Vacation - Vienna

It was really a treat to be back in Vienna for several hours. My German was fine in Germany and most everyone continued conversations with me in German, but some switched to English. Not so in Vienna. It felt good. I guess my accent is more Austrian German than German German. And it should be that way, of course. Anyway, it was nice to know it's still there and a part of me. It was also really, really wonderful to catch up with three of my very favorite Austrian friends while we were there.

We arrived in Vienna early in the evening on Saturday. After finding our hotel and getting slightly situated, we took off for a walk toward Stephansplatz for some sightseeing. There happened to be a festival going on, so we got to listen to traditional music and eat lots of brats, sauerkraut, and pastries.

Although I spent four or five months in Vienna at the beginning of my mission, I hardly recognized anything. The one thing I remembered best was an end station for several streetcar lines. However, the thing I remembered best about it was being in that exact spot, but not having a clue where I was relative to where I had come from or where I was going. Even the old town and the main church seemed unfamiliar to me. Felt a little crazy to feel like a tourist visiting a city for the first time when I knew I'd lived there for several months.

Street festival in and around Stephansplatz the evening we arrived.

Stephansdom

The U-Bahn

I got up early on Sunday morning. I didn't have an address for a friend I wanted to find, but know the name of the street and it happened to be on the same street as our hotel. I wondered if I might recognize the door to the building and find her name on the panel of buzzers. No such luck, but I did recognize a bench where I begged Sister Phillips to sit down for a break and actually fell asleep for a few minutes. I remember feeling guilty about having fallen asleep when I awoke because a nap wasn't part of the missionary schedule. For better or for worse, I would do things very differently if I were a missionary today! For example, I'd check out my surroundings and take advantage of living in such a remarkable, historical place and I wouldn't feel so guilty if I stopped for a short nap once in a while!

I had contacted Birgit while still in the U.S. and arranged to meet-up with her at church. It was nice to be there. I really didn't recognize more than two or three members, but I remembered the place and many of the feelings I had had there as a new missionary - like not understanding a word anyone spoke to me! This time, however, while sitting in RS, I understood everything and took great satisfaction in the difference. I left after RS to go back to the hotel and get Ben and Johnstons who wanted to come to sacrament meeting. After sacrament meeting, I talked with Birgit a little and met her family.

After church with Birgit and her family.

Church at Silbergasse 2.

From church we went to Schwedenplatz to meet up with Iris Lindenberger, my friend and local tour guide. It was so great to see her and spend the afternoon and evening together. She took us to a great restaurant for lunch where we could eat traditional foods, then to Schwedenplatz to ice cream, then to Hundertwasserhaus, Schoenbrunn, and finally, to dinner by the river. It was a lovely day!

Ice cream at Schwedenplatz

Strudel

Dinner by the river - and catching up with free wifi.

Although I couldn't find Eva's apartment, I did get a phone number for her from the RS President at church that morning. They said no one had had any contact with her for a long time and they weren't sure the number was any good. I tried it a few times during the day and didn't get an answer, but, while at dinner, I tried one more time and she answered! She had moved to the outskirts of Vienna, but wasn't so far we could drive to see her. I told her it might be kind of late and she said, "I don't care! Anytime, just come!" Ben and I drove out and got there around 9:00. We stayed about an hour and a half talking and even watching her blow some glass. Dear Laura has grown so much. She is still just as sweet as she was when I met her as a baby and I was so good to see her again.

Eva Klingrabber and her family

Below are some shots Ben took at Schoenbrunn.

View of the city from Schoenbrunn.