Oh Vienna!

For the avoidance of doubt, Vienna is NOT in Italy. Nor is it famed for gondolas, cornetto ice creams or coloured glass. That’s Venice. An entirely different city!

No, I’ve arrived in Vienna, Austria, home of the dancing horses (no thanks); permanent Ferris wheel (absolutely not), Mozart and opera, (now that I could do!). I’m also hoping, given its proximity to Germany and all things Bavarian, that the beer will be good!

The plane is packed, with half the passengers being made up of a group of teenagers on a school trip. Like the ones I’ve left at home, they are largely silent. Phew!!

When we land it’s grey and cold and raining. Thankfully I checked the forecast and have a rain coat. So much for the people watching plans for this evening. Somehow I get squashed in amongst the school group on the bus bringing us to the terminal. Everyone of them has a back pack stuffed to bursting and unfortunately none seems to have yet developed the spatial skills required for these circumstances so everyone gets bumped and pushed and pressed while the owners remain happily oblivious to our receding personal space.

The train journey into the city centre offers views much like any other large city – mostly industrial, run down areas, although there are glimpses of the architecture yet to come. The station platforms have remnants of old style Austrian houses with peaked roofs and shuttered windows. I’m reminded that I’ve been here before! I’d forgotten. When I was ten I came to Austria with my primary school – a beautiful place called Zell am Ziller in the Tyrol. It now seems like such a young age to be away for a week. I can recall the teachers but strangely not the pupils from that trip. It prompts a vivid memory of sitting in the school playground for storytime one warm summers day with Miss Harris. She was getting married and leaving the school: to work elsewhere or to take up domestic duties I have no idea, but on this particular day, my six-year-old self sat under the dappled shade of a tree, as our teacher wept instead of reading us our story. She told us she was sad to leave the school and I was astonished. I didn’t know adults had feelings!

I wonder what else Vienna will unearth for me!!!