Naschmarkt und Kaisergruft

It was frighteningly difficult to wake up at 6:15am on Monday morning, despite not having done much the day before. However, I'd made plans the night before to go to a sushi restaurant for lunch with my friend Patrick. The thought of having avocado rolls after class quite honestly kept me going. It was food other than cereal and raw fruit! The morning passed by well enough after getting our first exams back, and soon I was lugging an enormous Leiner's bag to Mariahilfestrasse to return some home goods I'd bought last week before my impending sushi lunch date at 1pm. At the store, I unfortunately found out that I would not be able to receive cash back for the pillow and blanket I wanted to return, but now instead have a useless 21 Euro gift card to the home goods store. It's hard to imagine I'll actually need it at some point. So that's a bit sad. I'm a little worried all stores in Vienna are like that, which isn't good for me because I buy things and then look at them for a few days and then end up returning them. I'm definitely going to have to be very careful and not buy anything on a whim, especially with all these fantastic shops around the corner from class!

The sushi I had for lunch lived up to my expectations. I've never really liked sushi until recently, so the plain and simple sushi I got in my Bento Box was perfect and not over the top. And getting 15 tuna, cucumber, and salmon (sadly no avocado :( ) rolls, three mini spring rolls, a salad, Miso soup, and half an orange for just 7 Euro was definitely a steal! Patrick really did know his sushi restaurants.

Afterwards, we walked to Duregasse in the 6th district of Vienna (it was very close by) to see the infamous Naschmarkt. There are over 120 stalls selling everything from clothes to bags to fruit and vegetables to cheese and meats and tea and candy. The list goes on. It was almost like the food part of Portobello Market in London, but on steroids. Maybe more like the size of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. It was so large! And every Saturday this place is packed due to the weekly flea market. Luckily, Patrick was with me so he was able to do all the German talking when my lack of conversation skills kicked in. He also lives right next to the Naschmarkt and frequents it often, so he was pointing out hot pink dragon fruits and moldy cheeses to me, as well as some of the delicious looking restaurants within the market. He even helped me buy some of the cheapest and sweetest strawberries from a local seller. I was so overwhelmed and in awe of the place that I didn't get to take a good photograph! However, to give you an idea, this one here is from another blog, but I'll replace it with one I take myself next time I go (which will definitely be very soon!).

Fruits at Vienna's Naschmarkt!

Today after our German class, Elise, Anna, Meghan, and I grabbed a quick salad near our Institute and then made our way to the Imperial Crypt (or Kaisergruft in Kapuzinerkirche) in the Neuer Markt Square. This tiny museum was originally a Capuchin Church and Monastery founded in 1618. Now, the remains of 145 royal members of the House of Hapsburg are kept here! We got to see the tombs of 12 emperors and 18 empresses of Austria, as well as the tombs numerous other family members. It was an underground crypt, but very well kept. However, it was a strange feeling walking around in the silence looking at where previous rulers of Austria now lay entombed; almost like trespassing among something private. It was a bit freaky in the darker rooms where all you could see were lines of rectangular tombs in the low light.

The tomb of JUST ONE emperor!

Franz Joseph's tomb and enshrinement

Meghan and Anna with the Hapsburg remains

Detail of a tomb

The carvings on these tombs were exquisite

The tombs were all intricately carved and decorated, especially for some of the more prominent rulers. It was very beautiful in a haunting sort of way. Meghan and I, both being huge history fans, definitely found the museum fascinating despite it's small size - we had just wandered among the remains of the House of Hapsburg! I really liked it and thought it was an amazing experience to be so close to so much history, but that's just me being a history nerd. I'm okay with that though. European history has always fascinated me. I don't know too much about the Hapsburg line or even the history of Vienna, so I'm trying to learn as much as possible from my outdoor classroom. I think I'll remember more if I go learn it myself in the museums and historical landmarks in Vienna rather than in a classroom. Tomorrow, we're heading to the Schloss Schönbrunn (or Schönbrunn Palace) to tour the majestic interior, try out the garden maze (just like at the Tudor Hampton Court!), and finally have a piece of Vienna's most famous Sacher Torte chocolate cake!