& MI PIACE VIENNA

Do the words "Von Trapp," or "Julie Andrews" pop into your head when you think of Austria? Unfortunately, we didn't see any Sound of Music sites in Vienna...but don't worry, there was still a LOT to see!
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DAY 1 in VIENNA: 24 DECEMBER

Christmas Eve! After about 13 hours on trains and some difficulty, we found our hostel, The Wombats, which was much livelier than our hostel in Berlin. We walked around for a little bit - it's much easier to get around Vienna than Berlin, due to its smaller size. We went to the Secession building, where we saw the Beethoven Frieze by Gustav Klimt. We tried to find an open Christmas market, but I guess they must close on Christmas Eve and Christmas because there were only a few stands open - and they were closing. But we ended up in a small bar/restaurant and I had hot chocolate and some beef goulash. Peterskirche is a beautiful church in the center of the Vienna Ring which was decorated with Christmas trees and a nativity, and there we had our midnight Christmas mass. I didn't understand anything, since it was in German, but I was glad to go to a service (even if it was a mass) and pray, because I haven't been to church since August 24th...

DAY 2 in VIENNA: 25 DECEMBER

Christmas Day! And my most unconventional one ever. It was weird to do normal tourist stuff, to not be with my family, and realize that it is actually Christmas Day. At the hostel we met 2 Italians from Bari, in the south, and they told us about this house called Hundertwasserhaus, and they went with us there. It was Gaudi-like (although Nancy and Elsa, who've been to Spain, say the real Gaudi architecture is way cooler), with the wave shaped walls and ground, and use of mirror pieces and lots of color. Later we took a break with coffee and chocolate cake, and sightsaw around Mariathereisinplatz. We had our hearts set on getting standing tickets to see the Nutcracker at the Viennese State Opera, and after standing in a long line...we did! The tickets were only 4 euros and the show was beautiful! Why did I quit ballet?? The three of us wanted to have some Viennese food for our Christmas dinner, so we went to a place close to the hostel, where I had an old-style Viennese soup, bread dumpling in broth, and apricot pancake. We stayed there until we were too tired. A good end to an unconventional Christmas.

DAY 3 in VIENNA: 26 DECEMBER

Berlin has Museum Island, and Vienna has the Museums Quarter. We went to 2 of the museums there - the Museum Moderner Kunst (MOMuK) and the Leopold Museum. The first had some pretty cool video, installation, and architecture art, and the building was made of basalt lava. The Leopold had Klimt, and an exhibition for Egon Schiele for the 90th anniversary of his death at 28 in 1918. I'm now a fan of both Klimt and Schiele! And of Art Nouveau. Then we went to the Sacher Cafe, which is where the Sacher torte was invented...4.90 euros for a torte but it was worth it. Maybe the best chocolate cake I've had...

DAY 4 in VIENNA: 27 DECEMBER

Stephansdom is the main cathedral in Vienna, and we went there to take pictures early on our last day. Driven by our newfound love for the work of Klimt, we went to the Belvedere to see The Kiss. The gardens looked pretty depressing...it was all brown and the fountains were drained. BUT the museums was pretty awesome - I learned a lot more about the Secessionists and Art Nouveau, and they had a recreation of the Klimt room during an exhibition from his time. That was where I saw The Kiss, Danae, Fritza Riedler, and The Three Ages of Woman, and more. Then we went to the Hofburg Palace, which is now a museum and library. Mozart lived in Vienna - and his most expensive apartment is a museum. It was interesting to learn about him - all I know about him is what I saw in Amadeus - and cool to be in the house where he wrote "Figaro." These prodigys, like Mozart and Schiele, are really motivating me now! I need to really work more and push myself more with my art! By my age, Mozart was composing genius operas and Schiele was a year or two away from joining Klimt and the Secession!
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SEE what I'm talking about:
Midnight Christmas mass in German...
...and the Nutcracker on Christmas night!
ALSO: I will probably post links to Nancy and Elsa's photos once they put them up!

It's nice to be back in Florence - it's a little more familiar, and even though I love traveling, it's nice to have a place - a home - to go back to. And it will be fun to celebrate the New Year in Florence as well. Then on the 2nd, I'm off to Rome for a couple of days to meet my friends Nate and Judy who are actually LEAVING sunny California for the -0 Celsius temperatures here in Italy. I can't wait!