Dorfgastein

One of our study abroad highlights will be a stay in the village of Dorfgastein, where you’ll get a glimpse of traditional Austrian village life. You’ll stay in one of the charming guesthouses, visit the beautiful church in the town center, and then hike to a nearby farmhouse for a sampling of local cheese, fresh-baked bread, and other house specialties. After the hike, it’s back down to the village for an oompa-band concert in the town hall, with band members clad in traditional lederhosen and dirndls. Your alpine retreat awaits!

This photo does not do the place justice. It is soooo green! And trust me, the hills are alive with the sound of music!

The beginning of the hike up to the Alm (farmhouse)

Can you imagine actually living in a place so beautiful?

Even the Austrian cows are beautiful.

Here is one of the Alms at the end of the hike. The reward—homemade bread, cheese, and the most amazing hot chocolate.

The quaint little church in the center of the village.

One of the guesthouses where we will stay.

On one of the evenings, we will attend the local Heimatabend (cultural evening). Here are two videos from our last trip. In the first video, men in lederhosen jumped onto the tables and cracked whips to the music. The second is the oompa band. They played everything from traditional Austrian folk songs to contemporary hits. It's my personal opinion that you haven't lived until you've heard an oompa band play Michael Jackson. Ahh...good times!

And an added bonus! Click here to see the Dorfgastein livecam.

Show Me the Money!

BYU Scholarships may be used for study abroad! The application deadline is February 1, 2011, so go online and apply NOW.

You can apply for federal grants and loans for study abroad, and there are other private scholarships available as well. Check out the following websites for possibilities:

• AllAbroad.US
• StudyAbroad.com
• DiversityAbroad.com

Café Culture

An essential part of any trip to Vienna is a culinary tour through some of the city’s landmark cafés. More than just restaurants, Vienna’s cafés have been gathering places for the famous—Mahler, Freud, Klimt—and for the notorious—Hitler and Lenin. Today, Vienna’s cafés are the perfect spot to meet with friends, read the newspaper, or play chess, all while enjoying the pastries of your dreams. During your stay in Vienna, we’ll introduce you to some of the best spots where you can absorb Vienna’s café culture. Sit back, relax and say “Ahhhhhhhh.”

Impressions of Vienna

Not only is this a cool video, I love the song ("Vienna" by Matt Costa). In fact, I'm going to download it from iTunes right now.

Enjoy!

The Modern Sound of Vienna

Vienna Calling (30 Second Spot)

Vienna Central

Welcome to Vienna Central!

Imagine yourself at the end of a transatlantic flight, landing at Vienna International Airport. You leave the plane, collect your luggage, and prepare to sleep through the shuttle ride to your hotel.

But Vienna isn’t that kind of city.

No matter how jet-lagged you are, we never want to sleep once we arrive in Vienna. After you arrive, we’ll take you downtown and introduce you to the most magnificent “inner city” you will ever encounter.

 Beautiful downtown Vienna—something to discover around

every corner!

Vienna is laid out like a giant wheel, with the city center at the hub, and circled by the famous Ringstrasse. Even though Vienna is a large city of nearly two million, the city center feels very “knowable.” After just a few times downtown, you’ll be confidently strolling from the Hofburg (Imperial Palace) to the Stefansdom (cathedral), meeting friends at the Rathaus (city hall) for a brief walk to the LDS Institute, bouncing back and forth between Tichy’s and Schwedenplatz for your daily dose of Italian Eis, and picnicking to accordion music accompaniment in the Burggarten (palace park).

The open air Vienna Film Festival runs all summer long. You

Can enjoy nightly films outside the beautiful Rathaus; best

of all, it's FREE! And with the money you'll save, you can...

...splurge on a fiaker (carriage) past the Hofburg.

So prepare to meet your new favorite city. Vienna is bound to become just like a second home, only more monumental. And with better bread. (More food blog entries to follow.) See you in Vienna!