A Day of Culture

Today was rather exhausting, but a very good day it was. After waking up at the very reasonable hour of 9.30, I was served kind of an odd breakfast by Romeo's mother - two gigantic tomatoes, feta cheese, and yummy, sweet, and tiny grapes. No coffee today, and that was a pity. We only have an espresso maker here, and neither one of us can figure the thing out.

I started off at about 11 and walked an hour and a half to the Albertina art museum. It shouldn't have taken nearly that long to get there, but I took a wrong turn and then tried to navigate by holding the map upside down.

I did finally reach the museum along with about 9 million other tourists. At the beginning of the day I was fascinated with all of the different languages going on in one building. But by the end of the day, I was just wishing these people would get out of my way! As a side note, I'm thinking of writing a scratch and sniff book on how to tell different nationalities apart by smell.

This trip to the museum was planned because of the exhibit on Impressionism. Although I spent three hours walking around, looking, reading, absorbing, I hope this exhibit comes to Chicago so I can see it again. Did you know, for example, that Picasso didn't just paint women with multiple sets of breasts, but that he also did some impressionistic works of art? I got to see a lot of Gaugin's work before he discovered Polynesia and Van Gogh before he cut off his ear. There was lots of Degas, although he didn't think of himself as an Impressionist, and several Cailleboits, Pissaros and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrecs. My absolute favorite had to be the handfull of works by Theo Van Rysselberghe - someone I'd never heard of before. He painted in oil, so I've learned, and his colors are just stunning! Anyhow, I loved the exhibit so much that I actually spent $35 on the exhibition book.

After tramping around the exhibit, I decided to do something ultra touristy before I set off to meet Romeo at the movies. Right across from the Albertina is the Hotel Sacher, which is famous for the Sachertorte. I couldn't resist going in there for some of the best Darjeeling tea I've ever had, plus a piece of the most heavenly Kirschtorte. I only settled for this after I learned that they had no Sachertorte today. I mean REALLY!  Are they kidding? That's like going to Disney on Mickey's day off and getting stuck having your photo taken with Goofy.

All fueled up and ready to go, I set off to the movie house early to make sure I could get good tickets. (You get assigned seats here in Austria.) Of course, to get to the movies, I had to cross one of the most dangerous streets in the world: Kärtenerstrasse. What makes it so dangerous are the hundreds of shops! First I stopped in to get a new tube of Labello lip balm, since I was out. Then I stopped into the perfume store down the street so I could by the perfume I love but can't find in the US. 

And just around the corner from the theater is the cutest little leather store where an adorable red wallet caught my eye. My own wallet has been falling apart for some time now, and I've been looking for something unique and durable. After pelting the poor saleswoman with questions for 20 minutes, I pulled out my Visa, and away I went with my new wallet.

Unfortunately, just as I got to the theater I got a text message from Romeo. He has to work late tonight and can't make it to the movies. Pfüi!!!!  I sucked it up and walked home. Boy do my legs ache. The only thing that can cure this kind of exhaustion is some local wine. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.