I rented a flat not too far from the train station from www.airbnb.com, my first time using the site. I got pretty much what I expected at Rosemarie's flat, which was mostly spacious with 2 bedrooms and a open concept kitchen (that I did a little cooking in one evening). The bathroom was ridiculously tiny, to the point it was almost comical trying to get undressed and then squeeze through the gap into the shower. Not the end of the world though, and having a private flat is a very nice change from staying into hotel rooms. The location was very convenient with a big mid-range shopping mall half a block away that included a very large supermarket that I couldn't resist shopping in (I remember cheap mushrooms and Ritter Sport chocolate bars in flavours I'd never tried or even heard of!)
It was very comfy in the flat, almost too comfy because it took me a while to get motivated to go out (I was happy resting and going over guidebooks and maps spread out on the dining table!) thus my first day in Vienna wasn't very productive. The movie tie-in for my stop in Vienna was Before Sunrise (staring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphy about young love, where 2 people meet on a train and decide to spend a day wandering in Vienna), so I strolled past a couple sites that they also checked out, hopped on a tram for the hell of it (damn, the new trams vs. the old ones... big difference! The Ring Tram looked so quaint as it chugged along on the tracks, the new tram that I rode, as soon as the door closed it jetted off and it felt like only seconds before I'd reached my intended stop... I'm sure the look on my face must've been pretty comical as I hurried off because I didn't know where 10 more seconds on the tram would take me)
While walking around Vienna, I couldn't help but compare it to life in Paris. A bustling city with a historic backdrop. Public transportation and heavy traffic rumbling on the streets amidst a backdrop of old buildings each showcasing unique moldings right above a high profile retail sign. As with every busy metropolis...there is shopping! Therefore I took a culture break and checked out the Danube Mall, where they had a regular Desigual store (see last entry for related note on one of my fav clothing labels) and put my Visa card to good use there.
On my last evening in Vienna, I had not seen close to everything I wanted to see (which was expected, I knew even before I arrived that 3 days would be insufficient but I had to get moving on). I'd meant to go to Cafe Sperl, a Before Sunrise location and classic Viennese cafe, in the late afternoon for some coffee and cake but didn't get into the area until almost 7. By then they'd begun serving dinner, which I was less interested in, so I took a peek and kept walking despite my growling tummy. Just around the corner I see a "Ra Mien" sign and the window is a picture of busy waiters and patrons at every table. I was sold. It turns out it wasn't the traditional Japanese noodle that I'm accustomed to, but more like what we, from the Canton province, know of as 'Ho Fun' however freshly shaved off this big hunk of whatever-noodle-is-made-of (please don't ask me to explain, I'll never get this right). Most importantly, it was delicious! The soup, the noodle, the ample amount of seafood... When I ordered chrysanthemum tea, they actually brought me a small tea pot with real chrysanthemum flowers soaking in it! You'd be hard pressed to find that even in Toronto. The noodle joint functioned as both culinary hotspot and a bar lounge at night, on my table next to the menu was the DJ line-up for the month. Awesome.
Vienna is a first-class city in my books with much to offer. You can hand me a ticket to fly back there anytime!
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