Mahlzeit

4 December Wednesday

Mahlzeit = mealtime!

I've been having oatmeal for breakfast with fruit...it is much better than the first time I tried to make it (granted, it needs a LOT of sugar still, plus a little cinnamon).

So, we did something sad today.  We took our passports to an office and unregistered as temporary citizens of Vienna.  We were all in a group with brother Minert (except for Tanner, who forgot his passport so had to turn around and go back home to get it, so he was going to be about an hour behind the rest of us).  Brother Minert took us under this building, Tuchlauben 8, and we walked through their storage area underground.  But this isn't just any storage area . . . during World War II, there were underground passages everywhere!  So when the air raids came, anybody on the street could jump inside the specially-marked door of a building like this, and be able to find their way around Vienna underground.  The passages under here supposedly went all the way to Swedenplatz...which is a half mile away!!  We could only go a few short directions, but we could see the signs to different streets that were painted during the war.  SO COOL.

We finished our underground adventures by 11:45, with enough time to go to this famous clock to watch it chime noon.  This clock is special...each hour is represented by a different figure with the hour in Roman numerals over their head as they walk across the clock face passing each minute.  At noon, all twelve figures walk past . . . these people include Maria Theresia, Franz Joseph I, Maximillian. . . etc.

So, Tanner met up with Garrison and they went and took care of his paperwork, then we all met back at the Minert's for lunch.  Getting his passport wasn't the only thing Tanner did when he went back. . . apparently he made some Austrian man angry in the ubahn station and the man PUNCHED him in the mouth!!!  He doesn't even know why!  The only thing it could be is that he accidentally bumped into the guy while walking through the tight crowds . . . but that happens every day!  So strange.  His lip is a tiny bit swollen, haha.

We had baked potatoes and chili for lunch, then we practiced our Christmas songs for a bit, then we all reviewed for our history final together.  AHH FINALS.  Not nearly as hard as a normal semester, but still stressful!!!

Caelyn, Kimber and I had our family dinner tonight, which was delicious, as always.  Actually this time was a little bit different . . . haha.

Kimber got Frau Feest flowers

Pumpkin soup!  Pumpkin, carrots, ginger.

Surprise visit from Brother Minert . . . asking Frau Feest if she knew anything about the underground of this apartment building.

We had a quiche thing for dinner!  Lot of spinach, and a sweet crust.  We thought we were done after this, but then she brought out this HUGE dish of noodles mit käse.  Yummy, cheese right?  No . . . it was bleau cheese!!!  Caelyn could NOT do it hahah when Frau Feest left the room she put a scoop back.  I thought it was good after a few bites!

And of course we had fruit for dessert!

She thought I was funny for taking these hahaha

So we did something sad after dinner.

Caelyn and I started packing up our room.  She has to get really packed because tomorrow she is leaving to Dublin for the weekend.  Thankfully I'll be here to finish getting organized.  I got one of my checked bags all finished, and it weighs 37 lbs but it is FULL!  So I might have to do some shuffling to make it heavier.

We broke open some Ohio State chocolates Caelyn found to eat while we packed.  

Yum, peanut butter.

It is fun to have all these clocks in my phone!!  Home, Vienna, Telu, Courtney, and Laura.  What a crazy world.

Jan Hawkes took this pictures of my house back at home!  THE SNOW!!! My goodness.  And my sweet little car hangin out there so lonely!!  I can't wait to get back to pearl.