Vienna : First Impressions
This was originally our last stop before the Better Half decided to plunge into a whirlwind adventure of relocating to Europe for his postgraduate studies. One way or another, the circumstances were not within our own control. Hence the saying goes, “Seize the Day!”
Arriving here after the stopover in Salzburg, it was already dark when we were peering into the map to search for our apartment. To stand at the exit of the underground metro station and not having a single clue of which direction to go had been a familiar scenario for us by now. Our apartment was not located at the usual tourist location, hence the lower price and quieter surrounding.
We turned to a corporately dressed gentleman for help. He too had a printed map and his female companion had just arrived. At first, it was strange to see a local with a local map. Later I realized that Vienna is a large city and a complex network of underground metro, suburban trains, street trams, bus and regional trains. You would still need a map to territories less frequented even if you grew up here.
The gentleman and his friend offered to lead us to our destination, claiming that they were heading that way too. After we arrived, we saw them turn into another street.
At the apartment block, due to my oversight, we didn’t know which was our unit. A father and son, just returning from their tennis game, tried very sincerely to speak in English to us and they insisted on walking with us to the nearby university dorms. Though inside us we were sure that was not where we should be going, we followed anyway to pay heed to the father’s generosity to help. When we reached, we thanked him and after bidding goodbye quickly asked the next person we saw coming out of the building for an internet café nearby. Luckily there was one around the block and I managed to access my emails again to sort everything out.
Besides these kind people, I had Austrian men holding the door open for me in trains and shops on several occasions (in addition to the Better Half of course). We have arrived into a society of well mannered and refined gentlemen.