Showing posts with label Cuisine adventures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cuisine adventures. Show all posts
14 June 2010
05 June 2010
Dessert Party #3!!
Since we are nearing the end of our stay in Lausanne, Claire and I decided to have our last Just Desserts party before everyone heads back to their home countries. I also invited a lot of Swiss classmates to share some sweets with us, as I will only see them on the day of our exams.
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This time, I tried a cherry-cornmeal-upside-down-cake recipe, couresty of Smitten Kitchen. Mom recommended that I try it, and I will have to let her know how delicious it tastes!
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22 May 2010
CERN + BBQ
Today, Sharon and I headed to the farmer's market for our usual pain aux raisins and pain au chocolat. We found a great stand with cheap and delicious fruits and vegetables - I bought turnips, radishes, and apples and have never tasted better. I love eating in season!
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After lunch, Sharon, Christoph, and I took the train to Zimeysa (near Geneva) to see the Microcosm exhibit at CERN, the world's renowned Large Hadron Collider.
The exhibit was free and pretty interesting; they offered a very detailed and simple explanation of their experiments and how the LHC operates, as well as a bunch of interactive games and experiments for "kids" of all ages. They had some old models in the museum that you could touch and read about their history.
It was especially interesting to see the timeline of technology, since CERN was responsible for creating the World Wide Web (WWW) in 1989. (Sorry, it wasn't actually Al Gore, in case you thought so.:) It wasn't even an American discovery.)
They explained the need of data storage (each year, the LHC provides enough data to fill a stack of CDs 21 km high!!) and how much processing would be required to maintain the device. It really was amazing to learn about how extensive the system was (and the size!).
This was definitely an experience that every physics lover (or science enthusiast, in general) should take part in. Especially since the guy giving presentations to kids took pity on me when I saw there was no more liquid nitrogen ice cream and he made some for free. I never thought I'd see the day of so many free things in Switzerland.
Free ice cream tasting and demonstration.
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Afterwards, we had a barbecue on the lake, where I made some delicious garlic mustard tofu skewers.
Look at those mountains!
Gigantic crows that evidently don't exist in Belgium.
Above: Merguez sausage, hamburger. Below: Tofu skewers and spring rolls (with curry ketchup, a Heinz specialty for Belgians)
Christoph brought some spring rolls to throw on the grill, and I brought the German chocolate cake that I had baked earlier in the day.
We spent the evening sitting by the fire and eating until we could no longer move. It was a pretty wonderful way to spend a Saturday!
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After lunch, Sharon, Christoph, and I took the train to Zimeysa (near Geneva) to see the Microcosm exhibit at CERN, the world's renowned Large Hadron Collider.
The exhibit was free and pretty interesting; they offered a very detailed and simple explanation of their experiments and how the LHC operates, as well as a bunch of interactive games and experiments for "kids" of all ages. They had some old models in the museum that you could touch and read about their history.
It was especially interesting to see the timeline of technology, since CERN was responsible for creating the World Wide Web (WWW) in 1989. (Sorry, it wasn't actually Al Gore, in case you thought so.:) It wasn't even an American discovery.)
They explained the need of data storage (each year, the LHC provides enough data to fill a stack of CDs 21 km high!!) and how much processing would be required to maintain the device. It really was amazing to learn about how extensive the system was (and the size!).
This was definitely an experience that every physics lover (or science enthusiast, in general) should take part in. Especially since the guy giving presentations to kids took pity on me when I saw there was no more liquid nitrogen ice cream and he made some for free. I never thought I'd see the day of so many free things in Switzerland.
Free ice cream tasting and demonstration.
___________________________________________________
Afterwards, we had a barbecue on the lake, where I made some delicious garlic mustard tofu skewers.
Look at those mountains!
Gigantic crows that evidently don't exist in Belgium.
Above: Merguez sausage, hamburger. Below: Tofu skewers and spring rolls (with curry ketchup, a Heinz specialty for Belgians)
Christoph brought some spring rolls to throw on the grill, and I brought the German chocolate cake that I had baked earlier in the day.
We spent the evening sitting by the fire and eating until we could no longer move. It was a pretty wonderful way to spend a Saturday!
04 March 2010
Onion Tart with Mustard and Fennel
Courtesy of Smitten Kitchen's wonderful recipes:
This was my attempt at making dough with yeast, and it came out pretty well! It makes me all the more excited to try bread next. Maybe garlic rosemary focaccia would be good...
And, of course, everything tastes better when you share with your roommates. Marie had some too, but she had to leave for France for the weekend, so she couldn't stay for the whole dinner. Here I am with Mansoureh and Sharon. Our first meal all together!
This was my attempt at making dough with yeast, and it came out pretty well! It makes me all the more excited to try bread next. Maybe garlic rosemary focaccia would be good...
And, of course, everything tastes better when you share with your roommates. Marie had some too, but she had to leave for France for the weekend, so she couldn't stay for the whole dinner. Here I am with Mansoureh and Sharon. Our first meal all together!
27 February 2010
Just Desserts: A Welcome-Spring Party
Today, Claire, Sharon, and I organized a dessert party for some of our friends, and we had many delicious things:
- Poppy Seed and Blood Orange Sticky Cake
- Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Arroz con Leche
- Bittersweet Chocolate Pear Cake
- Strudel with Slow-cooked Applesauce and Homemade Butterscotch Topping
- Honey-drizzled Kiwi Chocolate Cake
Christoph and Pauline
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The idea was to welcome Spring and beautiful weather, start off the semester with happy tummies, and spend a little time with the friends we treasure most.
Sharon, Claire, and Florian
Paolo
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After today, we will be filled up on sugar for another week!
26 February 2010
Taco Night
After I found that soy protein in Madrid, I wanted to use it for something delicious. I decided to make tacos with fancy add-ins...a little reminder of home with an added touch of Suisse delicacy.
- Soy protein with fried onions, garlic, and taco seasoning
- Scrambled eggs with Gruyère and Sriracha hot sauce
- Red kidney beans with cumin and coriander
- Spicy peanut salad with lemon and soy sauce
- Guacamole with fresh lime
- Shredded Gruyère
- Hard-shell corn tortillas
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All of this with fresh lime juice squeezed over the top made a heavenly good taco with a gourmet twist. You can see from our happy faces that this was a big hit!
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- Soy protein with fried onions, garlic, and taco seasoning
- Scrambled eggs with Gruyère and Sriracha hot sauce
- Red kidney beans with cumin and coriander
- Spicy peanut salad with lemon and soy sauce
- Guacamole with fresh lime
- Shredded Gruyère
- Hard-shell corn tortillas
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All of this with fresh lime juice squeezed over the top made a heavenly good taco with a gourmet twist. You can see from our happy faces that this was a big hit!
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16 February 2010
Madrid: Tuesday
So, remember my shoe? I tried to close the crack with cement glue, but the second I stepped outside in the smallest puddle of water, I felt a rush of cold to the middle of my right foot. After walking 15 minutes to the light rail station from Linda's apartment, that foot was completely drenched once again. It's no matter, because later, on my way to the Royal Palace, I attempted to step over a small pond that was collecting at the bottom of the stone stairs. I unfortunately did not manage to evade the puddle, and both of my feet were feeling the full effect immediately. As an added bonus, my right foot emitted bubbles like a rabid dog every time I took a step.
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The first visit on my agenda was the Temple of Debod, an ancient Egyptian ruin site with a reflecting pool and a great view - albeit foggy - of the city of Madrid. There was also a free museum in the largest part of the ruin structure. It showed ancient Egyptian heiroglyphics and dioramas of possible configurations of the structures in Egyptian times. It was interesting to see the story unfold and learn a little about the significance of each of the gods.
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My quest continued to a church not far from the Debod site. I went down a path through a park, passing the Teleferico and over the train tracks, noting that the entire bridge over the tracks and all of the walls were covered in colorful graffiti. It was amazing to see what people had created over the years, and I'm sure it would not be a recommended place to travel at night. Over the bridge was the Real Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida, a church that contained Goya's religious frescoes as well as his burial ground. Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed, so you will have to imagine his colorful and expressive style on the canvas of the church's ceiling. There was also a video in Spanish about the restoration process, so I briefly sat and watched albeit my lack of understanding.
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After the visit to the church, I was feeling a little hungry and hoping to find a warm place to sit and eat my packed lunch. I came across Principe Pio, a main Metro and train station, that had a giant mall with endless food court and tables. I sat across from the movie theater entrance, where I saw that there was a movie playing with George Clooney and a llama. I'm still not fully updated on the movies that come out in the US, so it wasn't surprising that I did not recognize the film.
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I also took a trip to the Royal Palace after lunch and saw the incredibly elaborate rooms where a bunch of kings named Carlos lived. There were porcelain rooms (where porcelain cherubs and vines covered the walls and ceiling) and oriental rooms and dining rooms covered in intricate silk patterns. There was also a room with a Stradavarius collection: two violins, a viola, and two cellos. This was the first time I had seen a Stradivarius, and, although you could tell that they replaced the tailpiece, strings, and pegs to make the instruments look nicer, I have to say that I was pretty impressed. I especially loved the cello, which was unadorned (as seen in the picture of the violin on the "Stradavarius" link, there is an edging along the face of the violin as well as paintings on the sides) and in pristine condition. It is a shame, though, that they are sitting in a box instead of being played.
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Plaza de Espana was another place that I on my walk around town. I took pictures of the fountain and the large hotel under construction.
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Linda took me to a couple of Asian grocery stores, where I found Sriracha rooster sauce and very cheap noodles and quinoa.
We then went to a more ethnic neighborhood with various Asian cuisine, and Linda took me to an Indian restaurant - 7 euro for a large pappadum with tamarind and mint yogurt sauces, pureed lentil soup with cilantro and lemon, palak paneer, choapati, wine, and Indian tea. Linda ordered pakoras, a chicken curry dish, and basmati rice. Our entire dinner ended up being 15 euro for what had to be some of the best Indian food I have ever tasted.
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The first visit on my agenda was the Temple of Debod, an ancient Egyptian ruin site with a reflecting pool and a great view - albeit foggy - of the city of Madrid. There was also a free museum in the largest part of the ruin structure. It showed ancient Egyptian heiroglyphics and dioramas of possible configurations of the structures in Egyptian times. It was interesting to see the story unfold and learn a little about the significance of each of the gods.
___________________________________________________
My quest continued to a church not far from the Debod site. I went down a path through a park, passing the Teleferico and over the train tracks, noting that the entire bridge over the tracks and all of the walls were covered in colorful graffiti. It was amazing to see what people had created over the years, and I'm sure it would not be a recommended place to travel at night. Over the bridge was the Real Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida, a church that contained Goya's religious frescoes as well as his burial ground. Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed, so you will have to imagine his colorful and expressive style on the canvas of the church's ceiling. There was also a video in Spanish about the restoration process, so I briefly sat and watched albeit my lack of understanding.
___________________________________________________
After the visit to the church, I was feeling a little hungry and hoping to find a warm place to sit and eat my packed lunch. I came across Principe Pio, a main Metro and train station, that had a giant mall with endless food court and tables. I sat across from the movie theater entrance, where I saw that there was a movie playing with George Clooney and a llama. I'm still not fully updated on the movies that come out in the US, so it wasn't surprising that I did not recognize the film.
___________________________________________________
I also took a trip to the Royal Palace after lunch and saw the incredibly elaborate rooms where a bunch of kings named Carlos lived. There were porcelain rooms (where porcelain cherubs and vines covered the walls and ceiling) and oriental rooms and dining rooms covered in intricate silk patterns. There was also a room with a Stradavarius collection: two violins, a viola, and two cellos. This was the first time I had seen a Stradivarius, and, although you could tell that they replaced the tailpiece, strings, and pegs to make the instruments look nicer, I have to say that I was pretty impressed. I especially loved the cello, which was unadorned (as seen in the picture of the violin on the "Stradavarius" link, there is an edging along the face of the violin as well as paintings on the sides) and in pristine condition. It is a shame, though, that they are sitting in a box instead of being played.
___________________________________________________
Plaza de Espana was another place that I on my walk around town. I took pictures of the fountain and the large hotel under construction.
___________________________________________________
Linda took me to a couple of Asian grocery stores, where I found Sriracha rooster sauce and very cheap noodles and quinoa.
We then went to a more ethnic neighborhood with various Asian cuisine, and Linda took me to an Indian restaurant - 7 euro for a large pappadum with tamarind and mint yogurt sauces, pureed lentil soup with cilantro and lemon, palak paneer, choapati, wine, and Indian tea. Linda ordered pakoras, a chicken curry dish, and basmati rice. Our entire dinner ended up being 15 euro for what had to be some of the best Indian food I have ever tasted.
14 February 2010
Madrid: Sunday
I arrived in the Madrid Aeropuerto, where I was supposed to meet Linda at a cafe outside of the customs gates. Unfortunately, I must have taken a wrong turn and ended up exiting out of Terminal 3 instead of Terminal 1, where she was waiting. After many unsuccessful attempts to reach her cell phone, I remembered how to make out-of-country calls in Europe (I conveniently forgot to add the 00 beforehand), and I quickly connected with Linda and walked through the busy terminals to meet her at the other customs gate. We took the Metro through Zone A and then the light rail to Zone B1, where you walk about a quarter of a mile and reach a nice, gated apartment complex with tennis courts, swimming pool, and children's playground.
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Linda was prepared for my hunger and had made a delicious squash soup the day before, so we sat down to a late lunch of soup, queso, crackers, olives, and homemade babaganoush. After we were sated with food, she took me on a tour of the city, including the following: a visit to the Museo del Prado, where I saw Goya's famous 3rd of May; a stroll down La Latina, a street filled with tapas restaurants (bar food that varies from olives to mushrooms to potato cakes); the Catedral de la Almudena, Palacio Real, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Oriente, Puerta del Sol; and - my favorite part of the evening - a small Turkish restaurant off the beaten path. We arrived at the restaurant a little past 9pm, and the owner appeared to be hosting a birthday party for one of her friends or family members. We walked up to the second floor where there were children running around and men watching the football game and women chatting. At first, the waitress told us that she could not serve us, but then she changed her mind and set up a table. Linda ordered an item off the menu that consisted of different traditional Turkish salads - one was spicy and looked a little like pico de gallo, one had roasted eggplant and peppers, there was a mint yogurt sauce, some beans with sauce, goat cheese, rice-stuffed grape leaves, olives, and marinated cucumbers. This was served with two large pieces of what looked similar to pita bread or naan. I also ordered a vegetarian sandwich with different soft cheeses, lettuce, and tomato. To finish off, we had the traditional Turkish tea - a clear black tea that tastes incredible with a little sugar. In total, the entire meal cost about 11 euro, and Linda saw my mouth drop to the floor as the man rung up our bill. Authentic food for a student budget doesn't seem to exist in Switzerland....
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We returned home well after midnight, where we headed to bed. It also should be noted that eating dinner at this hour is not unusual for Spaniards. Linda was telling me that restaurants often open for the dinner hour after 8pm, and many people eat dinner at midnight or later. I don't understand how this is feasible for working people, but maybe they just start their work days later. In any case, the concept completely amazes me - I always thought the Swiss ate too late at 7:30 or 8.
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Linda was prepared for my hunger and had made a delicious squash soup the day before, so we sat down to a late lunch of soup, queso, crackers, olives, and homemade babaganoush. After we were sated with food, she took me on a tour of the city, including the following: a visit to the Museo del Prado, where I saw Goya's famous 3rd of May; a stroll down La Latina, a street filled with tapas restaurants (bar food that varies from olives to mushrooms to potato cakes); the Catedral de la Almudena, Palacio Real, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Oriente, Puerta del Sol; and - my favorite part of the evening - a small Turkish restaurant off the beaten path. We arrived at the restaurant a little past 9pm, and the owner appeared to be hosting a birthday party for one of her friends or family members. We walked up to the second floor where there were children running around and men watching the football game and women chatting. At first, the waitress told us that she could not serve us, but then she changed her mind and set up a table. Linda ordered an item off the menu that consisted of different traditional Turkish salads - one was spicy and looked a little like pico de gallo, one had roasted eggplant and peppers, there was a mint yogurt sauce, some beans with sauce, goat cheese, rice-stuffed grape leaves, olives, and marinated cucumbers. This was served with two large pieces of what looked similar to pita bread or naan. I also ordered a vegetarian sandwich with different soft cheeses, lettuce, and tomato. To finish off, we had the traditional Turkish tea - a clear black tea that tastes incredible with a little sugar. In total, the entire meal cost about 11 euro, and Linda saw my mouth drop to the floor as the man rung up our bill. Authentic food for a student budget doesn't seem to exist in Switzerland....
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We returned home well after midnight, where we headed to bed. It also should be noted that eating dinner at this hour is not unusual for Spaniards. Linda was telling me that restaurants often open for the dinner hour after 8pm, and many people eat dinner at midnight or later. I don't understand how this is feasible for working people, but maybe they just start their work days later. In any case, the concept completely amazes me - I always thought the Swiss ate too late at 7:30 or 8.
11 February 2010
Russian tribute day
In honor of the Russians (or just out of irony), I ate Russian foods and listened to my favorite Russian composers. Today for lunch, I made my first borscht, which was creamy and the color of rich burgundy. I did not have potatoes (which were supposed to be cooked with the veggies, separated, and then mashed with cream and added to the soup), but I managed to do a similar thing and made a beet mash with heavy cream. The result was a subtle, sweet, slightly salty vegetable soup that was rich in texture, color, and flavor. I enjoy making peasant dishes that only require simple spices like salt and pepper, because you know that the main ingredients are what make the taste so special.
As you can see, the pot was rather large, so I had enough to feed about 15 people. Good thing I have freezer space!
The color is much easier to see in natural lighting.
After eating a delicious lunch, I met Claire and Claudine (one of Florian's friends from Germany who lives in Bourdonnette near Claire) to go downtown for some afternoon shopping. Claire needed some things for her apartment and wanted a good book for her trip to Grenada. I showed them my favorite used bookstore near le Barbare. I bought a biography on Serge Gainsbourg (born to Russian Jewish immigrants), who was a famous French singer in the 60s and 70s, known for his relationship with Brigitte Bardot. There is currently a movie about his life in all the major cinemas.
We returned on the metro with hopes to do something exciting for the evening. There were advertisements everywhere showing the upcoming OSUR (orchestre de la suisse romande) de Genève concert featuring two of my favorites, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovitch. I invited my roommate Sharon to come along with us; it was her first classical concert, and to our delight, we were able to show her a great symphony experience.
It is very rare to find an artist with such passion for his music. This man was one of the most talented and spirited violinists I have ever seen. The group itself was so well connected, and you could see the waves of their bodies moving in unison to the powerful Russian music. If I had known that student tickets to orchestra concerts were cheaper than movie tickets, I would have gone much more often. This will be the start of a beautiful and musical semester.
As you can see, the pot was rather large, so I had enough to feed about 15 people. Good thing I have freezer space!
The color is much easier to see in natural lighting.
After eating a delicious lunch, I met Claire and Claudine (one of Florian's friends from Germany who lives in Bourdonnette near Claire) to go downtown for some afternoon shopping. Claire needed some things for her apartment and wanted a good book for her trip to Grenada. I showed them my favorite used bookstore near le Barbare. I bought a biography on Serge Gainsbourg (born to Russian Jewish immigrants), who was a famous French singer in the 60s and 70s, known for his relationship with Brigitte Bardot. There is currently a movie about his life in all the major cinemas.
We returned on the metro with hopes to do something exciting for the evening. There were advertisements everywhere showing the upcoming OSUR (orchestre de la suisse romande) de Genève concert featuring two of my favorites, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovitch. I invited my roommate Sharon to come along with us; it was her first classical concert, and to our delight, we were able to show her a great symphony experience.
It is very rare to find an artist with such passion for his music. This man was one of the most talented and spirited violinists I have ever seen. The group itself was so well connected, and you could see the waves of their bodies moving in unison to the powerful Russian music. If I had known that student tickets to orchestra concerts were cheaper than movie tickets, I would have gone much more often. This will be the start of a beautiful and musical semester.
26 December 2009
Off to Vienna to See Christine!
12/19
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I arrived at Geneva airport hoping that 2.5 hours would be plenty of time in advance. After waiting in the information line for 1.5 hours, someone told me that I was supposed to check in somewhere else - I felt rather idiotic and ran upstairs, where I still couldn't find the check-in counter. I proceeded to security, where the guy told me it was okay to come through with only my standby ticket. I believed him and went to the gate, only to have the ticket agent chide me for not checking in beforehand. She told me the flight was full, but then she proceeded to hand me a boarding pass - I don't even begin to understand the ways of European air travel. I finally arrived at the Vienna airport and took a bus to Westbanhof (West Train Station), where I met Christine. We returned to her apartment and made no-bake lasagna because she doesn't have an oven. We went to this bar called Centimeter, where we met Christine's friend Andrea from an internship at General Mills (who happened to know my friend Chris's roommate Brian from freshman year because they went to the same high school, thus reinforcing the incredible smallness of this world). She was visiting her friend Jesse who spent a year of high school in Hamburg. He spoke fluent German, which was helpful when we went to restaurants and such. Afterwards, he and Andrea went to a restaurant, and we went to a Christmas market near Alser Strasse; I noticed that at one stand, there were these two African guys speaking French, so I struck up a conversation with them that lasted a good 15 min or so.
After our return, we talked to Urshka (Christine's Slovenian roommate whose name means "bear" in Latin) and Nina (her friend from Slovenia). We had a great time sharing tongue twisters and talking about our schools and languages. We didn’t get to sleep until almost midnight, right as they were going out.
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12/20
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In the morning, we got up early (6am), just as Urshka and Nina were returning from their Indie Techno party. We arrived at the Hofburg Palace at 7:30 to attend mass. They let us in at 8:30, so we had plenty of time to freeze our butts off and talk to this Australian girl who was taking a year off from her job as an educational psychologist to travel around the world. We then took a place in the free standing room at the back of the concert hall to attend the mass (given in mostly German, some English, Italian, and Latin) and listen to/watch the Vienna boy's choir. At the end, the boys came out - dressed in their naval suits as per tradition from the Habsburg empire when they had a coast - to sing Kyrie. As soon as they came out from their balcony, everyone started taking pictures with flash, which was rather tacky and distracting. The boys were about 7 years old and had very high-pitched voices. We didn't expect them to be so little.
We were too cold, so we went back to the apartment to put on more layers and drink tea. Andrea called, inviting us to go to the Wienerwald (Vienna woods), so we ate a lighning lunch of cheese tortellini and sauce prepared from the day before. We took the bus from Heiliganstdt to the top of the woods (called Leopoldsburg), which was some sort of castle that overlooked the snow-dusted city. Because it was too cold to hike the descent, we waited for the bus to return and take us back to a Heuriger area (traditional wine/food place), where we went to an Asian/sushi buffet and had Genmaicha brown rice tea. After Christine and I watched Andrea and Jesse make a pathetic attempt at eating 6 euro worth of buffet food, we went next door to a cafe to have coffee and cake. I had a tiramisu that tasted heavily of rum and Christine chose the traditional Sacher Torte, which is a chocolate layer cake with apricot jam and chocolate frosting.
Jesse had to leave to study for a final, so the three of us - Christine, Andrea, and I - went to the Schonbrunn Palace - the summer home of the Habsburgs - to visit the Christmas market, where we saw beautiful stands and ate party/pizza pretzels. Because the fountains were completely frozen, there were children and a couple of parents walking around on them, so we thought it would be a cool idea to "ice skate;" however, the security guard didn't like our idea so much and wouldn't let us have our fun. Andrea had to find a bathroom anyway, so we left in search of them inside, where it was much warmer. When we exited the toilets, we saw that a large group of children were "skating" on the fountain...the irony.
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12/21
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On Monday, we quickly showered and ate breakfast to avoid the cleaning lady (who gets very upset with visitors and charges 12 euros per night). We met Andrea at Volkstheater (People's Theater) and toured the city center, where we saw the Hofburg Palace, the Augustinian Church (where all the Habsburgs got married and Marie Antoinette walked down the aisle), the Spanish riding school, and the monument to war and fascism (where several hundred people were buried alive when the cellar they were hiding in collapsed during bombings of WWII), After touring, we settled in a Starbucks (the first time I have been in an American franchise since coming to Europe) and then Billa, a local grocery store that sold Riedel wine glasses on super sale as well as the famous Viennese Mozart chocolate (filled with marzipan and strawberry jam). Andrea had to catch a bus to take her to the airport (going back to Berlin, where she was studying for the semester), and we then found a McDonald's (American franchise #2) so that Jesse could use the toilet. We returned to the city center so that Jesse could buy a Sacher Torte for his Hamburg host family from high school, and we saw the Plague Fountain, St. Stephen's Cathedral (the big one where Mozart was married, famous for being the center of Vienna), and the Baroque church (where there are two skeletons in glass boxes that flank the altar). The bodies were of martyrs of Christianity; however, I don't know the whole story on this one. After a morning of tourism, we parted ways with Jesse and went to Hofer (Aldi grocery store) to buy the week's food, including ingredients for chocolate cake in a cup - the dessert designated for my birthday. It was quite a microwave adventure.
We at a late lunch at about 4, and we needed to eat some old apples, so I made an apple/clementine crisp in a sauce pan with cinnamon and butter and sugar and muesli (which had raisins and banana chips and figs and other dried fruit). We watched some CNN and Antiques Roadshow on BBC. While lounging around for a few hours, we planned the rest of our week, including going to see the opera "Tristan and Isolde," the ballet "The Nutcracker," the Jewish museum, the Art History/Egyptian museum, the Habsburg Treasury, Haas House, Rathaus, and others.
We managed to see almost the entire city via tram, bus, and U-Ban, which was very convenient and relatively efficient.
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12/22
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On Tuesday, we went to see the Jewish museum and Holocaust memorial, which were built on the old site of a burned-down synagogue from the 1400s. The museum cost 2.5 euros to get in, which was a good price, but it was lacking in its offerings. It included graphic art pictures of the Warsaw Ghetto, a room of recovered artifacts from the destruction of the synagogue, pieces of the syagogue foundation that remained, and a short film talking about Jewish life in the ghetto of Vienna. It took all of about 40 minutes to get through this.
We then had plenty of time before the Anchor Clock went off at 12 noon, so we took a break at little café to have some tea and Sacher torte. Although it was warmer outside, we needed to rest from such little sleep. After we arrived at noon to see the clock (and after taking several minutes of painfully slow film), we decided that the clock wasn't really that interesting.
We then decided to return to the apartment to make lunch and pack something to eat for the opera that evening. We had to arrive several hours early to get a good spot in line for standing room at Tristan and Isolde; the opera started at 5:30, and we arrived at 3:00. When we got there, the line was already pretty long, and many had brought fold-out chairs and books to wait for the ticket booth to open. The opera itself was 4.5 hours long, which meant that we were there for a total of 7 hours. The story is as follows:
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Tristan und Isolde
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Composer: Richard Wagner
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ACT I. The legend of Tristan and Isolde (Tristram and Iseult) takes place during the Middle Ages, when knighthood and the chivalric code prevailed. On board ship from Ireland to Cornwall, a sailor's voice resounds from the rigging. His song about an Irish girl annoys the fiery Isolde, who is being taken by Tristan as bride for his uncle, King Marke. Isolde wishes the ship would sink rather than take her to her hated destination. Her companion, Brangäne, tries in vain to calm her. Instead Isolde is enraged by the knight Tristan, whom she sees standing on the afterdeck, avoiding her: by delivering her to his uncle, he shows no regard for her feelings. She sends Brangäne to summon Tristan, who sends back courtly, evasive replies. His plainspoken companion, Kurwenal, however, tells Brangäne that Tristan is not a vassal to answer Isolde's beck and call. Embarrassed by this outburst, Tristan sends Kurwenal away, but not before the latter has intoned an insolent verse about Isolde's fiancé, Morold, whom Tristan killed in combat some time before. Sailors pick up the refrain as the crestfallen Brangäne returns to the furious Isolde, who recalls that after Tristan came to Ireland to collect taxes for King Marke and killed Morold, she herself nursed him back to health, using her mother's knowledge of herbs and magic. When she realized he was her fiancé's slayer, she bemoaned her charity — but when he looked lovingly into her eyes, she took pity on him. Now he delivers her like a chattel to his uncle. She hurls forth a curse on his head and wishes death for both of them. Brangäne tries to tell her that it is no dishonor to marry a king and that Tristan is simply performing his duty. Isolde replies darkly that it shows his lack of love for her. When Brangäne reminds Isolde that her mother charged her with secret arts, Isolde tells Brangäne to prepare one of her mother's potions — the one that brings death. Cries from the deck that land is in sight are followed by the arrival of Kurwenal, who bids the women prepare to disembark. Isolde retorts that she will not accompany Tristan until he apologizes to her for his offenses. Kurwenal takes the message to his lord while Isolde forces Brangäne to pour the potion. Tristan appears, greeting Isolde with cool courtesy. When she announces that she wants satisfaction for Morold's death, Tristan offers her his sword, but she will not kill him. This would violate King Marke's hospitality and her own unwilling vows, she replies. Better that she and Tristan make peace with a drink of friendship. Understanding that she means to poison them both, he drinks, and she does the same. Expecting death, they exchange a long look of love instead, then fall into a passionate embrace. Brangäne admits she mixed a love potion as sailors' voices hail the ship's arrival in Cornwall.
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ACT II. In a garden outside Marke's castle, distant horns signal the departure of the king and his retinue on a hunting party. Impatient for a rendezvous with Tristan, Isolde believes that the party is far off, but Brangäne cautions her about spies, particularly Melot, a jealous knight whom she has noticed watching Tristan. Isolde says Melot is Tristan's friend and urges Brangäne to put out the warning torch so that Tristan can approach. Brangäne knows this would be unwise, but when she laments having switched the potions, Isolde tells her the power of love rules all destiny and guided her hand. Sending the girl to stand watch, Isolde herself puts out the torch and welcomes Tristan rapturously. Both hail the darkness, which banishes the light of everyday reality and false appearances. It was the forces of daylight, Isolde says, that caused Tristan to behave conventionally and bring her from Ireland; the potion, the power of love, has released them from this delusion. Feeling safe in the truthfulness of night, they welcome its embrace. Brangäne's distant voice warns that night will soon fade and danger be revealed, but the lovers equate their oblivion with death, which will give them the total union and safe removal they crave. Their idyll is shattered as Kurwenal runs in with a warning: the king and his followers have returned, led by Melot, who denounces the lovers. Moved and disturbed, Marke declares that it was Tristan himself who urged him to marry and chose the bride, asking how a knight he so loved could bring dishonor on him. Tristan says he cannot answer, then turns to Isolde and asks whether she will follow him into the realm of death. She accepts, and Melot rushes forward, sword drawn. Wounded, Tristan falls in Kurwenal's arms.
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ACT III. Outside Kareol, Tristan's home castle in Brittany, the knight lies grievously wounded, tended by Kurwenal. To a Shepherd who inquires about his master, Kurwenal replies sadly that only Isolde's arrival, with her magic arts, can save him. The Shepherd agrees to change the sad tune he is playing on his pipe as soon as he sights a ship approaching. Stirring, Tristan asks where he is, then in delirium says he has visited the realm of night and will return there. He clings to life only so that he can find Isolde and take her with him. Tristan thanks Kurwenal for his devotion, then imagines he sees Isolde's ship approaching. But the Shepherd still pipes a sad tune: the sea is empty. Tristan recalls the tune, which he heard as a child in connection with his parents' death and which he later associated with his own near-death after the duel with Morold. He wishes Isolde's medicine had given him peace then instead of reviving him to suffer the torments of longing. Once more he swoons, then revives to imagine Isolde's smile as she draws near. The Shepherd's tune finally changes to a cheerful fanfare, and Kurwenal sees the ship. Tristan rouses himself in growing agitation. For once he blesses the day, because it lights Isolde's way to him. Recklessly he tears off his bandages, letting his wounds bleed so that she can heal them — "forever." No sooner has Isolde rushed in than he falls dying in her arms. She exhorts him to live in order that they can share a final hour of reunion, but he is dead. The Shepherd sights another ship, which Kurwenal assumes is bringing Marke and Melot, bent on vengeance. Though Brangäne is with them, Kurwenal will not listen and attacks them, killing Melot and holding Marke's retainers at bay until he himself falls, mortally wounded. Marke, overwhelmed with sadness, sees the dead Tristan, while Brangäne tries to arouse Isolde, telling her the king has come to pardon and unite the lovers. But Isolde, oblivious, has a vision of Tristan beckoning to the world beyond. Must she alone perceive this and go to meet him? She must. As Brangäne tries to hold her, she sinks, transfigured in death, upon Tristan's body.
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12/23
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Wednesday was full of milestones: one week before Christine's departure for the US, the day that Urshka moved out, and my 21st birthday. Our plan was to see the Art History Museum and the Hofburg Treasury Musuem (a 14 euro combo ticket), but they didn’t open until 10, so we passed the time by going through the Museums Quartier area and then on to Mariahilferstrasse to have a coffee at McDonald’s. It was the first time I had consumed anything from McDonald's in years, but it was amazingly modern, clean, and swanky. We had a coffee and I proceeded to snap photos of our lovely beverages. As a bonus, we had the opportunity to listen to bad pop Christmas tunes from NSync, among others.
As for the Art History museum, the building itself was built in the 1800s with the idea of a museum in mind. They constructed columns and created some really ornate artwork to accent the walls and ceilings. It featured collections of Italian Renaissance art and Northern European paintings. Because of Christine's love for Rick Steves, we followed his tour of the museum, and then wandered in the Egyptian exhibit, where we saw sarcophagi and ancient Greek and Roman statues. The most notable piece in the museum was the ridiculously wasteful million dollar pure gold Canadian coin that was on display in a glass box. I'm not really sure what made them decide to, as they put it, "raise the bar," but the coin looked fake and I was ashamed to hear that Canada would want to waste such a precious and remarkable material.
We were a bit tired from the walking and absorption of European history, so we went home for a quick lunch before setting off again for the Treasury museum. Once again, we followed good ol' Rick's tour, where he explained the significance of the crowns, sceptors, narwhal tusks, cloaks, and other royal goods. Some of the things surprised us, like a 2,680 carat emerald that served no purpose other than to be large and misshapen. They also had a lot of religious items – carved ivory crucifixes and really intricate altarpieces. There were relics such as pieces of Jesus’ cross, a piece of the lance that pierced Jesus’ side, a piece of his loincloth, and a shred of the table cloth from the last supper. It was amazing how intricate each piece was, as everything was handcrafted and, quite possibly, could have taken a lifetime to complete.
After finishing our tour of the Habsburg Treasury, we took some quick photos of the Mozart statue before heading home for dinner. When we got back home, we made some mashed potatoes with onions, mushrooms, cheese, and paprika and made microwave chocolate cake, which was better than expected. We managed to make a frosting from yogurt and leftover whipped cream that added a nice touch to the chocolate.
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12/24
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First on the agenda was Belvedere Palace, where we walked around the grounds and saw what was left of the gardens, including geometrical hedges and regal statues.We then headed to Karlsplatz to see Karlskirche, one of the best baroque churches in Vienna. We were also lucky because the cash desk was closed and we got in free!
By then, it was about noon and we headed towards the Naschmarkt, which is a dangerous thing to do around lunch time. We had fun browsing through the fish and fruit and vegetables and spices. We bought the most amazing falafel sandwiches ever, which were filled with homemade salads and sauces that perfectly complimented the fresh, piping hot falafel. Because it was Christmas Eve, everything started to close in early afternoon, so we returned to Christine's for a nap. Around 7, we went out to the Rathaus Christmas Market to look at the pretty lights and see the items in the shops. When we got there, we found that the shops were all closed and everyone was packing up… but at least the lights in the trees were on. It was a really warm night and we had fun strolling around and looking at the Christmas lights. After our short stroll through the almost dead market, we returned to the apartment to spend Christmas Eve watching our favorite holiday movies. The only thing on TV was the German-dubbed National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, so we looked for alternatives on YouTube and came across Charlie Brown Christmas and the original "A Christmas Story" in its entirety. We watched that before going to sleep around midnight.
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12/25
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Christmas day in Vienna! We made pancakes, talked to our families, and then at four, we left to go to the opera house to see The Nutcracker. Again, we arrived a few hours early to get a good spot in line, and we managed to find some decent standing room, albeit the high strung women who arrived late and wanted everyone to accomodate them and give them spots. This was my first real ballet, and I was amazed to see the incredible athleticism of the dancers and their grace of presence. The costumes and scenery were beautiful, and it turned out to be much more interesting than the opera. Here is a synopsis:
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Act I: It’s a cozy Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaum’s house. Their house is decorated with Christmas ornaments, wreaths, stockings, mistletoe and in the center of it all, a majestic Christmas tree. As the Stahlbaum’s prepare for their annual Christmas party, their children, Fritz and Clara, wait anxiously for their family and friends to arrive. When the guests finally appear, the party picks up with dancing and celebration. A mysterious guest arrives dressed in dark clothing, nearly frightening Fritz, but not Clara. Clara knows he is Godfather Drosselmeyer, the toymaker. His surprise arrival is warmly accepted and all the children dance and carry on with laughter. The celebration is interrupted again when Drosselmeyer reveals to the children that he has brought them gifts. The girls receive beautiful china dolls and the boys receive bugles. Fritz is given a beautiful drum, but Clara is given the best gift of all, the Nutcracker. Fritz grows jealous, snatches the Nutcracker from Clara and plays a game of toss with the other boys. It isn't long until the Nutcracker breaks. Clara is upset, but Drosselmeyer fixes it with a handkerchief. Drosselmeyer’s nephew offers Clara a small make-shift bed under the Christmas tree for her injured Nutcracker. The party grows late and the children become sleepy. Everyone generously thanks the Stahlbaum’s before they leave. As Clara’s family retires to bed, she checks on her Nutcracker one last time and ends up falling asleep under the Christmas tree with the Nutcracker in her arms. At the stroke of midnight Clara wakes up to a frightening scene. The house, the tree and the toys seem to be getting larger. Is she shrinking? Out of nowhere large mice dressed in army uniforms, lead by the Mouse King, begin to circle the room while the toys and Christmas tree come to life. Clara’s Nutcracker groups the soldier toys into battle formation and fights the mouse army. The Mouse King traps the Nutcracker in the corner, but the Nutcracker can’t overcome the Mouse King’s strength. Clara makes a desperate move to save her Nutcracker from defeat and throws her slipper at the Mouse King. She hits him directly in the head! The Nutcracker is able to overcome the stunned Mouse King and claims victory. The mice army quickly carries away their King. Clara falls onto the Nutcracker’s bed, over-whelmed by the moment. As angels and delightful music hover over their heads, the bed turns into a magical sleigh, floating higher and higher. The Nutcracker is transformed into a human prince (who looks strikingly similar to Drosselmeyer’s nephew). He gets on Clara’s sleigh and drives through a snowy forest where the snowflakes turn into dancing maidens.
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Act II: After their magical journey through the snow forest, they come to their destination in the Land of Sweets. Clara can’t believe her eyes; ladyfinger mountains topped with whipped cream whiter than snow, sweetly glazed flowers and butter-cream frosting everywhere she looks. Upon their arrival, they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. As they reenact the night’s events, the Sugar Plum Fairy becomes impressed with Clara’s bravery and the Nutcracker’s heroism. In their honor, the Sugar Plum Fairy takes them inside the Candy Castle and throws a lavish festival. They are treated like royalty and presented with every imaginable sweet. Shortly thereafter, the dancing begins. Hot cocoa dances to the lively music of trumpets and castanets of the Spanish fandango. The women of coffee dance in veils and move their bodies like rising steam to an Arabian song, while Mandarin tea dances to an exotic Asian flute chorus. Matroishkas (Russian dolls) follow the Mandarin tea leaping and dancing to an invigorating Russian Trepak. To Clara’s enjoyment there is still more to be seen. A giant gingerbread house, known as Mother Ginger, dances onto the Sugar Plum Fairy’s court. She opens her skirt and eight little gingerbread children come dancing out circling around her. After the Mirliton dance is over, the children quickly file back into the large gingerbread house and Mother Ginger leaves the room. Soon after Mother Ginger exits, the dancing flowers enter to the tune of the harp. Perhaps the most beautiful waltz she has ever heard, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince watch with amazement. The flowers dance in beautiful mesmerizing patterns as a single Dewdrop floats above them. Silence quickly follows the end of their dance. Clara doesn’t know what to expect next. A handsome Cavalier enters the scene and escorts the Sugar Plum Fairy to the center of the room. They dance to the most recognizable song in the entire work. The captivating pair dance lighter than air. This beautiful dance completes Clara’s most perfect evening. The festival concludes when everyone comes together on the court and bids Clara and the Nutcracker Prince farewell. She tells the Nutcracker she wishes the adventure would never end and he tells her it won’t for those who have an eye to see it. Clara wakes up the next morning under the Christmas tree with her Nutcracker still in her arms.
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I arrived at Geneva airport hoping that 2.5 hours would be plenty of time in advance. After waiting in the information line for 1.5 hours, someone told me that I was supposed to check in somewhere else - I felt rather idiotic and ran upstairs, where I still couldn't find the check-in counter. I proceeded to security, where the guy told me it was okay to come through with only my standby ticket. I believed him and went to the gate, only to have the ticket agent chide me for not checking in beforehand. She told me the flight was full, but then she proceeded to hand me a boarding pass - I don't even begin to understand the ways of European air travel. I finally arrived at the Vienna airport and took a bus to Westbanhof (West Train Station), where I met Christine. We returned to her apartment and made no-bake lasagna because she doesn't have an oven. We went to this bar called Centimeter, where we met Christine's friend Andrea from an internship at General Mills (who happened to know my friend Chris's roommate Brian from freshman year because they went to the same high school, thus reinforcing the incredible smallness of this world). She was visiting her friend Jesse who spent a year of high school in Hamburg. He spoke fluent German, which was helpful when we went to restaurants and such. Afterwards, he and Andrea went to a restaurant, and we went to a Christmas market near Alser Strasse; I noticed that at one stand, there were these two African guys speaking French, so I struck up a conversation with them that lasted a good 15 min or so.
After our return, we talked to Urshka (Christine's Slovenian roommate whose name means "bear" in Latin) and Nina (her friend from Slovenia). We had a great time sharing tongue twisters and talking about our schools and languages. We didn’t get to sleep until almost midnight, right as they were going out.
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12/20
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In the morning, we got up early (6am), just as Urshka and Nina were returning from their Indie Techno party. We arrived at the Hofburg Palace at 7:30 to attend mass. They let us in at 8:30, so we had plenty of time to freeze our butts off and talk to this Australian girl who was taking a year off from her job as an educational psychologist to travel around the world. We then took a place in the free standing room at the back of the concert hall to attend the mass (given in mostly German, some English, Italian, and Latin) and listen to/watch the Vienna boy's choir. At the end, the boys came out - dressed in their naval suits as per tradition from the Habsburg empire when they had a coast - to sing Kyrie. As soon as they came out from their balcony, everyone started taking pictures with flash, which was rather tacky and distracting. The boys were about 7 years old and had very high-pitched voices. We didn't expect them to be so little.
We were too cold, so we went back to the apartment to put on more layers and drink tea. Andrea called, inviting us to go to the Wienerwald (Vienna woods), so we ate a lighning lunch of cheese tortellini and sauce prepared from the day before. We took the bus from Heiliganstdt to the top of the woods (called Leopoldsburg), which was some sort of castle that overlooked the snow-dusted city. Because it was too cold to hike the descent, we waited for the bus to return and take us back to a Heuriger area (traditional wine/food place), where we went to an Asian/sushi buffet and had Genmaicha brown rice tea. After Christine and I watched Andrea and Jesse make a pathetic attempt at eating 6 euro worth of buffet food, we went next door to a cafe to have coffee and cake. I had a tiramisu that tasted heavily of rum and Christine chose the traditional Sacher Torte, which is a chocolate layer cake with apricot jam and chocolate frosting.
Jesse had to leave to study for a final, so the three of us - Christine, Andrea, and I - went to the Schonbrunn Palace - the summer home of the Habsburgs - to visit the Christmas market, where we saw beautiful stands and ate party/pizza pretzels. Because the fountains were completely frozen, there were children and a couple of parents walking around on them, so we thought it would be a cool idea to "ice skate;" however, the security guard didn't like our idea so much and wouldn't let us have our fun. Andrea had to find a bathroom anyway, so we left in search of them inside, where it was much warmer. When we exited the toilets, we saw that a large group of children were "skating" on the fountain...the irony.
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12/21
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On Monday, we quickly showered and ate breakfast to avoid the cleaning lady (who gets very upset with visitors and charges 12 euros per night). We met Andrea at Volkstheater (People's Theater) and toured the city center, where we saw the Hofburg Palace, the Augustinian Church (where all the Habsburgs got married and Marie Antoinette walked down the aisle), the Spanish riding school, and the monument to war and fascism (where several hundred people were buried alive when the cellar they were hiding in collapsed during bombings of WWII), After touring, we settled in a Starbucks (the first time I have been in an American franchise since coming to Europe) and then Billa, a local grocery store that sold Riedel wine glasses on super sale as well as the famous Viennese Mozart chocolate (filled with marzipan and strawberry jam). Andrea had to catch a bus to take her to the airport (going back to Berlin, where she was studying for the semester), and we then found a McDonald's (American franchise #2) so that Jesse could use the toilet. We returned to the city center so that Jesse could buy a Sacher Torte for his Hamburg host family from high school, and we saw the Plague Fountain, St. Stephen's Cathedral (the big one where Mozart was married, famous for being the center of Vienna), and the Baroque church (where there are two skeletons in glass boxes that flank the altar). The bodies were of martyrs of Christianity; however, I don't know the whole story on this one. After a morning of tourism, we parted ways with Jesse and went to Hofer (Aldi grocery store) to buy the week's food, including ingredients for chocolate cake in a cup - the dessert designated for my birthday. It was quite a microwave adventure.
We at a late lunch at about 4, and we needed to eat some old apples, so I made an apple/clementine crisp in a sauce pan with cinnamon and butter and sugar and muesli (which had raisins and banana chips and figs and other dried fruit). We watched some CNN and Antiques Roadshow on BBC. While lounging around for a few hours, we planned the rest of our week, including going to see the opera "Tristan and Isolde," the ballet "The Nutcracker," the Jewish museum, the Art History/Egyptian museum, the Habsburg Treasury, Haas House, Rathaus, and others.
We managed to see almost the entire city via tram, bus, and U-Ban, which was very convenient and relatively efficient.
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12/22
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On Tuesday, we went to see the Jewish museum and Holocaust memorial, which were built on the old site of a burned-down synagogue from the 1400s. The museum cost 2.5 euros to get in, which was a good price, but it was lacking in its offerings. It included graphic art pictures of the Warsaw Ghetto, a room of recovered artifacts from the destruction of the synagogue, pieces of the syagogue foundation that remained, and a short film talking about Jewish life in the ghetto of Vienna. It took all of about 40 minutes to get through this.
We then had plenty of time before the Anchor Clock went off at 12 noon, so we took a break at little café to have some tea and Sacher torte. Although it was warmer outside, we needed to rest from such little sleep. After we arrived at noon to see the clock (and after taking several minutes of painfully slow film), we decided that the clock wasn't really that interesting.
We then decided to return to the apartment to make lunch and pack something to eat for the opera that evening. We had to arrive several hours early to get a good spot in line for standing room at Tristan and Isolde; the opera started at 5:30, and we arrived at 3:00. When we got there, the line was already pretty long, and many had brought fold-out chairs and books to wait for the ticket booth to open. The opera itself was 4.5 hours long, which meant that we were there for a total of 7 hours. The story is as follows:
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Tristan und Isolde
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Composer: Richard Wagner
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ACT I. The legend of Tristan and Isolde (Tristram and Iseult) takes place during the Middle Ages, when knighthood and the chivalric code prevailed. On board ship from Ireland to Cornwall, a sailor's voice resounds from the rigging. His song about an Irish girl annoys the fiery Isolde, who is being taken by Tristan as bride for his uncle, King Marke. Isolde wishes the ship would sink rather than take her to her hated destination. Her companion, Brangäne, tries in vain to calm her. Instead Isolde is enraged by the knight Tristan, whom she sees standing on the afterdeck, avoiding her: by delivering her to his uncle, he shows no regard for her feelings. She sends Brangäne to summon Tristan, who sends back courtly, evasive replies. His plainspoken companion, Kurwenal, however, tells Brangäne that Tristan is not a vassal to answer Isolde's beck and call. Embarrassed by this outburst, Tristan sends Kurwenal away, but not before the latter has intoned an insolent verse about Isolde's fiancé, Morold, whom Tristan killed in combat some time before. Sailors pick up the refrain as the crestfallen Brangäne returns to the furious Isolde, who recalls that after Tristan came to Ireland to collect taxes for King Marke and killed Morold, she herself nursed him back to health, using her mother's knowledge of herbs and magic. When she realized he was her fiancé's slayer, she bemoaned her charity — but when he looked lovingly into her eyes, she took pity on him. Now he delivers her like a chattel to his uncle. She hurls forth a curse on his head and wishes death for both of them. Brangäne tries to tell her that it is no dishonor to marry a king and that Tristan is simply performing his duty. Isolde replies darkly that it shows his lack of love for her. When Brangäne reminds Isolde that her mother charged her with secret arts, Isolde tells Brangäne to prepare one of her mother's potions — the one that brings death. Cries from the deck that land is in sight are followed by the arrival of Kurwenal, who bids the women prepare to disembark. Isolde retorts that she will not accompany Tristan until he apologizes to her for his offenses. Kurwenal takes the message to his lord while Isolde forces Brangäne to pour the potion. Tristan appears, greeting Isolde with cool courtesy. When she announces that she wants satisfaction for Morold's death, Tristan offers her his sword, but she will not kill him. This would violate King Marke's hospitality and her own unwilling vows, she replies. Better that she and Tristan make peace with a drink of friendship. Understanding that she means to poison them both, he drinks, and she does the same. Expecting death, they exchange a long look of love instead, then fall into a passionate embrace. Brangäne admits she mixed a love potion as sailors' voices hail the ship's arrival in Cornwall.
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ACT II. In a garden outside Marke's castle, distant horns signal the departure of the king and his retinue on a hunting party. Impatient for a rendezvous with Tristan, Isolde believes that the party is far off, but Brangäne cautions her about spies, particularly Melot, a jealous knight whom she has noticed watching Tristan. Isolde says Melot is Tristan's friend and urges Brangäne to put out the warning torch so that Tristan can approach. Brangäne knows this would be unwise, but when she laments having switched the potions, Isolde tells her the power of love rules all destiny and guided her hand. Sending the girl to stand watch, Isolde herself puts out the torch and welcomes Tristan rapturously. Both hail the darkness, which banishes the light of everyday reality and false appearances. It was the forces of daylight, Isolde says, that caused Tristan to behave conventionally and bring her from Ireland; the potion, the power of love, has released them from this delusion. Feeling safe in the truthfulness of night, they welcome its embrace. Brangäne's distant voice warns that night will soon fade and danger be revealed, but the lovers equate their oblivion with death, which will give them the total union and safe removal they crave. Their idyll is shattered as Kurwenal runs in with a warning: the king and his followers have returned, led by Melot, who denounces the lovers. Moved and disturbed, Marke declares that it was Tristan himself who urged him to marry and chose the bride, asking how a knight he so loved could bring dishonor on him. Tristan says he cannot answer, then turns to Isolde and asks whether she will follow him into the realm of death. She accepts, and Melot rushes forward, sword drawn. Wounded, Tristan falls in Kurwenal's arms.
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ACT III. Outside Kareol, Tristan's home castle in Brittany, the knight lies grievously wounded, tended by Kurwenal. To a Shepherd who inquires about his master, Kurwenal replies sadly that only Isolde's arrival, with her magic arts, can save him. The Shepherd agrees to change the sad tune he is playing on his pipe as soon as he sights a ship approaching. Stirring, Tristan asks where he is, then in delirium says he has visited the realm of night and will return there. He clings to life only so that he can find Isolde and take her with him. Tristan thanks Kurwenal for his devotion, then imagines he sees Isolde's ship approaching. But the Shepherd still pipes a sad tune: the sea is empty. Tristan recalls the tune, which he heard as a child in connection with his parents' death and which he later associated with his own near-death after the duel with Morold. He wishes Isolde's medicine had given him peace then instead of reviving him to suffer the torments of longing. Once more he swoons, then revives to imagine Isolde's smile as she draws near. The Shepherd's tune finally changes to a cheerful fanfare, and Kurwenal sees the ship. Tristan rouses himself in growing agitation. For once he blesses the day, because it lights Isolde's way to him. Recklessly he tears off his bandages, letting his wounds bleed so that she can heal them — "forever." No sooner has Isolde rushed in than he falls dying in her arms. She exhorts him to live in order that they can share a final hour of reunion, but he is dead. The Shepherd sights another ship, which Kurwenal assumes is bringing Marke and Melot, bent on vengeance. Though Brangäne is with them, Kurwenal will not listen and attacks them, killing Melot and holding Marke's retainers at bay until he himself falls, mortally wounded. Marke, overwhelmed with sadness, sees the dead Tristan, while Brangäne tries to arouse Isolde, telling her the king has come to pardon and unite the lovers. But Isolde, oblivious, has a vision of Tristan beckoning to the world beyond. Must she alone perceive this and go to meet him? She must. As Brangäne tries to hold her, she sinks, transfigured in death, upon Tristan's body.
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12/23
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Wednesday was full of milestones: one week before Christine's departure for the US, the day that Urshka moved out, and my 21st birthday. Our plan was to see the Art History Museum and the Hofburg Treasury Musuem (a 14 euro combo ticket), but they didn’t open until 10, so we passed the time by going through the Museums Quartier area and then on to Mariahilferstrasse to have a coffee at McDonald’s. It was the first time I had consumed anything from McDonald's in years, but it was amazingly modern, clean, and swanky. We had a coffee and I proceeded to snap photos of our lovely beverages. As a bonus, we had the opportunity to listen to bad pop Christmas tunes from NSync, among others.
As for the Art History museum, the building itself was built in the 1800s with the idea of a museum in mind. They constructed columns and created some really ornate artwork to accent the walls and ceilings. It featured collections of Italian Renaissance art and Northern European paintings. Because of Christine's love for Rick Steves, we followed his tour of the museum, and then wandered in the Egyptian exhibit, where we saw sarcophagi and ancient Greek and Roman statues. The most notable piece in the museum was the ridiculously wasteful million dollar pure gold Canadian coin that was on display in a glass box. I'm not really sure what made them decide to, as they put it, "raise the bar," but the coin looked fake and I was ashamed to hear that Canada would want to waste such a precious and remarkable material.
We were a bit tired from the walking and absorption of European history, so we went home for a quick lunch before setting off again for the Treasury museum. Once again, we followed good ol' Rick's tour, where he explained the significance of the crowns, sceptors, narwhal tusks, cloaks, and other royal goods. Some of the things surprised us, like a 2,680 carat emerald that served no purpose other than to be large and misshapen. They also had a lot of religious items – carved ivory crucifixes and really intricate altarpieces. There were relics such as pieces of Jesus’ cross, a piece of the lance that pierced Jesus’ side, a piece of his loincloth, and a shred of the table cloth from the last supper. It was amazing how intricate each piece was, as everything was handcrafted and, quite possibly, could have taken a lifetime to complete.
After finishing our tour of the Habsburg Treasury, we took some quick photos of the Mozart statue before heading home for dinner. When we got back home, we made some mashed potatoes with onions, mushrooms, cheese, and paprika and made microwave chocolate cake, which was better than expected. We managed to make a frosting from yogurt and leftover whipped cream that added a nice touch to the chocolate.
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12/24
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First on the agenda was Belvedere Palace, where we walked around the grounds and saw what was left of the gardens, including geometrical hedges and regal statues.We then headed to Karlsplatz to see Karlskirche, one of the best baroque churches in Vienna. We were also lucky because the cash desk was closed and we got in free!
By then, it was about noon and we headed towards the Naschmarkt, which is a dangerous thing to do around lunch time. We had fun browsing through the fish and fruit and vegetables and spices. We bought the most amazing falafel sandwiches ever, which were filled with homemade salads and sauces that perfectly complimented the fresh, piping hot falafel. Because it was Christmas Eve, everything started to close in early afternoon, so we returned to Christine's for a nap. Around 7, we went out to the Rathaus Christmas Market to look at the pretty lights and see the items in the shops. When we got there, we found that the shops were all closed and everyone was packing up… but at least the lights in the trees were on. It was a really warm night and we had fun strolling around and looking at the Christmas lights. After our short stroll through the almost dead market, we returned to the apartment to spend Christmas Eve watching our favorite holiday movies. The only thing on TV was the German-dubbed National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, so we looked for alternatives on YouTube and came across Charlie Brown Christmas and the original "A Christmas Story" in its entirety. We watched that before going to sleep around midnight.
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12/25
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Christmas day in Vienna! We made pancakes, talked to our families, and then at four, we left to go to the opera house to see The Nutcracker. Again, we arrived a few hours early to get a good spot in line, and we managed to find some decent standing room, albeit the high strung women who arrived late and wanted everyone to accomodate them and give them spots. This was my first real ballet, and I was amazed to see the incredible athleticism of the dancers and their grace of presence. The costumes and scenery were beautiful, and it turned out to be much more interesting than the opera. Here is a synopsis:
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Act I: It’s a cozy Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaum’s house. Their house is decorated with Christmas ornaments, wreaths, stockings, mistletoe and in the center of it all, a majestic Christmas tree. As the Stahlbaum’s prepare for their annual Christmas party, their children, Fritz and Clara, wait anxiously for their family and friends to arrive. When the guests finally appear, the party picks up with dancing and celebration. A mysterious guest arrives dressed in dark clothing, nearly frightening Fritz, but not Clara. Clara knows he is Godfather Drosselmeyer, the toymaker. His surprise arrival is warmly accepted and all the children dance and carry on with laughter. The celebration is interrupted again when Drosselmeyer reveals to the children that he has brought them gifts. The girls receive beautiful china dolls and the boys receive bugles. Fritz is given a beautiful drum, but Clara is given the best gift of all, the Nutcracker. Fritz grows jealous, snatches the Nutcracker from Clara and plays a game of toss with the other boys. It isn't long until the Nutcracker breaks. Clara is upset, but Drosselmeyer fixes it with a handkerchief. Drosselmeyer’s nephew offers Clara a small make-shift bed under the Christmas tree for her injured Nutcracker. The party grows late and the children become sleepy. Everyone generously thanks the Stahlbaum’s before they leave. As Clara’s family retires to bed, she checks on her Nutcracker one last time and ends up falling asleep under the Christmas tree with the Nutcracker in her arms. At the stroke of midnight Clara wakes up to a frightening scene. The house, the tree and the toys seem to be getting larger. Is she shrinking? Out of nowhere large mice dressed in army uniforms, lead by the Mouse King, begin to circle the room while the toys and Christmas tree come to life. Clara’s Nutcracker groups the soldier toys into battle formation and fights the mouse army. The Mouse King traps the Nutcracker in the corner, but the Nutcracker can’t overcome the Mouse King’s strength. Clara makes a desperate move to save her Nutcracker from defeat and throws her slipper at the Mouse King. She hits him directly in the head! The Nutcracker is able to overcome the stunned Mouse King and claims victory. The mice army quickly carries away their King. Clara falls onto the Nutcracker’s bed, over-whelmed by the moment. As angels and delightful music hover over their heads, the bed turns into a magical sleigh, floating higher and higher. The Nutcracker is transformed into a human prince (who looks strikingly similar to Drosselmeyer’s nephew). He gets on Clara’s sleigh and drives through a snowy forest where the snowflakes turn into dancing maidens.
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Act II: After their magical journey through the snow forest, they come to their destination in the Land of Sweets. Clara can’t believe her eyes; ladyfinger mountains topped with whipped cream whiter than snow, sweetly glazed flowers and butter-cream frosting everywhere she looks. Upon their arrival, they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. As they reenact the night’s events, the Sugar Plum Fairy becomes impressed with Clara’s bravery and the Nutcracker’s heroism. In their honor, the Sugar Plum Fairy takes them inside the Candy Castle and throws a lavish festival. They are treated like royalty and presented with every imaginable sweet. Shortly thereafter, the dancing begins. Hot cocoa dances to the lively music of trumpets and castanets of the Spanish fandango. The women of coffee dance in veils and move their bodies like rising steam to an Arabian song, while Mandarin tea dances to an exotic Asian flute chorus. Matroishkas (Russian dolls) follow the Mandarin tea leaping and dancing to an invigorating Russian Trepak. To Clara’s enjoyment there is still more to be seen. A giant gingerbread house, known as Mother Ginger, dances onto the Sugar Plum Fairy’s court. She opens her skirt and eight little gingerbread children come dancing out circling around her. After the Mirliton dance is over, the children quickly file back into the large gingerbread house and Mother Ginger leaves the room. Soon after Mother Ginger exits, the dancing flowers enter to the tune of the harp. Perhaps the most beautiful waltz she has ever heard, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince watch with amazement. The flowers dance in beautiful mesmerizing patterns as a single Dewdrop floats above them. Silence quickly follows the end of their dance. Clara doesn’t know what to expect next. A handsome Cavalier enters the scene and escorts the Sugar Plum Fairy to the center of the room. They dance to the most recognizable song in the entire work. The captivating pair dance lighter than air. This beautiful dance completes Clara’s most perfect evening. The festival concludes when everyone comes together on the court and bids Clara and the Nutcracker Prince farewell. She tells the Nutcracker she wishes the adventure would never end and he tells her it won’t for those who have an eye to see it. Clara wakes up the next morning under the Christmas tree with her Nutcracker still in her arms.
12 December 2009
Montreux Christmas Market
Today, Ada and I shared a lovely meal together and, afterwards, explored the Montreux Christmas market, one of the biggest and most famous in Switzerland. Most of the offerings were food-related, like roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, dried fruits, spice cakes, and cookies. However, they also had artisinal gifts like honey candles, wreaths, scarves, hats, jewelry, as well as more commercialed specialties. Each stand was decorated in such a grand fashion, with holly and foil and wood and lights. Montreux was bustling with tourists, who stood in awe of the current sculptures that adorn the lakeside: an artist trimmed and wrapped bushes to resemble the animal characters from the movie "Madagascar." It was amazing how detailed the structures were ; the artist used different colored bushes to show the stripes on the zebra, and the penguins had tufts of straw coming out of their heads to add various accents.
After returning from a long afternoon of walking and sampling delicious Christmas treats, we had some tea and a slice of the spice cake that I prepared for Ada the night before. It was relaxing to sit with her and talk about Christmas traditions in Germany and Switzerland, as well as her memories of Christmas as a child.
In early evening, Ada dropped me off at the train station and I headed back to Lausanne to prepare my schedule for the next week. I made gingerbread cookies for EthNoel, a huge multi-religious celebration that l'Aumonerie holds every year. Mansoureh was so impatient - she kept poking at the raw dough and stealing glances at the cookies that were still hot from coming out of the oven. She was worse than a little kid! Of course, I had to humor her and let her finally taste a cookie after all of her pleas. Because it was Johannes's 30th birthday today - my roommate Mansoureh's boyfriend - we sang for him and toasted to delicious cups of hot cocoa, and then I proceeded to feed them cookies in the shapes of shooting stars, reindeer, and shepherds.
Next on the agenda: For EthNoel, Pasha (another student from ISU) and I will perform a mini skit - he will read "Twas the Night Before Christmas," and I will play carols on my violin in between stanzae. We will also act out the story using props that we painted and Pasha will portray Santa using various costume components that we made as well. I am looking forward to this week of celebrations. Christmas is almost upon us!
After returning from a long afternoon of walking and sampling delicious Christmas treats, we had some tea and a slice of the spice cake that I prepared for Ada the night before. It was relaxing to sit with her and talk about Christmas traditions in Germany and Switzerland, as well as her memories of Christmas as a child.
In early evening, Ada dropped me off at the train station and I headed back to Lausanne to prepare my schedule for the next week. I made gingerbread cookies for EthNoel, a huge multi-religious celebration that l'Aumonerie holds every year. Mansoureh was so impatient - she kept poking at the raw dough and stealing glances at the cookies that were still hot from coming out of the oven. She was worse than a little kid! Of course, I had to humor her and let her finally taste a cookie after all of her pleas. Because it was Johannes's 30th birthday today - my roommate Mansoureh's boyfriend - we sang for him and toasted to delicious cups of hot cocoa, and then I proceeded to feed them cookies in the shapes of shooting stars, reindeer, and shepherds.
Next on the agenda: For EthNoel, Pasha (another student from ISU) and I will perform a mini skit - he will read "Twas the Night Before Christmas," and I will play carols on my violin in between stanzae. We will also act out the story using props that we painted and Pasha will portray Santa using various costume components that we made as well. I am looking forward to this week of celebrations. Christmas is almost upon us!
20 November 2009
Celebration of the Weekend: This Calls for Pie!
After finding this lovely recipe on the internet, I prepared my first tart-style pie. The results? You can see for yourself and decide!
http://www.mykitchensnippets.com/2009/10/french-apple-tart.html
Because I only had margarine, I had to make a small substitution. As a result, the crust was fluffy, flaky, buttery, and absolutely the most remarkable creation ever. The layers simple melted in your mouth, and it had such a light texture that it perfectly complemented the soft, tart apples and the sweet glaze of the jam.
Of course, I couldn't eat it all on my own for risk of gaining half a ton. Plus, it's more fun to share!
http://www.mykitchensnippets.com/2009/10/french-apple-tart.html
The completed tart with a strawberry rhubarb glaze.
The proud chef! I was surprised at how well it turned out...the edges were perfectly browned, the apples were caramelized and soft, and ohhhh...the crust. We will get to that in a moment.
Because I only had margarine, I had to make a small substitution. As a result, the crust was fluffy, flaky, buttery, and absolutely the most remarkable creation ever. The layers simple melted in your mouth, and it had such a light texture that it perfectly complemented the soft, tart apples and the sweet glaze of the jam.Of course, I couldn't eat it all on my own for risk of gaining half a ton. Plus, it's more fun to share!
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