This week, I was still feeling a little under the weather after being sick on and off for the past few weeks, so I didn't travel very far! Most of my trips were to the schools where I teach English, which are about a 30-minute U-Bahn (subway) ride, or roughly two miles, from where I live. I also made a few trips into the center of Vienna. All in all, I stayed within a fairly small area, probably a five-to-ten-mile radius from home!
I live in Vienna's 15th district, called Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus. Something interesting about Vienna is that the city is divided into 23 districts, or Bezirke, each with its own name and number. You can think of them a little like neighborhoods, although some are quite large! The 1st district is the historic center of Vienna, and the other districts spread outward around it.
The historic center is surrounded by a famous circular boulevard called the Ringstrasse, or Ring Road. It was built in the 19th century after the old city walls were torn down. Along this grand street, you can find some of Vienna's most impressive buildings, including the State Opera, Parliament, City Hall and several important museums. The Ringstrasse essentially marks the boundary of the old historic city center.
