Prague: A picture story from end to beginning...

Vienna: That time of year. Oh yeah, that one.

Mega-update: lots has happened since my last update, foremost my 26th birthday! 

{Birthday Girl}

After a reception at the Fulbright main office (free drinks!), we all went to a nearby cafe for more drinks and... Kaiserschmarrn! Yum! (click to a link for a recipe/history of Kaiserschmarrn). 

{Cafe Raimund}

{All gone!}

Later we all went to Karaoke, where I sang (big surprise here) ABBA! 

{Take a chance on me}

{My friends singing "I Will Survive"}

The next day we had a movie night (Annie Hall!) at my friend Lenna's place. This also included numerous dessert courses - like my apple crisp, which got a giant thumbs up from Matt. 

{damn good!}

{movie mavens}

Last Saturday I took a walk with my friend Andy through the Lainzer Tiergarten, a large animal preserve on the outskirts of Vienna (and luckily not far from where I live!) Although 80% of it is closed during the winter, we still had a good time walking around in the crisp fall air. Empress Sisi (beloved, and I mean, BELOVED icon of Vienna) had a hunting lodge in the forrest where Andy and I had a tasty cup of soup before heading back.

{On the Trail...}

{Hello, Mr. Ram}

{Empress Sisi's woodland retreat, Hermesvilla}

{and her husband, Emperor Franz Josef's Hunting Lodge}

{Foggy walks}

Also, our dance class has started 4 new dances... right when we were thinking we were starting to get the other 4. Our new dances are the Foxtrot, Boogie, Cha-cha-cha and slow Waltz (thank god, because the Viennese Waltz was a killer!)

{Dance Studio Svabek}

{Matt and Elisabeth paying close attention}

I've also been lucky lately and have gone to two readings in the city. One, on friday night, was at the Literature House on the topic of "sex", which was hilarious! Also, my teacher friend Monika (who's absolutely wonderful!) and I went to a reading in Freud's house! An american author recently wrote a book about the philosopher Nietzsche and a mentor of Freud's... it was interesting to hear the author talk about Freud in the very rooms where he had lived! 

{ding, dong}

{Freud Reading}

School is going well too. I'm having a great time teaching fun things like Ferris Bueller's Day Off (they LOVED it! "Bueller... Bueller...") I'm also teaching this week about Thanksgiving. I made the mistake of telling the students about the infamous Turducken, and that's all they've been talking about! Below is a hilarious letter from one of my students. She seemed impressed by my dislike of whales... as she recommended that I visit the zoo since there are no whales there... "only some other fish" :o) 

{"I know you hate whales, right?}

Lastly, the christmas season has started in Vienna! All of the christmas markets are up and running, as well as the christmas decorations! Bring on the cheer!!

{Christmas season has started!}