post 5

As usual, life is amazing. Rest assured, I know my life is very very good when I am not in Vienna, but I am amazed at the things I've been able to do here so far. For example, on Saturday morning I went for a little jog through the vineyards by my home. Not too bad. Then Becca and I went to the flea market that they have on Saturdays at the Naschmarkt. I love that kind of stuff, and people were selling a WIDE variety of objects: silverware, furniture, fur coats, Pez dispensers, broken McDonald's toys, books, love letters, and more.

Hooks made from deer hooves at the flea market

Old GameBoy games

We explored all the stands and I bought a couple art books before we headed over to the MAK (the museum of applied arts). This museum was really cool and totally different from other museums I've visited so far. Instead of paintings and sculptures, they had lots of furniture, textiles, pots, architecture, and other cool stuff. I really loved the furniture and the architecture. This arcitect designed some really cool buildings that explore using vertical space.

The MAK took us all afternoon, so when we got out, it was dark outside. We decided to walk back to the Musikverein to see if there was a concert we could get standing tickets for. As it happened we were there right as the box office opened for last minute tickets, so we bought some for the orchestra performance that night. Programs cost money here, so I have no idea what they played, but it was fantastic. Don't tell Norbert, but I'm definitely more of an orchestra girl than an opera girl. During the intermission, Becca and I were sitting on the ground resting our legs when a sweet old man and his wife came and offered us their front row balcony tickets. Once we understood what he was saying, we gladly accepted and enjoyed the rest of the show sitting down.

On Sunday morning we went to church and everyone is always so nice there. We learned lots of new words and they had lunch in the gym after Sacrament Meeting, so we tried lots of new foods as well.

In honor of Mozart's birthday on Friday, the Mozarthaus Museum was free on Sunday, so Becca and I visited that after church. It wasn't the best museum I've been to, so I'm glad it was free. After that I tried my first roasted chestnut (hello, new favorite) and we went to our professors' flat for devotional.

The Jesuitenkirche

I love trees that grow in cities

Today after class we went on like, a nine hour walking tour and I froze my booty off (per usual), but we saw some very cool stuff. There's a little street where in 1212 a basilisk snuck out of a well and attacked a bunch of people until a barber's apprentice thought to hold a mirror up to it and then fill the well up with rocks so no more mythical beasts could escape from it. I really love when the line between history and legends get blurred.

Here's a picture of the story about the basilisk. Apparently they look like big chicken-dragons, not huge snakes, like Harry Potter led me to believe.

I'm pretty sure all of my digits have mild frostbite. It's supposed to get colder over the next week, and I just can't understand a) how that's possible and b) how I could wear more layers than I already do. So pray for me. But not too hard, because other than the dropping temperatures, I couldn't find one thing to complain about. Love you all and hope all is well.