In a Kafffeehaus in Wien

If there are two things that unite this blog, it's traveling and coffeeshops. With that in mind, this post is the embodiment of this blog. I am in the Cafe Central in Vienna http://www.palaisevents.at/en/cafecentral.html) and I can't think of many more grand locations I've logged on the internet with my computer - the Library of Congress might be it. Like many buildings in Vienna, the style of this cafe is quite ornate with large crisscrossing arches spanning the ceiling supported by Corinthian columns. A piano player in the center of the cafe alternates between classical tunes and modern renditions (I'm pretty sure I heard a Gwen Stefani song), and the seats are all covered by a plush maroon fabric. The cashier and pastry making area are centrally located, and I'm sitting literally next to where the desserts are placed before they are brought to guests. The cafe has an impressive history, with a lengthy list of famous frequent visitors from the turn of the 20th century (Leon Trotsky, Sigmund Freud). As a result, its modern rendition is understandably touristy. It's not clear to me whether it still a haunting ground of great literary minds, or whether they're all at some hipster place across the Danube, but I'm enjoying my time here.

I don't have much of said time though, so here are some bulletpoint thoughts of this trip which has been Padova to Venice to Innsbruck to Salzburg to Vienna (thus far):

• Vienna in German is Wien. How does such a short lackluster name gain so much elegance in translation?
• Venice doesn't feel like a real city. It is incomparably unique. Water instead of land will do that.
• In addition, of all the cities I've been to, Venice is the one most overrun by tourists. Sites like the Great Wall of China, Bagan, Statue of Liberty, Vatican etc. you expect those to be completely inhabited by tourists. But Venice used to be a center of world trade and a naval powerhouse. Now it seems like a place where it's hard to have a "real" job.
• Innsbruck is amazing. It's a small town with similarities to Aspen and Bruges. It's got Alpine views, a roaring river and old town Medieval feel, and has hosted 2 Winter Olympics.
• There wasn't classical music at every street corner in Salzburg, which was a bit of a disappointment.
• I can't remember many of the trips I took before the age of 12. I'm even hazy on a family vacation to Lisbon at the age of 16. It sparks the philosophical debate of whether travel is worth it for little kids.
• I forgot to bring my camera on this trip, so I'm constantly whipping out my phone for pictures. It's not helping my phone addiction, and also making me question the role of pictures in trips. Often they seem to be the only thing I remember from trips, and thus have too large an effect on my memory of the trip. I used to think it was so important to just enjoy the moment and not distance myself behind the lens of a camera. But there's something to be said about having something to share with others. Plus sometimes you're so overwhelmed by a place that you can't process it properly your first time there, and only get it after returning numerous times to your pictures.
• The pianist just finished "Misty." So lovely.