Today was quite long but incredibly fun. Mike and I made two new friends! It's a rather funny story. On Thanksgiving, the day I left for Budapest, I was able to stop by Juliette and Cooper's to partake in their Thanksgiving revelry. There I met a new friend, Georgia, who used to live near Vienna. She quickly sent me an email with some great advice, and contacted two friends, Georg and Gundi, who live in Vienna. I was able to get in contact with both of them, and Mike and I met up with them both today!
I was supposed to go see the famous Lippizaner Stallions during a practice, but I was having a bit of a late start that morning, so I only managed to snap a picture of one in his stable.
It was then that we met up with Georg at the Michaelerplatz and then spent the next 6 hours running around Vienna in a whirlwind! We ran past the Kaisergruft, where the Habsburgs remains are kept (although their hearts and entrails are kept in separate churches...)
One of the guild signs. I think this one was architecture?
We went through a lot of small, tiny passageways between streets. Georg would make a sudden turn an disappear into a rabbit hole...
I forget the name of this church (we saw SO much with Georg) but it had a really need faux dome.
Now you see it...
Now you don't!
A locksmith guild.
This street was called "The street of the beautiful lantern." This one here is a replica.
I spotted a piece of street art by Invader!
This is a synagogue which is in a regular looking building. That's why it's still around...because it looked inconspicuous no one bombed it.
The oldest church in Vienna.
Judenplatz. 15th century Vienna had one of Europe's largest Jewish communities. Now there is a square, museum and memorial.
The memorial here honors the 65,000 Viennese Jews killed by the Nazis. This place is also the site of a 1421 massacre, only discovered when work began on this memorial. 200 Jews were burned at the stake in 1421, when Christian Viennese (who borrowed money from the Jews, since that wasn't allowed) got too deep in debt and so conveniently decided to wipe out the ghetto--and their debts.
Honey comb!
Georg then took us to Cafe Central, one of the really famous coffee houses.
Always wear your hat when you cross the street!
Georg said this is an art installation. It reads "Fire wall" in german.
We stopped by one of the Christkindlmarkts!
Georg and Mike ordering some punsch.
Wild boar!
We shared a wild boar sandwich!
On the top of the Albertina, looking over towards the opera house!
Georg took us to the Albertina, where we met up with Gundi, the second of Georgia's friends. Gundi is an assistant curator, and she took us all around the palais, behind closed doors and in to some very special rooms! Then she walked us through the current special exhibition about Durer and Maximilian I. Gundi even gave me her museum discount so I could buy a print in the shop! Georg then left us with Gundi, who then took us down to the famous würstlestand by the opera where we had sausages just like the Viennese do before a performance! Then it was rush rush rush and goodbyes as Gundi took us into the opera house for our performance of Elisir d'Amor!
Juan Diego Florez was so amazing, he got an encore for Una Furtiva Lacrima! It was the first encore I have ever experienced, and very well deserved. Can you imagine singing something so phenomenally well that people literally won't stop clapping until you sing it again?
People we going nuts taking pictures because of the encore, so I did too, although normally you don't take pictures!
And right outside is the famous Hotel Sacher, although we didn't go inside! I need to try the Sacher torte soon!
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