Aug 17 - Day 17 in Vienna

Today was, at least for the standards set so far in Europe, rather uneventful, but not at all boring! The first five or so hours were spent on the bus back to Vienna from Prague. I definitely could have spent a few more days in that city, especially since I felt I did not truly get the chance to know it well or to explore outside of tourist zones. It is so gorgeous that I feel it merits another day for the program.

I did not sleep much on the bus ride, so I was able to see the countryside and several villages we drove through. I wanted to stop and see more to the country, but I also could not wait to return to Vienna. However, I do know on future trips to Europe I’d like to balance visits to cities with a more rural environment as well.

After returning to Vienna, I decided to visit Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery), which is extremely close to our housing in Simmering. It has the most people interred in it of any cemetery in Europe, including many famous composers, such as Strauss, Schubert, Beethoven, and Schoenberg. It’s really a beautiful place to visit, especially on a slightly overcast day like today. The Jewish section is quite stunning, but with a rather sad history (and present). The older of the two Jewish cemeteries (built in 1863) in Zentralfriedhof was destroyed by the Nazis during Kristallnacht, but many graves still remain. The newer one, constructed in 1917, is still used today. However, the lack of upkeep in the Jewish section compared to the other sections is quite obvious. It just reminds me of how there is really no one left to care for it – so many either emigrated or were murdered in the Holocaust. There is this whole culture of Vienna that was ripped apart, but the graves that remain are a testament to the once thriving Jewish community. However, I am happy to hear that part of it is still in use – maybe the community will continue to grow in the future.

The graves of the composers are a must see, but I found the Jewish section to be far more beautiful and interesting. I preferred walking amongst the trees and overgrown areas of the Jewish section than being in the overly manicured area of Beethoven and his fellow composers.

I'd just like to add that the first grave stone I saw upon entering the cemetery proved to be one of the most fascinating to me - a grave with my mom's family name on it. Kaiser is usually not considered a last name here in Germany since it means Emperor (I'm not sure how we ended up with it) and is only used for that and for a type of beer, so I was surprised to find a grave with only that written on it.

I ended the day with a dinner at the most amazing schnitzel restaurant ever, Schloss Concordia, home of the biggest schnitzels and Jesus statue you could ever wish to see. The inside was lit only by candles, and since it’s directly across the street from the cemetery, it provided just the right atmosphere. If you want filling and delicious schnitzel, I can only recommend this place! It was pretty extraordinary to have a meal delivered on a platter rather than a plate.

After a long week of traveling, it was time to relax for the rest of the night and prepare for more Vienna in the morning!