Vienna

Finally we are out of Venice. I've got to say, Venice was not my favourite--partially because of our location, but mostly because Venice seems to have been excessively touristified. Is s a great place if you want to huy elaborate carnival mask, or an 18th century style wig, or a Fendi purse, or an €80 gondola ride. I have a strong suspicion no one lives there except people involved in the tourist trade. Other than visiting the Peggy Gugenheim, I could have done with less Venice and more Vienna*, which is too bad since we're only here for 2 days.

Awesome things about Vienna:
-our hostel gives out free ice lollies when it is hot, as well as city maps that are accurate, helpful, and hilarious.
-their busking scene is excellent. They have people playing grand pianos on street corners, for instance.
-everything used to be something else. Each destination in our hilarious guidebook/map begins with, "this café used to be a brothel...thus bar used to be a metro station...this club used to be a bathroom (no, really)..."
-the wiener schnitzel I just ate, which was accompanied by possibly the best salad ever, which had marinated fried potatoes in it. In the salad.
-it doesn't cost an extra €3 just to sit at a table to have your morning coffee.
-metros. I never realized how much I love metros in foreign cities until there wasn't one.

So there it is. I have already decided I need to come back to Vienna because 2 days isn't nearly enough time to visit all the ex-bathrooms in this place.

*the most interesting thing about Venice was the might train leaving it, when we shared a cabin with a fransiscan monk who spent most of the journey listening to Italian opera music on his iPod and singing along to his favourite parts.