After a long journey, we made it to Vienna and today was our day to explore the city! Vienna is breathtakingly beautiful. While Berlin had a lot to offer, it felt more modern in comparison to this city rich with European history and architecture.
Our tour guide for this leg of the trip is Kristine. This morning we were taken to the winter palace of the Emperor and Empress of Vienna, Franz Joseph and his darling Elisabeth or "SiSi". The apartments of this particular palace were preserved in a way that showcased the historical importance of the family as well as providing a glimpse into the life of an esteemed family. Franz Joseph truly loved his wife and the story of these two became a sort of romanticized fantasy for those in Austria with much of their early "classic" films portraying the couple's romance.
Following the tour of the apartments, we were taken to the Treasury of Vienna which housed the crown jewels and religious assets of the royal families. My favorite artifact in the Treasury was the tusk of a Narwhal that was bestowed upon the royal family as a "unicorn horn", said to have religious, holy values.
Our tour guide for this leg of the trip is Kristine. This morning we were taken to the winter palace of the Emperor and Empress of Vienna, Franz Joseph and his darling Elisabeth or "SiSi". The apartments of this particular palace were preserved in a way that showcased the historical importance of the family as well as providing a glimpse into the life of an esteemed family. Franz Joseph truly loved his wife and the story of these two became a sort of romanticized fantasy for those in Austria with much of their early "classic" films portraying the couple's romance.
Following the tour of the apartments, we were taken to the Treasury of Vienna which housed the crown jewels and religious assets of the royal families. My favorite artifact in the Treasury was the tusk of a Narwhal that was bestowed upon the royal family as a "unicorn horn", said to have religious, holy values.
From the Treasury, we walked the streets of Vienna in the city's center through to the Haus der Musik or "House of Music". This museum showcased modern, interactive sections related to the sciences involved in audio acoustics as well as a historical presentation of some of the world's leading classical composers. On the top floor there was an "interactive stage". It was set up in a pod and when you stood in the middle of the pod it measured your movements and played music according to the speed and abruptness of your moves. I snuck up there for a bit and danced around! There was also a room in the Haus der Musik that attempted to recreated the sensation of living inside the womb using audio - that was strange.
In the evening, Alaina and myself broke off from the group and went to Mass at St. Stephan's Cathedral. Alaina is Catholic and while I am a Christian, I am not Catholic so the entire experience was foreign to me. Alaina explained as far as she could what was going on but both of us were at a loss when the service was spoken in German. We did our best to sing along in German but I'm sure we gave the people around us a good laugh. All in all, Vienna proves to be a wonderful city! I may just stay here.
In the evening, Alaina and myself broke off from the group and went to Mass at St. Stephan's Cathedral. Alaina is Catholic and while I am a Christian, I am not Catholic so the entire experience was foreign to me. Alaina explained as far as she could what was going on but both of us were at a loss when the service was spoken in German. We did our best to sing along in German but I'm sure we gave the people around us a good laugh. All in all, Vienna proves to be a wonderful city! I may just stay here.