Backpacking: Vienna Part 1

So here goes the continued belated posts of what my two-week break was like. Anyway, after heading from the gray and rain of Stuttgart, I got on a train to Vienna. Two transfers to go along with that: Munich and Salzburg. Funny that I've been to both of them. The thing you have to remember about taking Deutsche Bahn or any other European train (maybe with the exception of the French) is that the transfers happen quickly. You might think that transfer are like airports especially considering how big the trains are and how they really are used on such long distance journeys like planes. But of course, this is not the case. You get off of your train and you have to more or less sprint to the train in hopes that it won't leave without you. The seven and a half hour journey to Vienna was great. In fact, I feel as if anytime I head to Austria, there's something very nice and relaxed about it and I just feel incredibly comfortable.

So Stuttgart to Munich:

It was snowing a bit when I left Stuttgart and about 45 minutes or so into the trip, there was snow covering wherever we were passing through in Germany. Beautiful.

I sat near a grandmother, her daughter, and two grandchildren (one boy and one girl) as well as another woman with her two kids as well. Strangely enough the behaviour of children that usually drives me nuts, didn't bother me much at all. Maybe it was the fact that I was sitting in first class (fuck yeah, I said it) or that the train was empty enough that there was no a claustrophobic feeling at all. I slipped on headphones and found myself slipping in and out of sleep pretty easily. But even when I did wake up, they were simply just nice people surrounding me. I ended up making conversation with the older woman particularly because of my shoulder was killing me and I asked if she had aspirin. She didn't, but offered me some muscle cream, which I thankfully took. It helped and I smelled like a very strong Bengay for the rest of the trip.

And of course, conversation about politics was made. Obama, I said, simply. She and her daughter were happy enough to hear that and we talked a little more about American and world politics. They told me that they had relatives in the States (in Texas) and I gave them my card, saying that if they ever come to NYC, they should let me know. Before leaving I made two rings out of US dollar bills for the kids. The mother enjoyed the kitschiness more so than her kids, so that was fine.

I think the best part of my travels was definately the conversations that I was able to make along the way. btw the conversations were in German. Surprising, I know.

I have to say that I am a bit surprised by the fact that I seemed to be able to speak for the most part. Once in Austria I transfered to the Austrian train line, paid an extra 15 Euro to sit in business and more or less passed out asleep. Some converstion was made with the two occupants and we joked around for a little bit.

Arrival to my hostel was basically me in a heap of exhaustion and it was already sundown for the most part. The map I got of Vienna basically sucked and left me even more confused particularly when I went out in search of a restaurant. The place I searched for was a bit sketch that I ended up settling for a diner-like place and took in some of the mediocre food. I believe it was called Raimund Café and was located across from the Volktheater. The best thing that night was basically for me just to retire.