Walk like an Austrian

Even though I've been done with the day's activities for almost 6 hours, my calves are still feeling every step and stair I have taken in the last three days. I feel as though my feet have traveled all over Vienna, going from one place to another. Modes of transportation here are not quite like they are in america. Not everyone has a car, and the public transit system of buses, trams, and trains are much more the norm. And of course, there is walking. Walking is one of my favorite pass times, and don't worry, were going everywhere!

Everyday has been jam-packed with things to do and places to see. On monday, we literally visited three different catholic churches done in a certain style we had learned about that morning. Trying to hit every church before we all passed out was like trying to stab a pencil through a tree: almost impossible. It was raining, we we're all exhausted, and once you've seen on barque church, you've seen them all. All I wanted to do was sit in one of the pews and nap. But then when sitting and resting at the last church, drenched from the rain and discouraged because it was just another church, I looked down at my shoes. A simple pair of knock of TOMS I got in Honduras after I gave my real TOMS away, written on with a sharpie pen, some mud stains, and completely wet. My mind got to thinking and then I began to think of those who had walked where I had before, whether that was in that specific church or just around Vienna in general. Kings, Holy Roman Emperors, Mozart, priest, doctors, middle class citizens, Romans, homeless people, and anyone before the 20th century.... I have walked down the some of the same streets, sidewalks, church aisles, palace grounds, and gardens as they did. Wow. My mind was completely enwrapped in this idea that I almost forgot where I was and that I was in the middle of an assignment.

God really implanted something in my mind that moment: God was there when those people walked, and he is here when I walk the streets of Vienna, meaning God is forever there, walking along side his children, every step of the way down a street of Vienna or down the walk of life.
Mind Blown.

And after that, all the walking, endless museums, and massive palace grounds didn't seem so bad anymore. The day after we went to the three churches, we spent that day at a museum (Kunst) similar to the British museum minus all the annoying people. If I could get lost in any place, it just may be this one. They had everything from greek pots/jewelry to mummified alligators to renaissance paintings. This is one of those museums that just really intrigued me and made me thankful I was born in the time I was. And as for today, (I know I'm not writing alot but fatigue is kicking in...), we went to Schronbrunn palace which for of those who don't know is the a famous palace that was used by people like Maria Teresa and Franz Joseph. It truly is a beautiful palace, with grand rooms full of history, and large gardens that can overlook Vienna. We spent 4 hours there including a palace tour, the carriage museum, a hike to the top of a mini mountain in the gardens, and just some time relaxing on top of a building there at the palace. It was a long day, and I literally fell over when I got back to our hotel, but these past couple of days and week for that matter, I feel as though I've been walking like an Austrian.