Molly gets hit by a bus.

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Only joking. Molly is fine. I'm just trying to up my readership with dramatic titles......

I really love Vienna, but can't exactly pinpoint why. In a lot of ways, it just seems like another big city, sort of lacking in the activities, scenery, and buildings that-give-it-character-department. But somehow, it manages to be great. There is tons of diversity, and walking down the street the strings of conversation in every language imaginable flow together to create a soothing white sound that I don't even realize I miss until I get back to the silence of my dorm. The size of the city ought to feel overwhelming to a small town me, but the people are smiling and quick to help, and the colorful maps handed out at the hostel make it easy to navigate. Then there is the fact that there are several museums boasting Gustav Klimt's best works, and although I don't claim to know anything about art, I really like his stuff, so it was pretty exciting to see the real thing.

But, two nights ago, we were robbed. We had bought the makings for pasta and stowed it in the community kitchen, along the shelves that were chocked full of soups, noodles, and snacks. But a few hours later, we came back and our marinara was missing and our mozzarella half eaten! How, out of the myriad of options before them, the thieves opted to make their meal with our most crucial ingredients I'm not sure. Plus they managed to strike in a two hour window, cooking, eating, and leaving quickly and without a trace. I was sure there was an unspoken code of etiquette regarding the fellow backpackers' stash of food, but apparently not so much. We scanned our hostel for people with tell-tale pasta dribbles on there shirt, but the thieves (or perhaps it was an individual) remain at large.

We have great roommates at our oddly named 'Wombat' hostel. Two Brisbanite girls who we play very bad games of pool with and yet somehow manage to keep hold of the table downstairs. Last night, Molly and I won four times in a row, against a couple of different bragging boy teams. Ok, so a few of these wins were from the other scratching on the eight ball, but still it counts.

Next up, is a little adventure over the east Austrian border....

Also, attached are my pictures of our day excursion with a maltese friend into Slovakia, since my Slovakian and Italy blogs are still missing in action.

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Comments

[ANt S.]

art appreciation 101
While I appreciate your attempts at drama, Molly's mom probably had a mild heart attack until she read the first line of the blog. So now, repeat after me, " I am the niece of an artist and I spent a month (or was it 3?) IN Italy, studying art history, which means I probably know as much, if not more ,than the average person does about ART!" AND you must repeat it back to me until I'm convinced you believe it or you can't be my niece anymore...... p.s. Besides, your 'man on the street' has probably never even HEARD of Gustav Klimdt.....

[Susan Grizzard]

Now Jessie, that is not funny. Ya'll be careful. I heard they drive wild in foreign countries!

[Saviour Sam Agius]

The Maltese :P
Hey Jessie. What are you up to? I was back in Vienna and Bratislava this year on my summer trip and it brought back good memories. This time I was biking and I rode my bicycle to Bratislava (and beyond). You got one very last chance to see a Maltese 5 lira note there since now it's out of circulation and we're using boring euros.