So, 16 of us Americans marooned here in Salzburg made a pool for the Euro 2008 games. It was really simple and just for fun. One euro buy in and the teams are drawn randomly. I ended up with Poland. Uh, go Poland? It could have been worse. I could have ended up with Austria. Poor Austria, you're not gonna win but you are a host country and you still have heart, so good for you! But don't get mad when I laugh at your loss tomorrow.
And it's gonna be weird. But I'm a Germany fan. And guess who they play tomorrow? Yeah, Poland. I'll root for Germany, but also root for Poland because those 16 Euros would be sweet. But I guess in the overall scheme of things, Germany has a better chance of winning over all. So, Go Deutschland!
Also, it's ridiculously fun being in a host city and being able to go downtown and watch the games on the big screen. Even if security makes you check your umbrella. WTF. UMBRELLAS. SO DANGEROUS.
Tomorrow will be fun.
And then the real fun will be the Austria v. Germany game HOMG.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
So, yesterday, a friend and I crossed the border to Germany and went to Königsee. We couldn't have had more perfect weather and I was given reason #748 why Germany is superior to Austria:
We had an awesome time (it's always good to get out of Salzburg). We took a boat ride to the different stops, ate lunch in a biergarten, heard a horn echo between the mountains, hiked a bit and didn't break any bones. We both kept expressing how this was probably the most beautiful place we've seen since being in Europe. I got a sunburn and blisters, but it was totally worth it!
PS--The air there smelled fantastic!
The rest of the pictures are in my Flickr.
In other exciting news? 33 days, 16 hours until I fly home!
But I will miss getting to see things like this:
We had an awesome time (it's always good to get out of Salzburg). We took a boat ride to the different stops, ate lunch in a biergarten, heard a horn echo between the mountains, hiked a bit and didn't break any bones. We both kept expressing how this was probably the most beautiful place we've seen since being in Europe. I got a sunburn and blisters, but it was totally worth it!
PS--The air there smelled fantastic!
The rest of the pictures are in my Flickr.
In other exciting news? 33 days, 16 hours until I fly home!
But I will miss getting to see things like this:
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Laura Remembers About this Blog Thing
Hello, faithful (or unfaithful) readers! Please excuse the absence. As you know, I was traveling for a month in February. Then I had tow measly weeks of classes, followed by two more weeks of vacation. Don't ask me how the Austrian school system works, because I couldn't tell you.
I'm not going to write a proper entry on all my vacationing in February, because that would take just too much time. And my fingers would fall off. One of my hands is already going carpel tunnel on me, so you wouldn't want me to exasperate it, now would you? Besides, I spend a lot of time putting all my photos up on Flickr. This includes typing commentary for almost every photo, so you can go there and read all about the adventures. And comment on the photos too!
So, shortly. Mom flew into Munich. After spending the day showing her around Munich (and by showing her around, I generally mean the "Laura's Tour of Nazism in Munich", we headed to Salzburg. I showed her around the town here. It was fun having someone who had never seen the place before, as it helps me remember why I like this place (sometimes it's hard to remember). We climbed the Monchsberg and took an awesome tour of the fortress. Best part was standing on top of the castle and having the best view of Salzburg and the Alps.
Then it was off to Vienna for a few days. I love Vienna, so I had no problem with this. Coolest part for me was dragging Mom out to the huge cemetery where tons of famous people are buried. Check out the Flickr for pics of their graves. Here's a teaser. Your truly and her musical god:
After a few days in gorgeous Vienna, we flew to Rome! I could hardly believe that we were really going there. There was so much to see, that I thing a person would have to go back 3 or 4 times to even have a hope of seeing everything on their list. Mom and I hit up the main sites.
St Peter's Basilica:
Roman Forum (Cradle of Civilization, as our guide put it):
Roman Colosseum:
And much more. Check my Flickr.
We also went to Florence, Naples, and Pompeii. Unfortunately, my Pompeii pictures got deleted accidentally by a friend. :( So who wants to take me back so I can take the pictures again?
Copy of the David at Florence:
We saw the real one in the museum, but weren't allowed to take pictures.
And pretty cathedrals:
So yeah. Unfortunately no Pompeii pics. Pompeii was awesome and something I'd wanted to see since I was about 8 years old. We only spent about 3 hours there, and it definitely wasn't enough. The town is a lot bigger than I thought!
After we returned to Salzburg, Mom and I went up to Munich to pick up my friend Joyce. We did a day trip to the Dachau concentration camp (only 15 km outside Munich).
("Work Will Make You Free")
It was a very well done site. It's a place I would like to visit again because they have an amazing museum that I'd like to spend more time in. The visit was very moving. At times too moving. When I entered the building where they used to register the new prisoners, I got the strangest feeling. It was overwhelming and I almost had to walk out of the building. It was like I couldn't breathe and I was lightheaded, yet felt heavy at the same time. I don't know what it was. If it was the idea that I was really THERE finally setting in, or if it was my weird ability to sometimes pick up on 'things'. Either way, it went away after I moved through that wing of the building.
I said goodbye to mom the next morning. It was hard, knowing that I wouldn't see her for another 4.5 months. But I tried to think on the fun times I still had in Europe. And that included Ireland and England with Joyce!
See all my photos here: Click!
I'm not going to write a proper entry on all my vacationing in February, because that would take just too much time. And my fingers would fall off. One of my hands is already going carpel tunnel on me, so you wouldn't want me to exasperate it, now would you? Besides, I spend a lot of time putting all my photos up on Flickr. This includes typing commentary for almost every photo, so you can go there and read all about the adventures. And comment on the photos too!
So, shortly. Mom flew into Munich. After spending the day showing her around Munich (and by showing her around, I generally mean the "Laura's Tour of Nazism in Munich", we headed to Salzburg. I showed her around the town here. It was fun having someone who had never seen the place before, as it helps me remember why I like this place (sometimes it's hard to remember). We climbed the Monchsberg and took an awesome tour of the fortress. Best part was standing on top of the castle and having the best view of Salzburg and the Alps.
Then it was off to Vienna for a few days. I love Vienna, so I had no problem with this. Coolest part for me was dragging Mom out to the huge cemetery where tons of famous people are buried. Check out the Flickr for pics of their graves. Here's a teaser. Your truly and her musical god:
After a few days in gorgeous Vienna, we flew to Rome! I could hardly believe that we were really going there. There was so much to see, that I thing a person would have to go back 3 or 4 times to even have a hope of seeing everything on their list. Mom and I hit up the main sites.
St Peter's Basilica:
Roman Forum (Cradle of Civilization, as our guide put it):
Roman Colosseum:
And much more. Check my Flickr.
We also went to Florence, Naples, and Pompeii. Unfortunately, my Pompeii pictures got deleted accidentally by a friend. :( So who wants to take me back so I can take the pictures again?
Copy of the David at Florence:
We saw the real one in the museum, but weren't allowed to take pictures.
And pretty cathedrals:
So yeah. Unfortunately no Pompeii pics. Pompeii was awesome and something I'd wanted to see since I was about 8 years old. We only spent about 3 hours there, and it definitely wasn't enough. The town is a lot bigger than I thought!
After we returned to Salzburg, Mom and I went up to Munich to pick up my friend Joyce. We did a day trip to the Dachau concentration camp (only 15 km outside Munich).
("Work Will Make You Free")
It was a very well done site. It's a place I would like to visit again because they have an amazing museum that I'd like to spend more time in. The visit was very moving. At times too moving. When I entered the building where they used to register the new prisoners, I got the strangest feeling. It was overwhelming and I almost had to walk out of the building. It was like I couldn't breathe and I was lightheaded, yet felt heavy at the same time. I don't know what it was. If it was the idea that I was really THERE finally setting in, or if it was my weird ability to sometimes pick up on 'things'. Either way, it went away after I moved through that wing of the building.
I said goodbye to mom the next morning. It was hard, knowing that I wouldn't see her for another 4.5 months. But I tried to think on the fun times I still had in Europe. And that included Ireland and England with Joyce!
See all my photos here: Click!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Laura returns
Hey, guys. Anyone still reading? Let me know. It's been a while since I blogged. I've been busy with school (have been having finals the past two weeks). And I also went home for Christmas which was one of the best things to happen to me since I've been in Austria. Ironic, no? And now that I'm going to be away from Salzburg for a month, I figured I should update before people think I completely dropped off the face of the earth. In February I am traveling the first two weeks with Mom to Vienna and Rome. And then the last two weeks my good friend J. is coming and we will be going to Vienna again, and then Ireland (!!!) and London. I'm so excited for this month!
Anyway. Since I'm too lazy to recap the last two months (and nothing much happened except Christmas), here's a list.
THINGS THAT ANNOY ME/SURPRISE ME/PISS ME OFF/ARE WEIRD ABOUT AUSTRIA
1. This place is named Salzburg. Which means "Salt Town". Salt is what made this place rich. Funny that the citizens have not yet discovered the joys of salt. When they have snow and ice, they don't put salt on the sidewalks or streets. Oh, no! They put ROCKS down. Small, gravel sized rocks all over the place. This accomplishes nothing, as it doesn't melt the ice. It doesn't provide much traction, either, which I believe is their intention. No traction. And then when the ice melts and refreezes? Now you just have ice with rocks frozen in it! And now that the snow is all gone, the stones are still there. They stick in your shoes. They get INTO your shoes. The look like crap. And are annoying. And then they have to pay someone to come sweep them all up in the spring. Silly Salzburg.
2. They don't believe in sending you bills. Like, no monthly reminder that you have to pay your insurance this month. No. But they sure as hell believe in sending you a note when you are a week overdue! And then they KEEP sending you notes. Those of us living here have come to the conclusion that the Insurance Company owns stock in the paper company. "Waste all the paper you can! Send out more over due notices!"
4. Which brings me to another point: ONLINE BILL PAY! IT'S A GREAT THING, AUSTRIA! Learn to use it!
5. Cell phones. Minute plans are a great thing too, Austria. Stop with this "Load your phone for 20 Euro and then when it runs out, you're screwed!" Because don't think you can re load your phone online. What were you thinking? I'm convinced I could become a millionaire by introducing the minute plan system.
6. I could also become a millionaire by showing them how to number their rooms in buildings. It took me about 2 months to learn where my classes were. They numbers don't increase with each floor and they are not sequential in a hallway. I really don't understand it. Some even have NEW numbers taped over the real numbers. What?!
7. Austrians rarely look each other in the eye on the street. I had fun the first few weeks by freaking out old people when I smiled at them on the street.
8. You bag your own stuff here. And you pay with cash. Heaven forbid you pull out a card and hold up the line by 20 seconds. People seriously will start to push or call out "What the hell is going on?" No patience, these people.
9. The number of things I have noticed that, had this been America, I could sue over. For example:
-The rocks on the streets. Could fall and break my neck!
-In our dorm, the hallway lights do not stay on. If you want them on or want to go up the spiral staircase at 2am, you have to feel around for a light switch in the pitch dark and hope you don't break your neck or find that ax murderer waiting in the silence.
-Our dryer sparks. So people just don't use it. Why risk electrocution?
-The stores sometimes don't refrigerate eggs OR milk. Weird.
10. Kids. I hate the kids here. They all try to be hard American thugs. But they live in one of the richest cities in Austria and don't even know what a 'ghetto' is. They are rude as anything too. Loud and obnoxious. And they get out of school at 12 noon. So THEY'RE ALWAYS AROUND. I have a special grudge against them because some hooligans threw a water balloon at me from a school window. Nice school discipline, huh?
11. Don't even THINK about expecting your waiter to be polite.
12. Don't get in the way of the bikers. They WILL run you down.
13. So will the cars.
14. Austrians were never Nazis, no. What Second World War?
Ok, that's enough for now. I'll leave you with my most favorite billboard in all of Austria. It's the Austrian National Ski Team advertising...something. I don't even know. Does it matter? It's cute men with Days of the Week underwear!
Anyway. Since I'm too lazy to recap the last two months (and nothing much happened except Christmas), here's a list.
THINGS THAT ANNOY ME/SURPRISE ME/PISS ME OFF/ARE WEIRD ABOUT AUSTRIA
1. This place is named Salzburg. Which means "Salt Town". Salt is what made this place rich. Funny that the citizens have not yet discovered the joys of salt. When they have snow and ice, they don't put salt on the sidewalks or streets. Oh, no! They put ROCKS down. Small, gravel sized rocks all over the place. This accomplishes nothing, as it doesn't melt the ice. It doesn't provide much traction, either, which I believe is their intention. No traction. And then when the ice melts and refreezes? Now you just have ice with rocks frozen in it! And now that the snow is all gone, the stones are still there. They stick in your shoes. They get INTO your shoes. The look like crap. And are annoying. And then they have to pay someone to come sweep them all up in the spring. Silly Salzburg.
2. They don't believe in sending you bills. Like, no monthly reminder that you have to pay your insurance this month. No. But they sure as hell believe in sending you a note when you are a week overdue! And then they KEEP sending you notes. Those of us living here have come to the conclusion that the Insurance Company owns stock in the paper company. "Waste all the paper you can! Send out more over due notices!"
4. Which brings me to another point: ONLINE BILL PAY! IT'S A GREAT THING, AUSTRIA! Learn to use it!
5. Cell phones. Minute plans are a great thing too, Austria. Stop with this "Load your phone for 20 Euro and then when it runs out, you're screwed!" Because don't think you can re load your phone online. What were you thinking? I'm convinced I could become a millionaire by introducing the minute plan system.
6. I could also become a millionaire by showing them how to number their rooms in buildings. It took me about 2 months to learn where my classes were. They numbers don't increase with each floor and they are not sequential in a hallway. I really don't understand it. Some even have NEW numbers taped over the real numbers. What?!
7. Austrians rarely look each other in the eye on the street. I had fun the first few weeks by freaking out old people when I smiled at them on the street.
8. You bag your own stuff here. And you pay with cash. Heaven forbid you pull out a card and hold up the line by 20 seconds. People seriously will start to push or call out "What the hell is going on?" No patience, these people.
9. The number of things I have noticed that, had this been America, I could sue over. For example:
-The rocks on the streets. Could fall and break my neck!
-In our dorm, the hallway lights do not stay on. If you want them on or want to go up the spiral staircase at 2am, you have to feel around for a light switch in the pitch dark and hope you don't break your neck or find that ax murderer waiting in the silence.
-Our dryer sparks. So people just don't use it. Why risk electrocution?
-The stores sometimes don't refrigerate eggs OR milk. Weird.
10. Kids. I hate the kids here. They all try to be hard American thugs. But they live in one of the richest cities in Austria and don't even know what a 'ghetto' is. They are rude as anything too. Loud and obnoxious. And they get out of school at 12 noon. So THEY'RE ALWAYS AROUND. I have a special grudge against them because some hooligans threw a water balloon at me from a school window. Nice school discipline, huh?
11. Don't even THINK about expecting your waiter to be polite.
12. Don't get in the way of the bikers. They WILL run you down.
13. So will the cars.
14. Austrians were never Nazis, no. What Second World War?
Ok, that's enough for now. I'll leave you with my most favorite billboard in all of Austria. It's the Austrian National Ski Team advertising...something. I don't even know. Does it matter? It's cute men with Days of the Week underwear!
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