I must admit I have been extremely remiss in allowing a visit to Vienna to lapse until the present. It's not that I didn't envision myself listlessly wandering the streets of the City of Music; no, the right time/situation just never presented itself in my prior Europe travels. This time, however, it seemed everything had finally come together. The time was right; Vienna was ripe for the harvest. Not only was I planning to visit cities in the general vicinity but guess who had moved to this historic city over the summer? None other than my dear Stella from way back in Lisbon!
As part of her own personal renaissance she had relocated to Vienna to pursue her current life vision and work on her writing. A lofty goal I very much admire, and one I hope to emulate once the Wanderlust spirit has run its course through my veins. As she was in a bit of a limbo state regarding her housing, I posted up at the Wombat hostel near the Nachtmarkt. A phenomenal hostel in a great location- easily one of the best I've stayed at. But before I get into the meat of the matter, there is an interesting phenomenon in Vienna worth noting.
Specifically, as far as I can tell, it is the only city in central Europe without a main station or hauptbanhof in German. The hauptbahnhof is coming- it's been under construction at the site of the former Sudbahnhof (south station) since 2009 with a scheduled final completion date of 2015. Right now there are three primary stations serving the main Vienna metropolitan area: (1) Westbahnhof (serving most westerly destinations such as Germany, Switzerland, France, etc.); (2) Sudbanhof (serving mostly eastern destinations and regional lines; and (3) Meidling (serving Czech Republic and a few other select destinations as a quasi-temporary station).
When the new Hauptbahnhof is finished, all (or nearly all) trains will flow through this destination- linking previously segregated lines from the north, south, east, and west. Most importantly for the European traveler, all international lines will be linked through the new station. This is relevant because when I arrived from Germany I came into the Westbahnhof and had to connect over to the Sudbanhof via the metro to catch the train to Bratislava. Ultimately when I would head to the Czech Republic, I would need to use the Meidling station. Anyway, the trains are great but it's just a very odd time to visit the city. You really have to pay attention to where you are arriving and need to go.
Thanks for bearing with me there. Back to the narrative. After checking in and grabbing a quick shower, I decided to take a stroll around the Naschmarkt. What I really wanted was a snack and a store where I could sort out the sim card that I purchased in Bratislava (apparently my French phone isn't unlocked after all- sneaky French phone salesmen...). I had gone a about 200 feet when what did my eyes behold?
BAM! I haven't had one of these since... probably NYC last winter sometime! Oh man, it was so so good. But... not quite Ten Ren or Quickly good. Still, it sorted me out properly. I then took a stroll through the Naschmarkt which is an open air market selling fruits, vegis, meats, cheeses, clothes, you name it. The best part is, alongside these booths are little restaurants and bars where you can grab a quick meal or sit for a while and chat with friends over a coffee, beer, or wine. It was always full of people and I just really loved the scene.
I was successful in finding a snack; a delicious assortment of dried fruit caught my eye, however, I was unable to sort out the phone situation. Dejected and a bit tired I retreated to the hostel for a quick nap before meeting up with Stella for a coffee. Apparently I was more tired than I thought because who should come knocking at my door to retrieve me? None other than Stella herself. I had just woken up- barely enough time to sort myself out we headed out the door- me completely forgetting to bring a jacket.
We walked from the Naschmarkt up toward Karlsplatz which is the square which forms the "entryway" if you will to the old part of the city. It's also very close to the Museumsquartier, the artistic and cultural heart of the city where, appropriately, a number of museums are housed. Along the way we decided to stop for coffee at the famous Cafe Mozart where Stella relayed a very curious story about the history of coffee in Vienna.
During the 17th century the armies of the Ottoman Empire stretched as far as southern Austria. In 1683 the Turks laid siege to Vienna in an attempt to expand their territory. The siege, however, was a colossal failure, so much so that the Turks had to beat a rapid retreat leaving behind the majority of their supplies, including several hundred sacks of coffee. The Austrians took the coffee and began experimenting with it. Today, coffee is an extremely important aspect of the Viennese culture.
Another fun fact, did you know the croissant was invented in Austria? It's origin is from a rolled pastry called the kipferl which has been made in varying forms since the middle ages. It wasn't until the mid 1800's when an Austrian artillery officer named August Zang moved to Paris and founded an Austrian bakery that the "croissant" began to become popular in France. The best part of the tale is that the pastry's most contemporary shape is a crescent (hence the French name), which also happened to be the symbol of the Ottoman Empire. So when the Austrians drank "their" coffee accompanied by a crescent shaped pastry, it was a not-too-subtle dig at the Turks for their failed siege.
After our coffee we strolled down the main pedestrian street of the old town and eventually got some food at this really cool little noodle/rice shop near the river. It was good, cheap, and they had siracha. I was happy. Since work was calling my dear friend in the morning and I was still very tired myself, we decided to have a quick drink in the Museumsquartier and call it an early night. The drink, and I can't for the life of me remember the name, was a white wine mixed with a flavoring syrup and soda water. A bit like a spritz- light and refreshing.
The next morning I was left to my own devices but with some suggestions of what to see in the city: (1) walking down the main drag and then around the circle road where once stood the old city walls; and (2) taking a trip out to Schonbronn Palace to walk through the gardens. My first stop on my walk was the legendary Vienna Opera House.
For the longest time I've had this fantasy of attending an opera at this venue- dressed fully in tux, tophat, and tails of course, and then proceeding out into the high-society Vienna nightlife for a whimsical soirée. Maybe one day... But the Opera House was just as impressive as it appeared in my visions. Alas, I didn't get a chance to see a performance but in hindsight I'd rather wait until I can do it up properly. Clad in my finest wears from my velour box at the top of the gallery. Haha, ok that's getting a bit absurd.
What's actually really absurd is that on my way to the Opera House I was crossing a street near Karlsplatz and I saw a biker get hit by a car! Well, I didn't see him get hit because he was literally no more than three feet behind me in the crosswalk. Some woman absolutely plowed him and we had the right of way!
I hear this loud BOOM and then the clatter of metal and the thud of something heavy hit the pavement behind me followed by the immediate squeal of tires. I turn around and there is a guy sprawled out on the asphalt. His friend and I help him up and then other passersby ask him if he's ok in German while the woman pulls over an calls the ambulance. He's shaken up and his head is bleeding a little; the bike is mangled. At this point since I can't speak German there was little more that I could do so I headed on my way.
The incident definitely shook me up and made me instantly more appreciative of the helmet laws in the States. They don't exist here and that poor chap didn't have one. It could have been much much worse. But the incident zapped my usual jaywalking gusto for the remainder of the day. I didn't even attempt my trademark middle-of-the-crosswalk photography for fear of a rouge Saab taking me out at the kneecaps.
I resumed my walk heading down the central pedestrian drag of the old town; a car-free street being exactly what I needed at this point. The street is lined with architecturally stunning buildings (as is seemingly every street in the city) but the storefronts exhibit mostly high end stores and restaurants. The most culturally interesting thing along the walk is St. Stephen's Cathedral right in the center. My personal favorite element is the patterned tiles on the roof- something I've only seen so far in Austria.
From there I made my way to the Danube and then began my stroll along the street that was once the old city walls. I elected to go clockwise which meant one of the first things I encountered was the Stadtpark. The park itself is a quaint and beautifully landscaped park but that wasn't what caught my eye. It was the street itself. It had lanes for both cars and trams, and was lined with medium sized trees and old street lamps. The reason this particular stretch of street made such an impact on me was because I've seen it before- in my dreams. And not just one dream, I've dreamt about this street on numerous occasions. But this was the first time I've ever seen it.
It looked so closely identical to my vision in those dreams it was uncanny; there was the triple row of trees, the park on the left, and white stone buildings on the right. I had to sit down for a few minutes and collect myself. In my dreams I own a little flat in one of the buildings on the right side and stroll up the avenue in my finest threads. Is it possible that I lived in Vienna in a prior life? Sometime in the late 1800's or turn of the century? Are the specters of this past life somehow channeling into my subconscious? This is some weird stuff. I contemplated these things briefly, then took a deep breath and decided to pound sand, leaving the questions unanswered and rattling in my head for the time being.
As I continued my walk, still a bit rattled, I came to realize a fundamental problem with Vienna: the city is just too damn beautiful. There are so many incredible buildings, squares, parks and avenues, the city drowns you in a sea of picturesque. I could write 20 posts worth if I were to describe all of the buildings I took photos of, so I'll just give you a few of the highlights from the rest of my walk. First, St. Charles' Church, a fine Baroque domed church completed in 1737, yet not my favorite church in the city. The picture is a bit crappy as for some reason (as you will see) the sun was always behind any major monument or building I was taking a picture of-regardless of the time of day.
What's that? You want some more statues? Alright, how about the Archduke Charles of Austria on horseback with the Rathaus in the background? Boom!
More palaces you say? Ok, how does Hofburg Palace, located right in the city center and the principal winter residence of some of the most powerful kings of the Habsburg dynasty, grab you?
Old centers of government not tickling your fancy? How about a functioning administrative edifice, such as the Greek-revival styled and starkly imposing Austrian Parliament Building?
Not intricate or grandiose enough for you? Well ask and ye shall receive. Try the Rathaus, the seat of the mayor and local government as well as the only building in the city holding the lofty title of "Viennese building Mike Steele finds most impressive by a slim margin."
Boomshakalaka. I'm spent. What? You want more? After all the great architecture I just so lovingly bashed you over the head with? That's preposterous, that's gratuitous, that's... ridicubsurd. And I just made that word up. But ok, you want it, you got it. I told you St. Steve's and St. Charlie's weren't my favorite churches. What is? Why none other than the Votive Church of course, impressively concealed by a huge advertisement banner.
By this point I really was spent. To cool my jets and calm my mind a stroll through the famous Schonbrunn Palace gardens was in order. Just an aside, Vienna has a fantastic public transit system. Most of the main parts of the city are connected via metro which runs every 2-5 five minutes, and the remainder is connected via tram. I hopped into the metro near the river and about 15 minutes later I emerged at the Schonbrunn Palace in western Vienna. The Hofburg Palace was the winter residence so therefore you may guess that the Schonbrunn was the summer residence. And you would be correct.
See? Again with the sun. The best part of the palace, or so I was told, is the massive series of gardens in the back. I was thinking Wurzburg but what I saw was closer to Versailles- that is to say, massive, beautiful, and meticulously landscaped. Unfortunately the pictures aren't really going to do it justice but I'll just list them out with a quick blurb and save you the trip to flickr unless you really want to go. Here is the palace from the back:
And the beginning of the gardens leading up to the famous Gloriette perched high atop the hill facing the palace. It doesn't seem like much of a hill but it's a bit of a hike, especially if you elect to meander the more wooded route rather than mounting a frontal assault.
If you do elect to meander, you'll notice some outstanding topiary work with the trees:
After walking a bit you might turn around and notice just how much you've climbed:
Finally you arrive at the Gloriette which is pretty impressive in its own right...
But not nearly as impressive as the view:
I should also note that the cascading grassy hills are perfect for rolling down, but for some reason the Viennese authorities refuse to permit such activity. A real shame. In my opinion the World Downhill Rolling Championships should be held here every year. Anyway, from there you can stroll back down along the west side (assuming like me you started on the east) where there is a zoo (which I didn't visit) and a botanical garden (which I did). It was here, strolling through these gardens and contemplating heavy topics such as my ambitions and dreams for the future and what I would eat for dinner that the realization of autumn's arrival fully set in.
I walked around a bit more and then decided to take relief on a bench. It was here that I gave the first real thought to what I want to do with my life in the next year. Until this point I had just vaguely been tossing around ideas but never doing any real contemplative analysis, never attempting to hone the decision. But, feeling rather inspired by the city and the burgeoning realization of the vision of my newly-Viennese companion, I decided to go through an an analytical exercise.
First, I wrote out all possibilities that I could fathom myself doing in 2013, the top of the list being continuing my Wanderlust trip into Stint 3 in Asia. Barring that there were a host of other options, each with their own series of pros and cons. But it seemed to me the first decision that must be made was whether to proceed with Stint 3. I decided to give that further reflection.
Second, I wrote down all of my options for the remainder of the year and 2014 if I decided to go ahead with Stint 3. Those options boiled down into four basic categories: (1) continue traveling- perhaps Stint 4 in South America; (2) stay in Asia and look for work, continue writing and try and make something of it; (3) move to Europe and look for work, continue writing and try and make something of it; or (4) return to the US and the host of possibilities of work, location, and the like that such a decision would entail.
Whereas before I felt almost overwhelmed with the number of possibilities and options available to me, and still now they are seemingly limitless upon the right application, this exercise helped me to group the decision into a more manageable method of contemplation. I then came up with a list of considerations that will go into such a decision and gave them a preliminary ranking of importance. And that was where my investigation of the issue ended for the time being.
Before pressing deeper I wanted to first revisit the penultimate decision regarding Stint 3 and then mull over my valuation of considerations before continuing the exercise. As I resumed my walk back to the palace I did come to one very clear and true realization, one that I had been toying with for quite some time. And I was able to make a final decision. And it was a great and cathartic moment for me. I snapped a photo of myself to commemorate the event.
That night I met Stella at the Museumsquartier and we were in sync immediately. I declared it was a perfect night for wine and she offered that she had been thinking of two places we could grab drinks. I love it when a plan comes together. No sooner had we set out the sky opened up with a freak downpour. After seeking shelter and waiting it out we made our way to a really cool little bar that was blasting some excellent tunes and screening old episodes of Magnum P.I. Well, I guess it couldn't be screening any new ones...
Anyway, it was just like old times- discussing philosophy, direction in life, people, relationships, politics, economics, any and everything. As always it was extraordinarily enlightening; I've never felt more intellectually or creatively engaged than in these simple conversations. At one point I was asked the question, "if money was no object- you could always support yourself- what would you do with your life?" And I thought about it for a few minutes and the conclusion I came to was: I would do this. Exactly this. This is my dream. Just what I'm doing. Traveling and writing. Meeting new people, having new experiences, trying the world's food and libations- wholly consuming the marrow of life.
It was a weird moment for me because, while it's incredible that I'm fortunate enough to be able to do this and I'm thankful for this on a daily basis, it's also a bit unsettling. I think we all live our lives to the goal of achieving some dream, some vision- even if it's only a vague concept, we all have this. But it made me think, when I'm done with this period of traveling in my life, and eventually it will come to an end, what then will be my goal, my dream, that I work toward?
At that moment I felt a bit like a rudderless ship. In a way it's exhilarating because I'll be truly free to try and fail at whatever takes my fancy as I'll have accomplished what I set out to do in life. But on the other hand it's terrifying to contemplate not discovering a new vision to plan and build for. I get this feeling that I may come to exist in a bit of limbo- something I am entirely unfamiliar with. All of my life I've had direction, often singularly focused direction. Set goal, achieve goal, set new goal, achieve new goal. I've seemingly run out of goals.
Heavy topics to contemplate on a rainy night in Vienna but yet somehow perfect. It was also revealed that Stella's housing situation had sorted itself out and I was most graciously invited to spend the following two nights living like a true Viennese- although given how our hours are usually spent discussing the great complexities of this world we inhabit, it would no doubt feel more Bohemian. The next day I was instructed to check out the Upper and Lower Belvedere (also former palaces- surprise surprise!) which house a collection of some of the great Austrian classic works. Additionally, the Upper Belvedere was hosting an exhibit on Klimt, an early 20th century Austrian artist of great renown.
Still feeling inspired, on the way to the Belvedere I did a test run of a project I've been contemplating for a while now. I still need to do the finishing touches and play around with it a bit but I'm encouraged by the progress. When it's done I'll post the beta and then I might roll it out- although given I've only got about 6 weeks left in Stint 2, this may be more of a Stint 3 feature. The exterior of the Belvedere complex is pretty impressive; I particularly like how the gardens drop down and away toward the Lower Belvedere building.
Unlike the Schonbrunn, I prefer the view of the Upper Belvedere from the front rather than from the garden side:
This particular palace/museum is unique to what I've experienced in the past because it embraces both roles without alienating one. In each room hangs numerous art works each with their accompanying descriptive plaque as in any museum, however, the room also contains an information podium on the name, appearance, and original use of the room during the Belevedere's term as a palace, including etchings made of the original layout. Very cool.
After walking around most of the day I was famished so I made my way back to Naschmarkt where I spotted something I have always wanted to try: a conveyor sushi restaurant. I know what you're thinking, "Mike, you've traveled all over the world- you've even been to Japan for Christsakes, how could you not have possibly tried a conveyor sushi joint?" I'm embarrassed. But it was a shortcoming I remedied on that fateful day in Vienna.
That's the look of a man absolutely crushing some sushi. The funny thing was, I felt pretty accomplished after knocking back 2 sakes, a beer, and 8 plates. That is, until I looked over an the woman next to me was on somewhere around 10 or 12. And then two other guys came in and wolfed down 14 and 16, respectively. Sushi-eating champ no more! As I was eating I had a sudden and profound longing to return to Japan, a feeling which then translated into a desire to return to China and SE Asia. At once I felt as though I have unfinished business there. Is the universe attempting to tell me something? I decided to give it serious contemplation over the next few days.
That afternoon I met up with Stella and we transferred my gear to her place and acquired some groceries for the night. I volunteered to cook and we elected to make spätzle (German potato pasta similar to gnocchi) with sauteed vegis and some tuna. It actually turned out really well especially accompanied by the wines we purchased. The topic of the evening shifted back to art and when Stella's friend stopped by for a few drinks we revisited the topic of the definition of art.
I threw down my Picasso temporary masterpiece analogy and we concluded that art, even if temporary and lost, is still art because it existed at one point in time and made an impact on one person (could be artist or viewer). Anyway, to illustrate the point, I created some art out of almond and pistachio shells which was to survive only until morning. Although, against my analogy, I did take a photo so it will live on forever in the annals of the blogdom.
Specifically, as far as I can tell, it is the only city in central Europe without a main station or hauptbanhof in German. The hauptbahnhof is coming- it's been under construction at the site of the former Sudbahnhof (south station) since 2009 with a scheduled final completion date of 2015. Right now there are three primary stations serving the main Vienna metropolitan area: (1) Westbahnhof (serving most westerly destinations such as Germany, Switzerland, France, etc.); (2) Sudbanhof (serving mostly eastern destinations and regional lines; and (3) Meidling (serving Czech Republic and a few other select destinations as a quasi-temporary station).
When the new Hauptbahnhof is finished, all (or nearly all) trains will flow through this destination- linking previously segregated lines from the north, south, east, and west. Most importantly for the European traveler, all international lines will be linked through the new station. This is relevant because when I arrived from Germany I came into the Westbahnhof and had to connect over to the Sudbanhof via the metro to catch the train to Bratislava. Ultimately when I would head to the Czech Republic, I would need to use the Meidling station. Anyway, the trains are great but it's just a very odd time to visit the city. You really have to pay attention to where you are arriving and need to go.
Thanks for bearing with me there. Back to the narrative. After checking in and grabbing a quick shower, I decided to take a stroll around the Naschmarkt. What I really wanted was a snack and a store where I could sort out the sim card that I purchased in Bratislava (apparently my French phone isn't unlocked after all- sneaky French phone salesmen...). I had gone a about 200 feet when what did my eyes behold?
BAM! I haven't had one of these since... probably NYC last winter sometime! Oh man, it was so so good. But... not quite Ten Ren or Quickly good. Still, it sorted me out properly. I then took a stroll through the Naschmarkt which is an open air market selling fruits, vegis, meats, cheeses, clothes, you name it. The best part is, alongside these booths are little restaurants and bars where you can grab a quick meal or sit for a while and chat with friends over a coffee, beer, or wine. It was always full of people and I just really loved the scene.
I was successful in finding a snack; a delicious assortment of dried fruit caught my eye, however, I was unable to sort out the phone situation. Dejected and a bit tired I retreated to the hostel for a quick nap before meeting up with Stella for a coffee. Apparently I was more tired than I thought because who should come knocking at my door to retrieve me? None other than Stella herself. I had just woken up- barely enough time to sort myself out we headed out the door- me completely forgetting to bring a jacket.
We walked from the Naschmarkt up toward Karlsplatz which is the square which forms the "entryway" if you will to the old part of the city. It's also very close to the Museumsquartier, the artistic and cultural heart of the city where, appropriately, a number of museums are housed. Along the way we decided to stop for coffee at the famous Cafe Mozart where Stella relayed a very curious story about the history of coffee in Vienna.
During the 17th century the armies of the Ottoman Empire stretched as far as southern Austria. In 1683 the Turks laid siege to Vienna in an attempt to expand their territory. The siege, however, was a colossal failure, so much so that the Turks had to beat a rapid retreat leaving behind the majority of their supplies, including several hundred sacks of coffee. The Austrians took the coffee and began experimenting with it. Today, coffee is an extremely important aspect of the Viennese culture.
Another fun fact, did you know the croissant was invented in Austria? It's origin is from a rolled pastry called the kipferl which has been made in varying forms since the middle ages. It wasn't until the mid 1800's when an Austrian artillery officer named August Zang moved to Paris and founded an Austrian bakery that the "croissant" began to become popular in France. The best part of the tale is that the pastry's most contemporary shape is a crescent (hence the French name), which also happened to be the symbol of the Ottoman Empire. So when the Austrians drank "their" coffee accompanied by a crescent shaped pastry, it was a not-too-subtle dig at the Turks for their failed siege.
After our coffee we strolled down the main pedestrian street of the old town and eventually got some food at this really cool little noodle/rice shop near the river. It was good, cheap, and they had siracha. I was happy. Since work was calling my dear friend in the morning and I was still very tired myself, we decided to have a quick drink in the Museumsquartier and call it an early night. The drink, and I can't for the life of me remember the name, was a white wine mixed with a flavoring syrup and soda water. A bit like a spritz- light and refreshing.
The next morning I was left to my own devices but with some suggestions of what to see in the city: (1) walking down the main drag and then around the circle road where once stood the old city walls; and (2) taking a trip out to Schonbronn Palace to walk through the gardens. My first stop on my walk was the legendary Vienna Opera House.
For the longest time I've had this fantasy of attending an opera at this venue- dressed fully in tux, tophat, and tails of course, and then proceeding out into the high-society Vienna nightlife for a whimsical soirée. Maybe one day... But the Opera House was just as impressive as it appeared in my visions. Alas, I didn't get a chance to see a performance but in hindsight I'd rather wait until I can do it up properly. Clad in my finest wears from my velour box at the top of the gallery. Haha, ok that's getting a bit absurd.
What's actually really absurd is that on my way to the Opera House I was crossing a street near Karlsplatz and I saw a biker get hit by a car! Well, I didn't see him get hit because he was literally no more than three feet behind me in the crosswalk. Some woman absolutely plowed him and we had the right of way!
I hear this loud BOOM and then the clatter of metal and the thud of something heavy hit the pavement behind me followed by the immediate squeal of tires. I turn around and there is a guy sprawled out on the asphalt. His friend and I help him up and then other passersby ask him if he's ok in German while the woman pulls over an calls the ambulance. He's shaken up and his head is bleeding a little; the bike is mangled. At this point since I can't speak German there was little more that I could do so I headed on my way.
The incident definitely shook me up and made me instantly more appreciative of the helmet laws in the States. They don't exist here and that poor chap didn't have one. It could have been much much worse. But the incident zapped my usual jaywalking gusto for the remainder of the day. I didn't even attempt my trademark middle-of-the-crosswalk photography for fear of a rouge Saab taking me out at the kneecaps.
I resumed my walk heading down the central pedestrian drag of the old town; a car-free street being exactly what I needed at this point. The street is lined with architecturally stunning buildings (as is seemingly every street in the city) but the storefronts exhibit mostly high end stores and restaurants. The most culturally interesting thing along the walk is St. Stephen's Cathedral right in the center. My personal favorite element is the patterned tiles on the roof- something I've only seen so far in Austria.
From there I made my way to the Danube and then began my stroll along the street that was once the old city walls. I elected to go clockwise which meant one of the first things I encountered was the Stadtpark. The park itself is a quaint and beautifully landscaped park but that wasn't what caught my eye. It was the street itself. It had lanes for both cars and trams, and was lined with medium sized trees and old street lamps. The reason this particular stretch of street made such an impact on me was because I've seen it before- in my dreams. And not just one dream, I've dreamt about this street on numerous occasions. But this was the first time I've ever seen it.
It looked so closely identical to my vision in those dreams it was uncanny; there was the triple row of trees, the park on the left, and white stone buildings on the right. I had to sit down for a few minutes and collect myself. In my dreams I own a little flat in one of the buildings on the right side and stroll up the avenue in my finest threads. Is it possible that I lived in Vienna in a prior life? Sometime in the late 1800's or turn of the century? Are the specters of this past life somehow channeling into my subconscious? This is some weird stuff. I contemplated these things briefly, then took a deep breath and decided to pound sand, leaving the questions unanswered and rattling in my head for the time being.
As I continued my walk, still a bit rattled, I came to realize a fundamental problem with Vienna: the city is just too damn beautiful. There are so many incredible buildings, squares, parks and avenues, the city drowns you in a sea of picturesque. I could write 20 posts worth if I were to describe all of the buildings I took photos of, so I'll just give you a few of the highlights from the rest of my walk. First, St. Charles' Church, a fine Baroque domed church completed in 1737, yet not my favorite church in the city. The picture is a bit crappy as for some reason (as you will see) the sun was always behind any major monument or building I was taking a picture of-regardless of the time of day.
But that worthy church is only the tip of the iceberg. Next I came by the Museumsquartier in the day where you have a number of modern art museums located in a central block, and then adjacent across the street you have the identical and seemingly dueling Museum of Fine Art and the Museum of Natural History. As far as I could discern Ben Stiller nor the ghost of Robin Williams was hiding out in the latter.
What's that? You want some more statues? Alright, how about the Archduke Charles of Austria on horseback with the Rathaus in the background? Boom!
More palaces you say? Ok, how does Hofburg Palace, located right in the city center and the principal winter residence of some of the most powerful kings of the Habsburg dynasty, grab you?
Old centers of government not tickling your fancy? How about a functioning administrative edifice, such as the Greek-revival styled and starkly imposing Austrian Parliament Building?
Not intricate or grandiose enough for you? Well ask and ye shall receive. Try the Rathaus, the seat of the mayor and local government as well as the only building in the city holding the lofty title of "Viennese building Mike Steele finds most impressive by a slim margin."
Boomshakalaka. I'm spent. What? You want more? After all the great architecture I just so lovingly bashed you over the head with? That's preposterous, that's gratuitous, that's... ridicubsurd. And I just made that word up. But ok, you want it, you got it. I told you St. Steve's and St. Charlie's weren't my favorite churches. What is? Why none other than the Votive Church of course, impressively concealed by a huge advertisement banner.
By this point I really was spent. To cool my jets and calm my mind a stroll through the famous Schonbrunn Palace gardens was in order. Just an aside, Vienna has a fantastic public transit system. Most of the main parts of the city are connected via metro which runs every 2-5 five minutes, and the remainder is connected via tram. I hopped into the metro near the river and about 15 minutes later I emerged at the Schonbrunn Palace in western Vienna. The Hofburg Palace was the winter residence so therefore you may guess that the Schonbrunn was the summer residence. And you would be correct.
See? Again with the sun. The best part of the palace, or so I was told, is the massive series of gardens in the back. I was thinking Wurzburg but what I saw was closer to Versailles- that is to say, massive, beautiful, and meticulously landscaped. Unfortunately the pictures aren't really going to do it justice but I'll just list them out with a quick blurb and save you the trip to flickr unless you really want to go. Here is the palace from the back:
And the beginning of the gardens leading up to the famous Gloriette perched high atop the hill facing the palace. It doesn't seem like much of a hill but it's a bit of a hike, especially if you elect to meander the more wooded route rather than mounting a frontal assault.
If you do elect to meander, you'll notice some outstanding topiary work with the trees:
After walking a bit you might turn around and notice just how much you've climbed:
Finally you arrive at the Gloriette which is pretty impressive in its own right...
But not nearly as impressive as the view:
I should also note that the cascading grassy hills are perfect for rolling down, but for some reason the Viennese authorities refuse to permit such activity. A real shame. In my opinion the World Downhill Rolling Championships should be held here every year. Anyway, from there you can stroll back down along the west side (assuming like me you started on the east) where there is a zoo (which I didn't visit) and a botanical garden (which I did). It was here, strolling through these gardens and contemplating heavy topics such as my ambitions and dreams for the future and what I would eat for dinner that the realization of autumn's arrival fully set in.
I walked around a bit more and then decided to take relief on a bench. It was here that I gave the first real thought to what I want to do with my life in the next year. Until this point I had just vaguely been tossing around ideas but never doing any real contemplative analysis, never attempting to hone the decision. But, feeling rather inspired by the city and the burgeoning realization of the vision of my newly-Viennese companion, I decided to go through an an analytical exercise.
First, I wrote out all possibilities that I could fathom myself doing in 2013, the top of the list being continuing my Wanderlust trip into Stint 3 in Asia. Barring that there were a host of other options, each with their own series of pros and cons. But it seemed to me the first decision that must be made was whether to proceed with Stint 3. I decided to give that further reflection.
Second, I wrote down all of my options for the remainder of the year and 2014 if I decided to go ahead with Stint 3. Those options boiled down into four basic categories: (1) continue traveling- perhaps Stint 4 in South America; (2) stay in Asia and look for work, continue writing and try and make something of it; (3) move to Europe and look for work, continue writing and try and make something of it; or (4) return to the US and the host of possibilities of work, location, and the like that such a decision would entail.
Whereas before I felt almost overwhelmed with the number of possibilities and options available to me, and still now they are seemingly limitless upon the right application, this exercise helped me to group the decision into a more manageable method of contemplation. I then came up with a list of considerations that will go into such a decision and gave them a preliminary ranking of importance. And that was where my investigation of the issue ended for the time being.
Before pressing deeper I wanted to first revisit the penultimate decision regarding Stint 3 and then mull over my valuation of considerations before continuing the exercise. As I resumed my walk back to the palace I did come to one very clear and true realization, one that I had been toying with for quite some time. And I was able to make a final decision. And it was a great and cathartic moment for me. I snapped a photo of myself to commemorate the event.
That night I met Stella at the Museumsquartier and we were in sync immediately. I declared it was a perfect night for wine and she offered that she had been thinking of two places we could grab drinks. I love it when a plan comes together. No sooner had we set out the sky opened up with a freak downpour. After seeking shelter and waiting it out we made our way to a really cool little bar that was blasting some excellent tunes and screening old episodes of Magnum P.I. Well, I guess it couldn't be screening any new ones...
Anyway, it was just like old times- discussing philosophy, direction in life, people, relationships, politics, economics, any and everything. As always it was extraordinarily enlightening; I've never felt more intellectually or creatively engaged than in these simple conversations. At one point I was asked the question, "if money was no object- you could always support yourself- what would you do with your life?" And I thought about it for a few minutes and the conclusion I came to was: I would do this. Exactly this. This is my dream. Just what I'm doing. Traveling and writing. Meeting new people, having new experiences, trying the world's food and libations- wholly consuming the marrow of life.
It was a weird moment for me because, while it's incredible that I'm fortunate enough to be able to do this and I'm thankful for this on a daily basis, it's also a bit unsettling. I think we all live our lives to the goal of achieving some dream, some vision- even if it's only a vague concept, we all have this. But it made me think, when I'm done with this period of traveling in my life, and eventually it will come to an end, what then will be my goal, my dream, that I work toward?
At that moment I felt a bit like a rudderless ship. In a way it's exhilarating because I'll be truly free to try and fail at whatever takes my fancy as I'll have accomplished what I set out to do in life. But on the other hand it's terrifying to contemplate not discovering a new vision to plan and build for. I get this feeling that I may come to exist in a bit of limbo- something I am entirely unfamiliar with. All of my life I've had direction, often singularly focused direction. Set goal, achieve goal, set new goal, achieve new goal. I've seemingly run out of goals.
Heavy topics to contemplate on a rainy night in Vienna but yet somehow perfect. It was also revealed that Stella's housing situation had sorted itself out and I was most graciously invited to spend the following two nights living like a true Viennese- although given how our hours are usually spent discussing the great complexities of this world we inhabit, it would no doubt feel more Bohemian. The next day I was instructed to check out the Upper and Lower Belvedere (also former palaces- surprise surprise!) which house a collection of some of the great Austrian classic works. Additionally, the Upper Belvedere was hosting an exhibit on Klimt, an early 20th century Austrian artist of great renown.
Still feeling inspired, on the way to the Belvedere I did a test run of a project I've been contemplating for a while now. I still need to do the finishing touches and play around with it a bit but I'm encouraged by the progress. When it's done I'll post the beta and then I might roll it out- although given I've only got about 6 weeks left in Stint 2, this may be more of a Stint 3 feature. The exterior of the Belvedere complex is pretty impressive; I particularly like how the gardens drop down and away toward the Lower Belvedere building.
Unlike the Schonbrunn, I prefer the view of the Upper Belvedere from the front rather than from the garden side:
This particular palace/museum is unique to what I've experienced in the past because it embraces both roles without alienating one. In each room hangs numerous art works each with their accompanying descriptive plaque as in any museum, however, the room also contains an information podium on the name, appearance, and original use of the room during the Belevedere's term as a palace, including etchings made of the original layout. Very cool.
After walking around most of the day I was famished so I made my way back to Naschmarkt where I spotted something I have always wanted to try: a conveyor sushi restaurant. I know what you're thinking, "Mike, you've traveled all over the world- you've even been to Japan for Christsakes, how could you not have possibly tried a conveyor sushi joint?" I'm embarrassed. But it was a shortcoming I remedied on that fateful day in Vienna.
That's the look of a man absolutely crushing some sushi. The funny thing was, I felt pretty accomplished after knocking back 2 sakes, a beer, and 8 plates. That is, until I looked over an the woman next to me was on somewhere around 10 or 12. And then two other guys came in and wolfed down 14 and 16, respectively. Sushi-eating champ no more! As I was eating I had a sudden and profound longing to return to Japan, a feeling which then translated into a desire to return to China and SE Asia. At once I felt as though I have unfinished business there. Is the universe attempting to tell me something? I decided to give it serious contemplation over the next few days.
That afternoon I met up with Stella and we transferred my gear to her place and acquired some groceries for the night. I volunteered to cook and we elected to make spätzle (German potato pasta similar to gnocchi) with sauteed vegis and some tuna. It actually turned out really well especially accompanied by the wines we purchased. The topic of the evening shifted back to art and when Stella's friend stopped by for a few drinks we revisited the topic of the definition of art.
I threw down my Picasso temporary masterpiece analogy and we concluded that art, even if temporary and lost, is still art because it existed at one point in time and made an impact on one person (could be artist or viewer). Anyway, to illustrate the point, I created some art out of almond and pistachio shells which was to survive only until morning. Although, against my analogy, I did take a photo so it will live on forever in the annals of the blogdom.
The next day, my final day in Vienna, was to be the last warm day for quite a while. Since Stella wasn't working until that evening, we spent the (late) morning chatting over coffee and cigarettes (just coffee for me as I have the weakest lungs ever ha). Eventually I got around to whipping up some Chinese-style omelets which were tasty but I need to work on my technique as they completely fell apart. We had learned the prior night that there would be a free electronic music "concert" on this island near the UN City so us, the flatmates, and the flatmates' friends all headed over there and sat on the beach chatting and enjoying the weather.
Stella and I left at sunset to get something to eat before she had to go to work- it was her first night on the new job and she was a bit nervous. Since we were running short on time she introduced me to a Viennese specialty and I'm glad she did! It's basically a hot dog- but a way way more awesome one! First, there are 4 or 5 different types you can get.
Obviously I got the one filled with cheese. Then, they take a large sub roll, cut off the top and impale it on a large skewer to create a hole. He throws in whatever sauces/toppings you want and then jams the brat in there. Effectively creating a hot-dog pocket. It's so simple yet so brilliant! The problem with regular buns is that they come apart and are inherently messy. But these were perfect- no mess and easy to handle!
That night we checked out the exhibits at the Sezession Museum which featured a series of works by an American artist on African-American identity and pride. I really liked it- especially the painting done on cloth which I believe was called "School of Culture, School of Beauty." Or something along those lines. The gallery was huge and looked a bit empty with only the handful of works occupying it.
The rest of the night was spent drinking wine and discussing religious philosophy, modern organized religion and the origins and reasons therein, as well as a host of existential or existential-esque topics. The discussion continued late into the evening and I awoke the next day tired, a little hungover, and not thrilled about the prospect of leaving Vienna. Evidently Vienna wasn't thrilled about the prospect of me leaving either as the warm sunny weather had shifted to a cold steady rain.
But that's the life and nature of Wanderlust. At some point you have to keep moving. And as much as I hated to say goodbye to Vienna and the wonderful Stella, it was time to hit the road again. As I rode out of town in the rain I contemplated my time in Vienna and the city as a whole. I came to a very quick conclusion: Vienna is an outstanding city. One of my very favorites in all of Europe. Frankly I'm ashamed that it took me this long to visit.
It's a city that I could easily see myself living in- and there aren't too many of those I've found. The only knock I have on Vienna is that it's a bit too nice, too clean, too friendly, and too good. I like my city to be a bit edgier, a bit harder, a bit more of a danger opportunity. That's why I always preferred downtown Manhattan to midtown. It was just a bit darker, a bit seedier, a bit gloomier. It lacked the glitz and glamor and sterility of midtown which I found stifling.
Could I carve out a niche in Vienna? Absolutely. But would it resonate with me in quite the same way as a city like Prague? That I wasn't sure. But, as luck (and general vicinity) would have it, I would be heading back to Prague in a mere handful of days. I'd be able to test this contemplation out in real time- almost perfect laboratory conditions.
Regardless of the outcome of such ruminations, however, Vienna is a spectacular city filled with spectacular things, most critically art, music, and culture. And as Stella said, "When you are around art and culture, something happens to you. You are inspired and your creativity emerges." I can't argue with her there, and even if I did it wouldn't do any good because she's usually right. :P
Bonus Photo: On my way out of Vienna we must have hit 88 mph because I was transported to the future. The train passed through the non-existing Vienna (Wien) Hauptbahnhof. If I had jumped out would I have landed in 2015?
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