We are almost halfway through our trip which is crazy to think about, it feels like I have been in Europe for so long, but I do not want to leave anytime soon. I absolutely love it here! Our first stop on the trip was Salzburg, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited. Growing up, I was an avid Sound of Music fan so visiting the city where the movie was filmed was a dream come true, we were able to visit so many iconic sites such as the gazebo where Sixteen going on Seventeen was filmed, the Mirabell Gardens where part of Do Re Mi was filmed, and lastly from the top of the lookout we able to see the iconic Von Trapp house. However, Sound of Music was not our main reason for the trip, but instead we came to experience the birthplace of Mozart, and church at Salzburg Cathedral. This was quite possibly one of the most beautiful churches I have seen. The mass was completely in German except for the songs which were Latin. Although my friends and I had zero clue what they were saying , it was so cool to be apart of this close knit community for a day, and share in this universal experience. Since the procedures of the mass are the same in Austria as they are in the U.S, we were still able to follow along. It was in Salzburg where I tried my first Bratwurst and Salzburger Nockerin. As a picky eater, I was very proud of this accomplishment as I typically like to stick with traditional American foods abroad, but I highly recommend you try if ever in Austria.
Now to Vienna, cue Billy Joel. Seriously, that song has been the soundtrack to my time in Vienna. We spend the bulk of our time here spending 9 whole days! I think my absolute best experience in Vienna so far has to be the concert we saw in Musikverein, the orchestra played Joseph Haydn and Anton Bruckner, two famous classical composers. It was one of the best musical experiences of my life, genuinely I felt transcended through the music. The people in the orchestra were not simply playing the music, but they were the music. If you ever go to Vienna, a concert at Musikverein is a must!!! I never listened to classical music before, and now I want to go to Carnegie Hall or the symphony in Toronto when I am back. Getting the John H. Mark Jr. Scholarship was so beneficial to my Study Abroad Experience because it allowed me to be able to immerse myself in culture more by tasting the cultural food such as Wiener Schnitzel, Sachertorte, and Esterhazy cake. It also has allowed me on my two day off during the trip, to be able to go on day trips to Budapest and Bratislava. Both which are absolutely beautiful cities that I hope to be able to go back to one day. Bratislava was particularly my favorite, with the most gorgeous view from the Bratislava Castle and the quintessential European town square.
On Monday, we leave for Prague, our final stop on the trip. I am excited to see all the beauty that Prague has to offer, but sad that our trip is soon to come to an end. This trip has been one of the best experiences of my life, and it has only made my desire to travel and experience new cultures bigger.
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