Vienna

Ohh Vienna. What a time.

We left early Sunday morning, changed trains four times and four and a half hours later, found ourselves in Austria's capital.

The sites that we went too mostly concerned Sissy, the Marie Antoinette of the time. She was really focused on fashion and good times lol. She died from a stab wound. Interestingly enough, she didn't even know she had BEEN stabbed. After she was attacked by a man as she was walking, she made it to the ship, where she passed out. They took off her tight corset, that had been preventing her from bleeding to death...and that was the end. We went to two of her castles, or palaces...places of living.

We also went on a tour of the city, but it only lasted a half hour and was really just done like two streets haha. The audio guide was about three or four seconds too fast, so I think i missed a lot of what was going on, honestly. But it was so blooming hot I couldn't really focus anyway.

I don't feel like we saw that much for being in Vienna for two and a half days. But regardless, it will be a time i certainly will never forget. The people make the place.

Anyway, I have a feeling that this blog will be one of my last on this fine trip of mine. Getting internet is getting harder and harder, and I only have a little over a week left. I'm excited to see my friends and family again, but I gotta say...I wish I could stay longer. I've really had a better time than I ever imaged that I would.

We are taking a test on Tuesday. Something about being certified to a certain point...or something. I know, i'm not very useful on the informational part...like history, or...anything significant like that. Only four days of classes left! This weekend we're going to another castle...then the test...then home that Friday!

Castles and the Internet (No relation)

Yesterday, we celebrated the 4th of July at two castles!...Actually not that exciting. Well it was...ok...breathe...let me explain. (I get ahead of myself)

The day started with breakfast at 7:15. We packed a sack lunch and were off....on a pretty sweet bus. We all could have two seats to ourselves, so we just sacked out and slept the 3 hour drive away.

As we approached the Neuschwanstein castle...wow....beautiful (google it and you'll see why). But everyone knows me as a sucker for scenery. I can just go on and on about it. But this castle...just sits on this lush, green mountain side. It's on a plateau and is surrounded by mountains, and a huge lake. Freakin' beautiful. Unfortunately, the king of that time had extremely ambition plans and only finished 15 of the 200 rooms in the castle. And those 15 rooms were the only ones we could tour. Now 15 ROOMS sounds like a lot...but they were counting things like the king's dressing room, and probably hallways or something lol. The point is, it took us a half hour to get through the tour.

The other castle, must less impressive. Although I can't really say why, except the walls were covered in murals versus the extreme golden laden EVERYTHING, which is more to my liking haha. We were unable to take pictures inside of either of the places, so what i'm talking about will probably remain a mystery to all of you.

As for the internet. They have cut our hours down, and now we only have access two hours every day. Hopefully, I'll be able to update my blog just as frequently, but if missing for awhile, you'll know why.

We don't have an excursion this Wednesday like we usually do, but instead are taking a three day trip to Vienna! Austria's capital. Noooo idea what we're doing there, but i'm excited!!

As for the 4th of July, Bogi should their love for us foreigners and lit some fireworks (surely more than dad ever would have if I had been at home lol--you know it's true). We say a weak "Oh Say Can You See" and ate hot dogs and watermelon, but for some reason had Spanish music playing in the background the whole time.

Speaking of foreigners, I think just about the strangest thing of being here is when people ask where I'm from. I'm just to saying "From Union College," or "South Dakota" maybe even "Sioux Falls." But here, they're looking for a country. And it's weird when people say "yeah that word is hard for foreigners to say." Definitely a different feel.

Munich

Ok, so I know I said Salzburg was the most beautiful city I've seen...but I take it all back. Munich...I love you. But I'll probably say that about Vienna when we go there next weekend.

Munich really felt like EUROPE, ya know? It seemed a llliiitttllee less set up for tourists then Salzburg did, and felt more like the Big Apple of Germany.

We started our day at 8:20, meeting in the parkplatz. There we took about 4 vans to get the 21 ACA students to larger train station. Goodness, I'm not sure how many times we had to switch trains...I think it was around 4 times. And all I can say is that I'm happy Markus (our excursion planner guy) knows what he's doing. Although we did get on the wrong trains twice lol.

We started off at the Allianz Stadium. It seats 66,000 people and since it opened in 2004, every game has been sold out. With bigger games they sell standing tickets and can cram 69,000 people in. The stadium changes colors at night. The outside is made of a really tough, thin plastic that heightens the reflection of the different color lights.

We went into the changing rooms and I was kinda surprised to see how simple it all was. The guide said it was because many of the players come from very simple backgrounds and prefer things to remain that way.

The green, the most important part of the stadium, is maintained unbelievably. The sprinkler system that runs over the field has UV lights on the bottom, as to give the grass even expsore. From the months of August to about April the grass is heated from beneath. They have a series of pipes under the field and they heat the water, no more than 50 degrees F, to keep it growing.

After that, we hopped about three more trains and ended up at, what I call the Munich Empire State Building. It was pretty small actually...only one elevator for about 20 seconds. But it was right over the Olympic park. So we got to see a lot of the stadium that was used for the Olympics a few years back.

After that we went into town farther and ended up that this magnificently...indescribable castle, palace, church thing. Honestly, I have no idea what it was but it was.....wow. I really couldn't pry my eyes off it. It's incredibly gothic influences. Creepy Gargoyles everywhere, so much ornamentation...incredible. and HUGE. ENORMOUS. The thing didn't come even close do fitting into my camera picture, no matter where I stood or what angle.

After that we just kinda roamed around and did our own thing. Three of us were so exhausted from the heat and running around we just gt ice cream and french fries and lazily roamed around town until we all met but that ridiculously awesome castle, palace, church place again lol.

Classes are getting harder and harder to focus in. We are CHECKED OUT. We just want to party it up, roam around the country side, and work on our sleep. I'm not sure if we're jet lagged still, but our bodies are definitely still trying to adjust. When I get up at 6:30am it really DOES feel like the 11:30 pm my friends and family are enjoying.

But again, I freakin' am in love with Austria. I couldn't be happier with my decision to come here, more thankful for my parents helping me get here, and my friends for pushing me to go through with it. I owe you all!