Vienna, Austria

I meant to post this earlier, however time and internet connection got the best of me, so I'm posting now. While this excursion has come to an end, the memories and lessons will last forever. The vast amounts of knowledge that I have acquired from this trip were not only facts about medicinal history but about the culture of Vienna and the people involved. This excursion was best described as fast-paced. The moment we landed in Vienna, we were off on a tour guided by a plague doctor. The plague doctor made the experience much more vivid and I could picture myself in the past centuries in ways that really enlighten me. Next, we ventured across Vienna to the Freud house where we literally breathed in the cigar residues. This really impacted me because not many people get to first-handedly experience an educational milestone such as breathing in the cigar residues of a pivotal figure in not only European, but global history. Lastly, we sealed our night with a wine and dine at the Gulasch museum which was arguably one of the best dishes I have ever had in my life. The atmosphere of the restaurant was excellent and the conversations were great. The next day, was kicked off at the Josephinum site where the collections of the medical-university of Vienna were displayed. I was blown away by the realistic wax figures of various anatomical parts displayed in three different rooms which were accessible with the help of a tour guide. The details of it all were spectacular and I didn't want to leave. Next we visited the Haus der Musik which displayed wonderful exhibits of classical composers of past centuries. The exhibits were displayed in such creative ways such as even having a forest in one room to mark characteristics of a specific composer. It really made me want to look at music at a deeper level to understand the culture and societies of past generations through the emphasis of sound and composition. In the last site visit of the day, we visited the Capuchin Crypt. The tombs were so beautiful and the artistic details that went into each of them cannot be put into words. It was crazy to think that the dead bodies were right in front of us listing to our conversations. It was a very educational experience in that our tour guide was very descriptive and knowledgeable in the topics. Lastly, we finished our educational day in the Sigmund Freud house once again, but this time with a lecture about Sigmund Freud in his own house. It was a once in a lifetime experience to learn about such an influential person in his own house and I will remember it for a lifetime. Lastly, the third day, we visited the asylum which was probably my favorite out of everything. It was eerie, yet it made me appreciate the works of the people who prepared all of the models and specimen in the rooms. I constantly kept imagining the patients in each room and it was just an overall amazing experience. I wish we could've seen the rest of the floors, but the first floor sufficed. Overall, Vienna was a place I will miss and hold dearly to my heart. Until next time, peace out Vienna!