And we´re off!

Yesterday morning I dragged myself out of bed at the ungodly hour of 4.25 (eeeww), showered, and headed for Keleti. I found my train, but was convinced I was at the wrong platform since I could only see sleeper cars (that´s what I get for hopping on the night train from Romania). So I meandered purposefully back to the head of the platform, where who should I meet... D.A.V., on his way to Croatia. I was necessarily pretty happy about this, since I thought I wouldn´t see him again (or for at least three weeks) when his train from Bratislava came too late for him to join our final farewell. It was relatively cathartic.

So, after kissing him goodbye (on the cheek), I finally found the right car and headed on my way to Wien, Österreich - that's Vienna to you!

I think I did a decent job of checking out the major sights in one day. Snicket 1 and I checked out Schloss Schönbrun, the Hapsburgs' summer palace... and even though my hands were freezing I knit a couple stitches for the novelty. Then into the city to see Neue Hofburg (another Hapsburg palace) and the museums of arms and armor and archaic musical instruments contained within. Also, I went to MUMOK, a museum of modern art that I'm soooo glad D.A.V. isn't with me for- I found most of it aesthetically pleasing (although the Vienna Group was a bit out there for even me), and he HATES modern art. Like, anything Impressionism and later. I checked out Stephansdom (not really much to see- a very beautiful church like the scores of beautiful churches in Europe, and you can't go more than maybe 50 feet in), and the Opera (I don't have Opera-appropriate clothing or an Opera-appropriate wallet, sadly). I also had espresso and Sachertorte at the famous Cafe Sacher... WAY too classy for how I was dressed, but the cloakroom guy helped me put on my coat and the younger of the two waiters was very courteous (the older stared daggers at me and my hoodie). Just a hint, though- if you really want to buy me a nice cup of coffee and cake and spend way too much on it, get me the Esterházy torta at Cafe Gerbeaud in Budapest instead. Sachertorte is good, but I didn't actually think the most famous chocolate cake in the world was all that special.

I then returned to my hostel and met some people! Nina and Dimitrios from Greece, Maki from Japan, and SEVENTY-TWO THOUSAND HYPERACTIVE ROMANIAN CHILDREN (one of whom, incidentally, was fluent in three languages). It was a good time, and I made it about halfway through the second pattern repeat on Snicket 1. I think I'm still on pace with the socks!

Off to Munich today at noonish with a stopover in Salzburg. I haven't checked exactly how long it is, but I might get a chance to check out a little bit of the city.

Auf Wiedersehen!