pic spam from Europe
Hey friendykins! If you're interested/haven't already seen them all on facebook, here are some highlights of my trip to Europe. Image heavy, of course, with commentary.
This is where I lived while in Vienna. I lived in the window right under the bell. Needless to say, when they rang the bells starting at 6AM, I rarely had to rely on my alarm clock. The Benedictushaus (run by Benedictine monks/volunteers from the parish) was in probably the best location for someone visiting Vienna. It was a two minute walk in either direction to get to a subway or tram station. I was so lucky to have stayed here!
This is one of the few pictures I have of myself, and that aren't flipped on their sides currently. Anyway, here I am in one of the wine cellars of Vienna with Bridget, whom I've known since day one freshman year. Now we live in the same apartment and decided to go to Vienna together.
The truth of the matter is you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a church in Vienna. It's an insanely Catholic country so on every corner there's an elaborately decorated church. My favorite isn't the symbol of Vienna, St. Stephens, but St. Peter's, a small Baroque church that is literally bursting with a million different statues, paintings and icons. I was stunned when I entered. An organist practicing for a concert that night also added to the EPICNESS. This is a shot of the painted dome ceiling, which I could not stop staring at. I ran into at least three people because I wasn't looking ahead, but up.
Throughout the course of my stay in Vienna I'd go back to St. Peters just to stare, sit, and collect myself. I didn't do any praying there (not really conducive to my kind of prayer, I guess), but it was amazing to just sit there in the pews. After awhile, it felt like my place (that wasn't my room), which I believe is something everyone needs if you're traveling for a longer period of time.
This is me trying to be arty with the Judeplatz (Jewish Square) memorial. It's a library made of stone books. This square was always, always quiet, with only a few stores and a synagogue. The only people were those passing through to other, busier streets. I walked through this square at least twice a week on my way to either the internet cafe or St. Peter's.
One my fave shots from Vienna, from the monk's "secret" library. It makes me laugh when people on tours call things "secret". They obviously aren't anymore if you tell a gaggle of college seniors!
You absolutely CAN NOT leave Vienna without seeing at least ONE Gustav Klimt painting. God. Seriously. I think I've seen all they have in Vienna. Anyway, this is the Secession, founded by Gustav Klimt & co. Around 1900 they got all pissed off at the status quo of the art society in Vienna and were all like "Peace out, y'all!" and built this place. Cool, no?
This is probably my favorite building in Vienna, architecturally. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. There isn't much there, unless you really have a thing for Klimt. There are some of his famous friezes there, along with a large exhibition space for contemporary artists.
Vienna LOVES Christmas! Especially Advent, which is the complete opposite from America. This is a picture of Rathaus, the city hall of Vienna. I LOVED GOING HERE AT NIGHT! There is a huuuuge Christmas market right outside and the park surrounding the huge neo-Gothic buildings are full of lights, concert stages, and a gigantic advent wreath. Lights never photograph well on digital, for whatever reason. But those red blobs in the tree are hearts. It was my favorite tree in the whole park.
So I went to Budapest for a weekend, and let me tell you friends...it was rough. Not because it was dirty or crime ridden or anything, because it wasn't. I just...didn't want to leave Vienna. I was so at home there. To be uprooted and taken to a place where we arrived in the dark, with cold rain coming down on me, I just wanted to go back to Vienna, where I knew how to get nearly anywhere of interest. Mostly, I was just cranky and sinking back into my bad habits of just retreating into myself and causing anxiety instead of taking it as it comes and not worrying.
Anyway, this is a view from atop Castle Hill across the river to the Parliament building.
Apparently they really like Christmas in Budapest, too! These guys were just riding around throwing candy to kids. I laughed so hard when I saw them roll up.
This is the art museum I went to that night. Unfortunately, I couldn't get upstairs to see the modern art so really all I saw were some old Dutch and Italian paintings. By the time I left, this is was the outside looked like. It reminded me or a movie or something.
We went to a Hungarian folk show one night and omg. Dancing and drinking and singing. Yes. Just yes. Afterward Bridget and I skipped home down hills. Wee!
This is THE BEST MUSEUM I WENT TO IN VIENNA. And trust me. I counted. During my trip I visited over 35 museums. Anyways, this has amazing multimedia exhibits featuring Viennese Actionism (performance art) and contemporary stuff. When I went they had a huge multi-floor Peter Folger exhibit.
Me and Dr. Eugster, our tour guide/prof in Vienna. She was awesome and made me LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE art more than I already did.
Ahhhh...VENICE! My holiday from my holiday! Rainy, moody Venice.
Hee!
I woke up one morning to find a gondola parked outside my window!
Okay, I'm exhausted. Europe was fun, I met an English boy who was hot and kind of annoying and snarky and hot and bought a whole liter of beer in a can. I won a poker game against him and he got ticked off. I emailed him tonight...
This is where I lived while in Vienna. I lived in the window right under the bell. Needless to say, when they rang the bells starting at 6AM, I rarely had to rely on my alarm clock. The Benedictushaus (run by Benedictine monks/volunteers from the parish) was in probably the best location for someone visiting Vienna. It was a two minute walk in either direction to get to a subway or tram station. I was so lucky to have stayed here!
This is one of the few pictures I have of myself, and that aren't flipped on their sides currently. Anyway, here I am in one of the wine cellars of Vienna with Bridget, whom I've known since day one freshman year. Now we live in the same apartment and decided to go to Vienna together.
The truth of the matter is you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a church in Vienna. It's an insanely Catholic country so on every corner there's an elaborately decorated church. My favorite isn't the symbol of Vienna, St. Stephens, but St. Peter's, a small Baroque church that is literally bursting with a million different statues, paintings and icons. I was stunned when I entered. An organist practicing for a concert that night also added to the EPICNESS. This is a shot of the painted dome ceiling, which I could not stop staring at. I ran into at least three people because I wasn't looking ahead, but up.
Throughout the course of my stay in Vienna I'd go back to St. Peters just to stare, sit, and collect myself. I didn't do any praying there (not really conducive to my kind of prayer, I guess), but it was amazing to just sit there in the pews. After awhile, it felt like my place (that wasn't my room), which I believe is something everyone needs if you're traveling for a longer period of time.
This is me trying to be arty with the Judeplatz (Jewish Square) memorial. It's a library made of stone books. This square was always, always quiet, with only a few stores and a synagogue. The only people were those passing through to other, busier streets. I walked through this square at least twice a week on my way to either the internet cafe or St. Peter's.
One my fave shots from Vienna, from the monk's "secret" library. It makes me laugh when people on tours call things "secret". They obviously aren't anymore if you tell a gaggle of college seniors!
You absolutely CAN NOT leave Vienna without seeing at least ONE Gustav Klimt painting. God. Seriously. I think I've seen all they have in Vienna. Anyway, this is the Secession, founded by Gustav Klimt & co. Around 1900 they got all pissed off at the status quo of the art society in Vienna and were all like "Peace out, y'all!" and built this place. Cool, no?
This is probably my favorite building in Vienna, architecturally. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. There isn't much there, unless you really have a thing for Klimt. There are some of his famous friezes there, along with a large exhibition space for contemporary artists.
Vienna LOVES Christmas! Especially Advent, which is the complete opposite from America. This is a picture of Rathaus, the city hall of Vienna. I LOVED GOING HERE AT NIGHT! There is a huuuuge Christmas market right outside and the park surrounding the huge neo-Gothic buildings are full of lights, concert stages, and a gigantic advent wreath. Lights never photograph well on digital, for whatever reason. But those red blobs in the tree are hearts. It was my favorite tree in the whole park.
So I went to Budapest for a weekend, and let me tell you friends...it was rough. Not because it was dirty or crime ridden or anything, because it wasn't. I just...didn't want to leave Vienna. I was so at home there. To be uprooted and taken to a place where we arrived in the dark, with cold rain coming down on me, I just wanted to go back to Vienna, where I knew how to get nearly anywhere of interest. Mostly, I was just cranky and sinking back into my bad habits of just retreating into myself and causing anxiety instead of taking it as it comes and not worrying.
Anyway, this is a view from atop Castle Hill across the river to the Parliament building.
Apparently they really like Christmas in Budapest, too! These guys were just riding around throwing candy to kids. I laughed so hard when I saw them roll up.
This is the art museum I went to that night. Unfortunately, I couldn't get upstairs to see the modern art so really all I saw were some old Dutch and Italian paintings. By the time I left, this is was the outside looked like. It reminded me or a movie or something.
We went to a Hungarian folk show one night and omg. Dancing and drinking and singing. Yes. Just yes. Afterward Bridget and I skipped home down hills. Wee!
This is THE BEST MUSEUM I WENT TO IN VIENNA. And trust me. I counted. During my trip I visited over 35 museums. Anyways, this has amazing multimedia exhibits featuring Viennese Actionism (performance art) and contemporary stuff. When I went they had a huge multi-floor Peter Folger exhibit.
Me and Dr. Eugster, our tour guide/prof in Vienna. She was awesome and made me LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE art more than I already did.
Ahhhh...VENICE! My holiday from my holiday! Rainy, moody Venice.
Hee!
I woke up one morning to find a gondola parked outside my window!
Okay, I'm exhausted. Europe was fun, I met an English boy who was hot and kind of annoying and snarky and hot and bought a whole liter of beer in a can. I won a poker game against him and he got ticked off. I emailed him tonight...