Day 26 Last call, Schubert!

After a short and emotional class, Matt and I walked around the city center. We tried to see a violin-maker's store, but she was closed. We did a little shopping, and ended up having coffee and a torte with some people from the group. We ate at a chain cafe called Aida. We walked around the hotel's neighborhood for a change. There are many stores and restaurants right around us, and I had only been through that neighborhood a couple of times. We ended up finding Franz Schubert's birth house. It was very small, but had his piano and another pair of glasses. The house is a small dot in the middle of a regular section of the city. There is history everywhere! After Schubert, we went out to dinner with another small group. It was a great time. I hope to stay in touch with all of the participants. Everyone had something to add to the Institute. I learned so much about Mozart, about Vienna, and mostly about myself!

I realized I hadn't taken a picture of the trams!

Our main mode of transportation

I HIGHLY recommend that other teachers apply to a program like this! I plan on giving some workshops to showcase my experiences to fellow teachers, and of course to my students. I'm so glad I came here and experienced this. It took me out of my comfort zone and gave me a fresh perspective on life. I have a new found respect for all of the people who came before us and built the society we enjoy. Of course there are challenges and frustrations, but it's amazing how people have overcome those challenges and worked through some of the "ugly" past to move forward into a more accepting and rewarding future.

Thank you for reading my blog. Knowing that I have an "audience" to write for helps motivate me to sit down and reflect on what I've seen and done here. It still hasn't sunk in that I lived in Vienna for a month, but this blog is a record of memories that I will cherish and share with as many people as will listen!
Thank you for inspiring me and encouraging me to push through one of the hardest times in my life.

Thank you, Vienna. Danke.

Day 25 No straight lines and a little wine

 Today was HOT. The trams are very hot. It stinks when you're trying to eat at a cafe and someone is smoking right next to you. That's probably the best thing that the United States has done: ban smoking in public places. It's the one thing I don't like about Europe. A lot of people smoke. Everywhere. There is a slow movement to limit smoking areas, but it is very slow. Although it is better than it was several years ago.
We took a very hot tram out further and stopped at the Hundertwasser Haus built in 1985. It was one artist's project to create an apartment building with no straight lines. It has been a controversial building, as it goes against all of the other architecture and as such has turned into a tourist magnet. We found a group of souvenir shops that were cheaper than the ones in the city center.

We then went to the Schubel-Auer Heuriger, the wine garden we went to on our second night. Our entire group was there for our final night together. Some people are flying out Thursday right after class and some people are staying a bit longer. It was really nostalgic to be at the same place where, one month ago we were so new to Vienna and unknown to each other and tonight we were like old friends. Wonderful wine! Gruner Veltliner.
And lastly, Matt, Deana, and I went for a walk to try and see Schonbrunn Palace (the Emperor's Summer Palace) at night. We didn't not get to this palace during the day and unfortunately it was closed, but we saw part of it through the gate. We needed to save some places to see for the next time we come to Vienna!

Schonbrunn Palace

Day 24 Musik und Mahler

Today we went to the Figaro House, ie. Mozart's residence, where he and his family lived the longest in Vienna. It was amazing to be where he and his family lived and how he could look down the street and see where he lived when he first moved to Vienna and how far he had come. Unfortunately we were not able to take pictures, even though most of the pictures and scores were facsimiles.
We then ate at a cafe where Matt ordered trout and I ordered bratwurst. It was delicious, in a very traditional Viennese atmosphere. Matt's fish came complete with a head and a tail! For the most part in the States, our meals are ambiguous in that most restaurants will serve patties or sections of meat, poultry, or fish that lack their original facade. It was quite a challenge for me to look at the full fish while eating, but I enjoyed my bratwurst.
Later that evening, we went to the Haus der Musik. I had been there last week, but I wanted to go again with Matt because it is a very interactive museum so there was plenty to see!We both got to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic! No, really! I have video to prove it! I will post some videos when I get a faster internet signal. It was an interactive video where the orchestra will play at your tempo! Very cool!

We bought some yummy chocolate from the Manner store!

Sitting next to Nannerl Mozart, or rather it looks like I'm sitting on the mother's lap!

Chillin' with Moz

That night we went to the Rauthhaus (City Hall) and watched the end of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8 on a huge outdoor screen. There were food booths set up with all kinds of food and drinks. They serve you on real plates and give you real glassware. It was great! We had a crepe with banana and chocolate sauce. Divine!

Serial Statues.

Since this city is drenched in statues, it's only fitting that we do a series: Statue von Wien

Day 23 Tombstones and a talking statue.

Today after class today we toured the St. Marx and the Central Cemetery. The St. Marx Cemetery had a monument to Mozart, where they think he is buried. His "grave" was by itself in a more open space. It is thought that he was placed into a mass grave and this is the speculated spot. The Cemeteries are far outside of the city center. The thought process behind graves from the late 1700s was part of an effort to be rational and efficient. Most people were put into reusable caskets where the bottom or sides would drop out. The thought was that once you've died, you don't need the use of a private grave or casket. Joseph II also wanted to keep the cemetery way outside the center to prevent the spread of any diseases. Both cemeteries had a romantic feel to them, allowing the trees and shrubs to grow up over the grave stones. The Central Cemetery contained the graves of many famous composers and toward the mid-1800s, the use of separate graves and tombstones became the norm. The Central Cemetery is said to be larger than the entire inner city of Vienna!

St. Marx Cemetery

Where Mozart is believed to lie.

Central Cemetery, Grave of Brahms

Johann Strauss the Son

Franz Schubert

Ludwig van Beethoven

A memorial to Mozart

an appropriate tombstone for Arnold Schoenberg

Johann Strauss the father

Later than day we went to an outdoor production of Don Giovanni. It was excellent It featured talented young opera singers. Great experience, moving day.

Day 22 The Alps and torte

Today we got up very early to catch the 6:44am train to Salzburg! The days are sadly starting to wind down, and our free time is precious. We both wanted to see Salzburg, even if it is for one day.  It is almost a 3 hour ride, so we got there by 10am. The city of Salzburg is relatively small and squished together. We found the tourist center and asked about the bus situation. We ended up buying a "City Pass" for E24, which I highly recommend because that pass is good all day for all buses, and almost all of the museums and the boat! Each museum was between 7 and 10 Euro to get in. We got our money's worth by the third place we went to. Slazburg is an adorable city! It is smaller than Vienna and it has a different feel to it. You can see and feel the German influence here versus more of the Central European influence in Vienna. We took the bus to the Hellbrunn Palace and Gardens first. It was the summer residence of Prince Archbishop Markus Sittikus in built in 1615.  The decor of the palace had an Italian and Spanish feel, somewhere between a hunting lodge and romantic getaway. The gardens were immaculate and there was a separate tour to see the "Trick Fountains." This Archbishop had a strange sense of humor. He would invite people over for dinner and have outdoor meals. If the guests got too rowdy, or I think if he just wanted to laugh, he would turn on the hidden water sprays and drench them! There was a rule that no one could get up from their seat before the Archbishop did, so his seat was the only one without a fountain! There were sprayers hidden all over the place and our tour guide would gladly get some of us wet when we least expected it! The Archbishop loved nature and he constructed several buildings with fake birds and little mechanical figurines. All of these were powered by water!

Nice and early on the train!

The palace. Rather small compared to other palaces around!

One of the trick fountains

After the gardens, we toured two of Mozart's residences, one where Wolfgang was born, and the other where the Mozart family lived for several years. It was amazing to be where the Mozarts lived and to walk the halls. However, it was frustrating to me because you couldn't take pictures even though most of the scores and letters on display were facsimiles. I'm pretty sure that it's a money-making thing. You can take pictures in most of the large state museums without a flash. One item that was on display was a couple locks of Wolfgang's hair. The disclaimer on these locks is that they are fairly certain they are of Mozart, but there is no other definite DNA to compare it to. The only certain thing is that the hair is from the same person.

The family home. Part of this building was destroyed in WW II, but rebuilt according to original plans.

The view from Wolfgang's birthplace.

W.A. Mozart's birthplace.

After walking around Salzburg, we took a tram up the side of a tall hill to the top of the Hohensalzburg Fortress. It is a completely preserved fortress from the 11th century! We had dinner at the top overlooking the Alps! Breathtaking to say the least! We each had a torte. Matt had the famous Sacher Torte started by the Sacher Hotel. I had ricotta cheese torte. YUM!

Looking up to the fortress and the tram track

The view from a canon

A beautiful tree in the center of the fortress town

Salzburg!

Amazing.

Is it a painting?? The lighting over the mountains kept changing. A thunderstorm rolled through and you could see lightening bolts hitting the mountain tops!

Our friend and mentor

The Sacher Torte

There were so many things to do. We only scratched the surface of what Salzburg has to offer. There are many, many museums, boat rides, a marionette theatre, and concerts. Too much for one day. We returned back "home" to Vienna at 11pm.