First impressions of Wien –

Finally in Wien!!!!! Though the weather hasn’t been as kind as we had hoped it would, still there seems to be some aesthetically beautiful look to this city even under gray clouds. Here are some of my pros and cons of the first few days:

Though in a big city, the culture seems really relaxed. Everything seems slow paced. There isn’t too much traffic and the metro isn’t congested with travelers. In restaurants there isn’t a big rush to get you fed and out the door. This definitely has its benefits. I feel I can ease into the city, not having to worry about keeping up with the foot traffic around me. The only con I can think of currently is that this easy culture has infected business shops throughout the city. I find it ridiculous – coming from the land where 24-hour neon signs were invented – that every grocery story, apotheke, and consumer store closes at 7 pm and isn’t even open on Sundays. Through trial and error, Ive come to realize you must think further ahead than an hour to find food.

The train system is great here! So clean, efficient, and punctual… it’s every Chicagoans’ dream! Although it may not run past 12:30, it runs every five minutes up until then. It’s great.

The people of Wien seem to be slightly less friendly than I imagined. I don’t know if it is a cultural thing or it is just a metropolitan thing, but no one wants to make eye-contact or smile. Everyone on the street we pass to the people on the u-bahn, everyone keeps to their own. People also do not use words to get around. They seem to assume that everyone knows how to get around and know where to walk.