Weeks 2 and 3 in a nut shell!

Alright, so I guess it’s time for me to fill you all in on weeks 2 and 3 of our summer program…hope you’re ready for an adventure!

Well, weeks 2 & 3 was quite interesting. The students are still trucking along and enjoying themselves. Nothing new on the language class front but the culture class and the free time are always open for adventure. We have spent a good bit of time underway. We have had a tour of the Art History Museum and the Belvedere from our beloved art teacher Dr. O. She is so interesting and enthusiastic about everything she does. She talked about some of the most famous artists in each museum; Dürer, Reubens, Breughel, Raphael, Klimt, and Shiele to name a few. Of course, she pointed out some of the interesting aspects of the works that I would have NEVER noticed or known if I had come on my own. I can’t wait to bring my family to Vienna to impress them with my knowledge on these subjects ;) Over the course of 3 years I have taken A LOT of notes. That concludes our time with Dr. O. We spend the rest of our culture time with Dr. Heuberger. She is also a wonderfully knowledgeable teacher with an interesting and funny personality. So as not to leave the topic of death completely, we took a tour of the Viennese Funeral Museum. This seems strange to any tourist but the burial history in Vienna is quite intriguing. We also have a funny tour guide who is extremely nice. While dealing with so much death, we experienced a historical event while in Vienna. Otto, the last crown prince of the Habsburg Empire pasted away on July 3^rd at the age of 98. Now, I won’t go into detail of the complicated empirical history but let’s just say it’s important. While talking of the Habsburgs, I must tell you that we also went to the Empirical Crypt. This is the burial site of the royal family and it is quite a site to see. The sarcophagi of these great leaders are extravagantly decorated.

Now we will leave death for a brief moment and take a few tours of something a little more upbeat. We spent one afternoon at the US Embassy where we were met at the gate with TONS of security and escorted to the conference room. There we listened to an agent of some sort talk about the purpose of the Embassy for a good hour and a half. I didn’t mind sitting that long to listen because the place was air conditioned and we were seated. There was another trip to ATIB and the Military History Museum (I have included a picture of Franz Ferdinand’s shirt, he was wearing when he was shot, which was on a limited display at the museum) which are always interesting but I chose to take the time off. Traci went with the group to both of these and I went home to do laundry, watch tv, cook, make phone calls to family and friends, and other random things. I love spending time with the students, but it is nice to take some time for me. We also had the opportunity to experience the alcohol culture a bit and not in the “I am an alcoholic kind of way”. The group was given a little history about the Heurigen, or new wine, of Vienna and then we actually went to one together. The hills surrounding the city are perfect for growing grapes and there are growers who produce their own wine. Many of them own restaurants in the area where you can enjoy a glass of this year’s wine as well as a nice meal. We also took a tour of the second largest family owned brewery in Austria, Ottakringer. After a tour of the brewing process, we were allowed to sample the various beers. That’s one of the best parts of seeing the process…tasting the outcomes. One nice thing Traci and I decided to do this year was to host a movie night at her apartment. We had the students over for dinner and some talk with “real” Austrians before watching The Third Man with Orson Welles. It’s a classic black and white shot in Vienna post WWII. As we watched, many of the students recognized various sites which made me proud to know this program isn’t a complete waste of time =)

(Pics from left to right: group picture at ATIB, group at the Heurigen, Franz Ferdinand's shirt)

The weekend of the July 8^th through 10^th, the group went to Prague. As usual, it got some mixed reviews. It was nice for Traci and I because we felt “at home”. We had our restaurants and our shops. We had also been learning some Czech which was fun to practice with our tour guide, Lucie, who has been with us 4 years. It was a great feeling to see the Czechs smile when we spoke to them in their language. Now don’t get me wrong, there was some laughter at our expense due to our accents and mispronunciation but nonetheless I was proud. One big event was our last meal in Prague. Traci and I had saved up our appetite to split some ribs at one of our favorite restaurants. Man oh man were they YUMMY!!! They were not near as good as my dad's but they were quite tasty. You may also notice a picture of cappuccinos. Those are from the McDonald's across the street from our hotel. They not only looked pretty, but they tasted good as well! We did have a little bit of adventure while we were there. The first night, someone went into my room and took about $100 and my cell phone. Fortunately, they did not take my passport, camera, or ipod. The saddest part of the event was the text message I had saved from last July 14^th when my Davis, my nephew was born. That was the most important of the items =( On our last day, we were on our way to the train station when one of our students got pick pocketed on the subway. Once again, she did not lose her passport and only lost about $10. The worst part was having to cancel all her cards from the train station in the Czech Republic. In the end, everything worked out. No one was hurt and no large amount of money was lost.

(Pics left to right: stain glass in Cathedral, city, John Lenon wall, street signs, one of the beautiful apartment buildings, the Powder Gate, Cappuccinos, group picture, those yummy ribs and a salad)

And now I am on the train from Salzburg back to Vienna. The second weekend trip with the students is almost over. We left Friday morning headed for the city of Mozart and are heading back on a windy, rainy Sunday. It was a nice trip. The students were given a lot of freedom and handled it quite well. I personally visited the Festung, toured the Hellbrunn Palace and trick fountains, climbed the Untersberg, toured the State Rooms, and visited the Stiegl Brewery. I mentioned the second largest family owned brewery in Austria and Stiegl is the largest. Once again, there was a museum visit followed by some dinner and a sampling of brews. It was a nice ending to the day since we had all climbed the mountain earlier. The view from the mountaintop was heavenly and worth every breathless step. We were amazingly lucky since the weather was SO nice for the day. It was not too terribly hot but also not rainy. I personally thought it was perfect. While up there, we took tons of photos and I took some time to feed the birds. I also mentioned the trick fountains which I am sure you are curious about. Before we toured the Hellbrunn Palace, we went through the elaborate water system in the gardens. As one of the students got squirted in the face with water he stated, “I didn’t know we were going to White Water.” It wasn’t that bad but it was a surprise when water started shooting out of the ground or the wall. It was neat and somewhat amusing. The gardens were beautiful to walk through and I saw the gazebo Lisl ran through as she sang “I am 16 going on 17” in The Sound of Music. Now, I am not a HUGE fan of the musical but it was cool to see. Some of the students took some time for an action photo and as you can also see, Traci and I decided to “run” around the fountain…just like the von Trapps did!

(Pics left to right: me climbing down the mountain, taking a break with some of the students after feeding the birds, one of my first lunchtime friends, mountain view, student group shot, mountain view, Traci and I "running" around the fountain, group shot, student action shot, next 3 are from the trick water tour, last is a shot of the city from the river)

Before I go, I have to share one thing. I’ve had the pleasure of going on this trip 3 years in a row and have gained a couple of nicknames along the way. At home, it’s RaeRae or RaeLee or even Ronald. Last year, the group decided I was Ragonious. This year, the group has decided to dub me Pooky RaeRae. Now I have no clue where these come from but it does make them saying my name a thousand times a day more enjoyable. I love it!

Alright…now I think I’ve gotten you all caught up on our adventures. It’s amazing how time flies. I can’t believe three weeks have gone by. I have two more weeks and then I’ll be back home. Until then, love to everyone!