A day in Vienna

When the news broke that Bill Clinton had had an affair with Monica Lewinski, I was working at Mission Springs, a camp in the Santa Cruz mountains. When Princess Dianna was killed in a car crash, I was also at Mission Springs. Being at camp and secluded from 'the real world', meant that I found out a few days after the news became a world wide cover story. This time I'm not at camp, I'm in Vienna and only now have discovered that Clinton is 'suspending' her campaign. I think most Austrians knew before I did. I can't read the German headlines. It isn't the biggest event to find out about a few days after the fact, but it makes me feel very out of touch. And I'm not saying that is a bad thing.

Yesterday I toured the Hapsburg Imperial Apartments, checked out their massive silver collection and the Sisi museum. I also went to the Albertina museum, which houses the work of several impressionists. There was a great descprition on the wall concerning abstract expressionism, '' A work of art is determined by artistic inetention, improvisation, and accident.'' I identify with that a lot in my painting. More on the accident end I think though. :}

After the Albertina, I checked out St. Stephen's Cathedral. Vespers were going on so no one was allowed in the nave, but it was rather beautiful watching people worship in the cathedral. Not something you get to experience when all the tourists are gawking away. I found a small chapel to the side of the church that was open for prayer only. After pushing my way through two sets of massive sound proof double doors, I found about fifteen people on their knees in prayer. What a cool thing! People praying, in a church! I know this shouldn't surprise me, but it was of great relief after seeing so many churches overrun with tourists, to find one that preserved it's sacred character. I knelt in prayer thanking God that he does indeed prevent the sacred from being completely overrun by the secular.

Next I wandered down to a cafe for some food and then on to Cafe Sacher for what you might guess, a Sacher Torte. Now, let me be clear about this. I paid the 9€ for a coffee and famous piece of cake not for myself. I did this for my sister, who is a pastry chef and is studying culinary arts in Seattle. It was out of love for her and knowing that she would want me to have this experience, that I indulged in one of the best and most well known chocolate in the world. Too bad I don't have a jeweller for a sibling.