| 1.1 - First Impressions Before you start, check out a couple pictures from The Flight! Dear Friends and Family: 'Our stories begin in gorgeous, romantic Vienna, as two single, lonely girls traverse the streets without lovers; desperately seeking that companionship that will satisfy . . .' - please excuse that little, creative outburst - it won't happen again. Our story begins in the centre of Vienna, on the cobblestone streets below the towering steeple of gothic St. Stephan's Cathedral, on December 8, 1999. St. Stephan's is one of the largest cathedrals dating back to the 13th century. It is a gorgeous structure in which you can ascend in a lift to the bell-tower, and also descend into the catacombs underneath. The cryptic tour of the catacombs led us down the long, dark passageways into fancy burial places of priests and cardinals, as well as the mass grave of Vienna's Black Plague victims of the 1600's. As the comical tour guide took us to the Kaiser's bright tomb, the group was informed, as we stood between two walls of copper pots, that we were surrounded by intestines of Kaisers. We have yet to find an explanation for the single pot that rocked back and forth on the shelf of its own will as we walked by! (Freaked and confused, we welcome any helpful insights on what the cause might have been . . .) Imagine a room, or several rooms, packed with piles of bones and skulls of the Plague's victims. At first glance, in one room in particular, it looked like there was just a pile of these bones on the floor. Taking a closer look revealed that the walls were all made of bones and skulls stacked like pieces of wood....eerie!! We exited the catacombs just outside the church by a staircase that led us to the very spot where Mozart's body was blessed before his burial in a pauper's grave at St. Marks. During the first part of our time in Vienna we stayed with the Nellers - Irene (the mom), and her two daughters, Sarah and Flora. Dana fell in love with their pet rabbit, Penny, but not as much with their pet rat, William (named after the Prince). Becky had the opportunity to play a violin duet with Sarah in a children's Christmas program at the hospital where Irene works. Home Journals: 1.1 ~ 1.2 ~ 2.1 ~ 2.2 ~ 3.1 ~ 3.2 ~ 4.1 ~ 5.1 ~ 5.2 ~ 5.3 ~ 5.4 ~ 6.1 ~ 6.2 |
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