Welcome to Vienna! Not Italy people, AUSTRIA!!! When I told people I went on a study abroad to Vienna in 2005, a great many of them replied, "How fun! I've always wanted to visit Italy!" I'm guessing they got Vienna mixed up with Venice. =)
This post is mainly about the pictures, so I won't write much except to describe what's going on, but, I do want to dedicate this post to my darling friend, Else Endecott. When you read this, Else, I hope it brings back many great memories! Enjoy.
Our adventure actually began in Bratislava, Slovakia. Steve was pretty excited to visit three countries in one day.
Apparently Santa doesn't come down the chimney in Austria - he prefers to enter through the window. Kinda hilarious.
I was really excited to be back in Vienna - I still consider it my second home, even more than I do Scotland, and I'll be living in the latter nearly three times longer.
Stefansdom! CLEAN Stefansdom! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it coming off of the Ubahn at Stefansplatz. There's still a lot to finish, but when I was there in 2005, the entire cathedral was completely black. It looks AMAZING now!
Weird things happen on Kärntner Straße - it's the main shopping street downtown
Best. Yogurt. Ever. It's not schnitzel that I crave, it's Landliebe yogurt.
Steve standing in front of the Albertina Museum in downtown Wien
This is my old school - 4 Operngasse. Apparently it's under renovation.
Staatsoper! The beautiful opera house in the heart of downtown. I miss the days when I could see some of the world's best opera for $5.00 - those were the days.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Opera Toilet. It's located in the subway station below the Staatsoper. I've never actually been in it, but I've heard Strauss's "Blue Danube" many times as I passed through this station on my way to school. Cracked me up every time.
We think this is what the men's room looks like on the inside - Steve snapped this picture of the billboard in the foyer of the opera toilet. Very.....colorful.
Joe Green! A favorite composer in the Irvine household. This is Vienna's version of Hollywood's Walk of Fame
Of the many fabulous museums in Vienna, Haus der Musik is definitely one of my faves. This is Steve enjoying sounds of the world. It's rather interactive, as you can see. =)
I really want to see someone pull off this hairdo, or perhaps I should say, coiffure. This is Mozart and his sister, Maria from the back - she was a musical prodigy as well.
This lady was a little freaked out by Steve's strange 21st century appearance and contraption
Unfortunately, we have come to the conclusion that Steve will never be the conductor for the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic. To understand why, please see the video below.
He may, however, end up playing the drums for some hot new up-and-coming UK band
A picture is worth a thousand words...we'll just leave it at that. =)
Pretty lights decorating the streets of the city
Entrance to the Kristkindlmarkt at the Rathaus - the biggest and best Christmas market in Vienna
Rathaus (city council building) decorated for the holidays - they turn it into one huge advent calendar
Steve's first experience tasting marzipan - he has decided it's an acquired taste. I agree.
Volksoper Wien! The people's opera. While we were here I insisted that Steve watch the quintessential Viennese opera - Die Fledermaus! And the good news - he really enjoyed it!
This is a terrible picture, but it's the only one that shows the LDS church I attended in Vienna. We spotted the sister missionaries in the subway station on our way to the meetinghouse - small world!
This is the Hundertwasserhaus. Way cool building - totally eclectic. Notice the "tree tenants" climbing out some of the windows.
This is one of the stalls at the Christmas market - pretty cool.
By far my very favorite place in Vienna - Schönbrunn Palace. This is a view of the Gloriette Tower behind the actual palace. The surrounding gardens are amazing - right up there with those at Versailles.
This person scared me. I was making a really weird face, and she caught me in the middle of it, which made us both start laughing really hard. More dangerous for her considering she was on stilts...
My handsome husband. This is in front of the fountain at the bottom of the hill leading up to the Gloriette tower.
This is the view of the tower from the top of the hill. And when you turn around, you can see Vienna in its entirety.
Schönbrunn at Christmastime. Home of another popular Christmas market in the city, set up in front of the palace surrounding a beautiful Christmas tree.
My only regret from study abroad 2005 is that I NEVER went inside the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Hello! I'm studying art history. It's one of the great art museums in Europe. Ridiculous, I know. I made sure to see it this time around. Steve snapped this picture of one of my favorite paintings - "The Art of Painting" by Vermeer. Pretty cool to see a live painter in the background too!
I freaked out a little bit when I saw this painting by Breugel. How many times have I studied this or referenced this in my classes? Countless. I heart this museum!
Another view of Stefansdom - wanted to make sure you could see the sweet tiled roof.
Why on earth would we get ice-cream in freezing cold temperatures?!?! Oh wait - for sentimental reasons, of course! This is where I opened my mission call in November 2005 with my dear friends surrounding me since my family couldn't be there. And one more reason - it's the best ice-cream ever.
View of the Rathaus in daylight. Sooooo pretty.
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose..."
I'm addicted to the roasted chestnuts in Vienna - they make them just right.
Schnitzelwirt!!! One of the best restaurants in Vienna. Steve tasted schnitzel for the first time, and enjoyed it, if I recall correctly. This place serves humongous portions - Steve has a half portion, which could probably feed two adults, a child, and a billy goat. It was scrumptious.
Mariahilferstraße - famous shopping street in Vienna with the lights lit up for Christmas
So there's a summary of our fantastic trip to the wonderful land of Vienna. Who knows if we'll make it back there again, but we'll always have great memories and fun pictures to remind us of the good times we had this past weekend...
8 comments:
I could have cried from envy! How ideal to be there at Christmas time AND to be there with your husband! So fun. You hit every good place. And Die Fledermaus! AH! SOOOO JEALOUS! Kristen, you hit every. single. thing. I would have gone to! But, I just have to say, I'm SHOCKED you never went to the Kunsthistorisches! How did that happen?? I swear I hit up that or the Belvedere at least once a week... Oh Kristen, I'm so jealous. But, I'm glad you're in Scotland for a while. I want to visit for sure!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for telling me about your blog. I seriously got teary eyed seeing you and Steve in our beloved Vienna. How I miss Vienna! I have had three family members go to Europe this past year and strongly persuaded them to go to Vienna, even though it was kind of out of their way. Thank you for sharing all those wonderful pictures. I miss wondering around those streets with you!!
It is so beautiful there! I love seeing where you guys are...and never know where you'll go next. SO fun!
Beautiful! I really like the toilets in what you think is the opera house men's room! I just want to know who could seriously pee in a mouth (real or not!).
Why was Stefansdom black? Was it just from neglects of many many centuries? Just curious.
You two are absolutely adorable. Thanks for posting, Kristen...it's so much fun to see your adventures!
I'm glad you had so much fun, and Kristen, I'm glad you were able to relive some great memories. I loved the videos. Keep taking lots of them since we won't be able to visit you.
wow vienna looks amazing! we've never really thought about it much but may have to visit there someday!
Kristen and Steve, it has been 45 years since I was in Wien. Many things have changed but many things still remain the same. It is a beautiful city with great history. I hope to return there one of these first years. I am glad you could show Steve the city. Stephansdom is a great place to see midnight mass on Christmas eve. Enjoy this time together, it will be great memories all the rest of your lives.
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