Vienna 2011 Semester Abroad: Our Wonderful Students

Our students were energetic, funny, serious, obedient, reliable, silly, cute, good-natured, happy....

We couldn't have chosen a better group.
They studied hard...........

They went on trips and listened to their director.....

Here they are by name:

Kiersten and Naomi

Amanda and Torrey

Bre and Stephen

Becca and Kendal

Chris and Madi

Shelly

Ali, Camille, Lyndsi

Mary, Ashley and Heidi

Lindsay,Bre and Josh

Our bus on our 10-day trip, complete with bus driver




Waiting for our bus to find us in Salzburg.........

Dressing like Austrians............

Having fun on the Danube canal..........

Getting wet at Heilbrunn..............

Cooking Sunday dinner............

playing hairdresser.................

And they could be sooooo funny.........

And so pious..............

And before we knew it, it was time for them all to leave. You wouldn't know it, but it was a sad day at the airport.

They are laughing at their Austrian friends who came to the airport and sang them a good-bye song.

We will never forget these fine students!

Wedding Anniversary in Florence, Italy!

What a beautiful city to spend a December wedding anniversary. The tourists were gone, there were no long lines at the museums and the weather was much warmer than northern Europe.



We took the train on the 10-hour trip. I have always wanted to eat in a dining car and sleep in a sleeper car! So that's what we did.










The soothing motion of the train put me right to sleep......but unfortunately it had the opposite effect on Roger.

Here is the famous Duomo--the Cathedral.

We saw famous sculptures:


Michelangelo's Pieta and his David

The Ponte Vecchio over the Arno river has quaint shops lining it

A bronze cast of Michelangelo's David looks out over the city. I saw this as a child, but didn't know it was a copy of the marble statue.
The churches are full of beautiful art. This painting above the right altar of the Church of Santa Trinita is Ghirlandaio's "Adoration of the Magi".

But my favorite paintings were the frescoes in the cells of a monastery painted by a monk, Fra Angelico. There were over a dozen of these. Two of my favorites: The Annunciation and the Crucifixion.

Austrian Food, Anyone?

One of the best parts of the day in Vienna starts at the bakery. From our apartment I can go from our front door on the 1st floor of our apartment building to the bakery around the corner to buy fresh Semmel rolls and be back home in less than five minutes! They are delicious, but only when fresh. Then we have our typical breakfast: boiled eggs, yogurt (the best in the world) and Semmeln with cheese or jam.
Another favorite activity for Roger and me is to visit our favorite grocery store--BILLA. They are small stores, but are found all over the city. One thing to remember: never buy more than you can carry. That has happened to us too many times. You also must remember to bring a bag along or pay for a new one.

Here are some views inside BILLA:

If you visit us we will take you out for Wiener Schnitzel. Here are some of our guests. We have even learned how to make Schnitzel at home--delicious!!!

The NASCHMARKT--the wonderful Viennese open market. Europeans have discovered cranberries and call them Preislbeeren. They are a bit smaller than ours and are all the rage.

The NASCHMARKT has more exotic foods than I have ever seen--many that I don't recognize. Have you ever seen so many types of olives? Too bad I don't like olives!



One of our students has raved and raved about Doner. I finally tried one. They are made of paper thin meat (lamb or chicken) and vegetables in a pita pocket. It was so large I couldn't finish it.

Apparently I am always eating--and I have the chipmunk cheeks to prove it!

Here we are in Prague, eating the most delicious specialty: Trdelnik. They are sweet dough rolled onto a rolling pin-like device, dipped in cinnamon sugar and roasted over hot coals. I tried to download the video I made of them being made, but it didn't work. Stay tuned for that soon.

Another favorite food appeared with the Christkindlmarkts when they brought out barrels to roast chestnuts on. We haven't been brave enough to try those, but on the same grill they fry the most heavenly potato pancakes, called Kartoffelpofferl. Here I am eating my daily Pofferl.

During the summer we discovered that the former Hapsburg Palace bakery is still in business. They serve many different types of pastries, including Apfelstrudel. At certain times of the day you can watch a very funny pastry chef demonstrate how to make Apfelstrudel. While he's working he gives you a delicious sample.

When Melanie, Julie, Stephanie and Cassie visited here we went to the demonstration. We were so excited that we went right home and tried our hand at it. It's a lot harder than that young baker makes it look, I'll tell you!