I Love This City!

The title of this entry truly encompasses the aura of the past three days. I truly love this city. Vienna is fantastic in so many regards... and I live here! How crazy is that?!

One of my first shopping adventures included the first legal purchase of a bottle of wine. To be honest, I never realized (or cared for that matter) how many different kinds of wine there are in this world. Olivia and I just stood there in the wine isle like: "Deeerrrrrr, what do we do?!" We decided on an Austrian red wine, Blauer Zweigelt, and it is quite good. Don't worry parents--we're very tasteful with our newly gained liberties (unlike the majority of our American classmates, unfortunately). A glass of wine with dinner here, a bit before bed there. We enjoy the fact that we're wine-o's. We like to think that we're very elitist ;)

In our Wednesday music class, we were talking about the plethora of interesting evening activties to enjoy (there are only 5 of us in the class, and we're all music buffs... makes for great company!) and our friend Elizabeth proposed we go see Don Giovanni at this Rathaus Film Festival. This festival runs every night from August 14th to September 14th, showing a different opera, concert, or ballet every night. The city of Vienna sets up this massive screen infront of the City Hall (which looks like a giant cathedral at first sight) and then a large arena of chairs and cushioned bleachers. There isn't a bad seat in the house! We thought it sounded like an awfully good idea! And even if it turned out to be boring--at least it was free!! lol

It was absolutely packed when we got there. Hundreds upon hundreds of people were sitting, standing and walking, watching a very modern interpretation of Mozart's Don Giovanni. Not having previously read the synopsis of the opera, we were all pretty lost (there were no subtitles for the Italian that was sung). However, we did thoroughly enjoy making up our own words to what we perceived the plot to be... quite amusing actually!

One of my favorite parts, though, was the Ethnic Food Festival that was occurring directly behind the stands. Food from every part of the world--Iran, India, China, Japan, America, Thailand, Austria, etc. The smells were so enticing, and I wanted to eat everything! Olivia and I settled for a Sachertorte (the speciality dessert cake of Austria) and a glass of wine. I don't think there is anything more relaxing than listening to quality opera, with quality food and quality friends.

Meanwhile, throughout these days and afternoons I am desperately trying to figure out how to buy student rail tickets. Olivia and I are planning on travelling as much as humanly possible, particularly since Youth Hostels in most touristic locations are only 15 Euro a night. Our first endeavor is in 2 weeks when we travel to Munich, where we will meet up with Eric :) So I was feeling very pressed to get our rail passes. Many expensive phone calls and multiple asprirn later, I found out that the ticket price had been charged three times, but didn't go through (each individual charge was 600 dollars). Something was wrong with my order information, and the company kept trying to put it through. Meanwhile, my card has been put under high fraud security alert which requires me to call the Fraud agency, answer a million questions about my life, social security number, address, favorite food, age, favorite actor, etc. to get them to lift the alert. But fear not faithful readers! My train ticket has been purchased and is on it's way. I bought what is called the Global Youth Flexi Pass, which enables me as a student to use 10 days of travel within two months. I can go to a list of 20 different countries in Europe. I can just hop on the next train to wherever with no worries about reservations, etc.

Also causing grief has been ordering my computer power cord from HP... what craziness!!!!
Aaaaaanyway, we picked up a schedule for this Film Festival and realized that they were showing Stravinksy's "Firebird Suite" and "Le Sacre du Printemps" the next night. After having studied "Le Sacre" the past semester in our Harmony classes we couldn't pass up the opportunity... especially since we didn't have to worry about waking up for class the next day! So off we went again to downtown Vienna. For those of you who have never heard of "Le Sacre," which is also referred to as "The Rite of Spring," or the "Firebird Suite" I encourage you to Wikipedia slash YouTube it. Many people refer to Stravinsky's music as cinema music, and that is a correct generalization in many ways. If you've seen Fantasia, Walt Disney incorporated this music into the part with the Dinosaurs. The work itself is quite intense. Stravinsky wrote it after having a dream about a girl accepted into this Pagan cult, and as a sacrifice she must dance herself to death. He wrote the work to be performed as a ballet of sorts (if you can officially call it ballet, I'm not sure) and had it commissioned for the Russian Ballet. It is something not from this world... creepy to say the least, but haunting in every regard. Powerful.

So Olivia, Britney, Elizabeth and I managed to get there early enough to grab a bite to eat beforehand. I indulged in chinese food and treated myself to what is referred to as a Himbeer Bowle--a drink that is filled with whole rasberries. It's literally a drink and dessert in one. Not only is it beautiful, but it is incredibly sweet and delicious! It's made with what we believed to be rasberry wine.

Olivia and I both concur in saying that it had been quite some time since we got chills from music in the way that we did during Firebird and The Rite of Spring. It was spectacular. And the conductor reminded us a lot of Adam Sheldon! Ha!

Friday--our first completely free day! No class, no plans (well, at least until later that night), and no homework due the next day. What a liberating feeling! Olivia and I slept in a bit, and then got ready to do some Viennese shopping on the MariaHilfeStrasse, the main shopping drag of Vienna. Olivia was looking for some speakers for her computer and a pair of Converse, and I was looking for an array of various things: a pair of sunglasses (I lost mine the other day :*( ), a black purse (fashion-faux-pas-me brought only 2 brown purses!), and a nice dress suitable for the club (as the dress code was posted as "tres chic"). She found her speakers and I found the sunglasses and the dress. Very simple. Gray dress, with a belted waistline and form fitting skirt hitting just above the knee. Very elegant, versatile. Think Audrey Hepburn, Jackie-O style. However, I regret to say that Olivia was about ready to die, as she was not feeling well at all. The poor girl looked like a crack addict going through withdrawl at the train station--pacing, rocking back and forth, breathing for labor, and looking like she was going to cry. I honestly thought I was going to have to take her to the hospital! But she's doing much better now! Thank goodness :)

Our next task was making our first home-cooked meal. Olivia had gone out earlier to get supplies for an incedible pasta with a tasty sauce of tomato, olive oil, zucchini, onions, basil, and mushrooms. Not having cooked much in my life (which is an understatement, I assure you!) Olivia was gracious enough to "show me the ropes" of cooking this delicious, yet simply prepared, meal. This task may have been easier if the stove wasn't so ghetto. It kept shutting off every 15 seconds making impossible to bring the water to a boil. Nevertheless, we cooked our first meal. And it was delectable!

Now it was time to get dolled up for our first night out on the town. Webster invites it's students to a club/bar in the historic and beautiful Volkstheater (it's called Rote Bar if you want to look it up) as kind of a "welcome back" extravaganza. They paid our way in and allowed us to have free wine, bear and spritzers from 9-11. That's not a bad deal if you ask me! We nealy got lost on the way there, and almost didn't get in since we didn't have our I.D.'s on us... but we made it nonetheless! It was crazy--there were guys in tuxes waiting outside the door, there was a coat and bag check, and we were in this fancy-shmancy room with high ceilings, chandeliers, gold scaffolding, and red velvet couchettes and table clothes. Pretty swanky. There weren't many people initially when we got there, as 9 o'clock is still considered quite early. So we got a table and accidentally spent 10 euro on a Strawberry daquiri that we were told was free (Grrr... oh well. But we did learn that it's actually pronounced Da-KEE-ree, not DA-cuh-ree. Just in case you wondered). I felt social awkward at first. I'm terrible in these atmospheres... but we sat with the Webster St. Louis girls, chatting and laughing, going back every so often for a glass of wine. I had no idea if people were intending to dance here--there was a D.J., playing your typical club music--but no one was taking advantage of the dance floor. "This is gonna HAVE to change," I thought to myself... and that's when the party-starters walked in the door: Casper, Nick, and Clay (who had already been drinking before they arrived. Apparently this is a normal trend for them).

So the music started picking up... getting louder... and a group of us decided this "no dancing" thing had gone on far too long. A remix of "Buttons" came on and we were tearing up the dance floor--Tina and Nick, our trusty leaders. It was quite a good time... and to be honest, Olivia and I didn't want to leave. We were having a blast! However, the downfall of nightlife is that the local transportation (U-bahn and S-bahn) stop working at 12:30. If you need to get home after that there are night busses which run every half and hour--not only is that a long time to wait outside for a bus, but usually there are drunk creepy people on these busses (who are often known to whiz right there on the floor), and Olivia and I wouldn't even know how to get where we needed to go. So we peaced out at 11:45, just as the party was really getting started. Oh well--I'd rather be a partypooper than be abducted.

I have come to realize that being drunk is not a lifestyle I wish to live out... particularly here in Vienna when I don't know many people, and where I'm not familiar with the area. I am completely fine with social drinking, and even the occasional tipsy-ness. But drikning merely to get drunk is no fun. And it is shamelessly American. The Europeans frown on such behavior. I also acknowledge that people do some pretty dumb and ridiculous things when they're shmammered. One of our classmates, Clay, who we've actually gotten to spend quite a lot of time with, is Exhibit A. Originally from Findlay, Ohio, he went to London for school. All of his stories somehow involve him being either high or completely wasted... and usually end in "and so I randomly made out with this girl," or "I got escorted out," or "I couldn't remember anything!" His stories are sometimes amusing, I must admit. And aside from his lifestyle choices he's a good conversationalist. But I knew the second I said hello to him at the club, he was already far gone. He was quite the man-whore on the dance floor (which became the ongoing joke with Olivia, Britney and I) and often tried to dance "all up in my grill" (as Anna would say lol). I made it very clear that I was a prude and a complete square and was not going there (Hahaha!). He took the hint and moved on to another innocent, unknowing creature. As Olivia and I were saying our adieus and hugging our Webster friends goodbye, we ran into Clay and told him that we were leaving. As many Europeans do, he leaned in to give the "Bussi," which is a quasi-fake kiss on each cheek utilized for greeting/leaving friends. (In some countries it is three, but in Austria it is two). Or at least this is what I thought the intentions were. Nope. Right for the neck. NUH UH. H no. I never ever EVER wish to experience this again. I felt gross and utterly creeped out. I quickly pushed away and walked briskly to the door. I wanted to run home and take a shower immediately, call Eric and thank him for being such a respectable guy slash boyfriend and thank my lucky stars that I don't make out with random strangers at bars. This is why I'm not a "clubber." This is why I don't blur my sense of rational behavior.

Other than those last tainting moments it was a fantastic night! And on that lovely ending note I must bid you all adieu for the night.

I'm attending a church service tomorrow, finishing homework, and going out with Freya Zorn.
I can't wait to tell you about the amazing day we had with Freya today!!!!!!!!!!

Love always,
Laura