Die Donau...und Haselnuss

Today is Sunday...I was exhausted, seeing as I decided to stay awake and Skype my parents and Facebook chat until 2:30 in the morning, Wien time. The two obnoxious boozer ladies checked out of the Hostel today, and I began talking to one of my other roommates who hails from New York. Turns out she just spent two weeks in Hungary with her travel companion. Impressive much? She was very friendly and cute. I never would have guessed her to be American.


As I began my excursion for the day, I walked out of my Hostel and followed a back street into unfamiliar territory. I circled a few different blocks, taking in the various piercing parlors and tobacco (sheesha) shops. All of a sudden I noticed a sign for Haydnhaus...you know, Joseph Haydn, the composer? Well, he spent the last years of his life in a rather nice house in Vienna, not too far from where my Hostel is situated.
Apparently he enjoyed puns and maintained an irony-recognizing sense of humor.


He also knew how to enjoy nature. Check the garden:

After this I walk in yet another unfamiliar direction- southeast. I came upon Linke u. Rechte Wienzeile, which are two streets that apparently become one massive marketplace on Saturdays (according to my New Yorker roommate.) Restaurants litter both sides of the street, and the buldings there tower and shadow with their brilliant, curvacious architectures. I took this street northeast, passing Karlskirche, an enormous domed church just resting in the middle of the city. It bears a seafoam dome, a landmark I located yesterday from a few blocks' distance but chose not to chase. Directly in fron of the church rests a large, circular fountain. This was one of the most serene locations I have encountered. People sat on the edges of the fountain, feet hanging over onto a ledge touching the clear water. A few girls lounged nearby on wooden reclining chairs that I recognized from flipping through a photobook on the life of Anne Frank. I smiled to myself. I sat and wrote and relaxed my aching legs (more walking is required to see the city than one might think...I underestimated the strain of foot-travel.) Next I decided to head towards the river that cuts through the heart of Vienna- der Donau. On my way, I discovered another tourist-packed strip, one that is also lined with shopping hotspots. This road led me directly to Stephansdom...I was mistaken yesterday when I claimed to have seen it. This was the real deal, and it was so obvious that I feels rather foolish. An entire quarter of the church is covered by large tarps, seeing as restoration is in progress. The dark, grungy wash of the sides of this building are more severely in contrast with the surrounding buildings than those of the church I saw yesterday. And the sharp edges of the architectural detail was astounding.
It was in this same area that I purchased my first Eis! Haselnuss Eis from Aida, which must be some franchise Cafe, because I have seen a good handful of them all over Vienna.

Eventually my journey brought me to the lovely river. I almost second guessed that I had reached it because that part of town was not particularly noisy or busy. But I took a set of stairs down to the walkways that are right on top of the river. A whole other world exists down there! There were bars, childrens games, boats, street vendors and today a concert of some sort was to be held. Amazing and, like much of Vienna, clean. The water was clear and a light blue-green.
I also snagged a nice view of what I believed to be the Alps! There was a slight clearing when I initially approached the river, and through it I saw glistening rooftops and lush, green mountains in the distance. Had I possessed more energy, I probably would have walked further northwest along the river to see how close I could get to them. But, as previously stated, I was exhausted. I took a side street and ended up passing the Sigmund Freud Museum (Phallic symbols, Oedipal complexes...) Didn't go in- construction was taking place directly in front of it, which deterred my interests. I decided it was time to begin the hike home. It took me at least an hour to return to the Hostel. I am terribly relieved to be sitting in the lounge.

Something that happened today- I attempted to enter a restaurant. I had scouted out the Speisekarte to predict what I would order. So I entered the smoky joint and the lady behind the bar accosted me. She spoke no English. And the lady she called over to help didn't either. I was terribly humiliated at my inability to spit out coherent Deutsch. When I hear or read German, I can formulate responses and conversation. But when face-to-face with people, in a verbally intimate situation, I freeze, confuse myself and get caught up in what they are saying/expressing in their faces.
So I was down after that experience. So I got the European equivalent of a Gyro at an adjacent Pizza joint. Luckily this man spoke English, because he asked me questions too quickly. He also threw in a bonus you are a "schoene Dame" with my order. Thanks.

I would like to explore a half-decent restaurant, like one on the Opernring. But alas, I am alone.

To be continued...