(David was busy planning a side trip to the ancient site at Delphi and to the monasteries in Meteora and was only able to complete this short introduction, but what an introduction it is!)
After a bus ride and a brisk walk we arrived at our address 10 Mythengasse. The name of the hostel was Believe it or Not and we quickly realized why it was named as such. The "street" it was on was actually a dimly lit alley and there was nothing other than the number 10 painted above the foreboding doors. The entryway greeted us with holes in the walls and plaster falling from the ceiling. We went up one flight of steps and to the end of another completely empty hallway where we finally found our hostel. The place was small but extremely clean and very nice, quite a difference from the exterior.
In a flash of technology and texting I got in contact with my good friend Molly and we were off for our first night in Vienna. We went out to dinner and visited a little Christmas market near Molly's apartment. There we met up with some of Molly's friends in town and shared mugs of Gluvein (probably spelled this wrong). Gluvein is a warm spiced wine that tastes a lot like cider and is delicious. We ended the night early so we could get a head start on the sightseeing and urban hiking the next day would bring.
Waking up at 9 was easy because the two girls who shared the room with David and I decided to start testing out the warranty on their luggage. I will say I was impressed at the durability of their bags because starting at 8 it was non stop zipping and tossing. Enrique David and myself met up with Molly our lovely tour guide who took us to the Modern Art museum for breakfast. From there we set off on a full day of ooos and ahhhs as so many of the historical buildings are right beside each other.
We walked through the Museum quarter on our way to the Hofburg palace. The museums are beautifully ornate with domes on top and a Christmas market in between. The market winds around a large statue and then arrives at the palace. The stone entryway is intimidating with large wooden doors towering over the narrow street. Once through the gates I felt engulfed by the size and brilliance of the palace. There are statues everywhere, on the roof line, recessed into walls and at the center of the large monuments that dot the grounds. I could not believe my eyes or my ears when Molly told me that her school's library is actually housed in the palace not too far from the wing where the president lives, Incredible! We walked out of the palace and into a bustling square with horse drawn carriages and Christmas lights. I had to stop for a moment to let it all soak in. I was having a sensory overload and it was only 11:00! After a few snapshots we were off in route to our first cup of Viennese coffee.
Unfortunately for Molly, who was tired, cold, and in need of some coffee, Enrique David and myself couldn't help but drag our feet as we lumbered along in awe of each building we passed. The cafe we went to is actually the place where Molly's parents met, and while none of us made any love connections we did enjoy our coffee and strudel. With a renewed vigor we walked out of the cafe and headed across the square to St. Stephens Cathedral.
I don't think I can adequately describe how beautiful this cathedral is so I attached some pictures that will hopefully do it more justice. Construction on the cathedral began in the 1200s and was finished only recently. Evidence of its lengthy history can be seen in the windows as they are made from many lightly colored stained glass panels rather than large picture windows. The interior is beautiful with many paintings, sculptures, and large stone arches. In addition to its beauty St. Stephens offers two other attractions, a ride to the top of a steeple and a tour of the crypt.
The view of Vienna from the top of the steeple was amazing. You could look down onto the historic buildings of the downtown and out at two space needles and other modern buildings in the newer sections of the city. Despite my fear of heights I have come to cement my first travel rule which is if you see something tall try everything you can to get to the top. After admiring the city and enjoying the sunshine we decided it was time for something a little less pleasant and went down to take the tour of the crypt.
The first chamber in the crypt is used for the burial of high ranking church officials with its most recent resident admitted only 3 years ago. Then we walked into the chamber directly beneath the main alter where the Hofburgs were buried. After pointing to the royal graves our tour guide informed us that lining the hall in which we were standing were urns filled with the organs removed during the burial process. After that unsettling revelation the tour took us further into the darker more cavernous areas of the crypt reserved for the common man. As we walked through the dank passages we were informed that there were more than 13,000 bodies buried in the crypt including a few thousand that died of Bubonic plague. These are not the best things to have in your mind as you walk past the vaults piled high with bones. Like the young children on our tour I was ready to get out of that dungeon the moment I stepped inside. It was really an incredible experience that I am glad I had but unlike the steeple I am in no rush to go back again.
Nothing works up an appetite like a visit to an ancient crypt so we headed directly to the nearest Christmas market. There we found exactly what we were looking for in a kiosk with meat hanging from the rafters and a four piece band, including (mom get excited) an accordion and banjo. We enjoyed our meal to the sound of the song from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, mali kali ki maka (my best attempt at Hawaiian spelling) it was truly magical.
On our way back to the hostel we were fortunate enough to walk past the parliament building just as the sun was setting. The building is covered in gold leaf and statues and fits in perfectly with its stately surroundings.
As the sun faded we realized we were feeling worn down after such a big day so we returned to our hostel to play a game that has been passed down through many generations of Dickens. You begin by choosing up sides, then you take naps, and ... the scoring system is pretty complicated so I guess I will have to explain it in subsequent posts. I will say however, that at that moment I was in the napping zone much like Dad with a cup of coffee perched on his belly and a full afternoon of yard work ahead of him!
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