The Wonders of the Earth

Today I shall tell you about the Natural History Museum. It was freaking awesome. We were led on a tour by our German teacher's husband. He has been the head of the Geology and Anthropology section there for forty years. We went to the Geology rooms first. Our guide was very enthusiastic that we could name any mineral (Quartz, any gem, iron, etc), I think he usually works with younger people. The displays were intruiging, they showed the rock in its natural state, and then what humanity usually does with it. This varied from iron tools to cut gemstones. They had the largest piece of... argh, I can't remember, but it was the size of an old pc screen. A small list of things I saw: iron, slate, a giant stalamite, all types of quartz, emeralds, rubys, opals, amethysts (I love the amethysts), jasper, jade, and any stone one can think of, really. And that was just three rooms out of a very large museum.
This museum was founded by Maria Theresa's husband, Prince...Something, dang it. It is housed in a building that was originally meant to be a museum (this is a source of some pride to the people there). And it is huge, four stories, with 15-20 rooms every floor.
Then he showed us the archaeology department, they had, again, everything. We started at the beginning, of the world. We got to handle a fossilized snail shell, which is much cooler than it sounds, we handled a fossil! There were dinosaur bones, and a neat interactive thingy that showed the movement of the tectonic plates in the past and in the future. Apparently there is a 5 million year cycle in which Pangea forms and breaks apart again, it was fun to see.
There was more, he took us 'backstage' through the anthropology department (there was a skull collection that filled 10 bookcases!) and up on the roof. It had a great view of the city.
The tour ended after that, and we were free to wander until our next class. I went through the fauna collection (stuffed animals). Again, everything one could think of. I started in the birds (did you know that an albatross is the size of a large dog with a six-eight foot wingspan? I got to see that). I went back to the lizards, and through more birds, great and small. The most impressive thing about this collection is not its sheer size, but the variety it displays. There are more animals, and more varieties of animals in the world, than anyone can learn. Lizards swim, hop, slither, and crawl in a huge diversity of forms. They sport scales, smooth skin, bumpy skin, shells. And the markings! Stripes, vertical and horizontal, thin and wide, green, blue, brown, red, pink, orange, black, and white. Zigzags, diamonds, random circles, spots. If you can imagine it, it is probably out there.
Repeat as needed (adding wings, feathers, fur, beaks, and claws) to the birds, fish, and mammals. I am in complete awe of the effort it took to create this.
I am so going back there to photograph everything,  In that vein, I need to go buy batteries now.
Until next time,
Greeny

Points, plans, and other miscellena

There is more to say today. A few points I missed earlier.
1.) Today was our solo recital. I played two hours ago, I didn't enjoy my own performance, and I tried to tape it but the person in charge of doing so pushed the wrong button. Other people liked it, apparently. I may have done a few things better than normal, but otherwise it was a scary mess of missed notes.
2.) I have bought batteries and a tape recorder in order to hear myself objectively, this was a suggestion of Barbara, the wonder moter mouth teacher.
3.) I have three papers due on Monday, and the next recital is next Thursday. It will be a chamber recital, I am involved in about four pieces.
4.) I finished my monotonous pencil bag! This is way cool, it just needs a zipper and I'm completely done.
5.) I started another project, a multicolored (I can't get away from it) apron (what? I like useful objects).
6.) My flatmates are going to Bratislava and Prague tomorrow, I am not. This is good for reason number 3, and the fact of everything I want to do these last weeks.


Things I want to do before I leave Vienna:
Visit one more church (St. Michaels, Vienna Boys Choir, Scottish Church, or Votive Church). Which one do ya'll think I should do?
Go to the Prater (I may do this tonight)
Photograph the sights I see everyday that are amazing (I go to school right off a main tourist throughfare, three blocks away from Stephansdome, the same distance from the City Opera, and a bit further from the former palace of the Habsburgs), perhaps I should include the stunning amount of soccer fans all dressed in the same colors.
Photograph the Natural History Museum's displays.
Visit the Vienna Woods.
Go out of the country, even if just for a day (any suggestions?)
Dress up really nice and go to a really good restaurant alone or with someone I like (I just made that one up, but I like it).
Buy yarn (the knitblog influence, Must. Obey. The. Harlot =), perhaps local yarn.
Buy souvenirs for my family and friends.
Send the postcards I wrote my first two weeks here, I will not waste those stamps.

As you can see, there is a lot. I must go plan it out now, and practice for my lesson tomorrow, wish me more luck.
Greeny