On my last day in Vienna I decided to go way, way off the beaten path - even more than intended thanks to some complete misinformation provided by Google maps - in search of a small cemetery called Friedhof der Namenlosen (Cemetery of the Nameless). The only reason anyone outside of Vienna (including myself) may have heard of this cemetery is likely because it was featured in the movie Before Sunrise. Getting there is quite a trek, requiring a subway, a tram and a bus, and then a walk past a bunch of factories. It really is in the middle of nowhere, and I can't imagine many tourists, or even locals for that matter, have made it there. And for the record, I can guarantee that Jesse and Celine could not have made it all the way out there in their 24 hours in Vienna without the magic of cinema.
The Cemetery of the Nameless is located along the former path of the Danube in the place where all of the bodies of those who died in the river, whether by accident or suicide, would wash ashore and were buried. Many of these people were never identified, hence the name Cemetery of the Nameless. It is a small place containing little more than 100 graves, each numbered. Some of the deceased were eventually identified and the graves are properly marked. However, most the the deceased remained unidentified and a majority of the crosses simply bear the words "unknown" or "nameless."
Between the reason for the cemetery's existence and its extremely remote location, the feeling of isolation and sadness is palpable. Much like Celine in the movie, this cemetery made more of an impression on me than anything else I saw in Vienna. It may take a lot of effort to get there, but it is worth the visit.
To finish out my trip, tonight I attended the opera. Tonight's show was The Barber of Seville. I've never been to the opera before, and it was a great experience. I had the cheapest nosebleed seat available (also the only seat available - apparently it sells out nearly every night), but I was dead center and had a great view. The opera house has installed small LCD panels in front of every seat which provide the text of the opera in either German or English, so I could even follow along. The opera house itself is gorgeous and ornate. Definitely a great way to end my trip.
It really is hard for me to believe that my trip is over. I've had a fantastic time. Although I would have prefered to spend my last week in a city that I enjoyed a lot more, Vienna has not been a total wash. I've gotten to see a lot of great things. And to be honest, if I had loved my final stop I would not have any desire to go home at all. It wasn't until my third day here that I started thinking about home and the things I miss there for the first time. So perhaps it was for the best.
This is always my least favorite part of any trip. My bags are packed and I know it's time to go, but it is still a long time until I will actually be home. Since I have a brief stop over in Warsaw, I have a good 12+ hours of traveling ahead of me tomorrow. Once I know that vacation is over, I just want to be home.
So, all in all, it was a great trip. Now the only question is, where should I go next?
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