By Corey Lionis – Year 11
“Our journey began in Vienna, Austria. After an exhausting flight, we found ourselves at the heart of a city we were unfamiliar with. Our first challenge was to find our hotel, a task that proved harder than one might expect. After a long walk, we made it to the Meininger hotel, and started a walking tour of the city.
People say that you have no choice but to look up in Europe, but I didn’t really believe it until we began walking around the city. From the Hofburg palace to the Stephansdom cathedral and the opera house, there was a lot to see, and most of it was above our heads. Over the course of three days, we got to know the city well. We visited Christmas markets, admired the works of Dürer, Picasso and others and wandered the expansive, beautiful Schönbrunn palace. Those of us studying German got some great practice in purchasing food and gifts.
Vienna is counted among the world’s most liveable cities, and after a few days there, many of us would happily live there in future. With its quiet streets, artistic culture and still atmosphere, staying in Vienna was a wonderful experience, and one none of us will forget.”