Fall Break- Austria and Germany

So I didn't blog last weekend because there was nothing too eventful going on.  It was just a weekend filled with absolute chaos of studying and paper writing due to the fact that we had long weekend coming up.  I am glad to say that this weekend was much better, probably the best yet.  For long weekend my itinerary included stays in Vienna, Salzburg, and Berlin, and it was all AMAZING.  We started off in Vienna.  We went to the Natural History Museum and I saw the Venus of Willendorf, a little statuette that I had learned about in many Humanities and Art History classes.  We then went to the Art Museum across the way and saw some classical looking art.  We walked through the Vienna streets at night and it was absolutely stunning.  There were Christmas lights set up although they weren't on sadly.  Vienna was such a beautiful city that you couldn't even  tell it was also a large metropolitan area.  The next day we explored the palaces of Vienna.  My favorite was the Belvedere Palace!  That afternoon we hopped on a train to Salzburg. 

Mozart Statue in Vienna

Vienna by Night

Belvedere Palace

Our first night there we went out to explore the city, although everything was already closed.  We also saw the house of Mozart that first night.  The next day was my favorite day of the entire trip the SOUND OF MUSIC TOUR!  I got to go and see all the sights that were filmed from the sound of music and even now I am holding back from singing "the hills are alive with the sound of music" all around the house.  It was amazing.  It was cool to see the buildings and lake that were filmed but the best part was seeing the mountain side that was filmed.  It was so beautiful and there is nothing I can equate it to.  We also got the best apple strudel in Salzburg.  I know this because I tried it everywhere we went.  I was even thinking of titling this blog, "A Week of Apple Strudels."  Now apple strudel is my absolute favorite dessert ever, too bad I will have to travel all the way into the mountains of Salzburg to get it.  After our tour we decided to souvenir shop and explore the city more.  We got a train to the top of the fortress where the castle was and got some cool pictures of the city. 

Mozart House

Lake filmed for Sound of Music

I am 16 going on 17

The Von Trapp House

the hills are alive with the sound of music

Maria and the Captain's wedding was here

Scene from Do-Re-Mi

I can just see Julie Andrews running down it now!

The Do-Re-Mi Steps

Mozart Bridge, also in Sound of Music

Overlooking Salzburg

That night we got on a night train to Berlin.  We were off, out of Austria and into Germany.  Upon arrival in Berlin we got tickets for a hop on hop off City Tour Bus and traveled around the city.  There were so many interesting things to see, and it was amazing how recent the history of Berlin actually is.  Well I've probably been going on too much by now, the pictures speak for themselves of how amazing this trip was.  The weather for majority of the trip was amazing except in Berlin, which was by the way,  the COLDEST city I have ever been in.

Checkpoint Charlie

Berlin Wall

Berlin Wall

Gate Between East and West Berlin