Wien in Vienna
My entire year of third grade was spent obsessing over the Sound of Music, my childhood friends can vouch for the countless times I insisted on directing them as they sang the "Do-Re-Mi" song during recess. I even wanted to be Maria Von Trapp in my school's play, which was about wizards and fairies, so I didn't make the cut. (Bitter moment.)
However, I finally made it to Austria last week, and Vienna was just the right dose of sugar to help the medicine go down. (Or to take a break from pasta and olive oil).
Accompanied by my dear friend from Florence, we departed from Italy by train Wednesday night, and arrived early morning in Austria. The night train was a good experience, and we were lucky enough to have booked a small bed, which made the trek much more comfortable. The highlight of the trip there was waking up to the sunrise over the Eastern Alps and Salzburg- the city where Sound of Music was filmed.
We watched in awe as the small Austrian towns passed us by, smoke rising from chimneys, and a light snow painted on the alpine forests nearby.
Vienna itself was equally wonderful. I would describe the city with three colors: gold, red, and pearl white. Most restaurants and shops had red/gold velvet cloth, carpet, or detailing- while the outside of the historical buildings were carved in white. Very beautiful and timeless.
Going to a true European Christmas Market was on my Bucket List for this year, and I am happy to say I can check it off! We went to the 3 difference markets, however our favorite was the smallest of all, at Karlsplatz square. Children played in (also ate) hay and Christina and I sipped on warm wine and hot chocolate. Tiny stalls surrounded the center, filled with wooden toys, art, and artisan gifts made by local shops. Other venders sold baked potato slices, roasted chestnuts, and christmas cookies. (Of course your "steak and mashys" girl got herself some starches to snack on).
One of the highlights of the trip was going to an indoor botanic garden within the courtyard of the Emperor's Palace. From the outside, the garden looked like Oz, green and constructed of metal. Inside, three rooms- ranging from cold to tropical temperatures-transported you to another planet, surrounded by plants from soil to ceiling.
During our trip, I tried to think of another European city that reminded me of Vienna, but I never was able to make out the perfect resemblance. Each street was unique, while one block embodied the crisp style of Paris, the next looked like the bustling metro streets of San Fransisco. Truth be told, I think a part of what makes Vienna so special, is its ability to remind you of all the other places in Europe you've been to.
Being first timers in Austria, we experienced a significant learning curve, especially when it came to getting to know the culture and people. Here is a list of our findings:
1. Viennese do not like you if you take your time in grocery store lines. Once you're in the line, there is no chance of running to grab anything else. (We ate oatmeal without cinnamon the whole trip).
2. Viennese are WEIRDLY prompt. When our last Christmas Market closed at 10 pm, venders closed shop and the square was vacated by 10:08 pm. My idea to buy hot chocolate at 10:04 was quickly canned.
3. Almost everyone's follow up question to, "Where are you from?" was "Do you like Trump?" UGH.
However crazy, our weekend in Vienna was amazing. Full of laughs, bread, and great company.
P.S.
I ate Bratwurst sausages two nights in a row for dinner.