Day 7 Saturday June 22

the narrows of old town

     Slow day. Rain at 11 as I returned from the drugstore, multi-market Müller, Naschmarkt (flea market, farmers market). In to mega sport mart to eye the Muddy Foxes and assorted cheapy bikes. Indecision plagues.  B arose late but made the breakfast cut off.  B off to Belvedere Palace to see some Klimts while I wrestle with new blog platform here in the Hostel lobby.  Software struggle exhaustion. Absolute crash nap 2:30 to 4:30.

     B and I went for light dinner on the nearby main, Mariahilfer Straße, at a sidewalk spot just down the street from the little Bosnian cafe where I lunched.  Deeply philosophical discussion of bike choices. I am leaning and being pushed toward the Venerable Kettler and away from the shiny bobbles.We proceeded into the old town on the now familiar U3 orange line. Wandered the narrow side streets to a liederhosen cafe for a weissbeir and then into the Porgy and Bess Jazz club for a bit of the experimental. Had thought to check the Actress Lounge nearby mainly because it opened at 9:30 pm and closed at 5 am and we were curious. But when we arrived at 10 it was still shut. So we went home.

Day 5 and 6 Thursday and Friday 6/20 & 6/21

WC at far right

Small water feature at Schönbrunn Palace

Thursday June 20

     B in yesterday at about three. Wanted to keep moving. Subway to Volks Theatre Park. Sandwich and drink under tree. Downpour. B ran for the shelter of the WC I stayed under tree. Hit a boozhee outdoor bar. Another downpour: extreme. Had a beer.

     Back to Hostel to recoup. Quick turnaround and out to Schönbrunn Palace for free Vienna Philharmonic Konzert. Maybe a million people there. Long variation on Rhapsody in Blue.

Home of the priesthood

Looking over the Kettler

Friday June  21

     Down the bicycle rabbit hole. Caught between the hucksters selling the Muddy Fox line of sparkling garbage at the mega sports emporium and the evangelicals in the hole in the wall cellar bike collective with broken Muddy Fox components on display under a sign reading “shit wall”. Muddy Fox new for 225€, venerable used German Ketler from evangelical- 250€. There is not clear path forward. Fahrrad Keller’s used bike collection was interesting, limited and a little weird.

Exhausted now we rest. Later a bite to eat and perhaps go to some battle of the bands on the far side of the Danube. 

In the Radheim Funfhaus cellar

Day 4

 

Home

Home 2

     Bank holiday! What does that mean? It may mean that many, many places are closed. Maybe the Naschmarkt (world food market) is not happening, but the jury is out on that. Must go to Westbahnhof and visit the OBB office to see about putting bike on train in Bucharest. Don’t really have a bike, but still preparation must be made. I wonder if Reanimate is open. Must try to phone Peter Pluhar; have questions re bike.
Nels in London. I’m wasting time fighting with Blogger app and enjoying the chaos of tongues here in the Hostel reception area.
OBB says no bikes on train from Bucharest to Vienna. Retrenchment!
Excerpt from conversation with R -
R - “So no bikes on train? What will do?”
Me - Hmmm. Tomorrow I go to FAHRRAD KELLER - Rossauer Lände 33, 1090 Wien, Austria with Bergquist to view Keller’s stable of used fahrrads which is apparently his specialty. It will be a new dawn.

Day 3

Lipidzoners?

Fruhstuck

Dark over Danube

Euro breakfast. With big Jim from Milwaukee of whom Rick Steves would be so proud. Attacked public transport with a sense of determination. Rode the number 6 tram to Reanimated Bikes. Arrived at 8:30; they open at 10. Boarded the number 49 tram eastbound to the edge of grand old Hapsburgian Vienna. Saw a small herd of white horses and uniformed (hot?) riders farting around in a park. Running out of phone juice (not wise) so grabbed a couple subways back to Hostel Ruth to recharge and recoup. Stopped in the Westbahnhof mall complex - my hood - to snare some sweet no sock socks and a couple other items at the Muller store. After juice-up must sally out again to Reanimate.
Returning to Reanimate, a deal is made for a Reanimated Scott bicycle to rent for more or less 6 weeks for 180€ mit die owner Peter Pluhar who may be something of a bike Mensch. It is an interesting but not foreseen thing. Vie must bait und zee.
Other wise I rode the trains to the elegant horse-drawn precincts of the old city and across the Donau itself where the Romans and the Visigoths faced-off under Boadica or maybe Alaric. There was lightning up river.

Day One and Two

Honestly, flying. But all was smooth and efficient, probably not my fault as I am not a frequent solo traveler. I did study. S and I rode the Tokatee at 9 and I opened the door of Hostel Ruthensteiner at 5 minutes before 3 the next day (Tuesday).
Notes/texts sent in the moment
At the Hostel Ruthensteiner. Hanging slightly with the international youths. Vienna is a very large urban complex; very complex. At first blush anyway.
(Vienna) Right now it’s like a medieval Miami.
I’ve been tentatively wandering in the Westbahnhof shopping complex. Shameful since it is basically a foofoo mall wrapped around a train station. Tomorrow will be better.