I'm a total WIEN-ER :)

SATURDAY, JULY 27: Shortly after arriving at Wien Westbanhof on Wednesday, I fell in love with what is one of the most charming and beautiful national capitals I have ever visited. I found my hostel, called the Wombats, in what is called the Nacht market district, this wonderful strip of primarily Turkish and Asian food vendors and restaurants selling everything from kebabs to falafel to pizza to noodles to all sorts of organic foods. It was here that I saw the diversity and openness of one of the world's great cultural and historic centers. That afternoon, I also went to the Jewish museum in central Vienna and just walked around the city for hours on end.

Now, the next day, I saw two of the most important historical artifacts of the past 100 years, the car that Archduke Franz Ferdinand was in when he was assassinated by Gavrilo Principe and the uniform he was wearing on that fateful June day that ultimately led to the start of the First World War. I have taught World War I for over eight years and it was amazing to actually see two major pieces of history.

Later that afternoon, I went to Schönbrunn Schloss, the seat of the Hapsburg monarchy for over three centuries. It is a UNESCO world Heritage site and reminds me very much of Versailles, with its manicured gardens, gilded trim, and overall decadence. I only saw about 20 of the over 1k rooms and that was definitely enough for me. The gardens were also beautiful and by moving by one of the gates, I was able to see the entire city and the castle.

After the castle, I went to the Imperial Zoo, a park that has been around for over 300 years. I was able to understand why it has the reputation of being one of the best in the world, due mainly to the sheer number and types of animals it has.

Yesterday, I went and took a tour of the Austrian Parliament building, an institution that has been around since the late 1800s and styled after Greco-Roman buildings of the classical period. I also think that the tour guide was getting frustrated with me due to the sheer number of questions I was asking about the Austrian political system. Hey, I'm a lifelong learner; I wanna know.

A few final thoughts on Austria:

1) It is beautiful and landscape that rivals Switzerland's.

2) It is cheaper than Switzerland.

3) The country has fantastic food!

4) People are friendly there.

5) Vienna is beyond special.

Now, I am off to the Balkans, with a few days in Slovenia and Croatia. I will say that my overnight train ride is a nightmare, but thst will be explained in my next post.