Today, my baby sister is turning 22.... yaaaaay
Happy Birthday Kellster, I miss youuuuuuuu. And, don't do anything too stupid tonight during your celebrations!
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
NYE 2010
At midnight we ventured out into the cold and watched the different firework displays (thank you kind neighbors for putting on a good, free show for all of us). Sadly, it was terribly foggy so we heard about twice as many fireworks as we actually saw explode.
After some champagne and chocolate covered strawberry treats, we went down the mountain, walked to the church, climbed up these rickety wooden stairs, and listened to the church bells ringing over our heads. Do you have any idea how loud it is underneath the bells??? Trust me, it is ridiculous.
Our final stop was at Philip's best friend Bernhart's house, which is right next door anyway. We ate some goluash soup (it's really similar to chili), played some SING STAR, and called it a night.
The sunrises early on the ski slopes :)
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Vienna, Thoughts and Opinions
It's a little late, but with all of the traveling and time changes I haven't really gotten a chance to sit town and talk about Vienna. The city is beautiful, cobble stone streets with old architecture everywhere. I wish I would have studied up on my architecture styles before I came to Austria. Last time we were in Europe I was still in college, so with my Spanish culture classes the styles and differences were fresh in my mind. Travel tip for anyone going to Europe, review those it'll make looking at the building a little more interesting. Give you another angle to admire if you will.
Instead of a hotel, we stayed in the flat of Philip's (dad's exchange student from last year) Aunt Ines & Uncle Philip. Their beautiful 100 year+ old flat with vaulted ceilings, hard wood floors, and pretty much all of the Ikea catalog for their organization is located in the third district of Vienna. Vienna is divided up into what they call districts, we refer to as neighborhood. District one is like the Gulch in Nashville, district two would be midtown, district three would be Vandyland... etc etc etc....
On the note of Ikea, their furnishings are great for creating stylish storage space in small areas, why does the nearest Ikea have to be in Atlanta???? Nashville needs to get with it and try to get an Ikea store to move out to Lebanon or something, that would help revive that dying outlet mall. Or, a perfect spot would be to stick one in the now empty Home Depot Expo building down on Thompson Lane....
I'm stepping down from my soap box and back to our time in Vienna....
Day 1: Arrive (a day late, but still we made it), quick shower, coffee with Iva (my long lost older sister who is now married and has a three year old), Then, we had dinner at a tiny but popular resturant followed by the Mozart & Strauss concert to which we walked.
Day 2: City tour of Vienna, via bus followed by a guided tour of the palace "Schoenbrunn " with some gluvine for a quick pick me up in the square. Philip wanted us to see the back of the palace, which was so beautiful with the gardens.... but there's nothing like a quick sprint to catch our tour bus to warm you up in this cold city..... And I thought gluvine was good for that, nope just sprint to your bus about a half-mile....
For the lunch we ate at a really cool resturant, the "Palmenhaus", that was built out of a green house, dinner was at a local resturant built in the lower portion of the Belvedre palace. Trying to go anywhere with the ever-so-impatient Philip can be a challenge. For example, when we first walked into the Palmenhaus he asked a server "Can we have a table?" When he was answered with a "There's none open right now," he prompted turned to leave too impatient to even inquire how long the wait might be. Now, it's one thing to be hungry, but it's another to turn and leave with a ten minute walk to another resturant. In that time, would a table open up at this resturant, in all actuality negating the possibility of eating any earlier? That my friends is an interesting concept to deal with, luckily dad and I can deal with it by distracting him and just telling him we are eating here end of story.
Day 3: Our last day in Vienna with a three hour drive to Feld am See. We had breakfast at a little coffee house, the Austrians love their espresso. After breakfast dad wanted to buy an "Austrian" hat, so we went back into town. Somehow I ended up getting a hat as well, but I think it's cute. Then, we went to their farmers market which is awesome. I love farmers market, and this one sold different meats, vegetables, spices, and even scarfs. Of course, I got a new scarf to match my new hat. After four espressos, I still ended up sleeping the whole way to Feld am See.
Instead of a hotel, we stayed in the flat of Philip's (dad's exchange student from last year) Aunt Ines & Uncle Philip. Their beautiful 100 year+ old flat with vaulted ceilings, hard wood floors, and pretty much all of the Ikea catalog for their organization is located in the third district of Vienna. Vienna is divided up into what they call districts, we refer to as neighborhood. District one is like the Gulch in Nashville, district two would be midtown, district three would be Vandyland... etc etc etc....
On the note of Ikea, their furnishings are great for creating stylish storage space in small areas, why does the nearest Ikea have to be in Atlanta???? Nashville needs to get with it and try to get an Ikea store to move out to Lebanon or something, that would help revive that dying outlet mall. Or, a perfect spot would be to stick one in the now empty Home Depot Expo building down on Thompson Lane....
I'm stepping down from my soap box and back to our time in Vienna....
Day 1: Arrive (a day late, but still we made it), quick shower, coffee with Iva (my long lost older sister who is now married and has a three year old), Then, we had dinner at a tiny but popular resturant followed by the Mozart & Strauss concert to which we walked.
Day 2: City tour of Vienna, via bus followed by a guided tour of the palace "Schoenbrunn " with some gluvine for a quick pick me up in the square. Philip wanted us to see the back of the palace, which was so beautiful with the gardens.... but there's nothing like a quick sprint to catch our tour bus to warm you up in this cold city..... And I thought gluvine was good for that, nope just sprint to your bus about a half-mile....
For the lunch we ate at a really cool resturant, the "Palmenhaus", that was built out of a green house, dinner was at a local resturant built in the lower portion of the Belvedre palace. Trying to go anywhere with the ever-so-impatient Philip can be a challenge. For example, when we first walked into the Palmenhaus he asked a server "Can we have a table?" When he was answered with a "There's none open right now," he prompted turned to leave too impatient to even inquire how long the wait might be. Now, it's one thing to be hungry, but it's another to turn and leave with a ten minute walk to another resturant. In that time, would a table open up at this resturant, in all actuality negating the possibility of eating any earlier? That my friends is an interesting concept to deal with, luckily dad and I can deal with it by distracting him and just telling him we are eating here end of story.
Day 3: Our last day in Vienna with a three hour drive to Feld am See. We had breakfast at a little coffee house, the Austrians love their espresso. After breakfast dad wanted to buy an "Austrian" hat, so we went back into town. Somehow I ended up getting a hat as well, but I think it's cute. Then, we went to their farmers market which is awesome. I love farmers market, and this one sold different meats, vegetables, spices, and even scarfs. Of course, I got a new scarf to match my new hat. After four espressos, I still ended up sleeping the whole way to Feld am See.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
I <3 MILKA!!!
For anyone who does not know me very well, you should note that not only do I love chocolate and sweets but I am obsessed with Milka chocolate. This obsession started with our first exchange student, and with every European that comes through our house or with every vist of mine to Europe it only intensifies.....
This is what 18 euros worth of Milka chocolate looks like......
I might have a slight problem...... :)
Incliment Weather
Well... the Austrian storm today poised a slight problem for us, but instead of trying to ski into 50 mile an hour winds and dense fog with ice underneath, we're going to the hot springs for a nice swim. Which will be a welcome relief for my aching legs. Well, aching probably is a bit of a stretch, they do have a good bit of DOM though....
I've "created" a bathing suit for myself since going to the Austrian alps I did not think I would have a need for a swim suit, luckily there's not much difference between a black sports bra and some black boy shorts.... when you think about it this will actually be a more conservative version of a swimming suit in comparision.
Off we go.....
I've "created" a bathing suit for myself since going to the Austrian alps I did not think I would have a need for a swim suit, luckily there's not much difference between a black sports bra and some black boy shorts.... when you think about it this will actually be a more conservative version of a swimming suit in comparision.
Mom's gift
Okay mommy.... I found you an extremely cool, kind of unconvential gift..... let's hope that I can get these two babies home to you and somehow up to you in Weirton. I've already broken one trying to take it out of the bar.....
And, just so you know I had one in my jacket pocket and Floriene had the other in his, then we had to ride the lift AND ski down one last slope without breaking these. But, we're just good so it wasn't a problem thankfully!!
And, just so you know I had one in my jacket pocket and Floriene had the other in his, then we had to ride the lift AND ski down one last slope without breaking these. But, we're just good so it wasn't a problem thankfully!!
Friday, January 01, 2010
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Happy New Year, I have much to catch up on but I have been so tired from all of the skiing and celebrating that it will just have to wait until tomorrow!!!
Chauuuuuuuuuuuu and sweet dreams it's time for this one to go to bed.
Chauuuuuuuuuuuu and sweet dreams it's time for this one to go to bed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)