Adapting to Viennese Life

Greetings from Austria where the buildings are high and the temperatures are low. Yes, after three weeks of keeping my mouth shut about the cold, I'm officially over it. After reading that Atlanta experienced a 70 degree day on Sunday, I'm fuming with jealousy. In addition, there is a blanket of gray clouds, pregnant with the possibility of snow. I feel like getting the weather doctor in on this, get the clouds and epidural and induce the snow out of them. At least then I can enjoy some sunshine again. Note to self: I can never complain about cloudy days in Scotland again.

This weather has pushed my sightseeing travels in a much different direction than in previous cities. I spend (at least) two hours in a cafe each day, taking in the Viennese coffee shop culture. These places are crazy. They've got marble tables, Roman columns and Egyptian sculptures. I save money and time, by not having to go to the History museum here. The cakes are delicious. The coffee, on the other hand, isn't much to write home about. I also think its interesting that despite these elegantly decorated cafes you've got tourists and locals alike, sitting in their jeans and sweatshirts. The whole experience seems like a giant anachronism.

When I'm not in cafes living the life of a 1920s aristocrat or brilliant thinker, I'm in the museums pretending to be cultured. I think you'd probably enjoy watching me in these museums, since I actually have no idea what I'm doing. I stop and look when others stop and look. I pull out my camera when others do. I'm hoping they have more of an idea of what I "should" see than I do.

Today, Sarah and I went to the Schonbron (i know...that spelling is way off) Castle, where we pretended like we were going to live there. We envisioned ourselves waking up and having croissants in the breakfast parlor and throwing parties in the gardens (which are non-existent by the way...covered in ice and snow).

So yes, I've adapted well to Viennese life: Cafe, Museum, Palace...Cafe, Museum, Palace.