Margaret's Adventures Abroad

Sun setting over Vienna’s vineyards

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 15:16:29 -0400

Sun setting over Vienna’s vineyards

View of Vienna from the foothills

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 15:09:57 -0400

View of Vienna from the foothills

Photo

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:49:13 -0400

Charles Bridge from afar

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:31:05 -0400

Charles Bridge from afar

Walking across Charles Bridge

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:26:00 -0400

Beginning of Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge

View of the palace from Charles Bridge

Other end of Charles Bridge

Walking across Charles Bridge

Photo

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:16:21 -0400

Pictures from the main square in Prague

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 06:18:41 -0400

Pictures from the main square in Prague

Prague

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 11:16:01 -0400

It’s been almost a month since I was in Prague, but I figured I might as well give a brief synopsis of my trip. Huan, Lisa, Amy, and I spent a brief weekend in Prague, and I could have spent so much more time there. We arrived around noon on Saturday, and immediately went on a free tour of the city. I hadn’t realized how popular a tourist destination Prague was, but the main streets were packed with people. We watched the astronomical clock change at the hour, and we were a little disappointed. Our tour guide was not surprised about our disappointment. She explained that when this clock was built, it was a marvel because people had never seen anything like it. Now, of course, it takes a lot more to impress people. So, the clock still has the reputation as being amazing, but that reputation is a little outdated. The feeling of disappointment is typical among tourists, so the city decided to add a trumpet player at the end. This makes it a little more exciting for the masses, but it is not historically accurate.

After our tour, we decided to go to the Charles Bridge. Just as we were getting there, though, a wave of zombies poured out of the entrance of the bridge. Obviously, it was just people dressed up like zombies, but it was creepily realistic. Besides being dressed up, they all had makeup on. They were convincing actors, as well. Even though I knew it was pretend, it was still extremely disturbing. There were so many of them, and they were coming right at us. Lisa was convinced it was to protest the amount of tourists who invade their city, but I was doubtful. Huan stopped one and asked what it was for, and he just shrugged. I guess you don’t need a reason to dress up like a zombie and scare the beejeezus out of people?

Finally, the zombies were gone, and we got to go on Charles Bridge. Let the picture taking commence! Once off the bridge, we decided to find a beer garden our tour guide had recommended that was on top of a hill looking over Prague. After climbing the step path up the hill, we found the garden but decided that it wasn’t worth eating there. Prague is suppose to be incredibly cheap, so we were on a mission to prove that true. Eventually, we stumbled upon a restaurant serving traditional food. My meal cost me less than five euros, and it wasn’t small. It consisted of three different types of pork, sauerkraut, and potatoes. For five euros! This made my cheap self very happy.

The next day started relatively early. We got breakfast at my new favorite grocery store, Albert. They have a bread section where you can get croissants for fifty cents. On our way to the main square, we stopped at a little market that sold souvenirs and fruit. At the main square, we listened to a group of old men playing jazz. They were so good! I was almost tempted to buy their CD. After walking along the river and across another bridge, we discovered the Czech Senate. It was a beautiful garden, and it made me want to be a member of the senate. There were peacocks! We then went up to the castle which is huge. You get a wonderful view of Prague from the top. There was another street band, and we watched a fellow tourist jokingly dance. He saw us watching and promptly linked arms with me and gave me a spin. We saw the changing of the guards in front of the main part of the palace. We went to the cathedral and just leisurely explored the area. By then it started to rain, so we sat in a café and prepared to leave.

(5/5/12 - 5/6/12)

Flowers are blooming in the Volksgarten!

Wed, 30 May 2012 08:28:18 -0400

Flowers are blooming in the Volksgarten!

Before & during the Life Ball

Mon, 28 May 2012 15:04:17 -0400

Before & during the Life Ball

Experiencing the 2012 Life Ball

Mon, 28 May 2012 15:00:00 -0400

Moving forward a week and a day from my Classy Friday, and it was time for another event in front of the Rathaus: Life Ball. This is an annual charity event held in Vienna to benefit HIV/AIDS. One of my best friends, Jessie, was here to experience the glorious event. During the day, I was giving Jessie my wonderful Vienna city tour (which I should start charging people for), and we happened to stumble upon part of the rehearsals. We managed to find a viewing spot on a convenient fence that happened to require going through a bush to get to. We watched one of the musical acts practice for a little while and then continued with our city tour. Later that night, we arrived to a much different scene then when we had left. Two hours before the opening ceremony was scheduled to start, there were already lots and lots of people gathered around the red carpet and all of whom seemed to be taller than me (didn’t know that was possible).

We stood in the crowd for a little while and attempted to push our way to the front, but there was no budging the strangely tall people. For the next couple of hours we tried to find another viewing spot without any luck (and one yelling from a Life Ball security man). We did see a lot of interestingly dressed people. I think the deal is, if you dress according to the “Style Book,” you can get a discounted ticket to the ball and you get to walk the red carpet. I don’t know what the style book says, but it seemed to involve wearing red (the Life Ball theme was ‘Fight the Flames of Ignorance’) and as little amount of clothing as possible.

After getting gelato from the delicious Zanoni & Zanoni, we went to scout out another viewing location. We decided to go back to the spot we had found earlier in the day, but we didn’t have much hope that it wasn’t already occupied. Luck, however, was on our side. People were trying to climb into the tree, but nobody had thought of climbing the fence in the only spot you could get a good view. As we settled into our slightly uncomfortable positions, the show began…

This was one of the coolest experiences I have had here in Vienna. Cheyenne Jackson, Milla Jovovich, the Scissors Sisters, Marlon Roudette and several others performed songs, and Naomi Campbell, Antonia Banderas, and Bill Clinton spoke. I got to watch a fashion show put on my Vogue Italia featuring Diesel, Roberto Cavalli, Jean Paul Gaultier, Missoni, and many more while famous models walked in the show. I got to watch Naomi Campbell strut down the catwalk! Having watched Project Runway and America’s Next Top Model for years, seeing the fashion show was kind of a dream come true. Needless to say, it was totally worth standing on a thin piece of wire, getting poked by a fence, and having my view partially obscured by a tree to see the 2012 Life Ball.

(5/19/2012)

The winners (and losers)

Sat, 26 May 2012 04:34:57 -0400

The winners (and losers)

The contestants

Sat, 26 May 2012 04:28:00 -0400

The eventual winner

From Vienna!

The contestants

Eurovision Young Musicians Concert in front of the Rathaus

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:48:08 -0400

Eurovision Young Musicians Concert in front of the Rathaus

Morning practice at the Spanish Riding School

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:32:54 -0400

Morning practice at the Spanish Riding School

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:28:26 -0400

Morning practice at the Spanish Riding School

Classy Friday

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:21:04 -0400

As usual, I am behind on my blog posts. Before I recount my trip to Prague, though, I will describe some of the activities that have been keeping me busy in Vienna (besides school).

On my Vienna to-do list was to see the Lipizzaner horses at the Spanish Riding School. This idea was first put into my head by my mother who will have to live vicariously through me. The actual performances are a little out of my price range, but you can go to the morning exercises for a fraction of the price. Pictures are forbidden but of course I managed to take quite a few (many blurry). I was a lot sneakier than the people who for used their flash. Watching the horses practice was interesting, but it mainly made me want to see the actual performance. During the practice, all the horses just do their own thing (with their riders, obviously), so I don’t have any idea how it all fits together. To me, it seemed like a lot of them were just walking around. I’m sure if my Mom been there, she would have been able to educate me on the complexity of their moves. Actually, there was some side stepping going on which looked difficult.

A very brave man or a very well-trained horse?

Later that evening, the Rathaus was hosting the opening of the Wiener Festwochen. From what I understand, the Wiener Festwochen is a festival that takes place every year and consists of a bunch of concerts and plays. The opening concert is always free, and this year it happened to be the Eurovision Young Musicians 2012 Finale. Essentially, seven extremely talented teenagers played various musical instruments in front of thousands of people. I had no idea what two of the musical instruments were (cue Dad), and one girl played the bassoon standing up. Also, in between the performances a group called Mnozil Brass played more upbeat, modern songs (including, crowd favorite Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen). They were quite hilarious. I was rooting for the piano player from Germany, but the winning prize went to a violin (viola?) player from Norway. Before the judges made their decision, we got to hear the Percussive Planet Ensemble. They played every percussion instrument that I had ever seen and then some. Our host (possibly a well-known fact to the Austrians) was a member of the group. That was my very classy day of fancy horses and classical music.

(5/11/2012)

Things I Miss About America*

Sat, 12 May 2012 15:30:25 -0400

Instead of being productive, I have made a list of some of the things I miss about home…

1. Cheddar cheese - If you look hard enough, you can find some, but it just doesn’t taste the same.

2. Kraft Macaroni & Cheese - I can’t explain why; I just love it.

3. Everyday candies** that I took for granted and now are too expensive to buy - including: Orbit gum, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, M&M’s,…

**However, I do not miss Hershey’s chocolate because Europe has Milka which is much better.

4. Someone cooking meals for me! - I appreciate you, Dad!

5. Ovens/Baking

6. The English Language - Obviously.

7. English-language magazines - From People to National Geographic. I just can’t get myself to buy an issue for nine euros.

8. Stores that stay open past 7:30 pm

9. High speed internet/WiFi - It is a mystery to me why, in 2012, a student dorm does not have WiFi or internet that can load a YouTube clip in less than an hour.

10. Sadie!

11. All of YOU - my wonderful family and friends!!

*Subject to updates.

Prater at night

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:34:24 -0400

Prater at night

A day at the park

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:30:03 -0400

So crowded!

A day at the park