Well, first off, i'd really appreciate it if you check out my bands myspace at www.myspace.com/afternoonstatic and add us as a friend! Also, tell your friends about us ;)
Vienna has a rich history of culture and prosperity. The Hapsburg's ruled a vast part of Europe up until 1916, close to the start of World War 1. After they left, they not only left behind a big empire, they also left a culture that can still be seen in Vienna today. Lets just start off with music in Vienna.
Music is a HUGE part of life in Vienna. You have the Opera, the Concert House, Churches, the Stadthalle, and many clubs and other venues where you can see live music. As you may or may not know, Mozart lived in Vienna. He is one of the most known classical music composers. Also another famous musical composer that lived in Vienna was Ludwig van Beethoven (Beethoven for short). The point I'm getting to here is that Vienna was
the place to be back in the 1700's, and still is the center for classical music. I know what you're saying, "Classical music is just so boring, is there anything else in Vienna to listen to?". The answer is yes. Many other things to do in Vienna include:
Clubbing, go to concerts in the Stadhalle (they have 7 huge concert halls), and other small venues. For example, I went to a show at the "Bunkerei" which has an indoor and outdoor seating (shown in the picture to the right). Conveniently next to it is a big park called the Augarten. It has a tons of little paths and also has a really nice playground (even I played on it :p).
It also has very nice buildings to look at.
The churches in Vienna have a lot to offer (no, not only church ceremonies). They regularly have organ and choir concerts. Last Christmas, we had the chance to see a orchestra play some Mozart and Bach.
Whats the one thing you see a lot in Vienna? Street Performers! Vienna is filled with street performers, not only those weird people statues but also musicians. They just set up right on a walking street and start playing! Here's a photo of what they look like (I think I've actually seen this performer also :P).
Vienna is full of great music that you will find anywhere, whether it be the streets or the famous Vienna Opera.
Want to know the truth? Here it goes......the transportation in Vienna is absolutely amazing. Well, what make is so good you ask? In this post, I will explain Vienna's transportation in detail.
There are so many different types of transportation in Vienna, and here's most of them:
1. The U-Bahn (The city subway)
2. The Strassenbahn (The city's tram lines)
3. The Bus (I think you can tell what this is)
4. The Postbus (This is the special bus that goes farther out of Vienna)
5. The S-Bahn (It means "Schnell Bahn" and it is Vienna's regional trains)
6. The OBB trains (These are the full-scale trains that go far distances)
Now that you know some of the types of transportation in Vienna, I will explain why they are so good. Vienna is famous for its transportation. If the sign says that the U-Bahn is suppose to come at 10:23, it will be there at exactly 10:23. Everything is punctual to the max! All the transportation methods are very clean. One main factor that makes the transportation so functional is that its cheap (well, reasonably cheap) and that the stations are decent. Usually 9 out of 10 times the escalators work, which makes a difference if you think about it. Imagine you have 
Here is some info on the tram lines in Vienna. There are two different types of trams: the new ones, and the old ones. Obviously the new ones are better. If you are in a wheelchair the new trams are the ticket. Here is a picture that will help you compare the
So when you come to Vienna, you don't necessarily have to rent a car because the transportation can take you everywhere, probably even cheaper. Oh, another thing to add is that if you buy a ticket in the U-Bahn station and decide not to use it and then want to go on the Tram, you can use the same ticket. Basically, the one ticket is for all the types of transportation, besides the Postbus and the OBB and the S-Bahn. So consider using the public transportation in Vienna. One last tip: ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS be on time. Thanks and now you officially know the truth about Vienna's transportation.
L.E.H.
Vienna is full of surprises. Around every corner you'll find something different, interesting, or just plain spectacular. Not to mention that there is many parks, such as Stadtpark, the city park (I guess) because Stadt means city. What I like to do is take advantage of parks that have basketball courts where I can "shoot some hoops". Since it is summer time, and I have no school, I try to get out to play almost everyday. Last school year, I was accepted to play on the MS Boys Basketball team for my school. I hope this year I am going to be as lucky as last year. My twin brother and I (by the way I have a twin brother and an older brother) like to practice our "Alley Oops" so when we make the team and so we can use it on other schools.
I know this next part might seem a little "off topic", but bear with me here. Finally, my parents decided to splurge a little and buy a new 105cm Plasma TV (about 42 inches), and decided to upgrade our cable TV so we get more channels. In doing so, we got an English sports channel, NASN, that has great sports coverage. Everyday you can turn it on and enjoy baseball, football, and basketball (not soccer because soccer sucks). It's so nice to finally have that channel, plus the MGM channel which shows movies that can be changed to original language (usually English). Now that totally unrelated part is over (besides the basketball part).
The moral of this post is that if you happen to be in Vienna........BUY A NEW TV! No, I'm just kidding, the moral actually is to not always spend a whole bunch 
of money in museums and who knows what, but to go to publicly available things. Go inside churches, relax in parks, or have a drink at a restaurant. These are all things you will look back on and say "We had such a relaxing vacation in Vienna, and also saw some amazing things." This is what I hope you take away from this post.
P.S. This is the church I can see while playing basketball :).
I wrote this for Articlesbase.com.
This is my story. It all began that one summer day when my father agreed to apply for a job from the magazine "The Economist". After a couple months, we got a letter that invited my father for an interview at the headquarters in Vienna, Austria. We were already thinking what would happen if we moved there. He came back from the interview, making a good impression on the head boss. That winter we finally figured out that we were going to move to Vienna, Austria. The tricky part about this was that we couldn't tell any of our friends, because we didn't want to start a commotion. A few months passed and we were getting ready to pack. We sorted and sorted and sorted for weeks until we figured out what we wanted to throw away, keep, or sell in a yard sale. As the garbage cans were filled and yard sale posters were being made to hang up, I finally realized how soon it would be to move. As we had our last couple of days in our house, we enjoyed it by watching free movies on out only two electrical devices, our TV and cable box.As the day came around to get on the plane and fly away from what I knew, we woke up at 5. We silently packed up the last items into the car and left the house we might never see again. Our friends waved goodbye as we drove out of the neighborhood, and we zipped down the road. Checking in at the airport was as easy as it ever was, which is usually not that easy. After checking in at the Austria Airlines desk, we sat and watched the planes fly by. The loudspeaker came on announcing our plane is ready to board. We drudged our feet for the last time on United States soil and boarded. We found our seats, and the next thing, we were flying. The flight lasted 8 hours; of course we flew first class to make the flight less painful for our long legs. We arrived and found ourselves in a new country, Austria. We walked through the bustling airport to find our rental car company so we could go to our temporary apartment. It took us a little while to get to the apartment, but eventually we arrived. The apartment was measly and not luxurious. It has two decently sized rooms, one living room, a tiny kitchen, a foyer, and a shoe closet that they claim to be a room. We lived there for about 3 or 4 months before finding an apartment to rent that suit us just perfectly. As I walked into that apartment everything inside me told me that I was home. Everyone in our family felt that way, so we decided to rent it. It overlooked a grant Russian statue with a gleaming gold shield. When agreeing to rent the apartment we also got a key to a private park that only our building has access to. Life here in Vienna is nice. I get to go to an international school, learn German, and visit really cool places. There is always stuff going on in Vienna. Make sure to check out my website at www.viennaaustria.blogspot.com for the rest of my Vienna, Austria experience. If you enjoyed this story make sure to comment here.
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Vienna has tons to do throughout the year. Ice skating at the City Hall, outdoor movies, open markets, clubs and much much more. Take the ice skating at the City Hall for example. They set up a huge ice skating rink that goes around the park, on the paths, and near the street. The cool thing about this is that there is a HUGE rink right in front of City Hall! Vienna is great at night also. It's all lit up and restaurants are serving scrumptious food. The food in Vienna is magnificent, wiener schnitzel is probably the most famous of them all. Clubs in Vienna, such as the Empire Club (above) are always filled with people from all ages (usually not babies or grandpas or grandmas though, you never know though.....). Every Saturday at the Naschmarkt there is a big flee market where many vendors try to sell their items. Vienna, Wien in German, is definately one of the most sought-after places to travel on earth.
In Austria, you speak German (just in-case you didn't know) and there is nothing harder to do than to try to speak to a local. Everywhere you go you can only understand a little bit (unless you learn German in school). For example, you go to the Spar, my favorite food store in Vienna, and you want to buy some ground beef (Faschiertes). Here's the steps you would go through, or at least I go through:
1: Try to figure out which type of ground beef you actually want to buy.
2: Try to think of what to say to the person behind the counter.
3: Try to say what you thought of earlier without trying to sound like a total idiot.
4: He/She will most likely reply "Ja, gut." which mean "Yes, Good."
5: When he/she asks you a question such as "Alles?" which means "Is that everything you would like to order?" you will try to reply you're best OR if your desperate enough, you will have to say "Ich spreche nicht Deutsch." which means "I don't speak any German."
6: She will probably answer you with a "Das ist schrecklich." which means "That is BAD." and return to her work.
7: You most likely feel embarrassed and leave quickly (I have experience with this :p).
Those 7 steps is what happens to me a lot (notice how I underlined try). Although my German is coming along quite nicely, I still feel pretty uncomfortable after having that experience. That is what us ex-pats have to deal with. I have to say though, most people in Austria are always willing to help. If you ask them a question in English, they usually answer to the best of their extent. Overall, I like the German language, unlike the French language (which I unfortunately have to take as a class in school).
Some Cool Stuff I Found About Vienna
Vienna is the capital city of Austria, situated on the banks of the Danube. Its historic city center was recently included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Vienna was once home to Habsburg Empire. The Empire is long gone, but Vienna remains rich in Imperial history and there are many historic attractions to be seen throughout the city. You can find a number of narrow medieval alleyways, cobbled lanes and imperial squares.
Many ancient monuments can be found throughout the city. The Schonbrunn Palace and the Imperial Palace (Hofburg) are a treat to behold. The Imperial Treasury is a must see when you visit Vienna. The Imperial Furniture Collection is also a popular stop for visitors to the city. If you walk along the Ring Boulevard you will find examples of stunning majestic architecture.
Make sure to visit the Stephansplatz in the heart of the city where you can see the cathedral's tall spire. You are able to climb to the top of the spire and despite the effort, it is well worth the stunning view of the whole of Vienna and some of its countryside that you will be rewarded from the top. Parliament and the aquarium zoo are other sites that may interest tourists to Vienna.
Besides for its rich history, Vienna is a city that is full cultural interest. From museums to art galleries, music to festivals, Vienna has enough to keep any tourist occupied. It contains the Museum of Fine Arts which is among the world's largest art museums. Vienna was home to Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Johann Strauss. Today, it boasts the Wiener Philharmoniker which is one of the world's best orchestras, as well as the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Vienna Conservatorium. It hosts many classic theaters, film and dance festivals, operas, exhibitions and concerts. There are many museums and cultural institutions located in the Museum District.
You are able to see Vienna on one of its many sightseeing tours. These can be done by bus, by foot or in a hackney carriage. You can also get around the city by hiring a bicycle, by tram or by train. If you enjoy a bit of quiet relaxation, you can take a slow riverboat along the Danube. The Wiener Tiergarten contains many hikes and wildlife and it is a fun place to relax.
There are a variety of accommodation options in Vienna and tourists should be able to find accommodation to fit any style or budget. You can find beautiful five star luxury hotels and if these are beyond your budget you can choose to stay in a reasonably priced pension or bed and breakfast. Apartment-hotels are a popular choice in Vienna as they provide extra space and privacy with a fully equipped kitchen. Rental apartments are also available, ranging from luxury apartments to smaller cheaper ones.
These are an excellent choice for families or groups or for people who are planning to stay in Vienna for longer than a week. Youth hostels and regular hostels are also available throughout the city.
Author: Gaizka Pujana
This should prove to you that Vienna a wonderful city. Enjoy :p
by: Thomas Smith
The country of Austria consists of nine states; one of them being Vienna. In addition to being one of the nine states Vienna is also the capital of Austria. So when it comes to this country, Vienna is the place to be. It is easily the biggest city in the entire country, and also has the highest population. The city of Vienna is the home to nearly 1.6 million people. And with all of these people comes a variety of cultures, beliefs, and religions. This makes Vienna one of the most fully diverse cities in the area.
If you are thinking about traveling to Vienna you need to know where it is at first. A lot of people have no clue where Austria is, but the fact of the matter is that it is quite easy to find. Austria is in Central Europe, and is close to countries such as Hungary and Slovakia. This makes it very easy for the people of Vienna to move in and out of their country with ease. Again, this helps to ensure the absolute diversity of this area of Central Europe.
You can have a lot of fun in Vienna if you know what you are doing. Vienna may not be the most popular destination for vacationers, but it definitely has a lot to offer. The culture in Vienna is unlike anything else in the area, and this is what draws in tourists time and time again. The city has a long history of diverse cultures. And if you like the arts you are in the right city. The theaters of Vienna are considered to be among the best in the world, and this is especially true when it comes to the Burgtheater; this is one of the biggest attractions in the entire city among tourists. In addition to the theaters you will also want to save time to visit the museums that are home to some of the great pieces of art in the world. As you can see Vienna is full of culture.
The weather in Vienna is typical of Central Europe. As a tourist you can visit Vienna during anytime of the year, but your best option would probably be during the months of June through August. During the summer months the weather is usually dry, and the temperature holds steady around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. During winter months the temperatures in the area can drop into the lower 30s making it a bit cold to enjoy your vacation to the area.
To get in and out of Vienna your best bet is the Vienna International Airport. Year in and year out this airport sends out and lands over 230,000 flights. This makes the Vienna International Airport one of the best in all of Central Europe.
The tourism industry in Vienna is holding steady. It may not be as great as other European cities, but Vienna does have a lot to offer. If you are interested in culture and the arts, Vienna is a city that you would fall in love with in no time.
So, Vienna has been voted 2nd (tied with Geneva) this year by the Mercer company(click here for the link). Everything in Vienna is VERY VERY clean. I swear that you could practically eat off the ground. Every night, or at least close to every night, the street cleaners come around with their huge equipment to clean the heck out of the streets. Also, another thing about Vienna is that there is lots of older people. The special quality about the older people here in Vienna is that they are very grumpy (I guess). If you don't get up 1 second after they ask for a seat on the UBahn (the city trains) or the Strassenbahn (the trams or streetcars) they will start to beat you with anything they have (canes, bags, arms, legs). They're VICIOUS!!!!!!!!! Other than that, Vienna is a perfect city.
So now that we have an apartment t0 live in, we get to go to Ikea! I've always liked to go to Ikea because I know I always get a good lunch out of it (also because I'm half Swedish). We bought the usual things: a desk, a couch, and some other small items. Days here in Vienna are pretty normal, its not like everyday something crazy happens. Actually, one day we heard this weird noise outside of our apartment, and when we went to go see what it was we saw a huge parade. I think they were fighting to gain rights and not be part of this other county. I have a video of it, ill try to put it up sometime.
Finding an apartment to rent in Vienna was a little harder than we thought. Being a relatively big family (5 people), we had to find a big flat. At first we aimed to rent a house in the outer parts of Vienna, but then we changed our minds to live in the city. The reason for this is because we loved the city's liveliness and how there is always something to do, whether it be the movies or shopping or just walking around in the the gardens of Schonbrun. For example, the UEFA Cup 2008 was held here in Vienna. It was huge! There were a couple Fanzones where people could watch the games and have a good time. Also the stadium in Vienna was hosting some of the games. Of course when I was on vacation, I happened to be in Berlin for the final game of Spain vs. Germany. We went to the Fanzone there with over 500,000 Germans. That was pretty cool. Back to the apartment stuff. We finally found an apartment in the center of Vienna that made us feel right at home. Some great things about the apartment is that you can look out the window and see a big Russian statue with a gleaming gold shield. We also got a private park that can only be used by our building.
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I was suddenly woken up at around 5 in the morning and I knew it was time. We started to pack up our car to go to the airport. As we left the neighborhood we came to know and love, our best friends waved goodbye. The airport was as lively as could be. As soon as we loaded our luggage and checked in, we went to go wait and watch the planes fly past. I couldn't have been more excited (and nervous) that day at the airport. To think we got to start a new life and meet new people.
