Well this blog has come to a grinding halt...I apologize to all those who have been waiting on pins and needles for my next post. I haven't had much to report on since my last post spending much of my time working on things for my top secret HBO project. I just returned for a run along the Danube canal and its amazing how quickly I fall out of shape especially since it was just two weeks ago I was climbing Mont Blanc, which I was supposedly in half marathon shape for.
In the past week, I have been going to dinner in at Stephensplatz frequently with my parents as well as for lunch with Anne and Mary Ellen Fulton (from Decorah) who were here on a tour. Additionally, I watched the USA grind through for a win in the semifinals over France as well as Japan dismantle Sweden.
The most ambitious day I have had was yesterday where I spent the day with my parents visiting notable Vienna attractions. Our first stop was the Naschmarkt (picture at the top), south of Stephensplatz, which is an outdoor market with fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, etc. along with lots of small cafes and restaurants. Here, I tried my first Doner Kebap sandwich, which basically is a Turkish lamb gyro and there are shops in many parts of Europe. I would definitely recommend it. At the end of the market on Saturdays there is a flea market with countless stands of useless crap, strange paintings, and an occasional elephant tusk. From my countless hours of watching mind wasting reality television, I had enough knowledge to know if one was real it could be worth quite the pretty penny, but not enough knowledge to know if it was real. I decided to pass on the tusks.
The next main stop of our day was the Sacher coffee shop, which serves the original Sachertorte, one of Vienna's most famous culinary delights. It is is a chocolate cake only made in Austria since 1832. Quite delicious. And, the final stop was the Liechtenstein Palace only a block and a half from the apartment. The palace is a large museum holding Renaissance to Baroque style paintings as well as the most expensive piece of furniture in the world, which is a badminton cabinet! Really.
My new mode of transportation in Vienna.
Also, for all of you worried about the NFL lockout...the 4th World Championship of American Football was held here in Vienna. As it is the championship of AMERICAN football I am glad to inform you all that, yes indeed, the USA happened to pull through in a hotly contested 50-7 game over the Canadians for a repeat title. I don't think any of the US players on the squad have ever come close to playing in the NFL, but there is still hope for them I'm sure. Apparently, Japan won the first two, but the USA wasn't involved. On that note, enjoy the Women's World Cup final today between Japan and USA. Go USA!
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