My Introduction to Vienna

This has been an incredible journey so far, and it’s only been a few days! I spent most of our travel day (thankfully) asleep, and the first day in Vienna was a blur of walking, seeing incredible architecture, and eating delicious food. The latter ended up being a little more challenging than it should have—when we went to get lunch (at a place near our hostel called Mr. Schnitzel) we barely managed to order, since our server didn’t speak much English, and collectively our group knew about as much German as an Austrian dog. Dinner went much better, though, so don’t worry.

Our first full day in Vienna was incredible. For me, the highlight had to be St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Bearing black stains from the aftermath of World War II and design elements indicative of how people in the Middle Ages saw religion and the forces of darkness, the building is like tangible, visible history. Older than the country I live in, almost older than I can imagine, it’s like something out of a book, almost too incredible to be real. Its past is so deep and rich you can feel it in your bones.

Speaking of bones, St. Stephen’s lies above extensive catacombs, which I couldn’t resist touring. The catacombs contain a variety of remains, from the internal organs of an Emperor and his family housed in ornate urns to the bones of bubonic plague victims, piled in a small room. Parts were renovated, but the sections that really struck me were the narrow, dirt-floored, low-ceilinged brick tunnels dimly lit by lights that looked like they belonged in an archaeological dig site, which brought us to mass graves and “bone rooms” filled with skeletons. Part of me felt like I was in a movie or something, but most of me felt this intense connection to history and the people buried in the catacombs. I remember thinking… we’re all connected, across distance as well as time. In addition to visiting the catacombs, I walked around the interior of the cathedral for a while. I couldn’t stop marveling at the decorations—so insanely ornate. It’s hard to imagine how people with old-timey-technology could have done it, but they did. I also got a kick out of seeing vaulted ceilings—like the ones I come across in books all the time, but now they were real and I was actually standing beneath them! My fantasy-nerd senses basically exploded.

The day culminated with Light and Love, Letters and writings by Clara and Robert Shcumann. The stage was simple, there were only four performers, and it was amazing. That night I definitely heard some of the best singing of my entire life. Even though the whole thing was in German, it wasn’t hard to catch at least the emotions contained in the letters because the acting and music were so good. (I felt more of the whole “human connectedness” thing when I realized that). I definitely plan on looking up English translations of the letters now! And of course, I’m looking forward to more adventures.