No new post this year - A shame I know but I have been around the world. I have always wanted to take a large European trip and I managed to have time to pursue it. My first stop was Vienna or Wien in German.
I am not sure why I believed it would be warmer - it is still winter after all. I did not pack heavier clothing as I would have liked but it is difficult to do so when you have a long trek ahead of you. When I left the city [Chicago] the weather was fifty degrees and tolerable. Wien had a relentless cold wind that would not let up - along with some rain and snow. My body went into complete shock the first day.
I was also unsure what to do - the people of course are hibernating cause of the weather but tourist attractions are few and far in between. Austrians are exceptionally nice,curious, and I had a few brief chats with the locals. The city itself is exceptionally clean - I am sure I never saw a piece of parchment ever on the street. A world of difference from Budapest on trash day!
Austria is the home of Gustav Klimt so I made sure to visit the Belvedere Museum to see the infamous 'The Kiss'. Underwhelming. I have a small obsession with the color gold at the moment and the painting was not as vibrant as I expected. Like the Mona Lisa it is encased in glass (bulletproof?) making it hard to get close and examine it. The Museum grounds were beautiful and it is such a peaceful city to stroll at all hours. No matter how many side streets I explored I always seem to end up in the same spot within the city centre. While the city did not have the excitement I was craving I do believe I would give it a second visit in the warmer months. After eavesdropping on some artists on the train in Berlin, Austria is very supportive of emerging artists. Oh really? I will have to investigate this a tad more.
