We are the World! (Vienna)
It really is amazing what a Little rest can do. Yesterday, waking up for the first time in a bed after a week of Camping, my whole Body aching and sore, I felt there is no way I can carry on with the trip by bike. However, after a second good night's sleep along with some very heart-warming human interaction, I already feel like a new Person.
I spent most of yesterday just relaxing, refusing to give in to the usual touristic temptations (or obligations) that a City of Vienna's calibre has. So, instead of going sight-seeing, visiting Museums or exhibitions, I did what i love most of all: i watched and talked to people.
The hostel that I had found based on their ad in my route map turned out to be one of the typical establishments full of youngsters doing their first Inter-Rail, enjoying the freedom from parental control. However, along with the social media era, somehing fundamental has changed in the atmosphere of these hubs where travellers come together. When earlier the social rooms used to bustle with energy, conversation and laughter, now all you see are faces peering at the screens of smartphones, necks craned toward videos or Chats, while the only sound you hear is that of the keyboards of laptops. It does make me feel nostalgic, as a room full of teens that are all perfectly quiet is actually a little depressing!
To my relief, I did manage to find someone to have a real conversation with, and spent the morning having a leisurely breakfast in the garden. What came as an unexpected, wonderful bonus was the foot and leg massage that surely helped my body and mind settle into a perfect Sunday mood.
Once the washing machine and dryer had finished their job and I had prolonged the inevitable with another hour by listening to my favourite Pugliese recordings, I finally ventured out of the hostel. Cycling lazily through the sun-warmed pedestrian streets of Vienna, I once again remembered how relaxing I find it to be surrounded by people from many different cultures, even if i don't necessarily talk or interact with them so much.
Reaching the main shopping street Kärtnerstraße that stretches accross most of the City centre, I got off my bike and found a place to sit in the shade, watching the cavalcade of people that was Streaming in front of my eyes. Almost no shops were open, so they were all here for the same reason: to watch and be watched, to take in the atmosphere. There were street artists, beggars, bicycle tourers and tour groups led by a guide cheerfully waving whatever suitable article they had at hand.
All of a sudden, a familiar face showed up in front of me: Eszter whom I have met in Budapest was visiting the City for the Weekend and had spotted me in the crowd. We laughed at the coincidence and decided to go for a coffee, starting off towards the Jewish Quarters. And that's when it happened: we chanced accross the most touching, exhilarating and memorable street art Performance I have ever witnessed.
A handsome black guy was singing to a crowd of mostly young women, and we stopped to listen for a while. It was obvious he was a very good and experienced singer, with a powerful, beautiful voice that carried easily without microphone to fill the whole street, echoing off the high buildings on either side. He had a background tape playing the accompanying music, but the most impressive thing was that he had got the audience to sing along. At first we thought this was just cute, but very soon, found ourselves drawn to join the choir. The songs he was performing were well-known contemporary and classic hits such as Stand By Me so the crowd knew the lyrics, and his manner of singing was so heart-warming and unpretentious that one just had to sing along. You know, a little like when you hear your favourite song on the radio while driving, and without noticing it will sing along?
So there we were, stading in an ever-expanding circle of people, more and more voices joining the choir. All around, there were smiling faces, and many eyes had a tear or two. The most touching moment was without a doubt when he put on "We Are the World" and encouraged everyone to participate. I knew even before the song started that this would make me cry, but the experience of being in the Impromptu Chorus of over 100 People, from all Corners of the world, singing "it's true we'll make a better day, just you and me"... well, it was something I have never felt before. There was Hope in that moment, a wordless understanding and a strong bond of love between us, and I think every single one of us was changed a little by it.
(If you are interested to know about this amazing artist, please check out this guy by typing "St Aladin" on YouTube. I will also post a Video here as soon as someone Posts one from yesterday's Performance.)
That unique experience turned my day from lovely to fantastic, and nothing that happened after could really affect my mood. Later on, I went to check out the two milongas that Vienna offers on a Sunday afternoon, but felt no burning urge to dance. I was left wondering whether the powerful shared moment had fulfilled my need for meaningful human interaction the way Tango usually does, for in some way, we had all been embracing each other by means of the shared singing?
I danced a Little, mostly as a leader, but soon felt so sleepy that decided to head back to the hostel thinking that today's stock of surprises was used up. A Minute later, I was stopped by a uniformed bicycle Police, waiting for cyclists at the end of a deserted one-way street in the middle of the night, apparently fining every one who had committed the unforgivable (?) Sin of riding into the wrong direction. Now, most of Vienna's one-way streets are allowed to be used both ways for cyclists, but not this one. I was not going fast, I was not drunk, there was no other traffic, but there I was, getting my passport checked, followed by a thorough inspection of my bike. And sure enough, he found something wrong with it: one of the tiny reflectors that line the sides of the pedals was missing, and although there were plenty of other reflectors, my lights were on and I had not caused any danger, he was going to give me a ticket of altogether 70 eur! Having learned from my experiences with the police in Africa that being polite and apologetic can help somewhat, while getting irritated or defiant will only make the matters worse, I played the dumb blonde. A lot of smiling, batting of eyelashes (not sure he could see it in the darkness but always worth a try!) and some flattery (his German really was very clear, I wasn'l lying about it) he let me go with just a ticket (to be paid on the spot) of 20 Eur for the missing reflector. Obediently, I produced the cash (and got a receipt, although for a Moment I had wondered if I would)and was instructed to push the bike the remaining 10 (!!) m to where the street became two-way again. In the hostel, I had heard of other guests getting a hefty fine for a minor, totally understandable failure to comply with some of the many regulations that punctuate the Austrian daily life. I must say that although the incident didn't affect my mood or experience of Vienna in any negative way, it did make me wonder what is the real purpose of such strict control? Is it to condition people to following every rule, to keeping an eye on the others to make sure they don't get away with less? Is this really necessary? What would happen if there was a little bit more kindness and understanding, a little less judgement and punishment?
I spent most of yesterday just relaxing, refusing to give in to the usual touristic temptations (or obligations) that a City of Vienna's calibre has. So, instead of going sight-seeing, visiting Museums or exhibitions, I did what i love most of all: i watched and talked to people.
The hostel that I had found based on their ad in my route map turned out to be one of the typical establishments full of youngsters doing their first Inter-Rail, enjoying the freedom from parental control. However, along with the social media era, somehing fundamental has changed in the atmosphere of these hubs where travellers come together. When earlier the social rooms used to bustle with energy, conversation and laughter, now all you see are faces peering at the screens of smartphones, necks craned toward videos or Chats, while the only sound you hear is that of the keyboards of laptops. It does make me feel nostalgic, as a room full of teens that are all perfectly quiet is actually a little depressing!
To my relief, I did manage to find someone to have a real conversation with, and spent the morning having a leisurely breakfast in the garden. What came as an unexpected, wonderful bonus was the foot and leg massage that surely helped my body and mind settle into a perfect Sunday mood.
Once the washing machine and dryer had finished their job and I had prolonged the inevitable with another hour by listening to my favourite Pugliese recordings, I finally ventured out of the hostel. Cycling lazily through the sun-warmed pedestrian streets of Vienna, I once again remembered how relaxing I find it to be surrounded by people from many different cultures, even if i don't necessarily talk or interact with them so much.
Reaching the main shopping street Kärtnerstraße that stretches accross most of the City centre, I got off my bike and found a place to sit in the shade, watching the cavalcade of people that was Streaming in front of my eyes. Almost no shops were open, so they were all here for the same reason: to watch and be watched, to take in the atmosphere. There were street artists, beggars, bicycle tourers and tour groups led by a guide cheerfully waving whatever suitable article they had at hand.
All of a sudden, a familiar face showed up in front of me: Eszter whom I have met in Budapest was visiting the City for the Weekend and had spotted me in the crowd. We laughed at the coincidence and decided to go for a coffee, starting off towards the Jewish Quarters. And that's when it happened: we chanced accross the most touching, exhilarating and memorable street art Performance I have ever witnessed.
A handsome black guy was singing to a crowd of mostly young women, and we stopped to listen for a while. It was obvious he was a very good and experienced singer, with a powerful, beautiful voice that carried easily without microphone to fill the whole street, echoing off the high buildings on either side. He had a background tape playing the accompanying music, but the most impressive thing was that he had got the audience to sing along. At first we thought this was just cute, but very soon, found ourselves drawn to join the choir. The songs he was performing were well-known contemporary and classic hits such as Stand By Me so the crowd knew the lyrics, and his manner of singing was so heart-warming and unpretentious that one just had to sing along. You know, a little like when you hear your favourite song on the radio while driving, and without noticing it will sing along?
So there we were, stading in an ever-expanding circle of people, more and more voices joining the choir. All around, there were smiling faces, and many eyes had a tear or two. The most touching moment was without a doubt when he put on "We Are the World" and encouraged everyone to participate. I knew even before the song started that this would make me cry, but the experience of being in the Impromptu Chorus of over 100 People, from all Corners of the world, singing "it's true we'll make a better day, just you and me"... well, it was something I have never felt before. There was Hope in that moment, a wordless understanding and a strong bond of love between us, and I think every single one of us was changed a little by it.
(If you are interested to know about this amazing artist, please check out this guy by typing "St Aladin" on YouTube. I will also post a Video here as soon as someone Posts one from yesterday's Performance.)
That unique experience turned my day from lovely to fantastic, and nothing that happened after could really affect my mood. Later on, I went to check out the two milongas that Vienna offers on a Sunday afternoon, but felt no burning urge to dance. I was left wondering whether the powerful shared moment had fulfilled my need for meaningful human interaction the way Tango usually does, for in some way, we had all been embracing each other by means of the shared singing?
I danced a Little, mostly as a leader, but soon felt so sleepy that decided to head back to the hostel thinking that today's stock of surprises was used up. A Minute later, I was stopped by a uniformed bicycle Police, waiting for cyclists at the end of a deserted one-way street in the middle of the night, apparently fining every one who had committed the unforgivable (?) Sin of riding into the wrong direction. Now, most of Vienna's one-way streets are allowed to be used both ways for cyclists, but not this one. I was not going fast, I was not drunk, there was no other traffic, but there I was, getting my passport checked, followed by a thorough inspection of my bike. And sure enough, he found something wrong with it: one of the tiny reflectors that line the sides of the pedals was missing, and although there were plenty of other reflectors, my lights were on and I had not caused any danger, he was going to give me a ticket of altogether 70 eur! Having learned from my experiences with the police in Africa that being polite and apologetic can help somewhat, while getting irritated or defiant will only make the matters worse, I played the dumb blonde. A lot of smiling, batting of eyelashes (not sure he could see it in the darkness but always worth a try!) and some flattery (his German really was very clear, I wasn'l lying about it) he let me go with just a ticket (to be paid on the spot) of 20 Eur for the missing reflector. Obediently, I produced the cash (and got a receipt, although for a Moment I had wondered if I would)and was instructed to push the bike the remaining 10 (!!) m to where the street became two-way again. In the hostel, I had heard of other guests getting a hefty fine for a minor, totally understandable failure to comply with some of the many regulations that punctuate the Austrian daily life. I must say that although the incident didn't affect my mood or experience of Vienna in any negative way, it did make me wonder what is the real purpose of such strict control? Is it to condition people to following every rule, to keeping an eye on the others to make sure they don't get away with less? Is this really necessary? What would happen if there was a little bit more kindness and understanding, a little less judgement and punishment?
Comments
Post a Comment