First up - the train ride.
Sidenote: Austrians are known for being a little bit pushy when it comes to public transportation. Whether it's a bus or a train, you need to fight your way on and off. If you think that you're standing close enough to the door to be the first person on, think again. In my experience, the personal space that we enjoy in the US is non-existent here. People will get extremely close to you to be closer to the door. That's just the way it is.
Well, Ben and I brought food for the train ride, and we wanted to score a table so we could have room to eat it. I was determined to get a table so when the train arrived, I thought to myself, When in Austria, do as the Austrians do. And you know what? I got it. I shouldn't brag too much; there were certainly enough seats and we didn't displace a family that wanted to sit together. But, it was nice to travel with room to spare.
Here's a good time to point out how we bought our train tickets. For the first time, we used L'TUR, a discount website for last-minute travelers booking their tickets shortly before their journeys. The discounts are quite amazing, so if you find yourself in Europe, check it out! They send you your ticket as a PDF and after printing it, you're ready to go!
And, we'd like to give a special thanks to my dad who funded our train ride. Thanks, Dad!
We navigated the subway system and arrived at the Deutsches Museum. The Deutsches Museum focuses on all things science-related. From aeronautics and astronautics to ceramics and print-making, this museum was filled to the brim with exhibits. I kept thinking that if I were a science teacher, this would be a golden field trip location.
Amerikanischer Hubschrauber
I'll admit that when I saw this, I thought that it was a model of a space shuttle. Instead, it's a V2 rocket used during combat by Nazi Germany in World War II. It was the first long-range missile created, and it would enter space before descending on its target. From a positive perspective, it inspired the design of space shuttles. I was absolutely stunned by its size.
Okay, you get one guess as to the purpose of the yellow undergarment with the plastic tubing. We watched this video about the International Space Station last night, and it seems like they figured out a more Earth-like way to deal with this problem. Space sure is funny.
This is a photo for Ben's grandfather who worked on the lunar module. Hi, grandpa!
A display of a monk making a handwritten copy - the beginnings of literacy!
I can see myself showing this photo to my future students.
Pretzel in the subway.
Here's a side view of the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) in Marienplatz. The first town hall on this site dates back to the 14th century. It was remodeled a few times in different styles. After being heavily damaged in World War II, it was restored.
A speech that Goebbels gave at the Altes Rathaus in 1938 led to Kristallnacht.
Now, the building hosts a toy museum.
We spent some time at the Viktualienmarkt. The Maibaum was decked out in Christmas gear. We picked up a delicious loaf of ciabatta bread and some mead for later. Then, we came across this establishment. Metzgerei means butchery and pferd means horse. I guessed that this butcher sells horse meat and Ben guessed that the horse is just an unfortunate choice for a mascot. What do you think?
Notice the bike lane.
The Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) in Marienplatz - Wow. As you can see, it was built in the Gothic Revival Style during the 19th century. Besides its impressive appearance, the Neues Rathaus is known for its daily glockenspiel shows. Figures in the tower spin around and the bells chime, of course. Check this out.
No comments:
Post a Comment