Pete's Visit

Some photo highlights

Isn’t it always that way … you live in a great city but never tour the sites until company comes? Only this time, when my brother, Peter, came to visit, we decided to go and see a little bit of the countryside beyond Vienna. And the beautiful thing is, you don’t have to go far – barely an hour’s drive outside the city limits – to see some of the most spectacular scenery and bits of history. So here, with just a little caption narration, is a brief look at some highlights of our wonderful week.

We actually began in the city itself by going back to our roots.
Peter is standing in front of the building where our father grew up,
and I am standing in front of the doorway to our mother's childhood home.

On Saturday, we took a train to the village of Melk, site of an 11th century Benedictine abbey, which sits on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube in Lower Austria, adjoining the Wachau valley. The church was breathtaking! 

The view of the village, next to the river, was enchanting.

Then we took a boat ride up river on the Danube, enjoying lunch, as well as the view, with friends. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

We disembarked at Krems, a town that is over 1,000 years old and is in the center of a major grape-growing region.

We enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the old city. I particularly fancied the statue in the middle which, legend has it, was erected by and dedicated to the association of hen-pecked husbands!

On Sunday, we picked up a rental car, packed Scout in it, and headed south to the village of Puchberg am Schneeberg, where my parents vacationed on their trips back to Austria in their later years. Again, I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

After Scout spooked the cows, they all got up and headed towards us with great purpose. This in turn spooked Scout, who growled threateningly, which provoked the cows even further and caused them to approach with even greater purpose! We decided to high-tail it out of there, and retreated in haste to this lovely cafe for some coffee, quiet, sunshine and strudel.

Monday was a day in town, shopping at the local market, browsing the Ostermarkt (you've never seen so many beautiful eggs!) and getting ready for the Pesach seder.

On Tuesday, the Danube called us back, and we drove to Durnstein.

A magical evening along the river: warm air, trees in bloom, birds in song, and Austrian soul food for dinner.

Pete had the salmon (Lachs) and prawns, I had the goulash with quail's egg and spaetzle.

And then the sun set, casting a glow on the castle ruins above the town, where King Richard I Lionheart of England was held captive during the third Crusade.

Best Strudel
We have sampled apfelstrudel in many places throughout and outside the city, and so far, this one, served at the Gasthaus Wild on Radetskyplatz  in Vienna's third district, is the winner. But of course, the search must go on!

In Transit

Getting Around in Vienna    

I’m sure it’s quite possible that there are better public transit systems in the world, but the ease of getting around Vienna without a car is a big part of what makes this truly one of the most livable cities.

 

Of course, size does matter. Vienna is only 160 square miles – half the land mass of New York. And the Ubahn is newer than the subway. Nevertheless, I am convinced that the Austrian system is far superior, and would never work back in the good ol’ U.S. of A.

For one thing, it works on the honor system. What’s that, you say? They actually trust their citizens to pay? Well, actually, yes. That isn’t to say that some don’t try to cheat it. But here’s how it works. You can ride any Ubahn, city tram or bus just by getting on. You don’t have to swipe a card or pay a cashier. Really, you just walk on. Of course, you’re supposed to pay – by the ride, day, week, month or year – and if one of the undercover ticket agents shakes you down and you don’t have a ticket, you pay a steep fine:  €75 (about $100). So far I’ve seen it happen only once, and the agent  took pity on the tearful young student and let her pay the fare instead of issuing a summons for the fine.

So I decided to buy a year pass (Jahreskarte), which comes with a significant discount, and now I never have to think about it. I can ride as many trains, trams or buses as I like without having to pay for each trip. And, here’s a bonus for Austrian seniors:  you qualify at 60 for steeply reduced rates, so it costs next to nothing to use public transit! Just a little over a year for me to go – wohoo!

Another benefit, and it’s probably no surprise – Vienna transit runs on schedule, and on time!  Every Ubahn station and tram or bus stop has a printed daily schedule you can check, and most have a digital readout that updates every minute to tell you exactly when the next one is coming – and the one after that too, which is typically only a couple of minutes. Miss a train? No problem! Next one should be along any minute. Running to catch a train was never my idea of good exercise anyway; now I don’t have to.

Dang! Just missed a train.
No problem, another one will be here in
a couple of minutes.

Here it comes now!

    

But if you really can't bear to stand idle for two minutes, or are anxious about getting where you're going, Vienna will even entertain you while you wait! Several Ubahn stations have plasma screens along the tunnel walls, which display videos of news, cultural listings, ads, and even cartoons. And, with safety in mind, when the train is about to enter the station, the screen shifts to a warning to step back, then goes blank. Take a look!

And you know those garbled PA announcements on the NYC subways? Vienna’s got them beat there too. Not only are the announcements clear (even I can understand the German), it’s the same recorded voice throughout the system, and he tells you not just the next stop, but all the other Ubahn, tram and subway lines you can connect with there. Oh, and in case you want to prepare, he also tells you which side of the car the doors will open.

I also think that the Vienna transit system – WienerLinien – hires graphic designers with a fetish for maps and signs. Clear as a bell, colorful and easy to interpret. 

Here's where you are, where you're going, and when you'll get there.

And that’s not all. Don’t know the best way to go from point A to Point B? Just go online. Provide your address or nearest stop, your destination, the date and time of your trip, and voilà – within seconds several possible routes appear, with multiple combinations of Ubahn, tram and bus rides, and it tells you exactly how long each one takes. Click on the PDF symbol, and you’ll even get a map showing the path to walk from the station to the particular location. The date and time is very important because their computer knows the precise schedule for every day and hour, so if you plug in, for example, the time you have to be somewhere, you’ll know exactly when you have to leave. And barring some natural disaster, you can reliably predict that you will be on time. Neat, huh?

Don’t get me wrong – Vienna has plenty of cars and trucks on the road. But I get the feeling they really want to encourage using public transit because they make it so accessible. You can ride with your baby stroller, shopping cart, bicycle – no problem. Not only does every Ubahn station (I think) have an elevator, but there are special parts of each car reserved for these people, and in my experience, riders always make way for them. Trams and buses have flat, wide entrance platforms in addition to the usual steps.

Got the munchies? The question is:
What don't I want?

And never fear, you simply cannot go hungry in Vienna, no matter how long your commute. In or near every Ubahn, tram or bus station is an assortment of bakeries, sandwich shops or pizza/sausage/kebab stands. And they are well patronized!

Last, for now, and certainly not least, dogs are permitted! They are required to be muzzled, but I have to say that this regulation is not always observed. Nonetheless, and probably because the Viennese are so besotted with their canine companions, I think I’ve seen every breed and size of pooch riding the rails. I have yet to introduce Scout to this novelty, but I suspect that before too long I will – it’s simply a necessary part of her Viennese education and assimilation process. (Check out this clip and you'll see.)

There is one similarity with the NY subway, though – you hear an unending variety of languages spoken. Vienna has always been a crossroads city, and many immigrants, or visitors, live and travel here. And while I may have an ear for languages, I think I’ve heard many more that I don’t recognize than ones that I do. It’s a mysterious and delightful cacophony!

All kids love to push buttons. So smart Viennese moms
let theirs push the ones on the Ubahn doors,
which you need to do if you want to exit.

Vacation's Over!

It’s back to work for me!

It isn’t exactly as though I’ve been sitting on my hands lately. In fact, I’d say that even though I haven’t worked at a traditional office for some time, with preparing to leave the U.S. and getting settled here (not to mention the teaching I did last year), I've been working pretty hard!

But a major part of the plan in moving to Vienna was to be able to find employment so I could support myself in my new life. And I am happy to report that this has proven to be not only possible, but abundantly so.

I had anticipated that not having a longer track record in teaching would be a hindrance, but — as Karma would have it — my business and entrepreneurial background seems to more than compensate. Choosing to go for the CELTA certification, as opposed to quicker, less expensive and less reputable ones, was also a good decision, as the Cambridge University imprimatur does carry weight here.

I’ve hooked up with what I consider two of the best language schools that cater to an Austrian and international business clientele. My first class was for a pair of lawyers who work in the area of telecommunications and regulation. I’m also teaching employees in the accounting and HR departments of the Austrian branch of an Italian company, some association marketing execs and a business consultant — for a total so far of six classes a week.  Their levels range from elementary to intermediate, and they’re lots of fun to teach. I also actually enjoy commuting to the various work sites, as it tangibly enhances the feeling of being more than just a tourist or visitor, but rather being someone who actually lives here. That’s always been my goal.

Now this is not going to cover all my expenses, but basically it does take care of my rent, and that’s a good start. I’m also meeting with administration officials at schools and American-based universities with campuses here that teach in English, to investigate the potential for not only teaching positions but freelance communications work as well. So far people seem receptive. Still on my agenda is the U.S. embassy and their American Chamber of Commerce (the ‘amcham’), although perhaps a little later.

In the middle of all this I’ve been going to various meetings and seminars — on issues such as Austrian income tax liability, social (i.e. health, pension, etc.) insurance and other relocation matters — offered by various agencies and organizations here. I’ve gotten involved (on a volunteer basis) with the AWA’s imminent rebranding campaign, and continue to study German, meet with friends and go about other daily affairs. In the process, I’m discovering new ways to get around the city and (finally!) getting a sense of the geography.

Vienna continues to nourish me aesthetically, and that’s even before the grass greens and the trees and flowers burst forth. But that is coming soon, as I can actually feel the days getting longer. Certain people — and you know who you are! — are already making plans to visit, and that is something else I look forward to.

I do have to continually monitor Scout’s virally-transmitted intestinal problem, which, I’m sorry to say, has become an ongoing and unexpected corollary to living in a city with so many dogs and their less-than-conscientious owners. She’s a hardy little beast, though, and seems completely unfazed by it all, so it’s just a task and an expense that I must deal with.

And finally, you may be wondering, what’s with all these window photos? Well, there wasn’t really much to illustrate in this post, so I decided to share something that I have found so enjoyable here: the beauty of the architectural detail that goes into even  the most prosaic of structures, apartment buildings. These are all from within a two-block radius of my own apartment. Other neighborhoods are even more spectacular. Hope you like ‘em!

Getting Settled

One month down, a lifetime to go

My things are unpacked, my financial affairs are finally in order, I’ve got my Jahreskarte (annual pass) for the transit system, an ever-widening circle of friends, and NO SNOW. So life is good!

Where has the time gone? I know I haven’t written in a while, but honestly, it’s because life is so normal for me here that it’s hard to single out events or impressions to talk about.

The Albertina - formerly the largest residential 

Habsburg palace, now one of Vienna's signature 

art museums, named for Duke Albert of Saxe-

Teschen, son-in-law of Empress Maria Theresa.

My days are spent very much like they were, or would be, in the U.S.: making my to-do lists and checking things off, running errands, making phone calls, writing e-mails, looking for work (more on that soon), grocery shopping, doing laundry (can’t get away from it!) as well as business and social networking. Only here, when I step out my front door, or look out the Ubahn (subway, metro, T …) or tram window as I travel around town, my eyes are treated to architectural wonders and many hundreds of years of imperial splendor. Yes, I know it wasn’t splendid for many who lived in centuries past, but how can one not marvel at the beauty and grandeur? (Check out my ride and the Opera House.)

A balmy Sunday afternoon at the
Belvedere to see the exhibit
"Rodin and Vienna"

A fair amount of my time is actually spent studying maps and Web sites to get to know the city better. With a somewhat dysfunctional innate GPS, it sometimes takes me a while to get my bearings and figure out where I should be headed – especially in the winding streets of the old city. But it is gradually sinking in, and since the tram and much of the Ubahn are above ground, I pay particular attention as I go along. This way I also get to make mental notes of shops, cafés, restaurants and places of interest that I want to make a point of going back to. And, yes, I have been to a few so far! 

I’ve been doing some German studying on my own, but have also just signed up for a course at one of the (many!) language schools here. I’m not a complete beginner, but without any formal instruction or solid background, I’m not yet an advanced beginner, but somewhere in between. So I’ve been doing a little bit of crash studying this week in order to be able to join an “in between” class that is already in progress. I’m also lucky to be able to attend a weekly conversation class for slightly-more-than-beginners at the downtown office of the AWA (American Women’s Association), where grammar, story-telling, conversation and quite a bit of fun are provided for an hour and a half every Tuesday morning. 

My German course workbook

There is, of course, television. I do try to watch, or just listen, to programs in German, although they are often from Germany, not Austria. I’ve mostly enjoyed their nature programs and documentaries, a growing portion of which I’m getting to understand. But when I need ‘relief’ I switch to English language broadcasts. Sadly, my only recourse is CNN and BBC, and they focus on just a handful of international stories … ad nauseum! Watch five to ten minutes at a time and you will have seen the entire day’s programming. There’s also EuroNews and – oddly enough – Russia Today which do broadcast in English, but they are similarly repetitive. (You think you’ve been hearing a lot about Egypt???) And while it seems that licensing laws  prevent most networks and broadcast sites (e.g. Hulu) from streaming outside the U.S., I can - for better or worse - get my fix of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, even if it is a day late! Strange thing is, when I’m on my computer, the Internet gods know I’m in Vienna, and tell Google and Facebook to run ads for local Viennese retailers and services, and in German. Spooky!

I am also steeping myself in European history thanks to those who gave me all sorts of books on Vienna  before I left. I particularly enjoyed Thunder at Twilight by Frederic Morton (thank you, Michael!), which beautifully, almost poetically, describes the cultural, social, political and psychological spirit of turn-of-the-century Vienna - the brilliant and prolific yet doomed epicenter of the Habsburg empire - and how the Austrian and German monarchs were essentially powerless to stop the locomotive and train of events that brought on World War I. Now I’m jumping ahead a bit to post WWII cold war Europe with Armageddon by Leon Uris, borrowed from the wall-length collection at the AWA office.

So not to worry … even though I’ve chosen not to bore you these last few weeks with the quotidian details of my life, I have been enjoying myself enormously and feeling so very much at home in this amazing city. I can’t believe that tomorrow it will already be five weeks!

I plan to do at least an entire blog post on this!

Music

The meaning of life

It only took me a week of being in Vienna to find my means of transportation to the sublime – at the beautiful Konzerthaus Wien.

I’m sure this won’t be the last time my blog contains musical chapters, but here is my first. For a mere five Euros, I was privileged to attend this morning a concert rehearsal by Concerto Copenhagen, the premier period instruments ensemble of Scandinavia, led by its director, Lars Ulrik Mortensen. The program was one piece: Georg Friedrich Händel’s oratorio, Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno (The Triumph of Time and Truth). You can read below a brief description I found online.

While I do love Baroque music, I claim no particular knowledge of, or even affinity for, vocal music, but today’s experience was truly transcendental. Mortensen’s kinetic energy was riveting as he pulled, pushed, swayed and cajoled the musicians into brilliant playing and moving interpretation.

I often feel a deficit of musical appreciation, because my training does not include extensive theory or expertise. I miss a million subtleties, nuances and compositional genius because of this. And I certainly cannot objectively critique a performance. But on a morning like this, I just drank up the sheer beauty of the sounds and knew that music must be the only meaningful thing in this world (aside, of course, from love!).

The soprano’s voice (my favorite) was like clear, glistening spring water, rippling and rushing in a stream. The first violinist’s technical skill and dynamics were a marvel. And since this was a rehearsal, I was able to observe the amazing work that goes into making really, really good music. Yet how the director could know the work so completely, and hear so well each note played and sung, so that he could articulate his desired improvements … that kind of gift is so beyond me, I simply have no words.

I managed to record a few excerpts (this was the first time I’d ever used the video feature on my camera), but unfortunately I couldn't upload them to the blog. Instead, try clicking on these links:

http://www.youtube.com/v/13d1vuhJHpI?hl=en&fs=1 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9md7BDKvs0 

But if all that weren’t enough, after an hour and a half, the orchestra took a break, and we (the guests with the women’s group I joined) were treated to complimentary Viennese coffee and cake. Does it get any better? Well, yes it does. While I enjoyed this treat, I watched out the window to see the locals enjoy ice skating in a rink right next door.  Wunderschön. Then it was back for another hour of delicious music!

For an mini-clip, click here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPHrrifTypg

As I headed down the stairs to leave, I heard a cacophony of music, and realized that during the rehearsal a market of sorts had been set up in the lobby for vendors of Baroque instruments, predominantly recorders of all shapes and sizes. What a sight! 

Then home on the Ubahn to walk Scout (the weather was actually balmy today), and a late lunch (or early dinner) of knockwurst and salad.

And that was my day today.

-----------------------

Il Trionfo del Temp e del Disinganno

There are 5 characterizations: Beauty, Time, Deceit, Pleasure, and Counsel or Truth. Beauty, admiring herself in a mirror, wishes she could arrest the passage of Time, whereupon Pleasure promises that her charms shall never fade. Counsel advises Beauty to follow Truth, warning that youth does not last. At this, Pleasure initiates a trial: Who shall give the victory, Pleasure, Beauty, Time or Counsel? In the midst of the arguments, Deceit intervenes. It's quite entertaining and not difficult to follow, and the music is delightful as Handel can be most of the time.

Welcome to my Neighborhood

A quick photo essay

Vienna is divided into 23 districts, all of which surround the Innere Stadt (inner city), or first district – its business, cultural and tourist center. Once a walled city, Vienna’s first district is now literally encircled by a boulevard called “The Ring.” I live in the ninth district, also known as Alsergrund, to the northwest of the Ring, and between it and a larger beltway, called the Gürtel (you can probably figure that one out yourself!). FYI - the famous Danube River, known in German as the Donau, runs along the northeast of the city.

If you would like to know a little more about the area and what can be found here, click this link:  Alsergrund

Meanwhile, here are few quick shots of my neighborhood to help set the scene. It may  look a bit dreary, I know, because of the cloudy weather, but what can ya do? I don't feel dreary ;-)  By the way, you can enlarge any of the images just by clicking on them. Hit the back button on your browser to return to the blog page.

Stepping out my front door,
looking to the right

Stepping out my front door,
looking to the left

View out my window, looking northwest
as a train goes by

A scene on Nussdorferstrasse, the district's main thoroughfare,
which runs parallel to my street, two blocks over

Another shot on Nussdorferstrasse,
featuring my favorite pastry shop, Aida, where you can buy
cakes named after artists like Klimt and Schiele

A tram zigzags down Nussdorferstrasse

Look how close I am!

My Ubahn (subway) station, designed by the Austrian architect, Otto Wagner, in the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) style.
The trains run every few minutes, and even though they're only two blocks from my apartment, I barely hear them.

You Dirty Dog!

Scout on the streets of Vienna

Never, and I do mean never, has Scout been so dirty.

How, you must be wondering (as I did), is that possible in one of the most cleanliness-obsessed societies in the world?

Well, honestly, it’s not the Viennese’s fault. There’s been a lot of snow this winter, and it is a city, with cars and other pollutants. Even though most of the snow is gone right now, dirt pebbles (thank goodness, not salt) are used for traction. Now, as you all have seen, Scout has long, flowing locks of fur in a lovely light shade of blonde, and she stands not all that far off the ground. So every time I walk her, she returns home wet and black underneath. A fair amount of towel drying removes the worst, but she is now a few Clairol shades darker – at least until I bathe her, which right now seems absolutely pointless.

My only solution, so far, has been to give her a significant haircut! So, gone are those cute wisps that hung airily from her legs and all along her underbelly, and yes, the fluffy pantaloons on her derriere. It doesn’t entirely eliminate the problem, but it surely reduces the cleanup time!

And, although it pains me to say it, I think I’ve already found my next political cause:  getting citizens to clean up after their canine charges. I didn’t anticipate this at all, since during my last visit, when I stayed in the third district, and walked all over the first (the main downtown area), I seldom encountered a problem.

So far, I love everything about this ninth district (more in my next post) – except that I really do have to watch where I’m going. It’s not everywhere, but prevalent enough to make you have to be cautious. The strange thing is:  there are doggie bag dispensers on almost every block and places to drop them. What gives?

And honestly, Scout is not impressed either! Her first few days here were all about prancing prissily through the rare patches of dirt to find a place to do her business. (Is this TMI?) I’ll never know the real reason – it might have been nerves, jet lag, or something else entirely – but it took nearly 24 hours and several very long walks to persuade her that, “No, this is not Teaneck, or even Portland, and you’re just going to have to get used to doing it the way Viennese dogs do it – on pavement!”

Well, day four, and I’m happy to report that she’s gotten the picture. All is well in that department! We still go on long walks – there’s so much to see (and smell!) – but not every time. I think she’s even getting to recognize where we live, and pays special attention when we pass by the front door.

Indoors, things are quite fine. Not as much floor space as before, but the outdoor walks make up for that. She knows where her bowls are (duh! What dog doesn’t?), and she has taken her place at night by the foot of my bed. Even though she’d grown attached to her crate, it really would take up too much space in the apartment, and, lucky for me, there is storage space available in the basement. So I just put down the blankets she had been lying on in the crate, and this appears to suit her quite well.

Schlaft gut, Scout!