Viennsey (I'm seriously trying so hard to make ship names with myself and all these cities but Lindsey doesn't fit into everything)

I went into Vienna with high hopes, and was surprised by the underwhelm I felt when I got there. To be fair, this was toward the middle/end of the trip, and burnout could be a contributing factor to my outlook on the new space. However, the excitement I had to explore Vienna turned into a bit of disappointment because the city felt different than what the Billy Joel song depicted it as. Yes, it felt slower moving than most American cities and had a lot of beauty to offer, but I didn't easily feel in love with it like I've fallen in love with Berlin, Leipzig, or Prague. Vienna seemed to be more of a giant open-air luxury mall. This is a symptom of capitalism I think, and it made the city feel somewhat fake to me in an unexpectedly disappointing way. Going into Vienna, I was prepared for a city full of beautiful architecture and a vibrant and easygoing feel to the city. I really had a hard time experiencing the sentiment of a relaxed place in Vienna, and instead it felt tight and stuffy in the same way that I feel when I visit my disapproving grandparents' house. I think a large problem that I ran into with the feeling in Vienna was that I got the sense that there wasn't space for young people there. It felt very target at wealthy, older tourists, and because I am both young and poor I had a difficult time finding a space that felt directed toward me. Even the Viennese didn't feel like Viennese but instead felt like hyper-capitalized people always trying to sell me something or commodify the city, instead of cultivating a place that could be experienced organically and in a genuine way. I am fully aware that my experience with Vienna was a brief one, and I am interested in returning to give it another try, because I was disappointed to find that the city felt entirely different than I had anticipated.

There were some pockets for me that made Vienna worth a second look. I loved walking through Nachtmarkt across from the hostel we stayed at (even though those were some pushy merchants holy hell!). Like I said, the architecture and buildings were beautiful. I had some fun experiences meeting some friends that were studying in Vienna. And of course, the shining star of Vienna in my mind was the MUSEUMS! Visiting some of the paintings and sculptures from the Kunsthistoriches and the Belvedere totally blew my mind and I would return just to see the art an history there again. I spent six hours in the Kunsthistoriches in Vienna and it still felt like a speed run of the museum. I seriously couldn't get enough of it. Plus, the café there was delicious and beautiful and 100% enjoyable.

Once again...a photo dump with brief explanations of what the pictures are of...

St. Stephen's Church was incredible, and Parker, Lillian, Mitch, and some others and I all returned another day for a catacomb tour, which was interesting but I can't be sure if it was in a good way. TBD.

Parker had a looooong moment with this painting. Lillian and I were speculating on where he placed himself in the painting, but upon getting to know him a bit more we no longer have to guess.

Obviously couldn't skip the part where we saw Klimt's most famous work. The bratty part of me wanted a while in the room alone with the paintings just so I could experience them without all the damn tourists...oh wait...I'm a damn tourist.

Egon Shiele's "Embrace" has kind of captivated me since before I saw it in person. And it did even more once I was in the same room with it and could see the brush strokes.

Just a lady sphinx watching over the Belevdere palace. NBD

We got to visit some friends that just arrived in Vienna for a semester of study in Vienna! It was great to see you Ellie, Caitlyn, and Isabella! Hope you enjoy the city and get to fall in love with it more than I had the chance to!

Henry's Olivegate 2023. If you know you know.

Front and center for one of the most incredible violin concertos I've ever heard, and had the pleasure of witnessing in person. So impassioned and seriously incredible. I loved the program that night, and the space was gorgeous.

One of the best damn mushroom risottos I've ever tasted from the Kunsthistoriches Museum café. 

Fun fact: the Kunsthistoriches Museum only has about 8% of the collection on display at any given point in time because the collection is SO LARGE. And unfortunately, only 20 out of the given 8,000 works on display are confirmed to have been created by female artists. Some of that old world sexism, you know?

I spent about twenty full minutes marveling at these pieces in the Kunsthistoriches that day. It was a good day.