I love Vienna more than almost any city in this whole world.

Perhaps it's old sentiment; perhaps it's the greco-victorian charm that already had me wrapped around its finger from the getgo.  Vienna is just... classy.  If it isn't THE world center for music and fine art, then I'd at least say it's up there.  

Once on my mission, I jokingly prophesied that I'd come back to visit and find myself lounging on Baagii's rug.  This totally came true.  I remember Sister Price and I even made a Mothers Day treat for her way back when, because she just has this big heart and always takes the missionaries in.  Taking off my nametag didn't change a thing.  For every day we were in Vienna, she toured us around the city, delighted us with gorgeous Christmas markets, or treated us to a delicious meal of schnitzel and kaiserschmarrn despite my dad's desperate pleadings to allow us to pay the bill.  Her husband told us many-a-story about his days as Elvis Presley's lawyer.

I couldn't have been more ecstatic to visit the same beautiful sights of Franz Josef's gorgeous city, and we walked till our legs ached and our noses were about to freeze off.  We even attended a Mozart concert -- FRONT SEATS -- in a venue with murals stretched across the ceiling.  

But absolutely nothing beat being able to see other people who I have not seen in a year.  At church, it was so amazing being able to give hugs to old friends.  We were gifted with a lovely cookbook of Austrian Christmas cookies, and for dinner we got to visit a family who I looked up to so much as a missionary.