Dark Christmas

Salzburg is in a festive glow and the Christkindlmarkts are busy with shoppers, buying toys, ornaments, Gluhwine, and sweetend nuts. I have been taking peaceful stolls along the river by myself after dinner, but that may have to stop, now.

There's this tradition in Austria called the Krampuslauf, traditionally taking place on December 5, the night before St. Nicholas Day. Apparently it came from some old pagan tradtions of the area, before it was Christianized...and it's still around. The Krampus arrive with St. Nicholas and hit or kidnap pretty girls and terrorize the people.

I joined some friends at Hellbrunn for a traditional Krampuslauf last night. Before the Krampus showed up, I had the pre-rollercoaster jitters, but I did not expect it to be bad. Plus, we were told that it was "family friendly" which led me to believe that there would be no beatings or kidnappings. Well--I was wrong. The Krampus paraded in with torches and sparklers, wearing huge scary masks and growling. At first, they seemed nice--like they were just going to parade on by--but then, they began to attack. The area around me cleared out and everyone ran away. I closed my eyes out of fear, and opened them and there was a huge, gruesome white face, inches from mine. Before I was fully aware of what was going on, I screamed, "no!" pushed him away and ran. Then, a candle burning nearby was knocked over, and the red-masked Krampus had grabbed Jenni.

I was so scared. I knew that they were just guys in costume, but the fire and the masks and the whips...I just couldn't really take it...so I left the center, and hid in the petting zoo. Now that I'm writing this, I know how incredibly pathic I was. The others managed to suck it up. They took some tackles and beatings, but I was chillin' with the goats. Well--don't call me a chicken, just yet. I present to you some amazing photos of the Krampus, and maybe you'll understand.

Sipping Tea with the taste of the Thames.

A weekend in London is only enough to graze the tip of what that city has to offer. It was actually strange to be in an English-speaking nation, though. I was actually shy to speak with people because I'm so used to having difficulty with communication. Oh geez.

20 of us boarded the same flight to London and some even continued on the same bus. Linda, Clint and I were the only ones in our hostel, so we boarded the underground at Baker Street (elementary, my dear Watson) and soon arrived at our hostel. Let me tell you--this place was the epitome of places where a poor college student would stay. It was loud and gross and the shower was placed awkwardly in the same room as the beds. I thought it was pretty funny, personally. Linda had a sleep sheet and Clint slept in like 5 layers of clothing, including his hoodie. I just had my PJs and I was pretty content. We didn't have any roommates the first night, but I still only got 2 hours of sleep. We had a share session, (hey...let's abuse eachother and then tell each other why we are friends). I learned that I should go back to my natural hair color, I listen to angry music too loudly in my headphones, and I need to be more confindant because I'm a cool person. Yay, world.

Linda and I were on our own for the entire weekend. I don't want to be mean or negative, but she and I are not very compatable travel buddies. I wanted to see and do everything I could...and not shop, and she wanted to shop and she hates museums and gets tired easily. But I don't want to dwell on that, and I don't want to think about regrets. We saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Linda did the majority of her Christmas shopping in a little shop nearby before the guards changed. After that, we went on the Westminster Walk, starting at Big Ben and Westminster Abby and heading toward the National Gallery. It was a nice walk, in my opinion. As we coninued, I realized that we were really close to Leicester Square and Covent Garden and the the Noel Coward Theater, where Avenue Q would be playing later that night. We just kept walking, although we did stop for lunch at a Subway sometime in there...haha.

It is difficult to name and comment on everything we saw that day. I felt as though I was being pushy and we were both really tired, so we strolled around the theater and looked at all these odd little shops where they sell everything from foreign currency and stamps to old, out of print novels. We visited a nice market in Covent Garden and browsed an honest to god tea store. I really enjoyed the low stress and chillness about it, but I could not wait until 5:30, when Avenue Q would finally begin!!!

Avenue Q is a theater experience unlike any other. Puppets portray all the trials and tribulations of real life. I knew the music, but not the story. It's about a recent college grad (with a BA in English) who is looking for his purpose. The backup characters are also going through personal struggles of their own. It was presented really well and I couldn't stop laughing...and I could relate with so much throughout the production! As a plus, the actor who played/operated Nicky/Trekkie Monster/Blue Bad Idea Bear was absolutely gorgeous! Ha.

We ate dinner at Pizza Hut (just taking full advantage of the Americanness...ugh) and headed back to the hostel.

The next day, we got a late start and ended up at Tower Hill, near the London Tower and Tower Bridge. Been there, done that...but I was looking forward to a nice walk along the Thames. We did walk along the Thames and it was very nice, though windy. We visited the Clink Museum on our way to St. Paul's and the Tate Modern Museum (I was totally dictating this whole ordeal). I had wanted to attend Evensong at St. Paul's but it did not appear to be free and there was a carnival all around, and I wanted to play with the games.

I was much more excited to visit the Tate Modern Art Museum, though! It was my first famous modern art experience, and it was astounding! I saw Jackson Pollock, Picasso and Monet (Mo' Money, Mo' Lillies) and I even spotted a Klimt piece from about a mile away (see what Austria's done to me???). There were also galleries dedicated to film and photography. Of course, there was a lot of abstract and surreal art. I could have stayed there for hours, but I could tell that Linda hated every minute of it (and she said so later...grrr).

The day had seemed disappointing and it ended so, as well. It's a long story, but in short, Linda's wallet was stolen. The moral of the story is that I need to return to London and go with a bigger group of people with more options and more in common with me.

I sound overly displeased, but I'm not. I am trying not to have any regrets...but the one I do have is not saying the second day--"Hey, Clint...could I join you guys today?"

Du hasst mich...

3 November 2007
The drive home was long and tedious. We had a few stops, including Rheims, France. I attended another French Catholic mass because the cathedral choir sang so beautifully. Then, I ate a Snickers Bar and the cheese and croissants that I’d stolen from the hotel. We went to the Champagne caves and I learned about the delicate process that every little bottle undergoes, and the expensiveness all made sense to me. We were each allowed a glass, and it was quite tastey!
There was a lot of driving through mountains and fields, but I slept a great deal.
Today, however, we visited Neuschwanstein Castle—and it did indeed look like something out of a fairytale. I hiked up the mountain beyond the castle and it was gorgeous! I decided that I will go hiking in these here Alps, sooner or later! It was my only experience of Germany, but it is funny to note that Rammstein was playing in the ibis, where I ate lunch. Now, I am safely and happily in Salzburg and it is my mom’s birthday. I will now call her before fixing myself some dinner!

I'll meet you at the Cemetary Gates

31 October 2007
Chartres is a charming little town near Paris with a world famous pilgrimage cathedral. There, we had a really interesting tour and informed lecture on reading stained glass windows. I was not there long, only long enough to get some lunch, and we returned to Paris for a free afternoon and evening.
I went to the Cimetiere du Père Lachaise. It seemed fitting on Halloween—but I really like cemeteries and there are famous people in this one! With a little help from Rick Steves, we saw the graves of Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Jim Morrison, Frédéric Chopin, Baron Haussmann, and Rossini. It was a perfect autumn day for a stroll through a very old cemetery. Wilde’s grave definitely had the most personality. The Egyptian symbol of homosexuality is proudly carved into the stone that emits a strong odor of lipstick. For clarification, I did not sniff the monument—you could just smell it! Many people have applied lipstick and kissed the monument over the years, despite a sign that says that it should not be defaced in any way…oh well!
We are but human, and we had to eat. We took the metro to the Student Quarter for some dinner and Crème Brule, in honor of my dad! After supper, we came across a huge concert near the Pantheon. A gospel choir caught our attention and we stayed for an hour, rocking out to P.U.S.H—a French Christian and. It was a lot of fun, even though we didn’t understand the language. We caught “Hosanna” and “Amen” and I vaguely understood a phrase here and there. Later, I wrote a little poem about the experience:

We stumbled on a celebration,
Versaille fresh in our minds.
A strange culture, new nation
But the music made it all fine.

Unsure, lonesome and a bit homesick
I walked toward the light
The dancing and loud music
The magic in the crowd that night.

Avec lui, pour lui.
Everyone knew. Everyone understood.
Avec lui, pour lui.
I didn’t understand.

Cares melt away,
Lifted by a feeling.
I’m carried to a new day,
A new life, a new me.

We decided to return to the Louvre and admire the glass pyramid at night. There, we were interviewed by some students who work for NBC World. Maybe we’ll be seeing that online—
“They aren’t representing. They aren’t even dressed up!”—Americans, Peter Pan and Elvis on the Paris Metro.

Just Like Marie Antoinette

30 October 2007
The Chateau de Versailles is a symbol of the extravagant lifestyles of the French monarchy, as their little people starved in the dirty streets of Paris.
But I digress. The history was interesting, the palace, beautiful. However, the gardens were what I had come for. The trees were dressed in autumn splendor and the canal waters were smooth and calm. I set off by myself—cheap therapy. I wandered toward Marie Antoinette’s little “peasant” estate. I met up with Mary, Maria, Clint, and Catie (fun to say). I felt a bit out of place, and didn’t want to deal with people, so I left them behind after exploring Marie Antoinette’s residence a bit.
When I wrote in my journal that night, I noted that I was homesick and had kind of been hurt. I suppose that my entry was a little negative, since the feelings I had been fighting began pouring forth into my travel journal. Oops. For the sake of honesty, I recorded a bit of that pessimistic attitude here…sorry.
Anyway—If I ever return to Versailles, I would paint a picture and ride a horse through the garden.
The Musée D’Orsay was fabulous! We toured with Dr. Loos and she explained Manet, Monet, Degas, and Renoir—among many others. It was crowded, but still an amazing experience. I stood in front of van Gogh’s self portrait and my heart skipped a beat as I looked into his eyes. That sounds so weird, now—but it was like being in the presence of greatness.
Another painting that completely grabbed my attention was by Eduard Detaille, called La Réve. It depicted a battlefield of slaughtered soldiers from several nations. However, you could see them in the distance, on a cloud, marching to heaven. It depicted the miseries of war, but also presented the hope of maintaining faith. I searched for a postcard of it, but couldn’t find one. I photographed it, the best I could.
The Opera, Tosca was cancelled because of a strike. No trip to Paris is complete without a strike of one type or another. I’m going to drink some wine with my gal pals! Tee hee.
“Um…I don’t know how to tell you this, but he’s not exactly a hunk.”—Emily.

Fridays I go painting in the Louvre

29 October 2007
We boarded the bus, bright and early, and set off for the Louvre Museum. We look at it, where the old fortress had been. The tour then led us through Greek and Roman sculpture, followed by a stroll through galleries of French and Italian paintings. I feel that I appreciate the tour of the Louvre so much more, now that I’ve studied a bit of art history. Immediately, I recognized Venus de Milo, Nike of Samothrace and the frieze of the Parthenaic Procession. Even the Etruscan stele was familiar from Dr. Loos’ lectures and the book. It is nice to be informed.
Again, the Mona Lisa was crowded with tourists, fighting for a photo of the small painting. Sadly, this caused a deep cynical feeling I have for her. What’s the big deal? It is a beautiful painting, but there are thousands of other beautiful paintings to photograph (although photographing a painting seems irreverent to me…although I am very much guilty of the crime).
Denise and I were wandering independently, and she pointed out a statue of Athena, looking all authoritative. Her posture was one of a chick with attitude. “Now, listen here, fellas…”I could have probably spent another…um…year there, but we had to meet the bus and take a bus tour of the city. In short, there is so much to do there, and I was almost stressed by all my options.
The evening ended with a “romantic” boat ride down the Seine River. The beauty of Notre Dame from river was impossible to photograph, unfortunately. The students of the Salzburg program spent more time photographing each other than the scenery, but it was fun while it lasted.
We have another really early morning tomorrow, and another long, long day and I am Le Tired. "I just want to see someone beaten with a baguette. I don’t really want to…like…steal someone’s purse.”—Isaac (with a stupid, outrageous French accent, adding to the hilarity.)

I am Le Tired

28 October 2007
Thank God for Daylight Savings. I got an extra hour of sleep that was very useful for a long Parisian adventure. Since it is Sunday and we are a Catholic school, we had an optional mass…at Notre Dame! I did not understand much...ok…anything, but I read the readings in my program, then I closed my eyes and prayed in a way I hadn’t in a very long time. They say that you really feel a special, spirituality in Notre Dame. I may have felt it. After mass, I did not need touristy photos of the Cathedral. I felt like I took something else away with me.
After meeting back up with the group, we went to Saint-Chapelle, where Jesus’ crown of thorns was kept, apparently (insert cynical smirk here). It was beautifully painted with exquisite stained glass windows. It was a fun place to practice radical photography.
I enjoyed a French Onion Soup at a small café nearby, before catching the Metro to the Rodin Museum. The gardens had gorgeous statues, like The Thinker and a crazy sculpture of Balzac (who I have actually heard of now, thanks to Allison). The inner museum is full of bronze and marble statures, regarding everything, from the fall of man to the detail of the human face, to sex. Some of my favorites were the sculptures of hands. I could really appreciate the intimacy and delicate nature of hands. They can be tender, gentle and protective; or harsh, threatening and harmful.
I boarded the Metro with some friends and hit up the Montmartre district, near Sacre Coeur. Despite some mild drama, I had an amazing evening! We just strolled the streets and people-watched. There was a performer who was spinning and juggling a soccer ball for about a half hour or so. I was with a fairly new group of people, Sarah B, Allison, and Emily, but it was good company and I felt relaxed—and I was allowed to vent a little.
I had a glass of wine with Emily and we talked for a while. Now, I am watching BBC World and knowing that I will sleep like a rock tonight.

J'ai Tour Eiffel...pantalon?

27 October 2007
Paris, France
We arrived in Paris around noon today. Once we were all checked into our hotel (which took about an hour…) we immediately hopped on the bus to the Musée Marmottan, where a huge Claude Monet gallery is located. Dr. Loos told us about each painting in some detail and adored each of them, especially the ones in which a lot of green was used. Part of me wanted to stay in the gallery for hours. Another part of me wanted to pint, draw, or write something beautiful. I visited the gift shop and experimented with the Paris subway system on the way back to the hotel. I had “The Dogs of BA” by Mirah stubbornly wedged in my head, so I listened to it for or five times. I was invited to the Eiffel Tour at that time, but I politely refused. Then, the group that actually did go to the Eiffel Tour saw Ben Affleck there (allegedly).
I heard all about that as I took a dinner break at the hotel. However, my friends and I opted to visit the tour that night. I boarded the Metro with Sarah C and B, Allison, Ashley, Denise, and Emily. We barely made it before the elevator closed for the night, but I am so relieved that we did. The view from the top was astounding as the city lights sparkled from below. It was more spectacular than I remembered.
Then, I ran down the stairs as the tour sparkled (every hour, on the hour) and I prayed that I wouldn’t fall down the stairs.

On the Road...

26 October 2007
Metz, France
We are on our way to Paris. We stopped in Ulm, Germany and looked at the Ulm Cathedral, which is now a Protestant church. It was huge and quite interesting. I wanted to climb the steeple, but I didn’t think I was allowed to.
We drove for a very long time before arriving in Metz. I read Still Alive: A Holocaust Girlhood Remembered by Ruth Kluger on the bus. It is assigned reading for my Political Science class, but it is anything but dull. I really enjoy her writing style and her overall perspective on what happened in the concentration camps and after the war ended. I also began thinking of all the awful things that happened in our world. Europe has really rebounded since the World Wars. Looking out at the German countryside, I couldn’t help but wonder about the turmoil that was occurring, only 75 years ago.
Metz is a very nice town. I went on a “Cathedral Tour” tonight. The town seems very clean and the churches are all gorgeous, like something out of a fairytale.
Now, I shall relay some awesome quotes of the day. I’ll try to do this for every entry, just to keep things somewhat funny.
“Kevin is not travel size” –Joe
“Don’t call me a poseur just because I wear earmuffs and carry a unicorn purse”—Jessica

All Growed Up

It's a shame that I don't write in this more often. I suppose that I haven't been travelling as much as I had hoped of I've become overly jaded by Salzburg. In reality, there are still adventures to be had here, even though it's like "home" and everything. I've yet to go to Hellbrunn Castle or the Stiegelbrau. It also snowed a bit this weekend, and I'm looking forward to peaceful walks through Mirabellplatz.
Tonight I went to dinner at Spaghetti and Co. for Linda's birthday with Sarah, Casey, Kaitelyn, Jessica, Linda, Clint, and this German guy who is friends with Casey...I think his name was Matteo I had broccoli spaghetti with a glass of white wine and I felt totally grown up. We all dressed up, too. Then, we went to Frauenbergers for cocktails, and that was nice, too. Clint, Sarah, and I went home at this point. I have so much studying to do and I doubt that I would have much fun dancing with homework on my mind. Yuck.
Speaking of homework, I should probably get back to it. I am going to Paris next weekend. Hopefully, I will have some stories then.

Swiss Army Romance

I wasn't sure what to expect from Geneva. I figured that Switzerland would be beautiful and have good chocolate and cheese and stuff. I was just excited to see Erika, for the most part.
The train ride from Salzburg to Zurich was fairly uneventful. I was in a compartment by myself, except on a few occasions when someone else rode for an hour or so. At one point, two men sat accross from me, and I resolved to see if I could understand their conversation. They talked about education the entire time--I think--Then, it turned out that they were teachers. Go figure.
As I boarded the train from Zurich to Geneva, the German was replaced by French and I knew I was in trouble. I put on my headphones and armed myself with, "Je ne parle pas francais."
I arrived in Geneva at about 3:30 pm, and waited by the enterance for Erika. I was so excited when I saw her! Haha--I wasn't in the wrong city, after all! We walked to the hostel and sat there, talking for a few hours. We were both tired and hungry, but it was awesome to be swapping stories again. She told me about Barcelona and a weird guy from Boston who grew up next door to the Bush family (as in George W. and Senior) and was supposidly exceedingly wealthy--but had been living in a "youth" hostel in Barcelona for the past month. We talked about classes, I told her about my friends and Austria and we discussed how insane it is that we're in a foreign country!
After dinner, we looked around Geneva and almost went to a jazz club (but there was a cover charge--no thank you). We walked along the lake and through a park. It started to rain a bit and we didn't have our umbrella. "It's OK--we lived in Portland for a year!" Nevertheless, we returned to the hostel fairly early because we had a big day ahead of us.
The next morning, we took the tram (that we called the MAX) to the UN offices of Geneva. We saw peacocks on the steps of one of the buildings, and all the tourists were taking pictures. The tour was interesting, though current events and issues weren't discussed as much as I would have hoped. My favorite room of the UN was the last conference room shown to us. It had been part of the original League of Nations. There were paintings on all the walls that represented progress in one field or another--be it technology or medicine. The ceiling depicted 5 giants, representing the 5 major continents (OK--I understand why Antartica wasn't included...but what about Australia?). They were joining hands in the middle of the ceiling as a sign of unity. Cool.
The Red Cross Museum was informative, though depressing. I dedicated a lot of my time to looking for new German vocabulary and trying to remember French in some way. I know I'm totally nerdy.
My favorite part of the day was probably the Botanical Gardens. Did I die and go to Portland? Seriously. Everything reminded me of Portland, except the whole French language thing. We watched some kids at play and looked at all the useful plants in the garden. It was beautiful and green and I took more photos of trees and flowers than anything else. There were also peacocks, deer, and flamingos. And ducks.
We then went to a flea market and watched some kids at a skate park, as the Doors blared over the loud speaker. We eventually found the Reformation Wall ('sup. Luther?) and did some souvenier shopping. I bought a Swiss Army Knife (naturally!) that's all cutsey with Eidelweisses on it.
The day ended with Swiss Cheese Fondue and beer tasting. We both boarded trains at 6 am the next morning to return to our respective European residences. There was a little girl on the train who I talked to in German. I could understand some of what she said. She wanted to buy the sweater I'm making. She was cute.
It was so nice to get away from the center and the 40 people I see day in and day out, but I was happy to see them when I got home.
Now, I have to pee. I will post pictures--I swear!

Vienna!

Once the capitol of the immense Austrian Empire and a major cultural center in Europe, Vienna is really full of pomp and grandeur. We arrived last night and had dinner at a little Pizzeria, where they served me a piece of baked Swiss cheese (or something like that…).
Naturally, we began our search for a bar or a club after dinner. We didn’t really succeed. I had a Fosters at an Australian pub, but ended up giving most of it to Clint and Jessica. As we searched, we also got a premature tour of the city. We walked past St. Karls Kirche, St. Stephan’s Cathedral, and some amazing multi-colored fountains. All the while, I couldn’t stop thinking about how lucky we are to be here.
Friday morning, we began out tour of Vienna at the Hundertwasser Krawanahaus—an amazing, colorful, abstractly designed building. I loved it! I want to live there…though we couldn’t actually go in, and it’s probably a really expensive house to live in. We continued to the Belvedere Palace and looked at artwork by Gustav Klimt and Schiele. “The Kiss” is one piece that I recognized, since my parents once had it hanging on their wall. In truth, it isn’t as romantic as a casual observer may believe. The couple is positioned awkwardly and it almost looks as though the woman is unsure. It is a beautiful piece of art, though.
Onward we went to the Schönbrunn Palace, where the crazy Hofbergs once resided. Overall, it was extravagant and elegant—but I couldn’t help but think of how much wealth some people had and how superfluously they spent it. It’s all a bit ridiculous. I was separated from the group (crap) but eventually found Clint, who had also been separated from the group. We walked through the gardens. It was sunny and we passed an artist who was painting a picture of the path. Then, we found some Roman ruins. That little stroll was probably the highlight of my day. It was nice to kind of get away from the huge crowds, even if it was only for a half hour.
Dinner was a nice plate of pasta for me. The marinara sauce was a bit sweeter than I’m used to, but it was sure tasty. I went out on the town with Sarah and Linda, and we hit up the Starbucks (yeah—I know…why are we going to Starbucks in Vienna? Well…because we can). I managed to flirt a little in German, so I was pretty proud of myself. I ordered a double-shot macchiato espresso with milk…and I downed that bad boy! Whoo. Eventually, we found ourselves at a Salsa Dance club, where cocktails were 7,50 Euro (no thanks!) and you had to know how to dance…really dance. So, I guess learning to Salsa is on my to-do list.
On Saturday morning, we began our day of touring at the Vienna Opera House. In honesty, I was most impressed with the size of the stage and the sets. They have to move those immense sets every day, in order to accommodate all of their performances! I saw the set for the Barber of Seville from behind, and could tell it would be amazing.
Then, we were walking through the city and we “met” some Lipizzaner Stallions. They were so beautiful! I took a video of them walking by. Then, we looked around in St. Stephan’s Cathedral. It was huge, all gothic, and creepy…but so cool!
During the lunch break, I had Cappuccinos with Allison and Erica. It was lovely. Meanwhile, there was a red nose benefit going on, and there were clowns EVERYWHERE. Ugh…not fun for my clown fear. I did overcome some fear and posed with “Mozart.”
The Kunsthistorisches Museum was very interesting and I saw so many famous pieces of art—up close and personal! Some of my favorites were by Raphael, because the colors were bright and the scenes were happy, for the most part. Unfortunately, we did not stop to talk a lot about his work.
The day ended with our attendance of The Barber of Seville. We all dressed up and looked stunning, which was super-exciting. The opera itself was humorous and light, but the plot wasn’t that exciting. The singing and acting was wonderful, of course. It didn’t disappoint…not that I’m an expert or anything.
I was thoroughly exhausted from the day, so I went to bed right away. We drove back on Sunday morning, stopping at a Byzantine Monastery for a guided tour. It was good, but I was so tired. I am now glad to be back in Salzburg, at the center, typing up my memories and promising myself that I will post photos in the near future.

Home sweet Dorm

With the first week of classes over, the UP students on the Salzburg Study Abroad Club decided it was best to not travel just yet. We hung around the center and went out to explore the Salzburg nightlife.

The sun made an appearance on Thursday afternoon, so I went for a stroll through Altstadt with some friends. It's really nice there, with little shops and a market where they sell touristy hoo hahs and whatnot. I had an Amaretto ice cream cone, and it was ASTOUNDING! Thursday night held in store another trip to Altstadt, in search of clothing stores. It ended at Murphy's Law Pub--an Irish themed bar where the most important rule is to not speak German. An innocent "Danke" taught me that as I bravely took a shot of Irish whisky. Uck.

We walked back to the center and watched "The Italian Job." It's really a comfy place to hang out. I like the center...Actually, during this weekend, I have caught up on my Disney movie viewing for the year...with The Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, and Beauty and the Beast under my belt, I feel I may can't go wrong, right?

On Friday, we went to an Ikea store and I bought an alarm clock. I know. So exciting. Then, we had tastey frozen pizza that made me happy. The guys had a night out--the girls had a night out--and we ended up in the same place. Go figure. I danced a bit, but the place was so smokey and crowded. After that, some of us hung out on my balcony...and almost watched the sun rise.

Saturday and Sunday were fairly slow. I got a start on some homework and reading for this coming week. I know I'm in this exciting place and everything, but school is still school and homework is still homework.

Next weekend, however, we're going to see The Barber of Seville in Vienna. That should be fairly awesome. I hope that post will be more informative. So...until next time...

Aufweadersehen!

To the Salt Mine

The program provided an excursion for the first weekend of the year. On Friday morning, we boarded the bus and left for a tour of the salt mines on northern Austria, near Hallein. The tour was really interesting. The mines were founded by the Kelts many years ago, and had since provided wealth to Salzburg and the surrounding area...hence the name...Salt Mountain. We all dressed up in white protective clothing (mostly so we didn't get too dirty) and we looked like little martians or something. The tour was entertaining, and I even got to go down two immense slides. Weee.
After the tour, we went into the Kelt villiage, which was alright. It reminded me of the World Museum of Mining. Yeah. Whoop de doo.
We had a sack lunch in Hallein before driving to Hallstatt. Hallstatt is a town of Virginia City size. In short, there isn't a lot to do there, after a certain time. I wandered around a bit before dinner. There is an honest to God Bone House there! I guess they ran out of room in their cemetary and had to dig up some bones and put them in this building because they didn't have anything better to do with them. I had expected something disorganized, but it was actually pretty neat and organized. The bones were set up in the shelves under the counter and the skulls were on top of the counter (for lack of a better word) and painted with the name of the dearly departed and their dates of birth and death. Some even had designs painted on the skull.
Later that night, we went out on the town, trying to find something to do. The grocery store closed at 7, and everything else had closed at 5. Basically, most people went back to the hotel. I sat in the lobby and chatted for a while. Others found a restraunt/bar in town, and others hung out at a drink stand by the lake.
Driving through the countryside, I realized how much this area reminds me of Northwestern Montana. There are mountains, forests, and lakes. It's also not heavily populated, which is nice. I won'd go so far as to say that I love it here, but it's definately beautiful.
I just learned that I broke a rule of the computer lab...no uploading photos. I guess my posts will be a little less multi-media style from now on. I'll have to save that for the occasional internet cafe.
Well, I'll sign off for now. Tomorrow should be a slow day, but I finally start classes on Monday. Yay, life.

Rollercoaster Ride

Lagoon Amusement Park in Salt Lake has more roller coasters than anyone should ever be expected to ride in one day. Every time I got in line, I became worried that I would get sick or die or something of that nature. However, once I got into the little cart and strapped myself in, I knew there was no going back.
Now, I am in Salzburg. I'm strapped in and the car is racing down the track toward the climatic loop-de-loop. I could close my eyes. I could wish to go back, but the double loops are fast approaching and they can't stop this little car.
I had some second guessing on the flight over. I kept on thinking that I wouldn't fit in here--that "I've Made a Huge Mistake." Now that I'm here, though, I think that everything will be OK. Just like the horrific double loop on the Fire Dragon, this whole thing will be over before I know it, and I will realize that I liked it so much that I might want to ride again.
Sorry for the extended metaphor that isn't exceptional. I have officially been awake for 30 hours (with a few little snoozes...but nothing worth bragging about). I'm trying to stay awake until the meetings are over...but then, I will crash. Hard.
Bis Bald!

A Beginning

Welcome!
On September 3, 2007 I will embark on an awesome opportunity to study abroad in Salzburg, Austria. I figure that keeping up a blog, complete with photo and video will help me keep in touch with friends and family in a quick and efficient way. So, if you're reading this, I don't doubt that you recieved an invatation. I will miss you all, but thankfully, the internet offers us ways to keep in touch. I hope you enjoy this and offer some feedback.

Now Playing: "How To Explain" by The Cat Empire