! You seriously met someone who went to that church?? Cool!! It's a small world. Next time you see him can you ask if it was called the VCC? - that stands for Vienna Community Church. I really like it there; the people are very friendly. And I've met some really interesting people - one girl from Tasmania, a woman from France, some girls from Hungary... and of course, many from the US and from Britain.
Wow, 20 people for Thanksgiving - that sounds like a lot of fun! And your fruit salad was much enjoyed, as always, I'm sure.
Hiking sounds like a good thing to do during the fall. I bet it was pretty.
Love, Alia
Maybe your leaping days are over . . . . . . or at least you'll be forced to move a little more slowly for awhile. I'm reading this blog from the Atlanta airport (internet kiosk) where I have to wait almost 4 hours for a plane to MPLS. Well, not a bad price to pay for a bargain fantastic trip to Baltimore and D.C. Dana spoiled me rotten; I saw everything and everyone I hoped to, plus more. Take care of that foot, you hear! More later . . . love, Mom (Dana gave me the Mozart chocolate balls :)
thank you! Hi Grandmama~
I'm glad to hear Mom's having a good time, and Dana too. Thank you for your comment. I actually wish I'd taken a few more pictures, but oh well. I might go back to Bratislava once more to explore the New City and a little more of the Old City area. It is cheap, so it's definitely doable.
My foot is feeling better as the day goes on - I didn't walk that much on it today, which was probably a good thing. I have always had the misconception that walking on it was good for it, to keep circulation.. or something, but I keep being told not to walk on it much, and am glad I didn't. Yesterday walking all over Bratislava was difficult, so I should have realized that it would get better as soon as I rested it for awhile.
Anyway, I hope you are having a nice weekend. Has it snowed in CO?
thanks! Thank you Grandmama - yeah, I couldn't remember if I had written about Salzburg or put up pictures about it, so I figured I'd do it more in detail.
Being a travel writer would be so much fun - I wonder how one gets into that field.
I had a dream that I went to Russia last night, and I am now wanting to go there really badly.
Haha, the huge nose goes with my face pretty well, doesn't it? Just kidding, just kidding...
Yeah, the tree was just waiting for me. And you mentioning climbing earlier was what reminded me to put up Salzburg pictures, because I remembered the picture of me in the tree.
Mountains, Music, Mozart -- Marvelous! Hi, Alia! All of your far flung family who see them, are loving your blogs and photos, I'm sure. Keep 'em coming! Aunt Martha is right -- you'd be a fine travel writer/photographer. And that is something you can do, free lance -- whatever else you do -- all your life!. (Yes, you'd sent an earlier one from Salsburg but the one that came today covered some things the first one didn't, so it's good you wrote more.) Besides the mountains, every new picture of YOU makes me happy!!!! Love as always, G-mama
climbing rocks (haha get it?) Yeah climbing is something I will never get tired of. There are no good climbing trees here, unfortunately. But I got to climb on in Salzburg, I remember.
Oh my gosh, that made me laugh - "that little ... building..." lol! We know what that building was. hehe
YES!! Come to Vienna NOW! You NEED to come to Vienna. I have an extra bed!! Come noooooooow.
Okay, I'll calm down. Yeah, you definitely should come to Vienna sometime - I would live vicariously through your trip, for sure, if you came next year. It is a very artistic and richly cultured city.
I love your idea for a Halloween costume. You should have done it!!
This is fun! I never knew what a blog was before or how one worked. But yours is fascinating. I enjoy the remarks made along the way by all the different people receiving it. Nancy sent this to me. I've just got to get to Vienna! Hopefully next year. I have always loved Mozart, but have never met a Mozart impersonator. We had a dinner at church tonight full of little people in Holloween costumes, but no Mozart impersonators. I almost went in my grass skirt with the long blond wig I have saved, but chickened out since I had to help serve. They will never know what they missed!
Just reread your story and noticed something! Alia, the first time I read this blog, I was so focused on the fantastic pictures that I just sort of skimmed over your narrative. This morning I went back and read it more carefully, and noticed two interesting details that I didn't see the first time. One was about the "rocks to climb" beside a stream, and the other was all the stairs you climbed up to a church. You've been eagerly and skillfully CLIMBING things all your life, ever since you could even crawl! In those days, you were quite oblivious to the idea that climbing something MIGHT mean falling off of it! Hmm, that idea is still alive, it seems! Remember that, um, little building (!) in the nighborhood playground that you and Yukino climbed into, our Richfield house's garage roof, the weeping willow tree behind our back yard, the hills beside Mt. Rushmore, the rocks by Bear Lake, that really tall evergreen in front of the Whites' house in Richfield, the mountainside behind cousin David's home in Loveland, CO. Heck, you and Yukino literally climbed the WALLS in our Chiba Newtown apartment. So, it seems that Austria is a perfect place for you to get in some more climbing! You are your greatgrandmother's greatgranddaughter. Here's to some more exciting climbing wherever you go! (P.S. I used to do a lot of climbing myself -- for example, the ancient pyramids outside of Mexico City! These days, the basement stairs are the most I climb, for the most part. So I'm really glad you're climbing to some really cool places for me! I buy the camera, you climb. How's that for a deal?) I'll be waiting for your next climbing story, OK? Love, Mom
Hallstatt!!! I can't believe you have been to Hallstatt too! That's so cool. So you know exactly what I mean - I really can't do it justice with a description.
If our whole extended family was really rich, I'd suggest a family reunion in Hallstatt, and just call the mayor and say, "We'd like to reserve every room you have in the town." :)
I am thinking about going back there in about a month when it is snowing, because I'm sure it's beautiful as well in the winter.
Thank you Martha! Thank you so much - that is actually a huge compliment because I have often dreamed of being a travel writer, and I've never had anyone suggest it or anything. So that's good validation :) Maybe someday...
Yeah, Nancy told me that she tried to talk you into going to Hallstatt - now you will have both of us trying to ;) hehe
oh yeah, Salzburg is amazing. I keep meaning to ask you if you have been to Vienna?
Keep in mind my roommate and I have an extra bed here...
omg... I KNOW. I can't believe how pretty it was. LoL speaking of gnomes, we saw a *real* garden gnome! I wanted to steal it so badly and take it everywhere, and take pictures of it in Vienna and stuff and send the pictures back to its owners, with letters saying things like, "I'm doing fine! These people are taking good care of me."
But I didn't.
And I got that idea from the movie Amelie - have you seen it?
What a deal... Wow, that apartment you got with food in it sounds like a huge miracle! Awesome! It's funny how sometimes you end up living somewhat richly without having to pay to live richly... I felt that way staying at the B and B - I've always sort of associated those with wealthy people.
Have you been to Austria? Where all in Europe have you been so far??
Stairway to Heaven... It looked like the stairway to heaven, it was so pretty. I love that picture - it looks so mysterious.
Hallstatt was wonderful. I can't stress it enough :)
Hallstatt is where it's at! Thanks again for this glorious entry, Alia. I felt as though I were back in this special place with all its pure beauty. I am so happy you went there and made such great memories with your friends. Hooray for side trips!
How great of you to share all this wonderful trip with us! You not only write very interesting letters but you take wonderful pictures. Have you ever consider a career as a travel writer?????
When we were in Salzburg the music was what we loved the most. It is just all over there. Now I want to go back! We never got to Halstatt, since we did not know about it then, but it is beautiful. Keep those pictures and comments coming. Aunt Martha
OMG! Those pictures are amazing! I am so jealous! Oh, and by the way, you and Dan definitely look like knomes in that awesome hat, lol. But none the less I'm way jealous and definitely wanna be in Europe, not fair. But much love, Jen
alia142
Alia
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You seriously met someone who went to that church?? Cool!! It's a small world. Next time you see him can you ask if it was called the VCC? - that stands for Vienna Community Church. I really like it there; the people are very friendly. And I've met some really interesting people - one girl from Tasmania, a woman from France, some girls from Hungary... and of course, many from the US and from Britain. Wow, 20 people for Thanksgiving - that sounds like a lot of fun! And your fruit salad was much enjoyed, as always, I'm sure. Hiking sounds like a good thing to do during the fall. I bet it was pretty. Love, Alia