Florence, Venice, AND Vienna-all in 24 hours!

I keep thinking life cannot get any better, and then it does!
Yesterday morning I found myself standing in front of Michelangelo's David. I must say that it was one of the crowning experiences of my trip. I can't think of any moment that has been better. I was completely unprepared for how much it would affect me when I turned the corner and there was the David in all of his 14 feet of pure perfection. We got there early and the museum was almost completely empty. I was told I would have to get reservations because it was packed all the time but we took a chance and I guess tourist season is over because we were basically the only ones there. I had the opportunity to spend a solid half hour with David almost purely by myself and I loved every second of it. I honestly could not turn away. I have seen so many pictures of him but none of them are even close to the experience of witnessing him first hand. What the pictures miss the most is his face. The expression in his eyes is intriguing and moving. I kept staring from different angles (at his face not other parts of his body-mostly) trying to feel what he was feeling . It was truly inspiring. No matter what else I forget, my time with The David is something that will never leave me-it made a huge impact.
When Christy finally was able to peel me away we ran to catch the train to Venice pulling in there at a little after 1. We hurried and stored our stuff, bought train tickets for the night train out of there and hopped on the waterbus to see what this city was all about.
Now I must say that Venice is EXTREMELY touristy and overdone and crowded and yet I loved everything about it. It's even better than Disney world-well, at least tied for first. In Venice I felt like I was in a whole different world. It is the perfect mix of romance, history, beauty, mystery and entertainment. We toured the waterways, explored St. Mark's Square and the adjoining basilica, watched the sun set across the bridge and then got lost in the narrow and traffic free streets and shopped until it was time to get back on the train. It was plenty of time to fall in love with Venice but not enough time to spend money on things I don't need. I thought as I stood on the Rialto looking out at Venice after dark (a sight that everyone must see) I realized I could not have been happier with my time in Italy. It provided all the experiences I was hoping for and so much more besides.
I wasn't necessarily looking forward to another experience on the night train but it was the only way to fit everything in. We didn't even have beds this time, only a reclining chair. Luckily we ended up as the only two in our compartment and we were able to spread out quite comfortably. Of course it was a horrible night sleep and of course I do not want to do it ever again but it got us to Vienna bz 8:30 this morning and we didn't have to pay for a hotel. On the upside, trains are a wonderful way to view the country. We had a few hours of daylight this morning before we arrived and Austria has a gorgeous countryside. I have been very surprised by how much land there is still in Europe. I somehow thought it was mostly overcrowded cities but it isn't at all. Even in Italy there are so many landscapes that barely have a house or a person in sight. So many times I have thought of how beautiful the scenery is. Today was especially pleasant because Autumn in Austria is in full bloom. The fall colors were wonderful and it is the perfect transition from the sunshine of the Mediterranean to the winter I will be heading into the further north I get.
As we stepped out into Vienna we were immediately greeted by an older gentleman who wanted to help us find our way (and he actually gave us correct directions). This was followed by an entire day of extremely friendly and helpful Austrians who were patient and kind to their touristy American guests. Vienna in a lot of ways has been a breath of fresh air. It is refreshing to be back in a place where people are normal size (there are quite a few very tall girls and boys here which is great) and where the streets are wide, clean and easy to get around. Italy for all its charm is incredibly confusing and it was nice to know where I was today. It is a huge city with a lot of people but it feels so underpopulated compared to the masses we have faced in the south. We actually accidentally ended up here on their Independence day and found ourselves right in the middle of a big celebration at their city center. Some Austrians explained to us what was going on and how they celebrate and we decided to join right in. We watched their military parade and walked around pretending like we planned to come celebrate with everyone else. It was so fun! Their president was speaking to them tonight but since it was all in German we decided we didn't need to be there so instead we found a group of breakdancers and joined the crowds that were cheering them on. They were actually really good. Of course we saw the Palace and the Opera house as well and I learned more about the history of Europe and found more names and dates I need to research but mostly we just enjoyed Vienna.
I think this may actually be one of my favorite cities and one of the only ones I would ever really actually consider living in (along with London of course). I really like this place-AND the chocolate is AMAZING! Why can't we make chocolate like that in the states? It is 10 times better than anything I've had in America.
So, we're off tomorrow to Salzburg and then to Munich from there. I am so excited to get into Germany, I've been waiting for this the whole trip! I'll have lots more to say later on that.