Delete - The Crazy Bum, the Gay Guy and the Real Prince Charming


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Europe » Austria » Vienna » Vienna
September 14th 2013
Saved: February 25th 2013
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Is it really almost over already? Really? I had to take a moment to count the countries and places we’ve been to. Checked my itinerary. OMG, we’ve finally arrived at the last stop: Vienna. Two weeks is not enough. Well, even three months won’t be enough. It will always be insufficient when you’re doing what you love the most.

Due to last minute reroute to Budapest, it means last minute ticket purchase from Budapest to Vienna as well. I lost the 9 am train ticket by minutes. It was there when I started, but it’s already gone when I refreshed the page. So we ended up taking the 7 am train. I actually don’t like the idea of an early start especially after late night out plus night train the night before, but I guess that’s the consequences we have to deal with. M console me that perhaps everything happened for a reason. Several hours later he was proven to be right.

Vienna is only about two hours away from Budapest but it’s a vast difference. I’m glad to be back to a “groomed” country. I enjoyed Hungary, but I’m just craving for a bit of “structure” back in my life. After dropping bags at my hotel and purchased the 48 hours metro card, we went straight to Schonbrunn Palace. Looking at the very long lines, yikes, now I understand why Tripadvisor forum is advising to buy prepaid ticket online. I was going back and forth whether I should stay in the queue or venture out different side of Vienna. But then I decided to just bite the bullet and stay. Because I know, if I leave, I’ll probably won’t be back again tomorrow. Or ever. Who knows when will I visit Vienna again?

After the long queue, I still have to wait for my schedule for the palace tour. They limit the number of person every session so it won’t get jammed inside. While waiting I walked around the parks and gosh, apparently you don’t have to pay to go to the parks! And that’s the pretty side. So what am I queuing for? Apparently the ticket will allow you to go inside the palace and see the rooms . But actually just going to the gardens is nice – which is what M did.

But then again, I guess everything does happen for a reason. As I was in awe for the amazing apartments and rooms – I saw a guy that’s definitely not Caucasian. He looked at me, and I looked at him. I’m like, why is he kept looking at me? Then three seconds later I realized, it’s F, my old college pal whom I’ve never met since 8 years ago. We just couldn’t believe it. I was on a business trip when he was in Singapore couple of years back so we literally never saw each other over these years. And here we are now, unplanned. Had I took the later train, I wouldn’t have met him. We chatted a bit and apparently we also stayed at the same hotel! OMG, how scary is that. I guess it’s meant to be. We exchanged contacts and planned for group dinner that night. Then I went on to my next destination to explore Vienna further.

The sky was cloudy in the morning, but toward the afternoon it actually opened up and voila – blue sky. There’s a free bike that you can use but I’m too nervous to bike in a crowded street. M had a veal schnitzel for lunch which looks nice, I had a veg tortellini instead – which I left cold because I was hunting for pictures. O yes – pictures! My camera was broken since Budapest, but I somehow found a work around. This girl doesn’t quit that easily he he… Well, I still have to fix it after I’m back, but the work around should still survive for two more days.

St Stephansdom is probably the most famous landmark in Vienna. And the blue sky is still there as a backdrop. I must’ve lost track of time because the elevator to the tower has just been closed. Like minutes ago. But the two people in front of me seem to be VIP. My Deutsch is a bit rusty but I can understand in bits and pieces that apparently the couple was VIP and the third person was their private tour guide. The guide tried to convince the guard to let them go up. And eventually chatted with some manager there. I don’t know. But they let them go up. As the elevator still got some space, we were let in as well. Yayy! Lucky, lucky, lucky. The view from the top is nice. What’s interesting is the patterned roof top of the cathedral.

From there, walked a bit more around Graben, see some small church from outside and Kartnerstrasse. I was eager to taste some Melange and Sacher Torte in the famous Café Demel. If a café already established for at least a hundred years, there must be something in the water isn’t it? Uhm, but it tasted so so. Unfortunately the apple strudel had some rhum in it so I can’t try hiks hiks. I don’t normally drink coffee because I don’t like the taste, but hey when you’re in Vienna you do it the Viennese way. So I drank a cup of Melange. Uhm, still did not convert me to become a coffee lover. I thought as a coffee lover, M would enjoyed sitting leisurely in a café but he was slightly grumpy because I didn’t know which metro is the nearest to his hostel and I’m not allowed to take pictures on our way back because it always took too long, he said. Well, it’s just one of those days where you just have to take the punches for the team, I guess.

After a couple of rest, we met up with F and his Caucasian bf to have group dinner in this pasta restaurant. It was nice. Afterwards they offered to continue our catch up elsewhere. I was a bit hesitant but… I thought… Yeah, it’s been a while. Why not?

After a very long walk, we finally arrived at the Museum Quartier. All of the museums already closed and only left several chairs out in the open. Somehow reminds me of a beer garden. The boys chose their favorite drinks and I stick to my mango juice. I’m so newbie drinking in this setting that I don’t even know their lingo. Like for example the waiter kept asking me what’s the water ratio that I want? Ha? What’s that? I never knew having mango juice was so complicated. The waiter got bored repeating his question and rather than explaining it once more to me, he just took the liberty to give me whatever. I’m fine with it. As long as there’s no alcohol in it.

The night is getting late, and we just chit chat aimlessly. Mostly about our lives in different parts of the world. F and I reminiscing the old days back at college. We were working part time at the same lab. Well, “working” is probably not exactly the right word. Just bunch of fresh grads hanging at the lab, having some fun and sometimes doing some computer programming and research for oil companies. In between “work” I remember F and I used to sing together at the lab. He even once tried out for one of the local singing competition when they stopped by our small town. F then insisted me to be his vocal coach ha ha… And I couldn’t sing either! It was so the “blind leading the blind” situation.

For old time sake, I started to sing a line that we used to sing duet to. He laughed and started to sing in bits and pieces. We couldn’t finish the song because we were laughing. People must’ve thought we’re so drunk because we were singing. Hey, I’m still sober! Ha ha… F then takes a close look of me and said “Gosh you haven’t changed a bit – have you? You still looked the same”. I shrugged and thank my SK-II for it. “Eight years and you’re still the same person…” he said. “Hey, I disagree with that – I actually think I look better now ha ha….”, I said. He took a deep breath, paused and then said “… You know, I used to have a mad crush on you…” I grinned. OMG, the alcohol finally gets into his head. “Yeah, I know. You told me.”, I said. The he blab about he used to take singing lessons in the far side of the city because I went for my piano lessons there – I didn’t even remember that. Then he questioned why did I marry R, since when I dated him, were we kissing , etc. All three of us were classmates and I guess he’s wondering why R was the one. He actually asked that couple of times in the past on our chats and when I was just married. Well, what can I say? I connected waaaaay more with my hubby R – we shared the same principles, shared the same practicality and logic in looking at life, and we feel really comfortable with each other. And I didn’t have any feelings for him beyond friends. As simple as that.

I took another sip of my mango juice because I don’t know what to say. This is slightly uncomfortable. But then I gave my evil eye to M. “See, I told you there are other people who liked me besides my husband and the crazy bum who chased me in elementary school!” He gave his sarcastic smile and said, “Well, between the crazy guy, the gay guy and your hubby – yeah you made the right choice”. Oh, if he only knew there are even more guys! Is it so hard to believe that this awesome girl is likeable ha ha…

The boys then chose to go to a gay bar. I decided to not join them. It’s too much. Even hanging out at the beer garden was actually too much for me. I promised myself to keep M safe for at least these two weeks and I failed on that… I took the last metro back to the hotel alone. This time, I didn’t get lost. Thank God. It’s already midnight and it wouldn’t be safe to get lost.

It was a very long roller coaster day for me, and I thought it was finally over. Apparently it’s not. They texted me again and said they were downstairs. Some story about the bar closed . I think they just felt bad to leave me behind and decided to hang out at the hotel lobby instead. I wiped away my puffy eyes and soldiered up with a fake smile. They made the effort and so should I. As they drink the night away, I could think of thousand ways to do things differently that day. Unfortunately there’s no such thing as a time machine. I wish my prince charming is here to hug me. And I wish I could’ve kept my other prince safe too. I hope one day down the line, they could find their way back. Somehow, someday, someway…

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Comments only available on published blogs

22nd February 2013

Interesting, personal blog! You also have some great architectural shots.
24th February 2013

Destiny... as they say it was meant to happen
Wow, that is so cool that you ran into an old college friend. Amazingly small world. Things do happen for a reason. Love the photos.

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