WIEN - continued

Eventhough the city itself is not that amazing, what happens in the city is.

There are several concerts, operas, ballets, plays, etc every single day! there is no shortage of cultural events. It can be very pricey - about 200 euros for a ticket or you can pay TWO euros to watch the same play-concert-opera but you have to stand, now that sucks!! but the point is that it is not prohibiting (the cost).

There was a lecture on design and advertising at the Wien Academy of Visual Arts by a well know Dutch designer, but I saw the poster the day after. I also went to the Belvedere Palace which is great but the attraction for me there was to see Klimt's 'The Kiss'. I love his work and this painting is nothing short of magnificent live. I loved it in books, but once in front of it it comes to live, the colours are rich, the textures are varied and the size is perfect. It's quite large, mmmhh, i think I woiuld like to have it in my living room, together with the lamps from one hall at the Opera House, OK , 1 lamp would be enought. Fabulous examples of Art Nuveau, which is a style that I really like, particularly in lamps. I was trying to plan how to get one of those Opera's lamps, ....I know, my criminal mind at work!!! I also went to the Secession Building, one of the finest examples of Art Nouveu Architecture. The exhibit wasn't anything great, photos of a woman with a towel in her head (what??? is that art???), any how, in the basement of the building there is a mural by Klimt, lovely, but what I liked was to see his sketches. the sketches have a raw energy that is so inspiring to me, I wonder why I can't draw like that, but I'm glad someone can do it.
The motto of the secession is: Each era its art: to art its freedom. That I like very much, I think that's so true, my students will be hearing about it !!!

At night, after the concert we went with a friend of Cesa and he took us to the highest building in Vienna to have ice cream and coffee. You can see everything from there, the Old and New Danube, yes, they have an old-new Danube, they divided it to avoid the yearly city flods, I find that so funny. We had a really fun evening with this guy, thought I think I was the third wheel. Anyhow, after that we went back to the hostel.

The last day we decided to shop..l..finally!!! so yes, I did buy some tops, super nice and as the sales in Europe just started it was well worth it!! Then we took the train, at 7:30 pm....to ROME!!!

Wien, I liked it very much, all the culture, all the music, no wonder why is the music capital of Europe!!! and the concert halls were packed (mainly locals) and people were super well dressed!! One day I would love to go the Opera Ball, it hpappens every year and it is possible to buy tickets.