1. I've been on two field trips with my Professional Seminar class so far. On the first trip we visited the UN center and met with people from UNIDO and the IAEA. On the second trip we visited the OSCE and even got to sit in on a Permanent Council meeting. Suh-WEET!
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| Ready to knock 'em dead in business chic. |
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| Where the Permanent Council of the OSCE meets. |
2. I've visited Schönbrunn, the imperial Habsburg palace.
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| Yes, that is a picture taken by yours truly! |
The palace was beautiful, but I was a little disappointed by how overpriced and overly touristy it was. Still, I recommend at least taking a tour of the inside of the palace and walking around the gardens.
3. I've recovered from a gross cold. Coughing, sneezing, the works. No pictures of that, though....
4. I've taken a tour of the Spanish Riding School and I saw the Lippizaner horses doing their morning exercise!
5. I've partaken in the consumption of many authentic Viennese dishes. For example:
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| Schweinsbraten mit Sauerkraut und Semmelknödel (Roast pork with sauerkraut and a bread dumpling) |
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| It's one of Friedrich's favorites. |
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| Roter Sturm (it's basically Austrian sangria) |
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| Freshly baked bread (from a food and wine festival near the Hofburg; they only sold local products) |
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| Melange (a favorite Viennese coffee drink: espresso with foamed milk) |
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| Kaffee Maria Theresia at Cafe Gloriette at Schönbrunn (coffee with orange liqueur and lots of whipped cream; a favorite of the late empress and unbelievably good) |
And last but not least.....
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| Authentic Sacher Torte from Cafe Sacher! (a decadent chocolate cake with apricots and fresh whipped cream) |
Not to mention the various local Austrian beers and, of course, Wiener Schnitzel from the local Wiener Schnitz'l Land (good hangover food, in case you were curious).
6. I've visited the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) and I saw beautiful works by:
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| Bruegel |
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| Rembrandt |
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| Vermeer |
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| Altdorfer |
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| Holbein |
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| Dürer |
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| van Valckenborch <3 |
I have a feeling I'll be revisiting that particular museum sometime in the near future....
7. I've learned a few things about Vienna that I'd like to share with you. They include:
-Vienna is absolutely gorgeous, and my third choice of European city in which I'd like to live (after London and Munich, respectively).
-The public transportation here is AWESOME (except from about 1-5 Monday morning, when there is none - and yes, I did find that out the hard way).
-Everyone here has a dog. EVERYONE. As if I didn't miss my sweet puppy enough already, I have to be reminded of her absence regularly :(
-Vienna is a totally walkable city. I go downtown sometimes just to wander, see the sights, people watch, and get some exercise in.
-Vienna is different from Munich in that it caters more to an older crowd. In Munich, the general atmosphere was that of a much younger population - you had the Englischer Garten, Hofbräuhaus, Allianz Arena with Bayern Munich (soccer team), etc. Here you've got Habsburg palaces, the opera, etc. That's not to say it's necessarily less exciting, but it does have a slightly more serious air (and people aren't as warm and welcoming as in Munich). Hence, why I ranked Munich just above Vienna on my list.
-As I learned in Munich, the ice cream over here is SOOOOOO much better than in the States.
- I just might have to bring Mom here. I think she'd really like it - the architecture, the walkability, the parks, and the desserts :)
Alright alright, have I given you enough to keep you satisfied for at least another day or two?? I really don't think anything will happen in that time that will be worth noting, but you never know. However, I will be going to Prague this weekend, and you have my word that I WILL update you on that trip :)
Liebe Grüße,
~SB
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