Arrived in Spain on the 4th and have been going non-stop since then. That is now done. Slept eleven hours last night and have only left the apartment here in Vienna to get some groceries.
Long recap now….
Trip started out great: there was an upgrade available!
And a nice view of the track as we took off from Austin.
However it didn’t take long before things went badly. Screaming kids all around me. I tried to sleep, but there was no chance. I finally sat up, got out my laptop, and started doing work. Shortly after that, the flight attendant came up to me and in a very understanding tone asked if alcohol would help.
Made it to Frankfurt. Got through passport control pretty quickly. Boarded the plane from outside and from the back. I don’t remember ever doing that before.
While boarding, the back few rows were overtaken by a stretcher. I didn’t see if they put someone on there or not. We exited through the front. I bet that would be a strange way to fly.
Finally made it to Málaga. The signs were in German, English, and Spanish. I learned the Germans vacation here a lot. The down arrows on the signs confused me. They don’t mean go down; they mean go straight. We’d use up arrows in the US. Took me a while of looking for a down staircase before I caught on. (Did I mention screaming kids and sleep deprivation?)
Also, there was a different place to collect checked bags for those who came from a non-EU country. I sat at the flight’s baggage carousel until the final bag was delivered. But not mine. Thank goodness for AirTags! I knew my bag was nearby, just not where.
As I stood in line to report missing baggage, I noticed a woman who had been on the same flight as me. I said something about always losing bags and grateful for my AirTags. She saved us both: well, her fiancé did. He had been to this airport before, and pointed her toward this other baggage location.
Both of our bags were there. I guess that’s a point in favor of small talk with a stranger.
Then in was a week of work. It was busy. Too busy. I overloaded my calendar. I didn’t take any photos, except this one in a bathroom where they meant to translate the word to “button.” Ha!
After a long work week, it was off to Vienna. I picked my Airbnb because it had roof access. The view is nice, including Wiener Rathaus (city hall).
My Fitbit shows how the week went. No sleep while flying. Then trying to catchup once in Spain. Then: offsite, offsite, offsite, offsite. Then collapse in Austria. I haven’t dared look at my sleep since then. My friends have been keeping me busy!
Schönbrunn Palace, where the Habsburgs spent summers. Its use and construction include dates in the 1500s through 1700s.
Viewed a Gottfried Helnwein installation at the ALBERTINA. It had some pretty violent images. One of my friends had to leave part way through. The artist liked using Disney and anime characters for effect.
A typical street. The buildings aren’t tall. The skyline is more Washington, D.C. than NYC. Though the buildings are old and ornate like London (and probably the rest of Europe).
The Belvedere, summer home for Prince Eugene. The museum called him the second most powerful person after the Emperor. I’m probably going to go back with my camera. It’s such a beautiful building!
St. Stephen’s Cathedral at the center of Vienna. Only one tower was completed, though two were planned. There’s supposedly a tragic love story behind the tower not being completed — though more likely fable than fact.
The interior of the cathedral looks exactly as you’d expect based on the exterior.
There was a film crew in the nave so I took a photo of one of the side altars. Which was still larger than most.
At one point we took a little detour in our walking so they could show me the Lipizzaner Stallions in their winter stables. During the summer they live out in the countryside.
One of my friend’s family members works at Parliament. So we got a behind-the-scenes tour!
Including the Federal Assembly room where the upper and lower houses gather together when needed. Typically for presidential inauguration. Though it would also be used to declare war.
And the National Council chambers, where lawmakers debate. Their government looks more like the UK than the US. While in the US the chambers are rarely filled — elected officials generally just showing up for big events or to vote — in Austria (and the UK) they get into real debates.
They pointed to one desk in particular (I can’t remember the politician’s name) and said he has a bad habit of swearing a lot on the floor!
They also have different Cokes than us. I saw a caffeine free Coke Zero in the stores. And I’m drinking this one now.
But, most importantly, dessert!
I haven’t made plans for the rest of my stay. Roughly I expect to work in the mornings and then go out in the afternoons and evenings.
Travel 