Emily's Exploits

OK, but not really. I spent the afternoon going on my seventh and final walking tour around the southern part of Vienna's inner city, between the Naschmarkt and Belvedere Palace. And it was so wonderful! First of all, it was nice to just be alone and stop when I saw cool things that I wanted to see... and sometimes I find strange things that I think are cool, like this:  I find photoshop fun... It's not Elizabeth Arden, but it's a red door... and it is awesome. Found an art gallery on a street I passed. Don't you just love the old architecture and the beautiful sign up above? I can hardly even believe I saw this from across a really really busy street.  And probably best of all, I found or walked past 4 vintage clothing stores! It was a shame they didn't have anything like a necklace or earrings out, or else I would've bought it! The clothes were ADORABLE, albeit expensive. I doubt that I'll have time to go back, but if I don't, a trip to Urban Exchange...

More pictures from my adveuntries with Michael, Julie, Mom and Grandma can be found here .  False reports today led me to believe that it would be sunny and warm. Thanks a lot.  But now I can just look outside at the grey sky, drink my Almdudler - and everything will be just fine.  Favorite Things about Today's Adventure on Walking Tour 6 with Rebekah:  Pascualati Haus:  This is the site where Beethoven composed many great works, including his only opera, Fidelio . It had a lovely view toward Votivkirche and Universitaet Wien (I don't really know if those structures were up at the time Beethoven lived there). There was a small museum with a pianoforte (it had 5 pedals on it!!), some manuscript facsimilies of Beethoven's music, recordings of several of his works, some busts... but you can see for yourself by going here: PICTURES! Votivkirche: This Neo-Gothic edifice was beautiful and tranquil. It is surrounded by Freud Park (yep, named after the one and only Sigmund Freud. V...

So much happens in the course of 12 hours. It's insane.  I woke up and ate breakfast with my host sister and her friend. It's nice to have people in the house again. Then I left the apartment to go on Walking Tour #3 around the City of Vienna. Keep in mind that today is possibly one of the coldest days that I've ever felt in Vienna. And not only is it cold, but the wind is biting while we walk around in the city searching for landmarks. Quite honestly, the city of Vienna itself is a museum. Every time you turn the corner you see a sign on a building that says "Mozart lived here from 17-- to 17--" or Beethoven, or Shumann.  CRAZY! One of my favorite places was the church of the Order of theTeutonic Knights- built in the 14th century or something- it had lots of crests of knights on the walls within it. Then there was a story about how Richard the Lionheart was crusading and on his way back to England he was captured and held ransom in Vienna, and the ransom money ...

One of my classes is called "Experiencing Vienna". We are required to take 8 self guided tours through the city, using a map and information written by my former German teacher, Professor Keele. He's a great man with tons of knowledge about history and the culture of the German and Austrian people.  We are supposed to document some of our feelings about this whole walk and the things that we learned and enjoyed.  For many things that we did there are pictures .  For some things, I may just have to write about them. I will use my blog to keep track of that.  Right next to Rupert's Church (the oldest church in Vienna) was the Morzinplatz, where the Hotel Metropol housed the Gestapo  headquarters during WWII. These headquarters were destroyed by Allied bombing in 1945. And I ask myself: How on earth did Rupertskirche survive this attack completely untouched? I can only think that it is by the grace of God that it was preserved.  Two blocks further from the Gestapo  headq...