Weekend in the Alps

For several weeks, we had been talking among ourselves about taking a group trip to the Alps. We all wanted to go to the Alps, preferably in Switzerland, and we all wanted to spend one weekend together. Frau Swan did the research for us, and she found a lovely house in Northern Austria. The timing could not have been more perfect for me… after all of our grand adventures, I was exhausted and greatly anticipating a relaxing weekend before finals.
We left early on Friday morning, and we reached the town by around two in the afternoon. The house was big, clean, and equipped with kitchens. I have missed cooking more than I ever thought I would, and that is saying a lot! After walking around for half an hour or so in the fruitless pursuit of a restaurant (we had been given directions by the German-speaking woman who owned the house… one of the only times during the whole trip when I encountered an Austrian who spoke only his or her native language!), we decided to cook our own food for a pleasant change. About eight of us went to Hofer, known as Aldi in America, and loaded up on supplies to make the most incredible grilled cheese, canned chili, and French fries you have ever tasted. We cooked with enthusiasm and energy. The food was quite good, especially considering the lack of proper grilled cheese cooking utensils (such as a skillet). The canned chili was surprisingly great…. In general, pre-prepared food in Europe is of much higher quality than that found in the States.
After lunch, I did the unthinkable… I took a nap. Yes, for one whole hour, I slept. It was great. We set the alarm in time to wake up and assist the Professors Horton as they cooked our evening meal. Professor Horton specializes in Italian cuisine, and we feasted on pasta with three different kinds of sauce, roasted Italian peppers which had a sweet and sour flavor, a caprese salad (basically just chopped tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, a common salad in Europe), and bruschetta. After dinner, we talked and entertained each other with various impromptu performances, cleaned the dishes, and went to bed.
The next day, the majority decided to go skiing. I was exhausted at even the prospect of a ski trip, and I opted to sleep in. I didn’t want to expend the money either, and I am not good enough at skiing to go to the Alps and have a lot of fun in one afternoon…. It takes me a couple days to get the hang of it. So, I woke up around nine o’clock and had a stereotypical European breakfast consisting of bread, and bread, and nutella. The Professors Horton had left me in charge of their baby, Stella, who napped while I watched a movie with several other girls (we watched My Girl, in case you were wondering!). Then she woke up and we ate leftover for lunch and took her to the local Christmas market. It was small but endearing.
The skiers returned and we cooked an array of starches for the evening meal- Stove Top stuffing, bought at Julius Meinel and devoured without hesitation, mashed potatos, mac ‘n cheese, salad, and leftover peppers and tomatoes with cheese. After dinner, we proceeded to play the most incredible game of Mafia ever. It was quite intense, but no one was physically hurt, which is all that matters!
Sunday morning we left early to head back to Wien. We had a German final as well as a Humanities final the next day, and our train time was well-utilized as we feverishly crammed for our exams. When we got back to Wien, Leah and I went on a date to the Mozart house. We had vowed not to let one day go by without doing something fun in Vienna, and this was it. I could not believe that I was standing in the very rooms where Mozart stood, where he lived, worked, argued with his wife, etc. I learned a lot about his life. Apparently, he was a heavy gambler who always lived above his means. Though his apartment was considered massive by eighteenth century standards, it seems relatively small today. The museum was well put together in my opinion, and did an outstanding job of appealing to all age ranges. Since Mozart is one of my heroes, I think it could have been his empty apartment and I still would have been enthralled.
I was reminded as I stood in the house of one of the greatest, or perhaps THE greatest, composers ever how blessed I am to have spent time in Vienna. Culturally, it really is the greatest city in the world (not that I’m biased!). Of all the places to have a study abroad, I am glad my school picked this one.