Amazingly, this was my first proper trip alone of the past year - I've done a lot of travelling solo, but have always had people to meet in my destinations. And while I'm always glad for travelling companions, this was a surprisingly nice change of pace. Vienna is a city for slowing down, for pondering, for writing, walking, and enjoying. It felt like a very stately city, thanks to its imperial architecture and international atmosphere (heightened somewhat during my visit by Eurovision).
The open-air Naschmarkt is probably one of the best expressions of Vienna's internationalism, or at least its interest in the world. The stalls held Greek desserts, Indian spices, Austrian meats, Mediterranean hummous, Adriatic fish, and local flowers and produce. I relished the overpowering assault of the spice stalls and the mishmash of regional cuisines. London is international and driven; Vienna felt much more laid back about it(self), an attitude you can see in the street style as well as the markets. Clothing combined nice with casual and comfortable; my favorite eclectic ensemble was probably cowboy boots and workout clothes. It may just have been the neighborhoods I frequented, but people weren't constantly rushing the way they do in London, and the fashion didn't seem as pressured.
I spent part of my all-too-brief time working/writing, and the other part walking and exploring. I owe the success of the trip to equal parts planning and serendipity. When I scrapped some plans, I stumbled on other wonderful things. I didn't stress about trying to cram in everything I wanted to see, because there was far too much of it. Assuming you'll go back to a place actually takes a lot of the pressure off; it was very refreshing. I was still going to take advantage of everything I could, but not at breakneck pace, or at the expense of actually enjoying myself.
The open-air Naschmarkt is probably one of the best expressions of Vienna's internationalism, or at least its interest in the world. The stalls held Greek desserts, Indian spices, Austrian meats, Mediterranean hummous, Adriatic fish, and local flowers and produce. I relished the overpowering assault of the spice stalls and the mishmash of regional cuisines. London is international and driven; Vienna felt much more laid back about it(self), an attitude you can see in the street style as well as the markets. Clothing combined nice with casual and comfortable; my favorite eclectic ensemble was probably cowboy boots and workout clothes. It may just have been the neighborhoods I frequented, but people weren't constantly rushing the way they do in London, and the fashion didn't seem as pressured.
I spent part of my all-too-brief time working/writing, and the other part walking and exploring. I owe the success of the trip to equal parts planning and serendipity. When I scrapped some plans, I stumbled on other wonderful things. I didn't stress about trying to cram in everything I wanted to see, because there was far too much of it. Assuming you'll go back to a place actually takes a lot of the pressure off; it was very refreshing. I was still going to take advantage of everything I could, but not at breakneck pace, or at the expense of actually enjoying myself.
So, armed with that new travel mentality, I only went to one museum. (!) But what a museum: the Kunsthistorisches has an incredible collection, and has been on my list for a long while. I almost did a jig in the room full of Bruegels. The museum was surprisingly quiet and calm, as compared to the Rijksmuseum or Prado. I feel incredibly lucky that I'm even able to make that comparison - and that in the past month I've been to three of the most amazing collections in the world.
I had planned to see the museum for my research, as well as a ballet (La Sylphide) at the beautiful Staatsoper opera house. It was a luxurious theatre, happily equipped with bars and bathrooms on every floor. (What more could you ask for?) The reduced-price tickets were also a great deal if you don't mind craning a bit for the view.
The serendipitous parts of the trip centered a lot on cafes, but I'll be doing a separate post on Vienna's cafe culture because I have far too much to say. My wanderings didn't lead me wrong either - as I ambled through the city centre my first evening, I stumbled on St. Stephen's Cathedral. I entered just in time to catch the tail end of mass, and learn that whole wheat Jesus tastes a lot better.
So after two days of cafes, writing, art, and architecture, my brief sojourn was complete. I was glad to try out my extremely basic German, but spent a lot of time surreptitiously translating things. (Most people spoke English, but I like to at least make an effort.) I'm very happy I'm getting to see the world from so many angles. More on London happenings soon! And more pics after the break.
Love,
Annie
I had planned to see the museum for my research, as well as a ballet (La Sylphide) at the beautiful Staatsoper opera house. It was a luxurious theatre, happily equipped with bars and bathrooms on every floor. (What more could you ask for?) The reduced-price tickets were also a great deal if you don't mind craning a bit for the view.
The serendipitous parts of the trip centered a lot on cafes, but I'll be doing a separate post on Vienna's cafe culture because I have far too much to say. My wanderings didn't lead me wrong either - as I ambled through the city centre my first evening, I stumbled on St. Stephen's Cathedral. I entered just in time to catch the tail end of mass, and learn that whole wheat Jesus tastes a lot better.
So after two days of cafes, writing, art, and architecture, my brief sojourn was complete. I was glad to try out my extremely basic German, but spent a lot of time surreptitiously translating things. (Most people spoke English, but I like to at least make an effort.) I'm very happy I'm getting to see the world from so many angles. More on London happenings soon! And more pics after the break.
Love,
Annie
P.S. A note on wein in Wien: I'm a big fan of Gruner Veltliner, a popular (and, in Vienna, ubiquitous) Austrian wine.