Mayo and her mom invited me to join them for a trip to
Therme Wien, a thermal bath out in Oberlaa, tonight. It was actually one of the coolest things I've ever done. Newly renovated, Therme Wien has like 7 or 8 different types of pools and another 7 or 8 different types of saunas, all designed for relaxing and having fun.
One pool was both indoors and out, so you could swim in the outside pool or the inside one without leaving the water. Meaning Mayo and I could chill outside under the Viennese stars while standing in front of one of the powerful massage jets in the pool. There was also a salt water pool outside for floating, which played calming music under the water! Indoors there were a set of kids pools, and two giant waterslides, on one you used a tube and the other you didn't. Both waterslides were entirely enclosed and dark except for smalls twinkling lights on the ceiling, except for the one which you didn't use a tube, in which there was a section of clear tubing, which went outside the building so you could see Vienna! SO COOL. There were also more relaxing pools indoors, including one dimly lit pool with a waterfall and tiled seating areas built underneath the water, so you could either sit on a bench or lie out on an underwater lounge chair of sorts. And there were just as many saunas as there were pools, of varying temperature and steam level, each with different scents and seating arrangements. The traditional wooden steam room was the hottest and dryest, with cooler brightly tiled steam rooms filled with thick steamy air at various lower temperatures.
When we left three hours later I was probably the most relaxed I have been in a long long time. Just what I needed!
At Bangkok for Rachel's birthday dinner!
Pad Thai! Nom nom nom!
Happy Birthday!
The tusk needed some help to keep from breaking
I realized I didn't really have any photos of my home away from home, so here is a shot of the Wiener Staatsoper from the front row of the Standing Room seats
The curtain call for Arabella! Time to run to the stage door!
Bo was about to leave, but I would hear none of it and asked politely for a photo and played the we are young singers card, he graciously signed our programs and...
With BO SKOVHUS!!!
We also stuck around and chatted with Camilla Nylund, who played Arabella, talking about singing and her advice for young singers: find a good teacher and don't start singing things too big for your voice before you are ready!
After our exciting evening we went to Zanoni and Zanoni to celebrate Kelly's birthday!
With the whole Dürergasse Hostel group!
At Zanoni and Zanoni, Jonathan, who is studying in Prague, told me about these Apple Bombs he had a bakery near his place, which were essentially baked apples wrapped in pie crust. Needless to say, I went home and started in on them right away. Best idea ever.
