Coming Back To Myself

The last few posts were clearly very political. I went back on my own rule not to be controversial or confrontational on this blog. There are no regrets however because it was a somewhat selfless act; after all I live a simple but contented life in Munich. There’s really no need for me to worry or comment on the suffering of Nigerians back in Nigeria. Having purged myself of my ire, I intend to come back to myself and regain my equanimity. Anything I do, I will do from beyond the political fray. Come what may, I will strive once more to avoid political commentary. 

I spent last week in Vienna. I resist the temptation to gloat here so I say the following with sincere joy – Vienna is a beautiful, beautiful city. My four days and nights away were not a luxury break however. Though I got to go out in the evenings, I actually went to Vienna to teach two intensive Business English skills seminar courses. I departed from Munich on the evening of Sunday 14^th March. After a four and a half hour train journey I arrived at the Westbahnhof. By the time I figured out the tickets I needed to buy for my stay, made a few queries in bad German, got to my hotel, checked in and unpacked it was past 10 pm. I worked from Monday to Thursday (9.30 to 4.30) and caught the 18.20 train back to Munich on 18^th March. This meant I only had three evenings in which I could tour the city. Since I was booked into a very comfortable but modest three star hotel, there were no evening meals provided. With guidebook in hand I therefore put the company provided per diem to good use by frequenting suggested cafés and sampling some of the less calorie rich desserts after dinner. 

On Monday evening I went to café Figlmüller on 5 Wollzeille without a reservation – bad idea. I eventually redirected my steps to the mirror laden café Schwartzenberg on Kärntner Ring 17 (get off at Karlsplatz on U1, U2 or U4 underground lines). On Tuesday I went to Vapiano (get off at Herrengasse on U3 underground line) then went to café Diglas for an Apfel Strudel dessert. On Wednesday evening I returned to café Diglas on 10 Wollzeille (get off at Stephansplatz on U1 or U3 underground lines) had a full meal and dessert. One word of warning, with Austrian cafés there are smoking and non-smoking sections side by side. This means if like me, you are none smokers you will be subjected to passive smoking. Munich is a luxury from that perspective since restaurants are completely non-smoking unless otherwise specified. Another word of warning is that the waiters are congenitally grumpy. It was comical to see the waiter serving me at café Schwartzenberg becoming temporarily genial and going so far as to speak English to me (a demand I hadn’t made of him) after I gave him a generous tip. Grumpy or not I left a tip because, I’ve waited tables before and a waiter has to be very rude to me before I refuse to leave a tip. 

Losing umbrellas has become something of a trademark of mine and this trip was no exception. On my return trip I initially got on the wrong carriage then realised I had to move to the front carriages because the train was due to decouple in Salzburg. Had I remained on my carriage I would have ended up in Innsbruck. I duly disembarked and couldn’t figure out why I felt somewhat light. Five minutes to departure time it came to me but I refused to leave my seat. I chalked that up to another lost umbrella. 

There are lovelorn umbrellas awaiting my return in places as far-flung as Mexico City, Nuremberg, Vancouver, Tokyo and now on a Railjet train. There’s no telling where this particular umbrella will end up – Bucharest, Budapest, Prague, Innsbruck, Linz, Vienna, Salzburg? I wish you well umbrella. This post wouldn’t be complete without a few pictures. Sorry if they’re a little dark but all I could manage after a day’s teaching was a whirlwind march through the centre of Vienna. Did I mention Vienna is a beautiful city? I love you Munich, really I do but if I were offered a job in Vienna right now, with the right salary package, I’d move. In an ideal world the University of Vienna would offer me an English for academic purposes teaching position and a generous stipend so I could pursue a PhD in English Linguistics on the side. Ah bliss! 

Vienna State Opera

 

Approach to Michaelerplatz

 

Michaelerplatz

 

Plague column on Graben

 

Stephansdom

 

Stephansdom from behind

 

Stephansdom from behind_2

 

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