Off to Lake Como! Please G-d just let it be a normal boring train ride.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
May 30th
This morning I was hanging around in the sitting area downstairs when my new friend Jayne happened upon me and couldn´t decide what she wanted to do today. I myself had no idea what I was going to do, but I suggested she go to Schonbrunn. She didn´t want to walk alone, so I walked her there, and then decided to do the whole palace again. Only this time I took pictures of all the 18th century portraits. I was a total ninja, sneaking about and taking a quick photo before hiding my camera again. The pictures are just for my own personal use, one because they´re pretty and two to help me learn about 18th century Viennese fashion seeing as SOME PLACES have decided stupid hippy art is more important than me learning about fashion history.
Jayne was vastly amused by my ninja photography skills, and I also served as her tour guide for the palace. Who needs an audioguide when you have a Katy? And I was happy she was there because then I had some one to take pictures of me! In particular I really wanted a jumping shot at the top of the hill where you can see the whole city. I really enjoyed going through Schonbrunn a second time, I got to look closer at details and talking with some one caused me to have discoveries of my own.
Jayne was vastly amused by my ninja photography skills, and I also served as her tour guide for the palace. Who needs an audioguide when you have a Katy? And I was happy she was there because then I had some one to take pictures of me! In particular I really wanted a jumping shot at the top of the hill where you can see the whole city. I really enjoyed going through Schonbrunn a second time, I got to look closer at details and talking with some one caused me to have discoveries of my own.
May 29th
Viennese public transportation system: conquered! I wanted to go to the Hermesvilla which is in the middle of Lainzer Tiergarten, this enormous park on the edge of town. To get there I had to take two subways, a tram, and a bus, and I didn´t get anything wrong!!
The Hermesvilla, in addition to being pretty, is also where Viennaś historic clothing collection is displayed. They have like 20,000 pieces, I think it´s stupid that there´s never any exhibits. We preserve these things so they can be enjoyed by future generations, not sit in a storage space for all eternity. Anyways, the website said they would be on display. The website lied. What was actually on display was the art of world´s first hippy Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach, who believed in free love and vegetarianism and nudism and painted trippy stoner art that should be on sale at Spencers Gifts. I was not amused. Stupid hippy, get a job!!
After I got back to my hostel I decided that it was time for some traditional Viennese cuisine, so I had wiener schnitzel. It was good, although the portion was ENORMOUS. I don´t know how anyone could possibly eat all that meat. Then when I got back to the hostel I hung around the bar downstairs (there´s a bar in my hostel) and made some new friends. We closed the hostel bar and then decided to go out to another bar, where I met a creeper from York who has some sort of vendetta against North Carolina and played a game involving hammering a nail with the wrong end of the hammer. I would like to clarify that I was not drinking during any of this, but everyone else was. I had a glass of bad wine and the best sex on the beach ever (that´s what she said) at the bar and that was it.
The Hermesvilla, in addition to being pretty, is also where Viennaś historic clothing collection is displayed. They have like 20,000 pieces, I think it´s stupid that there´s never any exhibits. We preserve these things so they can be enjoyed by future generations, not sit in a storage space for all eternity. Anyways, the website said they would be on display. The website lied. What was actually on display was the art of world´s first hippy Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach, who believed in free love and vegetarianism and nudism and painted trippy stoner art that should be on sale at Spencers Gifts. I was not amused. Stupid hippy, get a job!!
After I got back to my hostel I decided that it was time for some traditional Viennese cuisine, so I had wiener schnitzel. It was good, although the portion was ENORMOUS. I don´t know how anyone could possibly eat all that meat. Then when I got back to the hostel I hung around the bar downstairs (there´s a bar in my hostel) and made some new friends. We closed the hostel bar and then decided to go out to another bar, where I met a creeper from York who has some sort of vendetta against North Carolina and played a game involving hammering a nail with the wrong end of the hammer. I would like to clarify that I was not drinking during any of this, but everyone else was. I had a glass of bad wine and the best sex on the beach ever (that´s what she said) at the bar and that was it.
May 28th
A word of advice if you´re going to Vienna: Beware of men in frock coats. At every major cultural site there are men in 18th century costumes (with surprisingly nice wigs) who want you to come see a Mozart concert and they will NOT LEAVE YOU ALONE. Stop giving the 18th century a bad name!
After picking up my opera ticket and getting harassed by men in frock coats, I went inside my first Gothic cathedral. They had some sort of colored light display up which was really cool- all the bright modern colors projected onto the gothic architecture. After that I went to the Sisi Museum and imperial apartments at the HOfburg Palace. I liked the way the Sisi museum was set up, but there was barely any text, so the only way to know what was going on was to rent an audioguide, which I hate. All I got was that she was an Empress, seemed to have bad depression, tried to escape from court life, and was assassinated.
The only problem with the cathedral and the museums was that they were total zoos and the walking lanes were so narrow you couldn´t move through and people were just standing in the middle, listening to their audio guides and you couldn´t get through. It made me claustrophobic and grumpy and made it difficult to enjoy the museums. This does not bode well for Versailles which will be ten times worse. I´m really nervous because I don´t do well in squished crowded places and I´ve been looking forward to Versailles for like a million years and it´s the top thing I wanted to do on this trip and what if I can´t enjoy it?
Then I was going to treat myself to a nice dinner before the opera but I was running behind schedule so I ended up at McDonalds. European McDonalds' are so fancy. And they ahve little electronic kiosks where you can place your order.
Then I rushed over to Staatsoper to see Manon. I had a great view and the opera was amazing. The singer playing Des Grieux in particular was AMAZING, and I really liked what they did with the set. I do wish it had been set in it´s original setting, the 18th century, as much as I enjoyed the costumes and the sets, 18th century stuff is always better. It was just so cool, there I was in Vienna at the big opera house listening to opera. So amazing!! Sometimes I really can´t believe my life.
Last night I went to a concert at the orangerie at Schonbrunn, which is where Mozart gave his first concert. There was an orchestra and opera singers and (mediocre) ballet. They played Mozart and Strauss, and I really loved the Strauss half. I have yet to meet a Strauss piece I don´t like. After all this music I´m so ready to start singing again.
After picking up my opera ticket and getting harassed by men in frock coats, I went inside my first Gothic cathedral. They had some sort of colored light display up which was really cool- all the bright modern colors projected onto the gothic architecture. After that I went to the Sisi Museum and imperial apartments at the HOfburg Palace. I liked the way the Sisi museum was set up, but there was barely any text, so the only way to know what was going on was to rent an audioguide, which I hate. All I got was that she was an Empress, seemed to have bad depression, tried to escape from court life, and was assassinated.
The only problem with the cathedral and the museums was that they were total zoos and the walking lanes were so narrow you couldn´t move through and people were just standing in the middle, listening to their audio guides and you couldn´t get through. It made me claustrophobic and grumpy and made it difficult to enjoy the museums. This does not bode well for Versailles which will be ten times worse. I´m really nervous because I don´t do well in squished crowded places and I´ve been looking forward to Versailles for like a million years and it´s the top thing I wanted to do on this trip and what if I can´t enjoy it?
Then I was going to treat myself to a nice dinner before the opera but I was running behind schedule so I ended up at McDonalds. European McDonalds' are so fancy. And they ahve little electronic kiosks where you can place your order.
Then I rushed over to Staatsoper to see Manon. I had a great view and the opera was amazing. The singer playing Des Grieux in particular was AMAZING, and I really liked what they did with the set. I do wish it had been set in it´s original setting, the 18th century, as much as I enjoyed the costumes and the sets, 18th century stuff is always better. It was just so cool, there I was in Vienna at the big opera house listening to opera. So amazing!! Sometimes I really can´t believe my life.
Last night I went to a concert at the orangerie at Schonbrunn, which is where Mozart gave his first concert. There was an orchestra and opera singers and (mediocre) ballet. They played Mozart and Strauss, and I really loved the Strauss half. I have yet to meet a Strauss piece I don´t like. After all this music I´m so ready to start singing again.
May 26th
If people from New York are New Yorkers, are people from Hamburg Hamburgers? Food for thought. SEE WHAT I DID THERE?!?!?!
Can I just say how awesome it is to be in a warmer climate? I don´t have to schlep my jacket around and today I wore a skirt!! Scandinavia was nice and all, but it doesn´t hold a candle to proper Western Europe. Now I´m in the middle of the old world and it feels so amazing. This is where I belong.
Today, after buying some food that wasn´t junk because I can afford to eat healthy now (hooray!), I went to Schonbrunn Palace. It was the most beautiful place in the world. My first European rococo palace!! I don´t think the one in Stockholm, although beautiful, really counts. It was incredible, I almost cried. I particularly loved the golden wall/ceiling decorations, which were shaped like roses on creeping vines. So lovely.
Photography wasn´t allowed which broke my heart because there were 18th century portraits out the wazoo. They were all so beautiful. And there were a bunch of Marie Antoinette! And all the floors had these elaborate wood patterns and the curtains with elaborate whitework and the golden roses and the chandeliers and everything!!! There was also a ton of incredible orientalist stuff, rooms with all different pictures on the walls. One had all drawings, another blue pictures, another was covered in black panels with gold and silver designs. I love orientalist 18th century interior design.
After the palace I wandered around the gorgeous gardens, then climbed this monster hill to get to this beautiful classical pavilion. What I didn´t know is that from the top of the hill you could see the entire city. It literally took my breath away, it was so amazing.
To know that today I walked the same halls that Marie Antoinette did as a little girl. It´s amazing. I love the 18th century, there´s just no feeling like when you walk into a room with golden roses all over the walls and ceiling and grand portraits of people covered in the most beautiful jewels and chandeliers and mirrors and everything.
Can I just say how awesome it is to be in a warmer climate? I don´t have to schlep my jacket around and today I wore a skirt!! Scandinavia was nice and all, but it doesn´t hold a candle to proper Western Europe. Now I´m in the middle of the old world and it feels so amazing. This is where I belong.
Today, after buying some food that wasn´t junk because I can afford to eat healthy now (hooray!), I went to Schonbrunn Palace. It was the most beautiful place in the world. My first European rococo palace!! I don´t think the one in Stockholm, although beautiful, really counts. It was incredible, I almost cried. I particularly loved the golden wall/ceiling decorations, which were shaped like roses on creeping vines. So lovely.
Photography wasn´t allowed which broke my heart because there were 18th century portraits out the wazoo. They were all so beautiful. And there were a bunch of Marie Antoinette! And all the floors had these elaborate wood patterns and the curtains with elaborate whitework and the golden roses and the chandeliers and everything!!! There was also a ton of incredible orientalist stuff, rooms with all different pictures on the walls. One had all drawings, another blue pictures, another was covered in black panels with gold and silver designs. I love orientalist 18th century interior design.
After the palace I wandered around the gorgeous gardens, then climbed this monster hill to get to this beautiful classical pavilion. What I didn´t know is that from the top of the hill you could see the entire city. It literally took my breath away, it was so amazing.
To know that today I walked the same halls that Marie Antoinette did as a little girl. It´s amazing. I love the 18th century, there´s just no feeling like when you walk into a room with golden roses all over the walls and ceiling and grand portraits of people covered in the most beautiful jewels and chandeliers and mirrors and everything.
May 25th
The original plan was to take a sleeper car to Fulda, change trains and go to Warzburg, then change trains and go to Vienna. That is not what happened.
Everything was fine up to Fulda. Sleeper cars are the only way to travel. It was so cool! First of all because you get your own little compartment so you can stretch out, and they give you a fluffy blanket and comfy pillow so you´re comfortable (dear trains, lumbar support. that is all). So I settled in and watched the Danish countryside while listening to my movie soundtracks playlist, which provided an excellent soundtrack for the journey.
Then I went to bed. I had the middle bunk and it was so cool! It was all so tiny and snug. Not the most comfortable bed ever, I didn´t actually sleep much. But it was a really fun experience.
We crossed the border into Germany at exactly 22:23, which I know because Germany texted me to welcome me to the country and wish me a pleasant stay. I had to change trains at 5:30 am, so I was up and about bright and early. And we all know how cheery I am in the mornings. I had a cinnabun and some apple juice at the little cafe, and then got on my new train at 7. I was supposed to change trains at Warzburg, but due to something I had to switch trains in Nurnburg instead. And that was supposed to go to Vienna. Remember how in Sweden they lost their train tracks and I had to take a bus? Not to be outdone by Sweden, Germany decided to take it one step further with a train accident. A cargo train had overturned so we were going to have to get off in Pasau and take a bus to the next stop. We made it to Straubing at which point we were informed that a bomb from WWII had been discovered under the tracks. I can´t make this up.
I should mention that none of this was explained in English, so I was entirely dependent ont he kindness of strangers. By the time we got to the bus I had a whole team working for me. On the Nurnburg train there was an extremely good looking steward who very kindly sat next to me and explained each announcement as it came. He also helped old ladies with their luggage. I think a winter wedding in Vienna would be lovely. Our love is pure.
I don´t know how long the bus portion took at least a few hours. I was sleeping on and off for most of it. And wondering about the bomb. At first they told us that they were clearing it up, but then like 20 minutes later we got onto the buses. Would the bomb have exploded? And if it was right by the tracks why hasn´t it exploded already? I mean I´m happy to be no dead, but I am curious about the details.
After taking the bus to Somewhere in Austria, I finally got on my train to Vienna. I have to say that it was a beautiful ride from Copenhagen. There are worse things than watching the sun rise over the German countryside. The German and Austrian countryside is GORGEOUS. Rolling green hills dotted with trees, the mountains off in the distance, and all these picture perfect little villages with white washed houses with red stucco roofs. It was so perfect the whole way, it´s kind of hard to believe it was real. I happily stared out the window whenever I wasn´t napping.
After 24 hours of travel I finally made it into Vienna. My hostel is really nice and I made friends and had dinner with two of the girls in my room. Now that I´m fed (for the first time since my cinnabun), I plan on going straight to sleep.
I´m wondering what will happen on the way to Italy. Alien attack? The apocalypse? If the apocalypse could wait until after Bath that´d be great.
Everything was fine up to Fulda. Sleeper cars are the only way to travel. It was so cool! First of all because you get your own little compartment so you can stretch out, and they give you a fluffy blanket and comfy pillow so you´re comfortable (dear trains, lumbar support. that is all). So I settled in and watched the Danish countryside while listening to my movie soundtracks playlist, which provided an excellent soundtrack for the journey.
Then I went to bed. I had the middle bunk and it was so cool! It was all so tiny and snug. Not the most comfortable bed ever, I didn´t actually sleep much. But it was a really fun experience.
We crossed the border into Germany at exactly 22:23, which I know because Germany texted me to welcome me to the country and wish me a pleasant stay. I had to change trains at 5:30 am, so I was up and about bright and early. And we all know how cheery I am in the mornings. I had a cinnabun and some apple juice at the little cafe, and then got on my new train at 7. I was supposed to change trains at Warzburg, but due to something I had to switch trains in Nurnburg instead. And that was supposed to go to Vienna. Remember how in Sweden they lost their train tracks and I had to take a bus? Not to be outdone by Sweden, Germany decided to take it one step further with a train accident. A cargo train had overturned so we were going to have to get off in Pasau and take a bus to the next stop. We made it to Straubing at which point we were informed that a bomb from WWII had been discovered under the tracks. I can´t make this up.
I should mention that none of this was explained in English, so I was entirely dependent ont he kindness of strangers. By the time we got to the bus I had a whole team working for me. On the Nurnburg train there was an extremely good looking steward who very kindly sat next to me and explained each announcement as it came. He also helped old ladies with their luggage. I think a winter wedding in Vienna would be lovely. Our love is pure.
I don´t know how long the bus portion took at least a few hours. I was sleeping on and off for most of it. And wondering about the bomb. At first they told us that they were clearing it up, but then like 20 minutes later we got onto the buses. Would the bomb have exploded? And if it was right by the tracks why hasn´t it exploded already? I mean I´m happy to be no dead, but I am curious about the details.
After taking the bus to Somewhere in Austria, I finally got on my train to Vienna. I have to say that it was a beautiful ride from Copenhagen. There are worse things than watching the sun rise over the German countryside. The German and Austrian countryside is GORGEOUS. Rolling green hills dotted with trees, the mountains off in the distance, and all these picture perfect little villages with white washed houses with red stucco roofs. It was so perfect the whole way, it´s kind of hard to believe it was real. I happily stared out the window whenever I wasn´t napping.
After 24 hours of travel I finally made it into Vienna. My hostel is really nice and I made friends and had dinner with two of the girls in my room. Now that I´m fed (for the first time since my cinnabun), I plan on going straight to sleep.
I´m wondering what will happen on the way to Italy. Alien attack? The apocalypse? If the apocalypse could wait until after Bath that´d be great.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Copenhagen to Vienna: A story in numbers
Itinerary changes: 3
trains taken: 3
buses taken: 1
hours slept: 3 maybe???
Meals eaten: 1 small salad yesterday at 7 pm, 1 cinnabun today at 5:30 am (it's currently 6 pm)
overturned cargo trains: 1
bombs from WWII: 1
total hours traveled: 24
trains taken: 3
buses taken: 1
hours slept: 3 maybe???
Meals eaten: 1 small salad yesterday at 7 pm, 1 cinnabun today at 5:30 am (it's currently 6 pm)
overturned cargo trains: 1
bombs from WWII: 1
total hours traveled: 24
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