Vienna

My man works in Vienna all month of August and he asked me to join him for the week-end. I liked the idea; never been to this city, heard only good things and I have a friend living there. So I booked the flight, took a day off and Austria, here I am! The flight conditions were not the best ones: maybe I am too sensitive but I had the feeling the speakers were too loud, the baby never stopped crying and when usually I sleep the entire journey to rest, couldn’t close an eye. Then you don’t find it easy to reach the city from the airport, even if you speak the language (well, sort of) and people not really keen on helping: Maybe I was too tired and touchy. Once reached the city centre, the good idea was to have a drink, weather is nice and warm, what a change compared to Berlin where it’s still cold and rainy. But second surprise: terraces close at 11:00 p.m. ! When you arrived at 22:45, of course the barkeeper tends to say, please sit inside. But the one we met was nice enough to let us having a table outside, I must have looked so done that I am not sure I would have accepted another disappointment for the day. Then a walk through the beautiful park to have a view at all the museums and nice buildings and went to bed. The next day I had an appointment for lunch time with my friend who specially took a day off to stay with me and to make me enjoy his city. After the delicious club sandwich in the museum area, we headed under the sun in the city center where you can find all those beautiful buildings. They made the reputation of the Vienna because they are magnificent and also recently renovated. It’s not that I am not interested in visiting exhibitions but the weather was so nice and I didn’t see the sun for so long that I wanted to stay outside. So we did. We walked until the Danube which has been restructured, so to say, because of the flood. Looking at the stream from the bridge, I was very surprised how fast It goes. That is why the city opened 2 other “streets” to allow the river not to go on streets and houses. Following the way, we headed east until the other side of the bank. Just before that, my friend showed me A building left from second world war, a bunker built by Nazis to fire planes flying the Austrian sky. He said to me that the building is so strong with concrete that It is too difficult (time and money) to destroy it. So they use it as a mountain for the ones who like to climb or nice point of view. You can find a few left in the city. Starting to get thirsty, and always so warm outside, we went on the Danube Canal, and stopped at Tel Aviv Beach, the newest hit on the Vienna out door summer scene that opened May 1st at Herminengasse – just on the edge of the old Jewish Quarter in the 2nd District of Leopoldstadt. With its white plastic chairs and tables ankle deep in beach-sand and Vienna’s jeunesse dorée in casual chic lolling to the sounds of Israeli chill-out pop blending with the aroma of Shishas spiraling up from ornate water pipes, this could almost be Tel-Aviv, I thought. Sipping on my ice tea.. People have taken on the soul of the city in a whole new way, I thought. It was a beautiful sight. Toward the farther end of the beach was perhaps the strangest sight of all: a four poster with furled curtains surrounding twin mattresses made up like a bridal bed. A handsome couple, fully clothed, was stretched out full length, propped up on an elbow or two sipping something fruity and gazing out at the water. Reservations required? No, first arrived, first served. Carrying on, we followed the bank und ended up at the right time for the aperitif in the Hermann’s Strand bar which is also famous.Take your shoes off, when you come to Strandbar Hermann or you’ll ruin them. Sand, canvas chairs and people are everywhere. If you want to get a free chair you better come before working hours are over. This is the place to be in the summer, so expect a lot of young, well-dressed men and women after work as well as not that well-dressed students and even tops free for men. In the evenings there are often some DJ’s helping out with taking our troubles away and letting us forget out sorrows until we are back at work. Voted second best bar in the world by Condé Nast Traveler in 2006, the Herrmann gets its name from its location in the canal-side Herrmannpark, which commemorates Emanuel Herrmann (1839-1902), inventor of the picture postcard. And it's a bit like being beside the seaside here. The promontory where the Wien river enters the Danube Canal has been covered with sand and strewn with deckchairs. No bathing but plenty of sunbathing, eating and chilling to great sounds until 2am. After two drinks, a lot of sun and heat, we needed a rest before going for dinner and decided to go back home for a while. After that, my friend knows a Turkish restaurant near where we stayed and we could go walking, which is a good option, only 10 minutes walk. The restaurant is called Kent and is located in the street where you find a marked every day (outside Sunday) Even when we arrived around 10:00 p.m, the market was still there and very living. Once there, you have the feeling It is only a small place where they serve Dönner. But looking at the restaurant’s sign, I noticed “by warm weather, the garden is opened” The garden? We entered, followed a pretty long corridor, saw a woman changing her baby’s clothes and then discovered the beautiful place behind the building. It was amazing, like an oasis in the city. But we arrived too late. The city law is very strict with the noise and because the garden must be closed at the latest 11:00 p.m, there is no possibility to get a table after 10:00 p.m. Nevertheless, we were lucky enough to be able to enjoy the winter garden before they close all doors. I even regret not have taken the big portion as I found mine too light (but I was very hungry). And for the price, there is no hesitation to have. After that, we had a drink further down on the street where you can find bars next to another but not really interesting to notice. My friend decided to go back home as he knew we wanted to carry on going out in the gay area but again here, forget, nothing to see, hard to find and no friendly gay people, only bored and starved men awaiting new flesh in unfriendly expensive bars. Not interested. I was warned but I wanted to see by myself : I did. Done. Thank you. Next. The next came as a big surprise the next day. Of course we were not in the best shape after the night we had to do a lot and we wanted to stay outside, again. Because of the nice weather. What is very easy in Vienna is the use of the public transports. And my boyfriend wanted to show me the Danube island, just a few metro stations away. From there, rent a bike, per hour as you wish, and start the tour of both islands. There is a third little one that we could not visit because It is a pool area and there is a fee to pay. But keep in mind that at the Danube banks, all is made for your comfort and you easily can go for a swim directly there. Only by the sight of well preserved water and grass, I wanted to dive to refresh myself. After a few ices eaten at the place, we gave back the bicycles and took back the metro, this time to the Prater, worldwide known amusement park. I don’t like that so we didn’t spend much time there but It’s worth a visit, even short, because of the ancient merry-go-round not yet destroyed. After that, It was time today for aperitif and we decided to meet at café Savoy which I recomend. This traditional Viennese coffeehouse dates back to the imperial era – quite obvious in the plush furnishings and stucco. On Saturdays, when an eclectic flea market takes place on the adjacent Naschmarkt, the Savoy also opens in the morning. Soaring frescoed ceilings and a smoke-stained beaux-arts decor that evokes the grand Imperial days of the Habsburgs make this cruisy cafe/bar an appealing setting. Café Savoy is an established gay haunt that has a more traditional cafe feel to it. The clientele is generally very mixed on a Saturday – mainly due to the proximity of the Naschmarkt – but at other times it’s filled with men of all ages (but not only). Enjoy the flee market opposite and have a coffee afterwards. I guess one of the only bar also you can smoke inside. But after all that, we were starting to feel tired and headed back home and enjoy the last moments of the day and start of the night, sipping white wine in the center of the city, sitting on the stairs at the café Oben. The entrance is both ways : if you’re courageous enough, climb the stairs until the end, if not, like me, take the elevator which is located in the metro station, just a few steps away. Everything was perfect there : the wine, the company, the view, the noise of the city, the lights, the warmth of the summer breeze. Time to bed before leaving the city the next day, the head full of beautiful images.