The Vienna trip was excellent! Came back yesterday evening and struggled to keep awake (after all, it was 6 pm when I settled back in and propaganda paper is due Tuesday together with job application..ugh, I hate essay questions). I loved the big city chic Vienna had that was interwoven with old city charm, a mixture of Prague and London. I did not get to see the Vienneses symphony orchestra, not any other music event so well known in Vienna because tickets were sold out and those that weren't were waaaaay out of my price range. But I did get to see the Viennese Boys' Choir. Was pleasing. The few--me, Prof Sterk, Erica, Natalie, Paul and Laura got up at 6 am to wait outside the chapel in the Holsburg (Hapsburg) castle area for the 9.15 am service. Pretty good for me considering I had gone to bed at 3 am after zonking out at about 10 pm for the past two Vienna nights (a full day in the city center is tiring and our hostel was way out in the outskirts of town). The service was like a typical mass service, the boys choir up above for the most part which I thought was good because of the way they conducted mass, instead of just a concert (everyone in the church paid to get in, so it was weird in ways cause they also collected offering). At the last minutes of the service, the boys choir came down to the front of the altar, about 20 of them...two were real tiny...they really were a precious sight.
But the highlight of the trip for me was the Christmas market. There were many of these dotted around town, but the biggest one was by the Parliment building. Oh, and the windows of the Parlimetn were turned into a giant advent calendar...very creative. The whole area was like a funfair, a mini toyland and candyland, the trees were lit up with huge ornaments, each tree with a theme (hearts, angels, santa, candy) and there were little colorful houses and many wooden stalls selling Christmas decos, candy, chocolates, Viennese sausages, etc. I was very happy when I found this multi-colored umbrella shaped chocolate and thought it was the cutest thing ever and wanted to buy some for Mary and Prisca but they were .60 Euro each at the market. I was very happy that night just to be in Vienna and seeing the bright lights and activity in the market. Mulled wine and punch were also sold, and I got to see a guy getting his breath tested by some cop there.
From all the trips, Vienna was the best. The best for last. It hailed some and it was very cold, and I got frustrated from being with the group, around people constantly for the three days out of the four on the trip but overall, it was quality time for me, not so much spending hours with others and enjoying it that way. I was also pleansantly surprised on this trip. People were especially nice to me for the first time on this entire semester! Sure, they are all nice and, wait, I take that back, ppl were especially ncie to me before (collectively on my B-day). Well, unexpected acts of niceness were shown to me by unexpected people. Ben gave me a box of those chocolate umbreallas (i guess I prattled too much the night I discovered them)...I was ready to call it a night when he came in with this uncertain grin on his face that you knew A. he did something offensive and wanted to say sorry, B. he ruined an item belonging to you, C. he had something to confess to you. And he had his hands behind his back and walah, I was surprised. Who woulda though Ben would do such a thing...aw, cute! Even cuter and more hilarious in ways was when Paul and Nate bought me a huge bar of Milka chocolate, but this was a guilt gift (even if they won't admit to it) cause it was the day I was feeling frustrated (nobody wants to spend the holidays alone, ro without close friends around, like I will this Christmas) and the two joined forces as usual and made their usual sarcastic remarks about me, and I got mad and walked away. They made a pointed effort to be nice to me when the group met again for dinner and when they presented me with the chocolate, the first thought that came to mind was, "they're trying to buy me off" and needless to say I told them this and so, it was rather awkward to accept a gift without the regular, "Omigosh, thanks, aw, thanks so much!" but oh well, we're good now. So yeah, considering the fact that these were the people on the trip that had no feelings (all three are into politics, philosophy and ego), I was touched. I knew that there is good in every person in this world...you just have to look for it.