Silvester: The Aftermath

Be sure to read the post before this one first.

So after our quick break inside after our private fireworks session, we left to go to the big party in town for the countdown and fireworks show. It was absolute madness.

Before the fireworks were cute, and were being set off in empty fields and parks around the city. Now they were being set off literally all around us by crazy drunk Austrians. It had quickly become terrifying. A couple of times a stray rocket would come our way and luckily explode before it got to us and the whole situation was reminiscent of the Weasleys trying to run Prof. Umbridge from Hogwarts. It nevertheless made for an extemely exciting walk. One instance we passed by a few Austrians on the bridge outside our dorm with about 20 large rockets, setting them off one by one, and all smoking of course.

We actually corked and started drinking our large bottle of Champane before midnight in order to calm our nerves and got through most of that last hour. We actualy had drinken most of it by the time midnight came around so much for our fireworks game. But we werent really paying any attention to the huge fireworks show anyways, we were already high off of gunpowder fumes and jumpy from the firecrackers people kept lighting at our feet, we had had more than enough rockets for the holiday. Plus, the show wasnt that terriffic in the end and was hardly noticible in the midst of all the other rockets going off around the city. We werent really sure when exactly the new year hit, since there wasnt really a countdown in the strange place we were standing. Afterward, we all agreed it was right around the awkward time the two dudes in front of us started making out.

I love this picture, it gives all of the sentiments we all experienced together in the evening from left to right: Monika is a little drunk, Julie, Betsy's friend is excited about the party, Kevin is, well, Kevin, Choy is looking forward to the new year, I am a little sketched out by the people around me and Betsy is afraid that a firework is about to explode in her face.

Well after we waltzed to the Blue Danube (in our heads) we headed to Marktplatz to listen to the band there. The main singer was kind of confused as to what language he was speaking in, a wierd mix of English, German and Italian but we had fun singing overplayed American Rock songs. We got kind of embarressed when all of the Austrians knew the words to "Born in the USA" better than us. We also made some friends, like this guy:

Who danced with us a lot but somehow ended up having no pants by the end of the evening. We stayed until the band stopped after 2 hours and planned on staying out a little longer until we realized that there were even drunker Austrians setting off fireworks around us and after one incident that may have permanently damaged all our eardrums, we felt that perhaps it would be safer to head back to the dorm. I am still thanking God that I still have all of my limbs attached after this evening.

Silvester: The City of Innsbruck is under siege

It is now about an hour and a half until it hits midnight here when the Blue Danube Waltz starts to play and the drunken Austrians start to waltz in the street.

Right now, all Austrian children from 4-90 are preparing themselves for the huge 25 minute fireworks display that is supposed to go off at midnight with fireworks going off all the mountains around as well as down the Inn river by creating their own mini fireworks shows throughout the city. Actually, this has been going on for the past week. 5 days ago, you would hear the occassional firecracker go off on the other street or you would see some 8 year old boys scaring some girls with the poppers you throw on the ground. It gradually grew in the past few days to seeing a flash over some rooftops out of the corner of your eye and hearing a faint explosion, but it has all escilated to this evening. The Inn river valley is currently echoing with explosions; we're being attacked. Plus, these fireworks are also more than your average, smuggled back from Mexico light in the desert, wimpy fireworks. Some of these (most of which are extremely affordable) are very awe inspireing and would make Disneyland jealous. Even now, in the alley outside my window, I hear the slightly disturbing and hopefully gleeful screams of children as they set off a multitude of exploding rockets, most of which are exploding a good 10 feet from my window. We brought a few sparklers, some bottle rockets we found in the buro, and about 15 euro of fireworks ourselves and had fun with them this evening. We weren't so bold to set them off in the city so we took a hike a little ways up the mountain behind our dorm and found a nice hill to set them off. It was worth it just for the view of all the amiture pyromaniacs' work throughout the valley. Every second there was at least two or three explosions. Walking back we came across a group of 7 year olds dropping some firecrackers down a manhole, I love this country.

Tiramasu and Fireworks

Tonight for the fireworks we have decided on a fun game for the 25 minute show. So everyone gets a color and a firework sound. Every time they see their color or hear their sound, they must drink. (I bought a 1.5L bottle of sekt from Hofer for 6 euro). IF they hear their sound and see their color in the same firework, they must dole out a drink to someone else. This has the potential to be very exciting during the grand finale.

Christmas was amazing, that's all I'm saying now.


Ever since we got back from Kirchberg, I was planning on going skiing and exploring the city and whatnot but I have ended up just sleeping in real late and not really doing much. I think the trip wore me out and I am getting over a cold. The only time I got out of bed before noon was for today when there was a big band playing on a stage in the center of town which meant a possibility of swing dancing. Unfortunately, there were just old American tourists kind of swaying and attempting to dance every once and a while but giving up when they got tangled in their purses. One time they did play Tuxedo Junction and I couldnt help myself but I may have started to Shim Sham in the middle of a crowd of Italians, not one of my prouder moments.


Tomorrow we're heading off for a grand tour of Tuscany before classes resume on Monday. Kevin and I are leaving a day earlier than planned and we really have nowhere planned to sleep on the night of Italy's biggest holidays, and we might just end up having to sleep in the train station in Florence. It should be an interesting time. Getting our tickets was a major issue:



So if you are a European, you can get these special Interrail passes which is like unlimited train travel for a certain number of days in a country for a really good deal. Well if youre not a European, you have to have lived in Europe for at least 6 months. We figure if we walk in and act like we know what we are doing, they would give it to us no problem. So we go to the ticket office, and the person who opens up is a trainee being trained... bad sign. Well we ask for the passes and the minute they see our American passports, her manager trainer person asked us for proof we had been living there for 6 months (we have only been here for 4, its a little rediculous since we'll be here for 9) and we said we didnt have it and we would go get it. So an hour or two later, we go back, and get someone next to the evil trainer lady, and since she was just observing her trainee she could easily see our second attempt to get the ticket and made sure the guy asked us for our tickets. Thanks devil woman... So we go back the next day and the princess of darkness is still there, and I end up getting the person next to her again and the moment I wispered "Interrail" to the guy she looked up like an antelope who heard a lion in the savanah and made sure the guy asked us for proof. So we say okay, we need to discuss what we're doing. So we go outside, decide to buy just a ticket to Florence, and get back in line, we end up getting some guy on the other side of the counter, a good 50 feet away from the devil red haired woman so we decide to try one last time. He gets our names about halfway into the system and the lady looks up, recognizes up, and marches over to us and screams (in German so it sounds 5 times as angry) "This is the fourth time these Americans have tried to get this ticket!!! Do not let them get it!" Bitch. Defeated, we just bought a ticket to Florence. Then, of course, Anthony goes today to buy his ticket and gets an Interrail, first time, no problem.



I plan on writing our Kirchberg adventures on the train to/from/around Tuscany, hopefully I'll fill you in on my Christmas when I get back.


Happy New Year, and a Gute Rutsch! (Good slip!)

Small Kirchberg Update

I unfortunately will not be able to internet so well while here because of a silicone keyboard with keys nearly impossible to press.

Kirchberg is amazing. The skiing is fun with a huge mountain and many different trails. The people who have showed up are awesome, we just got back from moonlight sledding. And I want to take Maria and Elizabeth home with me to cook for me and tell me to eat so that tomorrow will be beautiful.

Tomorrow we go on a horse drawn sleigh ride to a small alm or mountain hut/bar to drink Glühwein, the next day we go to Salzburg, then midnight mass at a small Alpine church, and more skiing, sledding and suprises.

Expect a more extensive update when I get home.

Frohe Weihnachten!

Sorry

I apologize for the lack of recent updates, hopefully I will catch up in the next few weeks.

I have been very busy, I had a couple of projects to give in last week, one of which we were working on up to the last minute and we had to run across the city with freshly printed handouts, dodging street performers and yelling Italians in order to get to class for our presentation on time.

Ive also been preoccupied with Krampuses roaming around and hitting me with sticks and St. Nikolaus going over my behavior for the last year. More on that later.

Finally Christmas break is here and I thought it would be more relaxing but we have been frantically trying to prepare for our big Kirchberg Christmas trip. Here are my plans for the break:

December 18th, those of us planning the Kirchberg trip arrive to get everything settled, everyone arrives on the 20th.
December 26th, we all sadly leave Kirchberg
New Years I will be in Innsbruck
January 2, a few of us depart for Florence to go explore Tuscany for 5 days
January 6th we return from Italy
January 7th classes resume

Hopefully more updates later (maybe I'll even finish our eastern europe epic adventure)