Travel Tuesday: Vienna for beginners, Part 2

Last week in "Vienna for Beginners," we began a tour of the heart of Vienna in three streets and three squares, going from Karlsplatz down Kärtnerstrasse to Stephansplatz. This is the heart of Vienna--the most central section, with historical landmarks leading up and down the shopping streets from the Stephansdom Cathedral to the Hofburg Quartier, the former home of the emperors.

Last time, we left off the tour at Stephansplatz, seen above. You've got the Haas Haus on the left and Stephansdom straight ahead. Now, if you have Kärtnerstrasse at your back, take a left onto Graben to continue on our journey!

One of the first things you'll see as you start down Graben is a big, weird statue. Ignore that for the time being, because on your left is an H&M. This is the only H&M I've ever been in that has chandeliers and wood paneling inside. See below.

Now, how fancy does that look? Unbelievable. It used to be an upscale men's suit store, but then it went out of business. H&M moved in, but it kept the beautiful decor. There's even a grand staircase inside.Totally worth looking inside, even if you don't need a pair of sunglasses for 5 euros.

And now there's no avoiding the enormous statue in the middle of the all-pedestrian street. It's the Pestsäule (German for "Plague Column"--clearly marketing was not a high priority back in 17th century...), and it commemorates the end of the plague in Vienna. It looks like a big, crazy, imposing mess.

Apparently, the figures in the statue tell the story of the plague and of Vienna's redemption, but I'm not necessarily buying it. I need an art historian or something to stand next to me and explain it all to me. Anyway... just past the statue on your right is a church. It doesn't look that impressive, but do not be fooled by its humble exterior. The inside is amazing.

Everything is covered in gold, and there are two complete skeletons encrusted in jewels with swords and scabbards and everything!!! They were early martyrs, and they're kept in glass coffins on either side of the altar. AMAZING!!! I can't believe how cool it was.

You can barely see the details in this picture, but take my word for it: amazingness. This church was also erected to commemorate the end of the plague, but several centuries earlier. Different plagues, different times, same imperial impulse: build something big and then God won't be mad and punish us all with the plague. And hey--no plague now! It must have worked.

At the end of the street, you'll be looking straight at a building with a big Julius Meinl sign on it--this is an incredible gourmet grocery store, cafe, and restaurant complex. If you go to the second floor, you can sit by the cafe windows and look out over the Graben and watch the people walk by for hours. It's a little pricey, but you only need to buy a cup of coffee to be able to sit there for as long as you want.


If you turn left at Meinl, you'll be heading down our last street--Kohlmarkt. We have one street and two squares left, so stick with us until next week when we finish the tour of the heart of Vienna's inner city!

Kate Wiseman is an expat and a travel blogger.

You can find her blog at www.transatlanticsketches.com.

You can email her at kate@transatlanticsketches.com.

Care packages and frequent flyer miles always welcome.

Motivational Monday: Take Your Job Search Offline

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about using temporary staffing agencies to get a job. This week, I want to briefly tell you some other ways to snag a job. Now, let me stress again that looking for a job is your job. While you have no job, your only job is to look for a job. So take your job very seriously, your job depends on it.

When I'm helping my clients with their job search, I strongly encourage them to do more than submit to job posts they find online. I ask them to take their search offline and network. So here are three ways to network and take your search offline.

1.) Volunteer
Nonprofit organizations are always looking for good and talented people to help them out with design, writing brochures, marketing, event planning, organizing, etc. Why are they a great place to network? Because each nonprofit has an executive board made up of presidents, vice presidents and other executives of companies. They chose to be on that board so you can be sure that they actually care about the organization. That means when an event is happening, they are most likely going to be there to participate. This is a stellar way for you to get yourself in front of people, working side by side and demonstrating your talents and ability to work hard. Volunteering is a also a great way to practice your current skills, build new ones, and help out a cause you believe in. Volunteermatch.org is a great place to start to find opportunities in your area!

2.) Professional Organizations
No matter what industry you are interested in, there is an organizing body that meets regularly. Join these organizations and attend their events. This is a stellar opportunity to meet people in your industry, keep up-to-date on new trends, and pick up a mentor.

3.) Networking Events
These are normally reserved for business people, but don't let that stop you from attending. You can find a host of groups in your area by visiting Meetup.com. There are groups that meet about every and anything. It doesn't have to be at a formal business event where you network. You can network with people who share a common interest with you whether it's salsa dance, food or French.

Yes, you can do the social media thing and connect with people all over the world but you got to get from behind the computer and meet the people you can, offline. Meeting face-to-face will always build a stronger connection.

Happy Hunting!

Vienna for beginners: a tour of 3 streets and 3 squares

Vienna, Austria is one of the great cities of the world.

I'm going to go ahead and make that bold claim without feeling bad about it. You know why? Vienna in the spring is a glorious place. The parks are green and flowers bloom. Cafes put tables outside, and people sit for hours. Free city bikes magically appear on street corners.

One of the things I've learned in my six months in Vienna is that the more time you spend here, the more things there are to see.

If you’re just visiting for a few days, though, you’ve got to start somewhere. Which is why I’m taking you on a tour of just 3 streets and 3 squares—that way you’ll see the highlights of the very core of the city.

Part One: Kärtner Straße to Stephanplatz.

Hello, Opera. This is the sight of many operas as well as the famous Opera Ball, the most prestigious social event of the year in Vienna. In recent years, a Viennese shopping mall tycoon, Richard Lugner, has made a habit of inviting a celebrity to the ball. This year, it was supposed to be Lindsay Lohan, but then she went shopping and missed her plane. (Oops) On a more serious note, the Opera House was completed in 1869, was damaged by a bomb in 1945, and was renovated and reopened in 1955. You can find news and tickets here. If you don't buy tickets before your trip, though, walk along the right side of the building to see if they are live-streaming the opera taking place inside.

Can you believe this? The day I took this photo it was pretty cold and dreary, but on nice days, the whole place is packed.

As you continue across the street and onto Kärtner Straße, the first thing you'll see on the left is the Sacher Hotel, birthplace of the Viennese Sacher Torte.

Gift shop mania. Apparently they'll send a Sacher Torte anywhere in the world for you, and it will stay good for up to three weeks unopened. Is this even possible?!

If you have any interest at all in trying Sacher Torte, this is the place to do it. Expensive, but classic--definitely worth trying if you're willing to indulge on some serious chocolate cake.

Kärtner Straße is a major shopping street. Lots of clothing stores, lots of cafes, lots of gift shops for the tourists (resist! these stores are tacky!).

One thing you can go down a side street to see is Loos' American Bar. Loos was an architect with a very distinct aesthetic, and he designed this bar with an American exterior.

I've never had a drink there because I think it would be crazy expensive, but it's cool looking.

At the end of the street, you’ll find yourself at Stephansplatz. This is the very center of the city and the home of Stephansdom, a cathedral that is one of the main symbols of the city. It was originally built in the 13th century, but major additions were made in the 14th and 15th centuries and later. It’s huge, and entrance is free.

Check out the tiled roof. It’s hard to see in a picture, but in person, it’s amazing. There are almost 250,000 tiles making the pattern you see there as well as the two-headed eagle that is the symbol of Austria. You can see it if you walk down a side street, though.

Across the square from Stephansdom is the Haas House, home to the upscale Do & Co Hotel. Look at the glass--you can see the reflection of Stephansdom in it! You can visit the Onyx Bar to get an unparalleled view directly on the cathedral. If you’re going on a weekend night, you’ll probably need a reservation, so call ahead. You can find out more here.

My sister and I went on her last night in Vienna, and it was the perfect way to close her trip—a really special place and view out at the heart of the city.

The tour will continue next week as we head from Stephansplatz down Graben and towards the Hofburg Imperial Quarters!

Kate Wiseman is an American expat currently living in Vienna, Austria. You can read more about her adventures at her blog, transatlantic sketches, or you can just show up in Vienna and talk to her yourself. Both are welcome.