Vienna Days 2 and 3

I couldn't write yesterday because I baked my brains. BUT I went to Melk and it was awesome. So incredibly Awesome. Even if Peter cowered behind my brain the entire time. On the train there I saw this thing and though 'oh there's a kangaroo!' and then I realised that's ridiculous before realising it was, in fact, a haystack... But you know...a marsupial-like one...

I wandered in the Melk woods (yes, I was OUTSIDE) and then I visited the town before heading back, writing Peter-story in my head the entire way. I started a backstory scene, but as I baked my brain, I only got through two paragraphs. How did I bake my brain?

I went to Schoenbrunn on a whim (I am going inside tomorrow) because the train happened to stop at Huetteldorf station which I happen to known is also an U-Bahn station because I had to depart for class there every day for three months in 2001. So I got off the train there instead of where I got on, and took the U-Bahn to the palace. I used to park myself there several times a week to read, so it was purely for nostalgia value. HOWEVER since it was hot out (it was only 26, but I'm a wuss) and I decided to climb the gloriette and I had only slept for like 3 hours the night before AND I couldn't breathe (stupid asthma) once I got to the top I decided I cared for nothing. Absolutely nothing. So I came back to the hotel and slept. For TWELVE HOURS. It was awesome. Ah, vacation.

Today I went inside Stephansdom because I LOVE IT and it is the most impressive place ever. It's just SO BIG. I think you could fit my entire high school in there with room to spare. You can't get a proper photo because it's just too tall and too huge.

This sexy guy dressed at Mozart offered me his umbrella and I thought 'oh, he's a ticket-seller but he's being sweet' Then he was like 'pretty girls like you shouldn't be in the rain' and I giggled and thought 'Ah, he's not going to try to sell me any-' "Would you like to buy a ticket for a concert! It's not raining in the imperial palace!" Stupid ticket seller. What about our covetous glance-love!? *sigh* And by the time I decided maybe that would be cool, I couldn't find any of the Mozart impersonators to buy a ticket from. Oh well. I'm going to the Hofburg tomorrow at any rate :D

Stephansdom is amazing and I went in the Catacombs like last time. The bones are gross, as are the pots containing the guts of the emperors. Though I did make a funny when the guy asked if anyone knew what they were and I said, "They're for the insides of the people who keep taking pictures". Seriously, you're in a CRYPT and the tour guide said no photos 12 times. Have some respect.

I went up in the north tower and holy shizzle, it's terrifying! The elevator opens up onto this see-through grid and you have to walk up see-through stairs to get to the top. SO SCARY!!! And then you're just on this cement thing which was meant to continue to be build on, and there's a halfhearted fence around it. *shudders* But the view was awesome.

Then I went to Belvedere, which is a castle but also an art gallery. No photos were allowed, but I saw Gustav Klimt's The Kiss. Incredible. And a painting of Der Erlkoenig as well as several of Caspar David Friedrich's paintings. I love him and he loves boats.

Tonight I think I will head to the prater if the rain keeps away! No photos though, as it's a carnival-place. Or perhaps a cafe! Tomorrow is my Habsburg day (*SQUEALS*) and I PROMISE I will try not to make tomorrow's entry a history lesson... But omgHabsburgsomgomg.

New Vienna photos start HERE and Melk photos are here

Vienna Days 2 and 3

I couldn't write yesterday because I baked my brains. BUT I went to Melk and it was awesome. So incredibly Awesome. Even if Peter cowered behind my brain the entire time. On the train there I saw this thing and though 'oh there's a kangaroo!' and then I realised that's ridiculous before realising it was, in fact, a haystack... But you know...a marsupial-like one...

I wandered in the Melk woods (yes, I was OUTSIDE) and then I visited the town before heading back, writing Peter-story in my head the entire way. I started a backstory scene, but as I baked my brain, I only got through two paragraphs. How did I bake my brain?

I went to Schoenbrunn on a whim (I am going inside tomorrow) because the train happened to stop at Huetteldorf station which I happen to known is also an U-Bahn station because I had to depart for class there every day for three months in 2001. So I got off the train there instead of where I got on, and took the U-Bahn to the palace. I used to park myself there several times a week to read, so it was purely for nostalgia value. HOWEVER since it was hot out (it was only 26, but I'm a wuss) and I decided to climb the gloriette and I had only slept for like 3 hours the night before AND I couldn't breathe (stupid asthma) once I got to the top I decided I cared for nothing. Absolutely nothing. So I came back to the hotel and slept. For TWELVE HOURS. It was awesome. Ah, vacation.

Today I went inside Stephansdom because I LOVE IT and it is the most impressive place ever. It's just SO BIG. I think you could fit my entire high school in there with room to spare. You can't get a proper photo because it's just too tall and too huge.

This sexy guy dressed at Mozart offered me his umbrella and I thought 'oh, he's a ticket-seller but he's being sweet' Then he was like 'pretty girls like you shouldn't be in the rain' and I giggled and thought 'Ah, he's not going to try to sell me any-' "Would you like to buy a ticket for a concert! It's not raining in the imperial palace!" Stupid ticket seller. What about our covetous glance-love!? *sigh* And by the time I decided maybe that would be cool, I couldn't find any of the Mozart impersonators to buy a ticket from. Oh well. I'm going to the Hofburg tomorrow at any rate :D

Stephansdom is amazing and I went in the Catacombs like last time. The bones are gross, as are the pots containing the guts of the emperors. Though I did make a funny when the guy asked if anyone knew what they were and I said, "They're for the insides of the people who keep taking pictures". Seriously, you're in a CRYPT and the tour guide said no photos 12 times. Have some respect.

I went up in the north tower and holy shizzle, it's terrifying! The elevator opens up onto this see-through grid and you have to walk up see-through stairs to get to the top. SO SCARY!!! And then you're just on this cement thing which was meant to continue to be build on, and there's a halfhearted fence around it. *shudders* But the view was awesome.

Then I went to Belvedere, which is a castle but also an art gallery. No photos were allowed, but I saw Gustav Klimt's The Kiss. Incredible. And a painting of Der Erlkoenig as well as several of Caspar David Friedrich's paintings. I love him and he loves boats.

Tonight I think I will head to the prater if the rain keeps away! No photos though, as it's a carnival-place. Or perhaps a cafe! Tomorrow is my Habsburg day (*SQUEALS*) and I PROMISE I will try not to make tomorrow's entry a history lesson... But omgHabsburgsomgomg.

New Vienna photos start HERE and Melk photos are here

Vienna Day 3 Continued...

I went to the Prater and realised I'm an old woman. All the rides looked TERRIFYING and the ones that didn't required me to leave my bag behind. And I was like "forget that, it's my bag! It has my inhalers in it!" So I wish I'd brought my camera after all because these rides were full on (really, look!). Slingshot things and...man. Nothing half-arsed like Luna Park!! So I went on the Riesenrad (big wheel) ala Orson Wells (by the way, if you haven't seen The Third Man and you like film noir, you don't know what you're missing!). Apparently today is 'face my fear of heights' day. I was scared the entire time but I totally did it. Go me. Then I sat outside Stephansdom and had a coffee.

See? Old lady. I watched younguns walk by and sipped. Mmmm.

I remember once someone told me not to walk in the Prater at night, but it was fine. Like most of Vienna, it felt safe. Vienna has to be the safest I have ever felt getting around on my own at night, with the exception of Karlsplatz. And that remains true, and now even during the day it's iffy. There was a fight when I was there this afternoon (with knives, the big dummies), but the police were there in seconds because they have a HUGE station about every 5 meters or so. I gave it a miss tonight. It's easy enough to avoid. The dealers all go there and the cops mostly leave them alone (when they're not fighting) because then they're in one area and not expanding out into the city. But I have no need to be there, certainly! It used to be where I switched U-Bahn lines every day (U4 to U2 Karlsplatz to Schottentor!) but that was at 8 am!

Anyway...I'm old, and now I'm back in my hotel and itching to actually write something YAY!

Vienna Day 3 Continued...

I went to the Prater and realised I'm an old woman. All the rides looked TERRIFYING and the ones that didn't required me to leave my bag behind. And I was like "forget that, it's my bag! It has my inhalers in it!" So I wish I'd brought my camera after all because these rides were full on (really, look!). Slingshot things and...man. Nothing half-arsed like Luna Park!! So I went on the Riesenrad (big wheel) ala Orson Wells (by the way, if you haven't seen The Third Man and you like film noir, you don't know what you're missing!). Apparently today is 'face my fear of heights' day. I was scared the entire time but I totally did it. Go me. Then I sat outside Stephansdom and had a coffee.

See? Old lady. I watched younguns walk by and sipped. Mmmm.

I remember once someone told me not to walk in the Prater at night, but it was fine. Like most of Vienna, it felt safe. Vienna has to be the safest I have ever felt getting around on my own at night, with the exception of Karlsplatz. And that remains true, and now even during the day it's iffy. There was a fight when I was there this afternoon (with knives, the big dummies), but the police were there in seconds because they have a HUGE station about every 5 meters or so. I gave it a miss tonight. It's easy enough to avoid. The dealers all go there and the cops mostly leave them alone (when they're not fighting) because then they're in one area and not expanding out into the city. But I have no need to be there, certainly! It used to be where I switched U-Bahn lines every day (U4 to U2 Karlsplatz to Schottentor!) but that was at 8 am!

Anyway...I'm old, and now I'm back in my hotel and itching to actually write something YAY!