Hello from Austria!

I just paid to go on the computer, but I thought the machine could give change, and it can't, which means I just bought 80 minutes of internet. And I thought the machine would be on the left, but it was on the right, so I bought internet on a computer that can't go on facebook, which is annoying. And it has an Austrain keyboard, which I have never used before, so that is strange: But it means you get an update!

Anyways...

I did end up going to dinner in Prague with my roommates. We went to a restaurant/pub near our hostel that the guy who worked there recommended. It was good and everyone else there was speaking Czech, which makes it feel legitimate, but it was also rather smoky since the Czech Republic doesn't have the same non-smoking laws.

I had chili goulash and potato pancakes and the other two girls shared chili goulash, a jumbo fried cheese thing (basically a ginormous mozzerella stick) and a pickled sausage. And that was pretty tasty, except the picked sausage, which looked disgusting.

The next morning I took the train to Vienna (leaving at 10:23, arriving at 2:28...but then actually being 15 minutes late). I read and listened to music on the train, and it was relaxing and uneventful. Which is good.

My hostel in Vienna is less than two blocks from the train station, which is great! Except my train came into the other station. Figures. So I figured out the subway system and got to the other train station, and then walked less than two blocks to my hostel. I like this hostel too, it is one of the huge ones that have tons of people and seem very professional.

I checked in, dropped off my stuff, and headed back out. It is about a 20 minute walk from my hostel to the main part of town, but it is straight all the way down a busy shopping street, so it is an interesting walk. Once I got to the main town I took a Rick Steve's walking tour, and saw the Opera building, St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Hapsburg royalty crypt, and some more of the main shopping streets.

Then at six o'clock I decided to go to the Opera! I went inside and figured out how to buy a ticket and then bought a 4 euro standing room ticket and on the main floor and then went to find a spot. They have banisters showing where to stand and then each spot has a little electronic screen that translates the words into English! And I wasn't expecting them to have that, so I was excited that I was going to be able to understand it!

The opera was Don Carlos, and it was kind of an Oedipus story. Here is the summary: Carlos says he is in love with his mother, and it's not fair that his father beat him to her. His father is the King of Spain, by the way. And his father is being mean to the Flanders region of his kingdom and not respecting their rights and Carlos and his friend/father's confidant (Rodrigo) don't think that is very nice. Then Carlos tells his mom she loves him, and she says 'Well, then you best kill your father and take me to the altar!'. And then the father finds out that his son is being a jerk, so he puts him in jail. And he kind of wants to kill him but doesn't know if it is the right thing to do, as a Christian. So he asks the priest who says 'Sure! God sacrificed his son!' And then Rodrigo tries to help Carlos, and he gets killed. And then the King wants to kill Carlos, but the opera ends before you are entirely confident if he is going to or not. But I enjoyed it, and the singing was impressive. And my feet were tired.

During intermission I got to explore the Opera house, which is normally only open for guided tours. And I went up the main stairs and then followed the people who were dressed up the fanciest until I got to some of the cool and ornamental hallways. The opera house overall wasn't as fancy as the one in Paris, but it was still pretty and I felt very cultured for going to the Opera.

Afterwards I went to the Sacher Hotel behind the opera and had a piece of famous Sacher Tort, which is chocolate cake. And it was tasty. I was feeling very fancy, and I almost paid to have tea with my cake, but I couldn't bring myself to spend 5 euros on tea, so I didn't.

Facebook does too work on this computer. Why would they put a lie on the sign? Dumb.

After my cake it was like 11:30, so I walked back to my hostel feeling very sophisticated. And then the other 3 people in my room were asleep, so I took a shower, set up my bed in the dark, and went to bed.

This morning I woke up and walked back to the center of town, buying a cinnamon roll on the way (breakfast at this hostel costs $3.50). I went to the Kuntshistoriches Museum, which had Rennaissance art, mostly. It wasn't my favorite kind of art, but the museum itself was very well put-together and had lots of English descriptions of paintings, so I enjoyed myself and was there for awhile. The building itself was also very ornately decorated and cool, which always enhances the experience.

Then I ate a cheese sandwich at the museum cafe. But really it was like nut-encrusted bread with 3 pieces of fancy cheese on top. And half an olive. Open-faced. So that was not what I was expecting, but it was good.

Next I went to the Hapsburg Palace Imperial Apartments and the museum about Empress Elizabeth. I hurried through the silver and porcelin collection because expensive or not, nobody really enjoys looking at forks and pitchers. Then I went to the Empress Elizabeth exhibit, which talked about the depressed wife of Franz Joseph who was assassinated and then everybody decided she was great and made her into a hero. And that museum was quite interesting. And then I went to the Imperial apartments, which were cool. They weren't as ornate as Versailles or Fontainebleu, but the audio guide was interesting and I enjoyed my tour.

Also, it is weird how at this point I always have something to compare to. I've been in a lot of churches, museums, crypts, and palaces in the past two months, and is weird having criteria and standards for fancy things like that.

After that tour I needed a break from museums, so I wandered a few blocks until I found the Weiner Christmas market (haha, oh boy), which was huge. And I bought a waffle with banana and chocolate, which was very tasty. They don't seem to have any healthy food in Vienna... I wandered that market a bit for a break, and then headed back to the Hapsburg Palace for a tour of the treasury.

Two tour groups came into the Treasury right after me, and they were talking super loud in German with cell phones ringing and all sorts of annoyances like that. So I had to reroute myself a bit to get away from them, but the treasury was pretty cool. Some of the jewels in different crowns and picture frames and mirrors and such were so big that they just looked like colored rocks kids always want to buy at souvenir shops. And there was lots of gold and silver and fancy robes for a king.

After that I wandered a bit more, which was enjoyable. I was considering going to a Music museum, but I decided I didn't want to go to another museum today, so I might go tomorrow. I bought a hot dog at a Christmas market and then wandered a bit more, and eventually came back to the hostel.

So far I like Vienna a lot! It is a lot like Paris in terms of its fancy buildings and classy atmosphere. I keep forgetting I am in Austria and not Germany, since everyone speaks German, but it does seem more relaxed and friendly than Berlin, while also seeming a bit classier. So, so far so good!

Tonight I'm going to wander the areas I haven't visited yet, and will probably go see a big Ferris wheel, more Christmas markets, and the music museum. And possibly another museum, but I'm not sure yet! And then it's off to Salzburg! But things are wrapping off quickly, so I don't have much time left!

Thanks for your comments! They make me feel loved :)