Teacher Fellowship in Central Europe: 2009

Monday, August 10, 2009

Last stop, VIENNA

Writing a blog takes a lot of work and a lot of effort, and frankly I am just too tired to write anything anymore. I need to give props to all of those who actually keep up with one of these things - You are a HARD worker and don't let anyone else tell you differently. Now on that note, I am going to let my pictures do all of the storytelling. But I will say, I think Vienna is quite beautiful...it is also a very clean city for its size.

St. Stephen's Cathedral

Stephansdom - said to be the center of Vienna,

where all distances are measured from

Front of Stephansdom

Rathaus - Town Hall

My hotel was located on Rathausstrasse

Just my luck - there was a Film Festival at the Rathaus

during my entire stay

It actually lasts for 6 weeks.

So every night, I had free entertainment.

Hundertwasserhaus

(House painted by the Austrian artist Hundertwasser, now occupies 60 tenants)

Pinocchio

(Marionette theatre is huge here)

Franz-von-Assisi-Kirche

Stadtpark or City Park

Burg Theatre

Gold statue of Johann Strauss - Composer

Riesenrad or Giant Ferris Wheel at the Prater (fun fair)

Erected in 1897

Botanical Gardens in Burggarten

Award for Most Creative Street "Performers"

Votivkirche

Mozart in Burggarten

Anchor Clock

Parliament Building

Entrance to Hofburg Imperial Palace

Statue of Beethoven

St. Charles Church

I found the Holy Grail of EIS

Finding the perfect EIS is a science, sort of like finding the perfect pair of shoes to traipse around Europe in - if they give you blisters you never wear them again; same with EIS, if it is bad the first go round you try a different place.

EIS, or better known as Gelato, is EVERYWHERE - everyone is eating it - groups of boys, groups of girls, couples, little old women, even the polizei (police officers on duty). So you have to be able to spot the best places where it looks fluffy, creamy, and you can tell it is fresh. So here in Vienna, I believe I have found the best place in all of Europe. I had EIS in every city I visited, but this takes the cake. It was so perfect; I had it every single day!!

There were two locations of Zanoni, but this was closest to my hotel

Hard to see with the glare, but think you can still see the FLUFF

My Favorite: Straciatella and Mente

(forgot how much I used to love

Mint Chocolate Chip from Baskin Robbins)

Going....

Going.......

ALMOST GONE!!!!

I know that was a huge cone,

but I walked around for like 5 hours every single day....

I deserve this!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Salzburg Sites

Great place to visit....I definitely plan to go back one day. Salzburg provided all the charm and beauty of Rome with its Baroque architecture, but the smallness of the city allowed me to cover all the major sites in one afternoon. I love the proximity of the city to the mountains and the lake region. I didn't fit in all of the outside activities, so when I return (and I will) there will be room to experience something new.

Here are some pictures from around the Old Town part of the city:

Mozart's Birth House

View from my hotel - down the Salzach River

Mirabell Palace

Residenz Fountain

Salzburg Museum

Statue of Mozart in Mozart Platz

Mirabell Gardens

More of the gardens

Inside the Bier Garten

Augustiner Bier Garten - biggest one in Austria

View of Old Town Salzburg

Tunnel through the hill on the backside of the Old Town

The town is literally built into the hillside -

many building are half in and half out of the mountain

Open air market - one of my favorite things to do in Europe

Another favorite -

little alleyways that lead to hidden treasures and great cafes

Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg

Those of you who love musicals, and I know you are out there, would have loved this tour. I haven't seen the Sound of Music in ages, but I can still sing most of the songs. After going on the tour and seeing where so many parts of the movie were filmed I now have a deeper sense of appreciation for the film. I am dying to get home to rent it and relive Maria's adventure with the Trapp family!

Our tour bus

Remember this? They are running through the park singing

"DO a deer, a female deer, RE a drop of golden sun..."

Backyard of the Trapp Mansion

(Used a different house for the actual facade of the house,

very confusing when it came to filming)

Church where Maria and Captain von Trapp are married

"I am sixteen, going on seventeen...."

Salzburg is quite salty!

The name Salzburg literally means "Salt Castle". The name derives from the salt that was mined from the hills near the city and then carried on barges down the Salzach River. So while I was visiting Salzburg, I thought it would be appropriate to take a Salt Mine Tour. The tour was very interesting and quite fun - we took a mini train deep into the mountain, we slid down slides to go deeper, and we sailed across an underground lake on a barge. Many of the pictures I took didn't turn out due to the lack of light inside the caves/mountain, but don't worry I purchased the pictures they take for you! I will have to get them scanned as soon as I get home.