Vienna stole my heart

I mean, not really. But almost. Maybe it's simply because I'm not used enough to European cities, but Vienna is just so beautiful and chic. History is blending with every building, every cobblestone in a way that is foreign to North America.

Last Friday (the 13th), we hit the Naschmarkt for breakfast/lunch and settled on the apparently best falafel sandwich in town (we're cheap I know. get over it). I also got a mix of delicious dried fruits which included kiwi. berries, apricots and mango. Yum. We went to the Hofburg Palace and got to see quite a few museum, including the Imperial Silver Collection, the Sisi museum and the Schatzkammer (the imperial treasury). All very impressive. It's always hard to believe that these people actually existed and lived in such luxury.

While on our way to the palace, in front of the Naturhistorisches (museum of natural history), we saw something pretty hilarious: 

Reads "Europa"

Reads "America und Australia"

It's rather offensive when you think about it.

Also, we both almost got hit by a tram (yes, the same one) because we were both too tired and out of it to realize that we were on the tracks and that there was one coming. When we finally snapped out of it and stepped back, the conductor gave us a thumbs up. Good times.

Oh, and we bought tickets for one of those tacky Strauss music shows. We just had to do something remarkably ignorant-tourist like at least once. Not that we are not immediately spotted as such by the locals, with our maps and lost looks. We got approached by a British couple who asked if we were Americans. We uncertainly replied that we were Canadians, and they just started raving about the guidebook we were using. Thanks Rick Steve. The atmosphere here is different. It feels very French according to Karel. People are rather cold and composed so it's hard to have conversations or meet locals, but it's a different way of travelling I guess, one I'm not used to, but Western Europe is what it is.

We had late lunch/early dinner at Cafe Central, where Trotsky and a bunch of other writers and intellectuals used to hang out. The interior was like that of an extremely expensive restaurant in Montreal, and yet the prices were reasonable (well, sort of). Everything is listed approximately the same price as at home, but in Euros, which can be very painful at times.

Last interesting thing that happened is that we went to the opening ceremony of the Vienna Music Festival. It was quite good (we managed to pass for locals a few times, only our non-existent German gave us away) although the music selection was rather doubtful at times...We had "Chili con Carne", some cliche American-believe-in-your-dreams-and-hold-God's-hand songs, but also some very good choirs in between. HOWEVER. First, the conductor was simply out of his mind. I have never seen anyone look so ecstatically happy or energetic while doing this job -now these qualities are not bad in themselves, but the way he did it...you had to see it to understand what I mean. And more importantly, he had Beethoven's Ode to Joy last for 40 minutes. 

Rathausplatz, name of church unknown, but where the concert took place.

I am not exaggerating. I timed it. It was this intense simultaneous national event throughout Austria with cameras projecting what was going on in other cities, and every variation that can be made on that melody was made. We even got to karaoke it in German for the last 10 minutes. A fun walk to the hostel ensued. We had a good laugh, and so many things to look forward to. 

Time to go to bed! We're leaving on Wednesday, and there is still so much to see...I hope to have caught up on my Vienna stories before Budapest but we'll see how that goes.

xoxo