Vienna: Of Hundertwassers and Frohe Weihnachtens

Looking at me, blogging it up on the blog-laned blogway! It's nice to finally put up the pictures from some of my adventures, and tonight I'm sharing a bit of my adventure with several of the 8th grade classes from my school on a day trip to Vienna. We took the bus there in about 2 hours and change, saw the Hundertwasserhaus (funky Modernist apartment building), went to the Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market), had enough time to wander around the teeniest bit, then shuffled back onto the bus and headed home. While a fun day, it was not at all in any way enough Vienna for me. I will definitely be headed back to see more of the sights, as the architecture we were passing (quickly, too quickly!) was amazing. Gotta soak in some more of that cultchaaaa.

And eat some more fancy hot dogs.

 

 Funky, yet aesthetically pleasing. I was disappointed we could not go inside as they are actual residences but the outsides were still pretty impressive.

 It's like the universe was saying, "Hi, you're in Austria, eat a tube of meat. DO IT. You know you want to." Although I resisted the allure of this particular stand, I would indeed go on to eat a tube of meat later THIS VERY SAME DAY.

 Herein begins my very mature attitude towards the German/Austrian language.

 Group huddle #633! Come up with a plan, stick to the plan, divide and conquer!

 Gasthaus. I'm the worst.

Johannes Brahms.

Karlsplatz. 

 Tram, for me = EUROPE.

When I saw this I got really excited because I was all, ooh here we are! Christmas market! Let's do this thing! But... but no. This was the first of two Christmas markets we walked by without stopping or slowing. When we finally got to our market, THE market, I understood why we prioritized it above the others. But still. So many markets. So little time.

This is kind of hard to make out but a woman was walking a HUGE dog just by holding onto its collar. Somewhere between having a dog on a leash like a responsible owner and being one of those assholes who's like "my dog is nice! He doesn't need a leash!" is the weirdo who just walks around holding their giant dog's collar. Get a grip, lady. Buy a leash. Cut up some rope. Tie a few pillow cases together. Make an effort.

Man punching horse, a common motif. I am sure that is has some meaning, either in regional history or in the classics or something. Maybe he's not even supposed to be punching it. However, I really do not want to disillusion myself of the notion that it's just a really, really popular thing to have statues doing for the hell of it. So maybe someday I will look into this. But for now... let me have this.

 At last, arrival! 

The very face of professional satisfaction and fulfillment.

 Aww yeah, Christkindl Express. All aboard. If you know what I mean. Toot toot. (Mild sacrilege? Don't mind if I do.)

 Huddle #7563: On the importance of meeting times and places. Obviously I was a very integral part of the huddling process, as evidenced by my peripheral position and distracting photo-taking practices.

Violin Christmas lights, take one. Like many of the lights decorating the Rathauspark, they were slightly more impressive but no less delightfully random once it got dark.

THE TOWN HALL. We'll come back to this.

 Acorns, because... yes.

Looking into the tiny black abysses of true evil. Knowing that even while I gaze them, they too gaze into me.

  

The absolute best part about Christmas markets, in my opinion. Hot wine in a gaudy mug I get to take home with me for only a euro. A buzz and a mug for under $5? YES PLEASE.

 Erzse agreed. This was the first time in a while she hadn't driven her family to the market and could actually enjoy an adult beverage, so we got pretty decadent. Got the stuff with berries in it. So awesome.

 The town hall are you kidding me!

  

 Inside, the Austrian coat of arms impressively looming over what was essentially the kids' corner of the market.

   

  

 Oh, what, this old thing? Just a beautiful gothic church a few blocks away. NBD.

  

  

Like I said, slightly more impressive but no less hilarious or random. Violins? I guess that's kind of Christmasy. The acorn and squirrel tree, however, I cannot explain. 

Wandering a bit before we had to get on the bus to return home.

Did I get one of these? I did. Did I finish it? I DID.

My blurry, failed attempt to document a Christmas tram. Womp womp.

  

Vienna, I hardly knew ye. Expect my redemption visit soon enough!