Fussball and The Magic Flute

What do Fussball (European soccer) and the Magic Flute have in common?? Not much, other than a huge local fan following (relatively speaking :). The soccer game was lively, LOUD (the student tickets are naturally located in the loudest fan section) and an overall exciting experience. Ours ears were ringing for days! On the other end of the spectrum, the Vienna Volksoper performance of Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)" was a sparkling taste of the elegant Viennese culture! We had great seats, and some people even enjoyed a private booth! On Sunday, we were able to observe a High Mass at the St. Augustine Church and listen to the professional (and powerful) orchestra that accompanies each service. On the "more" academic side of things, (although this entire experience reaches a new level of academia :), classes are moving along steadily. We have shared invaluable time taking a look back into history by visiting the Schatzkammer, the Kunsthistorische Museum, and exploring many more treasures of Vienna! As for our culinary experience(s), ... the famous "Tichy Ice" (regularly visited by MANY students and faculty throughout the years ) will be closing after today. :( I'm sure that most of the group will "have" to have one more taste of the yummy gelato by the end of the day!

We are looking forward to our group trip to Italy, and will learn more about it from Daniel on Friday!

Back from Prague

After our first "official" week of school behind us, everyone was ready and excited for the weekend trip to Prague. The bus was VERY comfortable, so most people got to take a nice ... long nap on the way there. The scenery was breathtaking! Vineyards stretched for miles (or I guess I should say kilometers:) and sweet little villages were sprinkled along our route. After we arrived in Praha (Prague), Daniel (our guide) took us to the city square where we explored the animated city life. Since it was a Saturday, tourists from around the world crowded every corner and we spent a good 45 minutes (normally it would take 5 :) walking over the packed Charles Bridge where merchants, musicians, and artists offered their unique talents. The day was exhilirating AND exhausting! Several people found out how expensive the City Center can be, while others ventured slightly off the beaten path (if there is such a thing in Prague) and found great bargains on lunch and dinner. The hotel was a nice, restful place outside the city. The next day we enjoyed a guided tour by a local Czech woman who spent 3 hours with our group walking from the castle down into the city (giving us a unique glimpse into the history of Prague from the past into the present). We finished our adventure with a few hours of free time to have lunch and buy our friends and family souvineers (Prague has an exceptional selection). Finally, we began our journey "home" to Vienna, with an interesting break at the Medeival(ish) rest stop!

All settled in ... for the most part :)

After a long plane ride (or 3 to be exact:), we arrived safely in Vienna. The Luftansa flight over the Atlantic was amazing! We flew on a brand new Airbus (I've never been on a plane that clean!), and got to walk up and down stairs when visiting the spacious restrooms. Although traveling in a group so BIG can be a little crazy at times, the students did an excellent job getting around each of the airports and sticking together.

The first several days were exciting AND exhausting (jetlag is never fun)! The city is ABSOLUTELY beautiful (we will be posting pictures soon)! Yesterday, after a long and winding bus ride up to the top of Kahlenberg (mountain), we had an amazing (2 hour long) hike down where we saw beautiful vineyards stretching across the slopes, and took a break to have a small devotional. Needless to say, we have some tired (but happy) feet!

Today is the first day of school ... and I will update you more once I find out how it went! :)