see a conference room which I thought was rather fantastic! They talked about interpreters which interested me because both my grandmother and uncle are Spanish interpreters!
As soon as we were released from the UN, a group of us sprinted back to the subway station to get back to the Opera House. We ran to the line for standing room, and then waited. And waited. And took pictures. And snacked on some gross salami jerky. And waited some more. And got scared that we weren't going to get tickets. And waited some more.
And then the line moved!! And we slowly but surely got inside and got tickets. We were slightly confused because the tickets had assignments which told us to go to the top floor. So we did. Konrad had told us that everyone brings a scarf to mark their place, then leaves and doesn't return until the show started. What he didn't tell us was that people used one scarf to save 2-3 standing spaces. We frantically looked around and settled for the second to highest row. I was immediately extremely disappointed. During the tour earlier that day the guide mentioned that in the worst seats in the house the acoustic was still wonderful, but only half the stage can be seen. From where I was standing, I had an incredible view of the orchestra pit, but could only see stage left. Depressed, I left to use the restroom and find some food before the show started.
My friend Kayla and I decided to round out our experience by buying some overly priced food (really we were just starving). I got a tuna salad open-faced sandwich and a tiny little chocolate cake. Both were delicious and were able to tide me over for a few hours.
We got back up to the top floor and had to check our coats. Then I took a few photos and anxiously awaited for the show to start while the orchestra warmed up.
The show was enjoyable, but standing was more painful than I had anticipated, especially after a full day of walking and standing. Nevertheless, we all pushed through and had a good time. The only thing that was open to satiate our hunger was the classic, all-American MICKEY D'S! Yay.
I ordered a huge cheeseburger and ate happily, discussing what we could make of the plot and things we liked and disliked about the performance.
You'd think after this long day that we were all ready to pass out face-down on our hostel beds (and we were), BUT we decided to go check out what was happening at the bar downstairs. It had been weeks since all of us got to hang out like we did in Munich, since we all live with different host families that are spread out across town. We got drinks and danced to old favorites (even put in a song request for "Yeah" by Usher). I really needed to burn off all the calories I consumed at McDonalds! ;) It was a great end to a great day.
Again, we got up early on Saturday, but this time on our own accord. It was our free day in Vienna, and we had a lot in mind to do! We started the day at Belvedere Palace, which is the perfect combination of a beautiful palace and fantastic art museum. We took photos, took our time going through the museum, and then it was off to the city center for lunch!
We sat down at a Turkish restaurant that Hannah had been to the night before, and ordered "kabob", which are delicious lamb medallions. It was served with rice, lettuce, and a fabulous sauce. Then, since we couldn't possibly be done eating quite yet, we hit up the coffeehouse that our tour guide had recommended, and all ordered coffee and pastries.
After we were all stuffed beyond comprehension, we roamed the city, doing shopping and brief photoshoots along the way. The gardens were so huge and just breathtaking, with views of all of the important, tall buildings surrounding us.
My feet were aching because I chose the worst shoe imaginable for our busy day, so I was grateful when it was time to go home and change. We briefly rested then got dressed up for the winery.
After two trains and a bus ride we arrived at an adorable town that reminded me so much of Germany. We entered into the winery and were immediately glad that we decided to check it out. However...it was not AT ALL what we were expecting.
We soon realized that hardly no one in the entire place spoke any English. Our waitress brought us two containers of the house wine, one red and one white, and never came back to us. We sat there trying to decide what to order and then waiting for her to return for at least twenty minutes. Finally we called her over and she explained that where we were sitting was not served by the waitstaff--we had to go to the buffet. A couple of us went over to check it out, and there are no words to describe how confused we were...one of us grabbed a tray only to be abruptly reprimanded in German.
Photos to come with all of these stories :)
Eventually we were all happy with our delicious food and wine. We went back to the hostel for those who were tired, stopped by the bar to say hello to those who were spending the evening there, and then went to the city ferris wheel. It was a few Euros and a nice view. Hannah and Kayla took it to the next level by going on a grippy-looking indoor roller coaster...I opted out and enjoyed the horror stories afterwards, lol.
The next morning I woke up more exhausted than ever before, but powered through and packed and got ready to go see the Vienna Boys Choir. We grabbed a quick breakfast, and then met Allison, who affectionately refers to herself as "Mom" (because she is actually old enough to be our mom, haha), downstairs in the lobby. We dropped off our luggage in the storage room and were off!
Vienna was empty and quiet on a Sunday morning, as well as sunny and just gorgeous. After riding the subway, the walk to the church was lovely. We waited for a while in a beautiful garden outside of the church, then decided to buy cheap tickets so that we wouldn't have to stand. (Standing at one performance that weekend was more than enough for most of us..)
The venue was absolutely gorgeous--full of white and gold like the Mozarteum recital halls. Of course we took a few photos...
(Photos to come).
I enjoyed the performance so much, more than the opera two nights before, and the orchestra concert the night before that. I never knew how much choir was "my thing" until I was there, swooning over the angelic blend of sweet voices. Before they started the Mass, they openly rehearsed. When we went to the water closet (restroom), the rehearsal space was only a few feet from us...When I realized this I "fan-girled" pretty hard.
After the Mass finished the Boys Choir did a special performance at the altar. I took a video (of course).
Our ears were delighted so of course, it was time to entertain our tastebuds again. Another place on our Vienna bucket list was the "royal pastry shop". I chose a classic apfelstrudel and was not disappointed.
Before long it was time to meet everyone back at the hostel, but before getting on the subway, we happened to come across a huge group of people folk dancing! There were trained dancers in traditional dirndls and lederhousen, and one dance leader (with whom I identified with after singing a song called "Hans und Grethe" by Mahler). I took photos and a video because it was just so charming. I wish I had the guts and the time to jump in there and dance with an elderly Viennese man in lederhousen. That would have been quite the memory.
We met at the hostel to go to Schonbrun Palace, the same place we saw the Vienna Philharmonic on our first night. At this point the adrenaline and caffeine were wearing off and I was starting to crash.. We rode the subway to the palace, took lots of photos, and then took an audio-guided tour through the museum. It was beautifully decorated/preserved, and the information coming from my headset was quite interesting. After the tour, I was really crashing, but we simply had to take photos with this gorgeous trellis adorned with red roses, especially since they are a symbol of Hannah and I's fraternity, Sigma Alpha Iota...
(Photos to come).
Our trip ended here and my beyond sleep self was quite grateful to head back to the hostel, grab a bite, and board the train back "home" to Salzburg. Our first test in music history (which just happened to be the midterm), was the next day, so I tried to study as much as I could. Inevitably, I ended up napping (especially after nibbling on the AMAZING Turkish baklava that I packed).. I also indulged in numerous laughing fits with Hannah.
And that's all folks. That was Vienna.
Tschus!
Princess Samantha
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