Balance and Routine.

Slowing down. That was the idea upon my arrival in Vienna, and that has been the case. I am settling in and actually 'living' in a city for a while. Its good, my eating habits need some routine, and vegetables.


At first I was feeling the rush of doing all the tourist sites and trying all the 'Viennese' things one after another. BUT, I quickly realized I have 4 more months, and there is no need to have such an excessive amount of schnitzel in the first week. So, taking things slow, I am letting myself get into a routine of normal foods, and less Italian food. The bread-pasta-pizza days were not agreeing with my pant size. 

Tourist duties with Meghan at Schönbrunn Palace 

Besides stepping away from the excessive eating, I have also slowed down with the fast-paced tourist duties, and moved into school mode. Well, starting to move into school mode, that will take a bit more time. After spending an entire 3 days trying to master BOKU's (Universität für Bodenkultur) online class registration system, I am enrolled in a lengthy list of electives that I will start slowly as the semester moves on. You wouldn't think so, but I am actually very excited for the classes I have chosen. Keeping in mind that I am attending a university specializing in Natural Resources and Life Sciences, I am taking everything from (Eco-) Tourism & Management of Protected Areas and Principles of Winemaking, to the Safety and Quality of Organic Foods. 
Yes- some food classes! Not only to support my blog, but also because they will not let me take these classes back in Guelph. I find them very interesting!


If you are unsure so far, I am attending Vienna's University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, or Universität für Bodenkultur. My buddy (helps me register etc) just told me that translated, this means I am going to the School of Ground. Ground, as in dirt or soil. Strange.


Other than school duties in the last week or so, I have had the privilege to meet up with some fellow LA-er's and Guelph students who are also studying here, and even who are studying elsewhere and visiting. (Shout out to Paris! :P) Always nice to see a familiar face in my days out here. And makes it much easier when trying to sort of a new metro system.

Meghan, visiting from Paris! Myself and Michelle, both studying here in Vienna :)

Mapping out a route.. 

A quick run-down of the metro systems I have been forced into from early mornings to late nights with no sleep and 40lbs strapped to my back.

Metro systems:


Paris = confusing for no reason. Could also have to do with that it was my first city, but there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason in this at all, it is just crazy and unorganized.
Madrid = Like I once mentioned before, second largest metro system in Europe and it is absolutely fantastic. So organized, clean and easy to use. All essentials in my books. 
Barcelona = Easy to use. Spanish was easy to catch on to and the metro could take you everywhere with minimal walking. Besides hiking up to Parc Guell, but that was expected.
Florence = You can walk. Its small. I don't even know if there is a metro system?
Vienna = Ahh the U-bahn. Best metro and best public transportation all around that I have used so far. However, not very well regulated, in my opinion. This may have to do with that I have been forced to use it everyday since my arrival, but I think it is the greatest thing.


In conclusion, Vienna is the best thus far. Thank goodness for that, with me living here and all. My first steps in Vienna were tripping off a night train from Rome, on maybe 1 hour of sleep, at 9 in the morning. With a one-track mind, I was focussed on getting my keys, and getting to my new home for the next 4 months. 
Unfortunately, picking up my keys involved trekking across the city to the housing office, and trekking way BACK across the city to my residence building. Not really the best situation on no sleep, and while dragging a soaking wet bag (Thanks easyJet). However, given the previous days unfortunate events, Vienna did nothing but support me with a fantastic metro system, making my first ride through the city an easy one.


Now you all must be curious about what my 'normal' and 'routine' food is? I am sure some of you instantly thought toast, cheese and yogurt. Not some.. probably a lot of you, and you are not completely wrong, but not completely right either.  Yes- I have returned to some previous habits of toast, cheese and yogurt, but with a growing appreciation for food, I am trying to balance. 'Trying' is the key word here. 


Summed up, I have replaced toast for breakfast every single morning with a dried fruit muesli combo, with which I have some form of fresh fruit and yogurt, as well as tea. (NOT coffee!!) Big step right there.
As for lunches, I still eat toast, with the occasional dollop of Nutella, but I have also been eating boiled eggs, carrots and other fresh fruits and vegetables.. impressed or what?
Dinner, well I am still working with dinner.. but I can honestly say that I have been cooking, and decent meals at that. Only had pasta twice in the last 10 days. :P Trying to lay off that stuff!


Some of my breakfasts! A little less exciting than the pizza's I know... 

There is muesli underneath!

For those of you at home, and any roommates or good friends of mine, well you know the way I eat. This is an improvement! It is not rare lately that I have a day without coffee, as opposed to the minimum two cups a day I was pulling back in Guelph. 
I am happy to say that through this blog, I am starting to see results. They may be small changes, but I am seeing them. Learning a whole new take on food, I even found myself browsing the 'cookbook' section at the international bookstore. THAT is a change.


Don't go thinking now that I have only had muesli and fruit since my arrival, I will come back next time to tell you ALL about some fantastic (and some not so fantastic) Viennese dishes. They just aren't like Italian meals that you want to inhale.. but you will see. :P


Ciao! From the comforts of a 'flat',
shannon xx

Please Sit Down. Pt.2

Well, THAT ferry ride took a little longer then anticipated. (We'll blame that one on a few  spectacularly sunny days in Vienna.)


Sorry for such a long ride, but we finally made it! Welcome to Gozo! A sleepy island full of sunshine and rocky hills. Hope you had a somewhat enjoyable ferry ride over from Malta, not too cold from those powerful winds either! 


Now, as they say in Maltese, Merhba! or Welcome! to the north island of Gozo. Here is where we will start the second half of our tour through the two main islands of Malta. 


But, before we begin, I would like to give a quick shout-out to all my fellow LA'ers! Remember way back before any of us had decided what exactly we were going to be doing this semester? Way before we applied, or even knew if we even wanted to do an exchange, an internship, or stay in Guelph, there were so many options! For myself there wasn't much thinking at this point. I knew that for me, exchange was the only option. And maybe that is why this sticks in my head. Does anyone else remember when our program counselor Nate said specifically that he would not allow any of us to study in Malta? 

View from Gozo looking towards Malta

I guess I kind of understood why when he told us then, but now that I have been there (am here, giving you this tour :P), I fully understand. He figured we would all sit on the beach the whole semester. While this is not completely true, it is about 85% true for me. While there are amazing things to see here, once you see them.. well, you go to the beach. And that is exactly what I did. 
So, pretty much re-phrasing what Nate told us over a year ago, Malta is a place to visit, not study. I agree. 


Also, for those of you not in LA, this tour is skipping the hours on the beach, and taking you directly to the sights, showing you what fantastic history Malta has, as well as all the amazing areas of natural beauty and spectacular views. Unfortunately all I can share from hours on the beach is a few good book titles, and a great tan.


Okay- back to Gozo. For me, I did not even know that Gozo existed until I got there, BUT it is there, its the smaller, quieter, greener version of the main island Malta. So small, only about 67 square kilometers, compared to Malta's 316. And just to put your head around it, Canada is 9 984 670 square kilometers. Crazy eh?

no thanks. 

Our first stop this afternoon is at the Calypso Cave, the site of Gozo's arguably most famous legend originates. As you can see and read in your tour handouts, this was said to be the sight where the daughter of Atlas, Calypso, had entertained Odysseus for seven years until Hermes, the messenger of the gods, was sent by Zeus to have Odysseus released. Here we will stop the bus for ten minutes for anyone who is interested in taking pictures. However, you are also able to hop off the bus here and hop back on another bus at the scheduled times. Guests are also permitted to enter the cave through an ancient staircase that can be found on the tiny peak at the edge of the cliff. Inside the cave you will see rocks and scaffolding to help keep it together. I myself understand if you just let the eager hiker-man look, and tell you about it when you come up. Calypso's Cave is also very famous for the excellent views toward the south.

View from on top of Calypso's Cave

Is everyone out of the cave? We do not want to leave anyone behind here, you probably won't find your way back. 


Up next we will come to one of the most photographed sights in Gozo, the Azure Window at Dwejra. We hope that everyone is ready for an unexpected hike, as Dwejra is a must-see, and the bus cannot go down here because of ongoing construction, to what looks like a resort (couldn't tell for sure).


As mentioned at every stop we take, upon arrival you will be able to 'hop off' the bus, and hop back on another of our company's buses at our scheduled times. Of all the many hop off locations, we recommend Dwejra. Although the town is small and very quiet, the natural wonders of this west coast peak are some of the finest in the Mediterranean. 


I will join this group of people 'hopping off' the bus, in order to show the way, and also describe some of the natural features within the park. Unfortunately my first time touring down towards the water I did not have a guide, and was unsure what I was getting into! I hope having myself along to show you the way will be beneficial to your experience. 

Watch out for the giant Yucca's! They Bite!

So making our way through the construction zone down this gravely road towards the general direction of the water, I advise you to just keep walking, it is coming. Watch for dump trucks that will come quickly around the corners, also, keep in mind they drive on the left side of the road here. This combination could be fatal. 

Coming out of the hills, you will start to see the shoreline emerge, and the huge battered cliffs over the water. This area is extremely well known and famous for scuba diving and snorkeling as well as some incredible hiking trails along the edge of the cliff line. 

View towards Fungus Rock

Once at the shoreline, you have free reign over this area. Welcome to clime right the edge, or sit back on a perch to take in the beauty that is Malta and Gozo. To the left you will see Fungus rock, that gets its name from a rare plant called Cynomorium coccineum, that grows wildly on here. In your guidebooks you will read that historically, the King prized this 'fungus' and that if anyone was caught stealing it, they would be sentenced to 3 years in the galleys (big medieval ships used for war and trading in the Mediterranean). Even today the rock remains out of bounds. 

At the right, you will catch sight of the most famous rock formation at Dwejra, The Azure Window. The window is a huge arch of rock that pierces out into the water, creating a window-like phenomenon framing the massive cliff faces in the backdrop. Visitors are able to climb right up next to it to challenge the best view through it. The arch is nearly 100m high and offers some spectacular views. 

Of course, the famous Azure Window.

Please take a few minutes to relax and enjoy the sun before we hike 30 minutes back up the hill to catch the bus to our next destination. Take in the sights...

Back on the bus! We must keep a schedule, so if everybody could be swift it would be greatly appreciated, Grazzi!
On the road again, we will drive to our next stop which will be a small fishing village known as Xlendi. While it is still a quiet fishing village today, many small resorts, hotels and restaurants have popped up that help make this small town a popular tourist area. Squeezed between two huge cliffs and back in a small harbour, Xlendi is a quaint, beautiful stop on our tour where there are many delicious restaurants that offer stunning views of the sea. You are able to hop off at this location, and another of this tour company's buses will arrive according to the scheduled times, shown in your handout.

Driving down to Xlendi

From Xlendi we will now take a tour through some of the rural and agricultural areas of Gozo. This little tour will give you a good sense of agricultural systems in Gozo, much different from those in Canada. Farming, next to fishing are the main sources of income for the locals in Gozo.
Compared to Canada, where the fields are very large and square, Gozo has many fields but all tiny and awkward in shape. You will notice countless terraces that have been created over time on the hillsides. This is done to create a greater surface area for the farmers to grow crops, often tomatoes.

Kind of a picture of terraces, however no farming taking place here, and I could not get a good picture where there was actually agricultural activity taking place.. but trust me! :P

Unfortunately, as we are coming to the end of our tour, I will have to sum up our day(s) together here in Malta. As I close we are coming back over the mountains and down the hillside towards the water where you will recognize Gozo's main harbour Mgarr. As well, if you look to your right, you will see the exquisite chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes at the top of Mgarr. 

Now, I want to thank every person on this bus very much for the wonderful day touring the spectacularly beautiful islands of Malta and Gozo. It has been a pleasure seeing the islands with you, and we hope that you enjoyed your tour with Shannon's Malta and Gozo sightseeing package tour! On your way exiting the bus, please take a coupon that entitles you to the free '2 Harbours Cruise' as described at the beginning of the tour. 

Please watch your step as you exit the bus. Tips will also be expected at the door. Thank you again, and have a pleasant evening. 

...

See you again in Vienna! shannon xx