Vienna is a city I would like to see again someday. It will be a day when I am ridiculously wealthy and when paying 5 euros for some coffee doesn’t make me cringe. I can see myself strutting down these modern streets in a cardigan and high heels, looking quite native (although not chain smoking which will no doubt give me away).
St. Stephen’s Cathedral
In comparison to Prague, Vienna is flashier, richer, with an elegance that comes from being an imperial capital for so long. It has big shopping centers and many large museums filled with art and plundered goods from the days of the empire. Water here actually costs less than beer but I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.
Straight from the Kunsthistorisches Museum (also referred to as the Museum of Fine Arts)
While in Vienna this weekend, we visited the Naschmarkt on the edge of the Wein River. Stretching almost a mile long, this insane flea/farmers market offered anything and everything. There were Moroccan daggers, marbled German books, fur coats, broken cellphones, and rusted doorknobs. There were fresh breads, dried fruit, and sweet candies. I myself bought an old-fashioned key that doubled as a wine bottle opener when you twist the handle.
Into the fray of the Naschmarkt
I was impressed by how many people there could communicate in English and how I could wiggle my way around in German. I wouldn’t call myself fluent though… While trying to pay for our coffees at a local café, we accidentally ended up ordering two more. It all worked out because I love Viennese café culture. I’m a huge fan of just sitting and sipping for hours, chatting about the news or watching people walk by. It’s a form of meditation for the coffee-lover’s soul.
Wiener Melange, a Viennese classic