I'M IN VIENNA!

My lovely host family from 2005 picked me up from the airport, and the drive through Vienna was so surreal.

We went to a typical little Wiener Stuebe for dinner, and being engulfed by decades of stale cigarette smoke as I walked into the dimly lit, not so well ventilated restaraunt was about the best thing I've smelled in quite some time. It always amazes me how strongly smells stimulate memories for me.

My host brothers have both gotten taller and broader through the shoulders, but other than that they are the same great Till and Elio. Till took my huge backpack right away, and I had to pass my other bag to Elio before he walked off empty handed. Just like old times. ;)

My room hadn't changed much either. Same great view of Gaussplatz and the Augarten, although the trees are taller so you can't see the Flak Tower built in WW2 so well. I slept with the windows open, and fell asleep to the smells of the pizza and cigarettes from the pizza place downstairs, and the sounds of pedestrians and the #31 tram. I slept like a baby.

This morning I slept in, and when I got up Anja and I had tea. Now we're off to a bakery for breakfast, then I think I'll tromp through Vienna for a while and see how well I can still find my way around.