There are two mice in the courtyard...

Viennese nighttime air is tainted by the constant weight of cigarette smoke. While pollution due to automobiles is not as potent, the tobacco sure makes up for it.

But Vienna is prime for running at night...as well as sight-seeing. Stephansplatz is more tolerable sans the hot, midday sun.

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Where did I leave off...

Saturday I had already decided that I was going to explore the flea market, which the Viennese call Naschmarkt, held on the Wienzeile. Sarah and Malcolm were game, so we ate breakfast and headed out. The walk to the marketplace took forever...or so it seemed. It was so hot at 11 in the morning. We got there and Sarah and I were both experiencing severe stomach pains for some reason. So trudging through the ZOO of antique-hungry tourists and bossy Austrian farmers was not too fun. It was one Obst and Gemuese (fruit and vegetable) stand after another, with some herb and meat and cheese stands in between. While it was something worth seeing, I don't know that I'd return unless looking for a nice place to eat lunch.

On a better note, Sarah then took us to the best street cafe thus far, up a block and to the left of Stephansdom. My Melange was terribly good.

See how beautiful? Look at those sugar cubes. Ganz toll!

Walking around with her and Malcolm was pleasant. We're all pretty easygoing and we've got our own unique senses of humor. When we sat down for coffee, and when we were sunbathing in the park before the Butterfly Garden, we just talked. For hours. It was the most beautiful afternoon, complete with intense Viennese heat. The park was especially lively, and the three of us- pilgrims alone in a foreign land- found comfort in this, together.

The horizonal form in the background is the Butterfly Garden. This view is more stunning in person. My camera does nothing justice.

Mozart...

But this is my favorite- GOETHE!

Sunday was the last day for both Malcolm and Sarah at Westend. We walked around once again, this time to the Rathaus where a festival was being held. We just baked on nearby benches before hitting up the same cafe I visited with Nik and Justin earlier that week. Sarah and I decided to split food. Our choice: Tuna salad. And boy was it marvelous. The outings during the day were cut short because we were basically wiped out from staying up until 1 in the morning with some Americans and a German named Sebastian. We sat in the lounge for hours goofing off, talking, having a good time. You know, what I've been saying repeatedly these past few entries...

We hit up Zielpunkt, which is an extremely cheap and affordable grocery store around the corner. This store is my means of acquiring dinner. You can get so much for less than one Euro.

Nina, John, two Virginia Tech alumni and an Oklahoman, Sam, joined us outside, where we sat for hours over wine and soda. Basically this was our way of killing time until Sarah and Malcolm left for the airport. It was bittersweet saying goodbye- we'd become a family. CLICHE! But I learned so much about them in 5 days, more than I've learned about some of my college friends.

We waved them off and I headed inside...and ended up staying awake until 3:30 in the morning, talking to friends on Facebook chat and newcomers to the group in the lounge. It was quite the "sausagefest": I was the only female amongst 7 men. But we talked about the ideal woman, Kirsten Dunst, college, actual age vs. physically estimated age, etc. Good night...but I was feeling especially ill. I came down with a cold already, complete with stuffy nose, flem-laden cough and sore throat. Good job, Vienna!

Monday-

I ate breakfast at 8 AM with the intent of scarfing only half of what I took so as to allow time for the walk to the Oper…also the same strip where my classes are held. I power-walked down Mariahilfer and across the ring, arriving with over fifteen minutes to spare. I took a small elevator to the third floor and suddenly there were students everywhere. There is one long hallway which corners to the left, with doorways lining both sides. The list of students was posted next to the bathroom door, so I found my name and located my classroom, which was empty. I waited ten minutes before a shorter, dark-haired woman walked in to the head of the table and set up a chair. I never would have guess her to be my instructor! Her hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail while pink, plastic-framed glasses added something artistic to her tan, porcelain face. Her skin was flawless- I did notice that. There were 8 students total: 2 from Turkey, one from Canada, another from South Korea…I forget where the others were from. I am certain I am the youngest. Our first task was to fill out a sort of application, which taught us to recognize where to write our addresses, hobbies, etc. Then we took partners and asked them questions, filling out the sheets appropriately. It was good fun. I hadn’t purchased the workbook prior to the start of class because the Deutsch Akademie website had mentioned that the book might not be required for every course…I was the only student sans-book. So during our 15 minute break I stood in a long line at the office to spend 16 Euro on one. Not bad. It’s a clever little book. On occasion I turn the page and come across a little witty phrase that makes me giggle. It felt so amazing to understand what Antonia, our instructor, was saying- she spoke entirely in German! We could laugh at her when she made jokes, and that was one of the most impressive things.

I was surprised at how quickly the class flew by. I met Alex for lunch after- he returned to the hostel for one night so that he could sightsee in Vienna for a few hours the next day. We went to a nice Chinese wok…somewhat awkward to drink a Melange where they serve sushi. We discussed people, his girlfriend and his extensive excursions throughout Europe. Quite the opinionated individual. One of those you love of you hate- and that’s not a negative thing, that’s just how it is. But it was a nice outing. We walked around the city a bit before he went to the train station. And then I browsed some stores to pass time.

I needed to go for a run in the worst way last evening, so I took dusk by storm and hit the sidewalks. I passed Karlskirche, the Oper, Stephansplatz and coasted down Mariahilfer to the Hostel. The days heat was still weighing down the city, and I was roasting, but my legs were happy to stretch and bend and breathe life once again. Upon my return to Westend, I went to the courtyard to cool down. Ha! I ran into Sam, the Oklahoman from the previous night. We ended up talking for an hour about books, his studies in France and the effects the European experience is having on our bodies. We went inside and he, along with another American- a Texan, I believe- read through my Book of Essential Foreign Swear Words for quite some time...I knew I bought that little sucker for a reason. Everyone gets a kick out of it, and half of the time they are afraid to verbalize the insults for fear of someone overhearing (there a some extreme remarks printed on those pages…) I got to bed at a decent time, only to be woken up by an obnoxious jackhammer somewhere around the corner.

Day 2 of Deutsch Klasse went smoothly. Our missing classmate made an appearance today. She’s currently living in Michigan- she’s a wine taster, buyer and seller! But she came to the U.S. from Italy…I forget which country is her homeland. She’s an exotic woman- tan but not orange, the kind of tan one would expect an Italian woman to have- with dark hair and a healthy figure. She’s got to be 50, but she looks and acts rather youthful. Our instructor Antonia was more outgoing today, as was the rest of the class. We discussed cooking, soccer (because I said that my ball was one of three things I would take with me to a deserted island) and what the ideal Traumman (dream man) is. I admit that high school German terrified me because I felt the need to impress my peers. College Deutsch was less startling and I actually felt a few steps ahead of many of my classmates (thank you, Frau- REPITITION is right!) But all 9 of us are in the same boat. We’re from all over the world and we just want to learn to speak and understand German. It’s a nice experience thus far. I could not be more pleasantly surprised.

After class the sun was shining, so I decided to lay in the park neighboring Goethe’s statue…the one by the Botanical Garden. I ended up bumming around there for 2 hours, polishing off my small homework assignment in the midst of sunbathing. Then I went to the Jungend Info booth to locate a nearby post office (to the right of the Oper- success!) With my tasks completed, I headed back to home, a.k.a. the Hostel…wasted 2 more hours on the computer talking to Robbin, downloading tunes, and looking up alternative courses to German 252 for Fall semester. I am thinking my time with the Deutsch Akademie may cancel out the need to take one final German language course at college. If that be the case, I decided last night that I will take a beginners course in either Italian or French, just to taste the unfamiliar. Plus, I fully intend to return to Europe next summer, and possessing a slight familiarity with a third language would not hurt…I wish I had taken another year of Latin in high school…I wish it had been offered.
I think I will go for another evening stroll through Vienna. The atmosphere is less fragrant of tourists and the architecture of the buildings can be appreciated in a new way under the glow of dusk, rising above streetlights and grounded spotlights.

Myself, Alex, Sarah and Nina.

Malcolm climbed the fire escape to capture this epic gathering. SUNDAY: the last night for Iowa and Bulgaria. Clockwise from the far left corner: John, Dale, Garth, YLIME, Sarah and Nina.

Until next time.