about to start last day in Vienna.
Arrived in Vienna Friday after a 9.5 train ride from Hamburg. I enjoy riding trains so it was a nice relaxing time and a time to rest.
Vienna (Wien) Austria is truly an exceptional city. The history and architecture is amazing - I'm having a grand time of it all. But of all the things that Vienna is it is not Germany. I came to Vienna after my two weeks in Germany because, in-part, Austria is a German speaking nation. That may be true, but what about Vienna.
The fact is, the signs are in German but I really don't hear a lot of German being spoken. True, I've been hanging out at what would be considered "tourist' sections, but still, I hear a lot of Russian and some eastern European languages that I don't know at all, and ever so often, a bit of German.
There are other signs that I'm not in Germany anymore. The most striking is the absence of the "Ampfel Männchen" - the traffic light men. You know, the "green man walking, red man stopped" as my daughter always liked to say. The traffic men are so popular they've become their own brand. Click here to read some interesting facts about them - cool stuff.
Vienna has their own version - green and red couples with hearts. I, however, miss the Ampfelmann and my daughter chanting - "time to go, green man walking."
I made it to the Naschmarkt (a street market) for a while yesterday (Monday). It was cold and misty that sent shivers to yer bone so I wasn't there for long. Weather looks better today so time to head out.
Until next time, be safe, be good and keep searching for your Kansas.
