Monday, November 11, 2019
Austria and Prague 2019 - First Morning in Prague
I sit on the balcony of our room in Prague, a fleece jacket over my p.j. shirt provides a little extra warmth. It is mid September. The morning air is cool. The sky is the light gray of early morning. Increasing blue holds the promise of sun later in the day. I look out over the city. The spare, stark lines of the tower at the rivers edge below me contrasts sharply with the richly ornamented buildings across the street from it. Spires rise from the skyline across the river. Blocks of Baroque facades line streets that stretch out from the park below me. The castle stands on a hill high above the city, the home of a king placed where he could survey his realm like a mother hen overlooking her brood. The sight represents hundreds of years of history, thousands upon thousands of lives and their untold stories. Clouds of gray, their edges white streak across the lightening sky. Joggers cross the bridge over the river before following the curve of the sidewalk and continue down it's opposite bank. I deeply breath in the cool morning air, begin to stretch muscles and become awake and aware after a deep restorative sleep. Flocks of birds cross the brightening sky. They are too high and far away to tell if they are large or small, they appear as flickering black spots moving towards unknown destinations.
Austria and Prague 2019 - A Tale of Two Restaurants
Although we ate in a few different places in Prague we returned to 2 more than once.
One, Gangster Burgers, was a mere 2 blocks from our hotel. Set slightly below street level, there were steps leading to it, it served excellent light fare. Plus, being from Chicago, we enjoyed it's 1930's gangster themed decor. Returning back to the hotel after dinner there one evening we paused on the corner and watched a group of bats, silhouetted by a street lamp, gorging themselves on the insects attracted by the light.
The second was the cafe where we procured our sherbet on that first day. We enjoyed breakfast there the following 2 days as well as a double sherbet scoop on our second afternoon. On our way there for Saturday breakfast we passed three young men drinking from a half empty bottle of wine. It was 9:30 in the morning.
One, Gangster Burgers, was a mere 2 blocks from our hotel. Set slightly below street level, there were steps leading to it, it served excellent light fare. Plus, being from Chicago, we enjoyed it's 1930's gangster themed decor. Returning back to the hotel after dinner there one evening we paused on the corner and watched a group of bats, silhouetted by a street lamp, gorging themselves on the insects attracted by the light.
The second was the cafe where we procured our sherbet on that first day. We enjoyed breakfast there the following 2 days as well as a double sherbet scoop on our second afternoon. On our way there for Saturday breakfast we passed three young men drinking from a half empty bottle of wine. It was 9:30 in the morning.
Austria and Prague 2019 - A Stroll to the Charles Bridge and then Sherbert
As we left the hotel and walked down the street toward the Charles Bridge a group of young men with well developed thighs in skin tight bike shorts passed us going the opposite direction. Were they training for a particular sport, perhaps out for a physical fitness run, we decided to disregard these questions and just enjoy the view.
In the plaza below the bridge we watched a leanly muscled lad create objects on an anvil using traditional blacksmith tools. The following day we did purchase an iron ornament for our wall at home from a box of seconds on the pavement at the adjoining stall, imperfect, but perfect for our purposes.
We joined the throngs walking across the bridge and filling the streets that fanned out from it's twin towers. We browsed in a tiny antique shop located in one of the venerable builds lining the streets, which we also returned to later during our visit, chatting with the woman minding it. We stopped in a church snapping pictures with our phones basically behaving as the tourists that we were.
Heading back to the hotel we both mentioned how we could go for ice creme on that warm, sunny afternoon. As we were talking about it I saw, across the street, a small cafe with a large picture of an ice creme cone in it's window. We sat outside on the cushioned benches the cafe provided relaxing, people watching and enjoying the sun and a sherbet treat.
In the plaza below the bridge we watched a leanly muscled lad create objects on an anvil using traditional blacksmith tools. The following day we did purchase an iron ornament for our wall at home from a box of seconds on the pavement at the adjoining stall, imperfect, but perfect for our purposes.
We joined the throngs walking across the bridge and filling the streets that fanned out from it's twin towers. We browsed in a tiny antique shop located in one of the venerable builds lining the streets, which we also returned to later during our visit, chatting with the woman minding it. We stopped in a church snapping pictures with our phones basically behaving as the tourists that we were.
Heading back to the hotel we both mentioned how we could go for ice creme on that warm, sunny afternoon. As we were talking about it I saw, across the street, a small cafe with a large picture of an ice creme cone in it's window. We sat outside on the cushioned benches the cafe provided relaxing, people watching and enjoying the sun and a sherbet treat.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Austria and Prague 2019 - A Room With a View
An unkempt and rather sour, overweight younger man checked us in, gave us our card keys and directed us to the elevator. I thought from his demeanor that the chubby man was just having a rough day. This was not the case. His disposition remained stuck in grumpy mode for the entire duration of our stay. He did mention, in a rather haughty manner, several times over the ensuing days, that the establishment we were staying in was a 4 star hotel, just in case we might forget.
We headed to our room. We had paid a small premium for a river view. I imagined myself being able to view the river through a window if I stood on one leg and leaned off to one side. Opening the door we almost squealed with delight. Through glass doors at the far end we saw a balcony. Rushing to it and stepping outside we squealed again. Not only did we have a river view but the entire historic area of Prague was spread out before us. It was a wonderland of domes, spires and in the distance, about 10 minutes walk away, was the venerable Charles bridge, one of Prague's premier attractions. The palace complex sat atop a hill, the steeples of the St. Vitus Cathedral looming like sentinels keeping watch over the centuries old city.
We stowed our bags and got ready to explore. As I was waiting in the corridor for my husband I heard the door of another room on the floor being opened. Out stepped 2 men of the same approximate height and weight, round bellied, commonly referred to as Bears in gayspeak. They were from Ft. Lauderdale, the new gay mecca, although one of them had once lived in Prague. We spoke to them briefly on the elevator ride down. "See you again", they said as we parted ways, although we never did run into them after that.
We headed to our room. We had paid a small premium for a river view. I imagined myself being able to view the river through a window if I stood on one leg and leaned off to one side. Opening the door we almost squealed with delight. Through glass doors at the far end we saw a balcony. Rushing to it and stepping outside we squealed again. Not only did we have a river view but the entire historic area of Prague was spread out before us. It was a wonderland of domes, spires and in the distance, about 10 minutes walk away, was the venerable Charles bridge, one of Prague's premier attractions. The palace complex sat atop a hill, the steeples of the St. Vitus Cathedral looming like sentinels keeping watch over the centuries old city.
We stowed our bags and got ready to explore. As I was waiting in the corridor for my husband I heard the door of another room on the floor being opened. Out stepped 2 men of the same approximate height and weight, round bellied, commonly referred to as Bears in gayspeak. They were from Ft. Lauderdale, the new gay mecca, although one of them had once lived in Prague. We spoke to them briefly on the elevator ride down. "See you again", they said as we parted ways, although we never did run into them after that.
Austria and Prague 2019 - Taxi!
We entered the historic street level of the Prague train station. It's beauty had faded over time. It seemed tired, careworn and a little dangerous. We could find no sign directing us to a taxi stand. Leaving my husband above, guarding our bags, I descended to the modern lower level and inquired of a young salesgirl in one of the shops where we might be able to procure a cab. She pointed down a passageway and said "Down there and to the left". I went back upstairs, retrieved my husband and our luggage and we headed off down the corridor.
There was, indeed, a taxi symbol where she had directed us but following it took us upstairs to the train platforms. We returned to the lower level. The modern, lower level of the train station was a scene of chaos. Hundreds of people representing a multitude of ages, stripes, colors and income levels raced by in all directions. We asked person after person in the shops that abounded in the station where we could get a taxi keeping a watchful eye on our bags the entire time. A young man in one of the stores informed me that we were not in a taxi stand but a book store, perhaps thinking that I may have confused the two. Another pointed to glass doors, through them we could only see a rather seedy looking park.
In desperation we stopped in the Alamo Car Rental office as the word Taxi was printed clearly, in large letters, on their windows. The young lady told us she would be able to phone for a cab and the driver would pick us up at the office. We breathed a sigh of relief. The sense of relief, however, would only last a moment. After a couple of phone calls she told us that all the cab companies they worked with were busy.
We were now trying to suppress our panic wondering if we would spend our time in Prague sleeping on top of our bags in the train station. After a couple of more inquiries someone gave us a complete set of "find the cab" instructions. Go through the doors several others had indicated, traverse the seedy looking park and we would see a taxi stand on the left. Following the instructions we did, indeed, see the stand and a lone cab, it's driver engaged in a heated exchange with an Asian man. The Asian man stormed off, the driver turned to us, we must have looked like lost sheep at this point, and asked in accented English, "Do you need a taxi". We asked the fare, although we were in no position to haggle, and he told us the amount in Czech currency. I had no idea of the exchange rate but if he had asked for one of my molars as payment I would probably have not only agreed, figuring that I would still have several more and would not have to sleep in the train station, but also extracted it then and there myself.
I apologized for the weight of our main bag as the young, wiry driver hoisted it into the trunk. "Is okay", he said, "I very strong man". He pointed out places of interest along the way, a museum, a public square, drove us across the river that runs through the city and we presently found ourselves at our home in Prague, the lovely, baroque Riverside Hotel.
There was, indeed, a taxi symbol where she had directed us but following it took us upstairs to the train platforms. We returned to the lower level. The modern, lower level of the train station was a scene of chaos. Hundreds of people representing a multitude of ages, stripes, colors and income levels raced by in all directions. We asked person after person in the shops that abounded in the station where we could get a taxi keeping a watchful eye on our bags the entire time. A young man in one of the stores informed me that we were not in a taxi stand but a book store, perhaps thinking that I may have confused the two. Another pointed to glass doors, through them we could only see a rather seedy looking park.
In desperation we stopped in the Alamo Car Rental office as the word Taxi was printed clearly, in large letters, on their windows. The young lady told us she would be able to phone for a cab and the driver would pick us up at the office. We breathed a sigh of relief. The sense of relief, however, would only last a moment. After a couple of phone calls she told us that all the cab companies they worked with were busy.
We were now trying to suppress our panic wondering if we would spend our time in Prague sleeping on top of our bags in the train station. After a couple of more inquiries someone gave us a complete set of "find the cab" instructions. Go through the doors several others had indicated, traverse the seedy looking park and we would see a taxi stand on the left. Following the instructions we did, indeed, see the stand and a lone cab, it's driver engaged in a heated exchange with an Asian man. The Asian man stormed off, the driver turned to us, we must have looked like lost sheep at this point, and asked in accented English, "Do you need a taxi". We asked the fare, although we were in no position to haggle, and he told us the amount in Czech currency. I had no idea of the exchange rate but if he had asked for one of my molars as payment I would probably have not only agreed, figuring that I would still have several more and would not have to sleep in the train station, but also extracted it then and there myself.
I apologized for the weight of our main bag as the young, wiry driver hoisted it into the trunk. "Is okay", he said, "I very strong man". He pointed out places of interest along the way, a museum, a public square, drove us across the river that runs through the city and we presently found ourselves at our home in Prague, the lovely, baroque Riverside Hotel.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Austria and Prague 2019 - A Bus Called Leo
Returning to the hotel after our trip to the fortress we felt we as if we had been on a dead run since we landed in Vienna 4 days prior. We had tuna fish and a croissant, enough for a meal, and decided a late afternoon and night spent in the hotel room would be restful and restorative before hitting the road again the next morning. We had to get up early to catch the bus to Prague we had booked.
While researching the trip we had some difficulty finding a way to get from Salzburg to Prague. The train took 7 hours plus, depending on the time of day, and required us to change trains in Linz with only a 30 minute window to do so. Digging on the internet we found a bus line called Leo Express. It was a 5 hour trip, cheaper than the train and would not require a layover or change.
The trip was a delight. We had, for a modest charge, upgraded to business class and upon arriving at the bus were provided with a small bag of snacks and liquid refreshments. As we departed there were shadowy silhouettes of mountains. One came into sharp relief as we neared it. It rose above a lake, it's image mirrored in the still water. We passed small villages dominated by church spires nestled between the mountains. Balconies in the small towns held flower boxes overflowing with colorful blooms. At one point the road narrowed and wound through one of the villages past the church and guesthouses whose balconies seemed almost as if they would buckle under the weight of the luxurious profusion of blossoms. Small stands of solar panels evidenced how far ahead of the U.S. Europe is in terms of renewable energy. The language as well as the architecture changed as we crossed the border into the Czech Republic showing that, even with the E.U., the separate countries continue to hold their particular histories, cultures and traditions in high regard. We enter Prague and found ourselves traveling down streets lined with Baroque buildings, their beautiful facades wearing a veneer of grit and grime, the only area we found that, the rest of the portions of the city we visited were clean, and were deposited at the train station.
While researching the trip we had some difficulty finding a way to get from Salzburg to Prague. The train took 7 hours plus, depending on the time of day, and required us to change trains in Linz with only a 30 minute window to do so. Digging on the internet we found a bus line called Leo Express. It was a 5 hour trip, cheaper than the train and would not require a layover or change.
The trip was a delight. We had, for a modest charge, upgraded to business class and upon arriving at the bus were provided with a small bag of snacks and liquid refreshments. As we departed there were shadowy silhouettes of mountains. One came into sharp relief as we neared it. It rose above a lake, it's image mirrored in the still water. We passed small villages dominated by church spires nestled between the mountains. Balconies in the small towns held flower boxes overflowing with colorful blooms. At one point the road narrowed and wound through one of the villages past the church and guesthouses whose balconies seemed almost as if they would buckle under the weight of the luxurious profusion of blossoms. Small stands of solar panels evidenced how far ahead of the U.S. Europe is in terms of renewable energy. The language as well as the architecture changed as we crossed the border into the Czech Republic showing that, even with the E.U., the separate countries continue to hold their particular histories, cultures and traditions in high regard. We enter Prague and found ourselves traveling down streets lined with Baroque buildings, their beautiful facades wearing a veneer of grit and grime, the only area we found that, the rest of the portions of the city we visited were clean, and were deposited at the train station.
Austria and Prague 2019 - The Alps
My husband had been questioning (read pestering) me during our time in Salzburg about the Alps. I explained that we were in the foothills, the relatively small mountains one can see from the city, Festungberg included, were the beginnings of the famed mountain range.
Off to the side of one of the squares at the fortress I noticed a small flight of stairs leading down. We descended them to a terrace and there in front of us, spreading out in both directions, filling the horizon, were the glorious peaks of the Alps. Some of the higher elevations held small amounts of snow, it was early fall and snow had not fallen for several months. Clouds would obscure the summits of some, then move off revealing their full beauty. They rose from the plains below, proud and majestic, self confident in their grandeur. Row after row of peaks stood before us. We were awed, unable to tear ourselves away from the vista. Adding to the atmosphere was the young man with shaggy blonde hair dressed in lederhosen posing for a photo taken by his more conventionally dressed female companion.
"Are you happy now?" I asked my husband. From the smile on his face I could tell that he was.
Off to the side of one of the squares at the fortress I noticed a small flight of stairs leading down. We descended them to a terrace and there in front of us, spreading out in both directions, filling the horizon, were the glorious peaks of the Alps. Some of the higher elevations held small amounts of snow, it was early fall and snow had not fallen for several months. Clouds would obscure the summits of some, then move off revealing their full beauty. They rose from the plains below, proud and majestic, self confident in their grandeur. Row after row of peaks stood before us. We were awed, unable to tear ourselves away from the vista. Adding to the atmosphere was the young man with shaggy blonde hair dressed in lederhosen posing for a photo taken by his more conventionally dressed female companion.
"Are you happy now?" I asked my husband. From the smile on his face I could tell that he was.
Austria and Prague 2019 - Hohensalzburg Fortress
High above the city of Salzburg, on a mountain named Festungberg (a mouthful to be sure) sits the Hohensalzburg Fortress (an even bigger mouthful), the largest fully preserved castle in central Europe. Construction began in 1077. Expanded over the centuries, the imposing structure took on it's current appearance in 1500. At one point in the interior of the castle you can see a portion of the original exterior wall and windows, discovered during renovations. During another renovation a cache of gold coins was discovered, which are on display in a room adjacent to the exposed original wall. The reason for their being hidden is unknown. The purpose of the fortress was as a residence and place of safety for both royals and the Archbishop, who, at times, held almost as much, if not more, power than the crowned ruler.
A funicular railway was constructed to ferry tourists from the city below to the fortress but we decided to ascend the old fashioned way, on foot. Stairs, interspersed with packed earth pathways take you to the summit. The path offers beautiful views of the city below as you move upward. Some of the grades on the paths are quite steep and even an experienced hiker such as myself found the climb a little challenging at times. Eventually you enter the Horse Gate, fortified by a heavy wooden red and white striped door. Going through a couple of other gates, you weren't going to get into this place unnoticed, you enter the castle grounds.
The grounds are a mixture of chapels, servants quarters, kitchens, workshops and the rooms which housed the royals and religious leaders. The royals rooms are richly decorated. There are three main ones which adjoin one another. In the banquet hall the ceiling is a marvel of painted and carved woodwork. Shields are depicted on the wooden roof beams. Heavy, wood doors, also carved and painted, separate the rooms. Colors cover the walls and ceilings of each. There is a receiving room, with an elaborate ceramic radiator, ubiquitous in this area of Europe, and a bedroom. Off of the royal bedroom is the royal latrine, essentially a bench with a hole in it covered by a lid, like a medieval version of an en suite. There is a display of what would have been found in a 16th century kitchen as well as information on what foods were consumed. Huge stores of food were kept at the fortress to stave off starvation in the event of an extended siege. In the tallest tower of the fortress, which, from it's top, provides expansive views of the surrounding area, one encounters a medieval torture chamber. Chains and manacles dangle from the walls. There is a metal headgear, a rope and pulley and a hole in the floor covered by a grate whose purpose one can only imagine, if one was of a grisly enough mindset to care to.
And, from one particular terrace, there is a spectacular and breathtaking sight.
A funicular railway was constructed to ferry tourists from the city below to the fortress but we decided to ascend the old fashioned way, on foot. Stairs, interspersed with packed earth pathways take you to the summit. The path offers beautiful views of the city below as you move upward. Some of the grades on the paths are quite steep and even an experienced hiker such as myself found the climb a little challenging at times. Eventually you enter the Horse Gate, fortified by a heavy wooden red and white striped door. Going through a couple of other gates, you weren't going to get into this place unnoticed, you enter the castle grounds.
The grounds are a mixture of chapels, servants quarters, kitchens, workshops and the rooms which housed the royals and religious leaders. The royals rooms are richly decorated. There are three main ones which adjoin one another. In the banquet hall the ceiling is a marvel of painted and carved woodwork. Shields are depicted on the wooden roof beams. Heavy, wood doors, also carved and painted, separate the rooms. Colors cover the walls and ceilings of each. There is a receiving room, with an elaborate ceramic radiator, ubiquitous in this area of Europe, and a bedroom. Off of the royal bedroom is the royal latrine, essentially a bench with a hole in it covered by a lid, like a medieval version of an en suite. There is a display of what would have been found in a 16th century kitchen as well as information on what foods were consumed. Huge stores of food were kept at the fortress to stave off starvation in the event of an extended siege. In the tallest tower of the fortress, which, from it's top, provides expansive views of the surrounding area, one encounters a medieval torture chamber. Chains and manacles dangle from the walls. There is a metal headgear, a rope and pulley and a hole in the floor covered by a grate whose purpose one can only imagine, if one was of a grisly enough mindset to care to.
And, from one particular terrace, there is a spectacular and breathtaking sight.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Austria and Prague 2019 - Beautiful, Charming, Historic Salzburg
A taxi driven by a charming woman in her 60's with tattoos, about 15 piercings in each ear and a gray, post punk haircut deposits us at our hotel. We are 2 blocks from the river and bridges leading to the old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We spent the day, as did many others, wandering small winding streets, lined with venerable, beautifully preserved buildings, Salzburg is not a place of broad boulevards. We explore the plazas which dot the city, imagining the history they hold.
One of these plazas is the busiest part of the small city, on one side is the apartment house which is the birthplace of Mozart. In a sign of the times there is a Starbucks off to one side. Through an arch is a view of the river. The tiny lane leading to the apartment house, now a museum, is lined with shops, each with a colorful sign hanging over the street. There are covered arcades, again lined with shops, some of them very expensive and high end, off of some of the plazas. They are so narrow that by spreading your arms you would be able to touch the sides. It sometimes feels as if you are in a beautiful, baroque maze. The view from both sides of the river is architectural eye candy. Skylines of venerable facades punctuated by domes and church spires. Our own hotel, in the "new" part of the city, was constructed in 1507.
We wander, shop and people watch. Both I and my husband notice that the men, both tourists and locals alike, are far more attractive than what we had become accustomed to during our time in Vienna. My husband goes online later that night and discovers that there is one of a chain of once famous, now fading, gay bars in the city, as well as 2 others. Perhaps that explains the male eye candy.
The locals were more friendly and gracious than those we had encountered in Vienna. From the shopkeepers to the hotel staff to the charming waiter to the woman who took our order for wine. We asked the waiter to take our picture at our outside table as we enjoyed the cool night air. He happily complied. As he was doing so the young woman returned with our glasses in hand and playfully sat on my husband's lap. From the smiles in the photo it appears that a good time was had by all.
One of these plazas is the busiest part of the small city, on one side is the apartment house which is the birthplace of Mozart. In a sign of the times there is a Starbucks off to one side. Through an arch is a view of the river. The tiny lane leading to the apartment house, now a museum, is lined with shops, each with a colorful sign hanging over the street. There are covered arcades, again lined with shops, some of them very expensive and high end, off of some of the plazas. They are so narrow that by spreading your arms you would be able to touch the sides. It sometimes feels as if you are in a beautiful, baroque maze. The view from both sides of the river is architectural eye candy. Skylines of venerable facades punctuated by domes and church spires. Our own hotel, in the "new" part of the city, was constructed in 1507.
We wander, shop and people watch. Both I and my husband notice that the men, both tourists and locals alike, are far more attractive than what we had become accustomed to during our time in Vienna. My husband goes online later that night and discovers that there is one of a chain of once famous, now fading, gay bars in the city, as well as 2 others. Perhaps that explains the male eye candy.
The locals were more friendly and gracious than those we had encountered in Vienna. From the shopkeepers to the hotel staff to the charming waiter to the woman who took our order for wine. We asked the waiter to take our picture at our outside table as we enjoyed the cool night air. He happily complied. As he was doing so the young woman returned with our glasses in hand and playfully sat on my husband's lap. From the smiles in the photo it appears that a good time was had by all.
Austria and Prague 2019 - A Glitch on the Way to Salzburg
The UBER driver drops us off at the train station in Vienna. I get coffee while we wait for the information regarding the platform number for our train to appear on the departure board. We slept better the night before so we are feeling fresher, our minds a littler clearer than the previous 2 mornings. We head to the platform and enjoy the mechanical ballet of trains arriving and departing. Our train pulls up and we board, that is when the trouble begins.
An older,surly ticket taker comes by. It seems from his grumpy manner that he is just killing time till retirement, any pretense of customer service a thing of history. We have with us paper records which contain a travel number, a confirmation number and a receipt for the amount paid for the tickets. None of this is enough. We do not have the pdf attachment he says he needs to scan and insists that we cough up 185 euros or get kicked off the train in the middle of nowhere, Austria. Reluctantly I hand over the credit card, taking care to make sure it is the same one we used for the original tickets, hoping we can straighten out the mess when we get back to the states. As the trip progresses I search through old emails, we booked the tickets 3 months prior to the trip and eventually locate the attachment needed. It takes some searching to find the constipated, irritable ticket taker. After looking at the attachment, none of which is mentioned as being necessary in any of the documentation associated with the train trip, he says it is what he needed to scan but any refund will have to be handled at the Salzburg station. This information is gleaned through the help of the young man and woman staffing the food car as the nasty ticket takers English is a little faulty. It appears it is taking an incredible amount of restraint on the part of the 2 younger people to keep from rolling their eyes at him. The young man's eyes are wide, cute and deer-like, "I hope you get your money back" he says. I resist the urge to kiss him as thanks for his concern.
Upon arriving at Salzburg we are told by the woman behind the counter, rudely, that there is no one there that can help us and that we will have to contact the headquarters in Vienna. She dismissively shoves a form, printed entirely in German, and an envelope across the counter to us, then glares at us as she motions the next person in line to come forward. My husband places a hairdresser hex on her, after her next bleach job her hair will fall out and she will be left completely bald.
We do enjoy the view on the ride. The green countryside is dotted with farms and small villages dominated by churches with onion domed spires. We ignore the areas of industrial warehouses. As we pull into Linz, Austria's 3rd largest city, there is a cemetery next to the tracks. beyond it are modern highrises. On the opposite side I glimpse a section of older, historic buildings.
We climb into a cab outside the train station in Salzburg and our adventure continues.
An older,surly ticket taker comes by. It seems from his grumpy manner that he is just killing time till retirement, any pretense of customer service a thing of history. We have with us paper records which contain a travel number, a confirmation number and a receipt for the amount paid for the tickets. None of this is enough. We do not have the pdf attachment he says he needs to scan and insists that we cough up 185 euros or get kicked off the train in the middle of nowhere, Austria. Reluctantly I hand over the credit card, taking care to make sure it is the same one we used for the original tickets, hoping we can straighten out the mess when we get back to the states. As the trip progresses I search through old emails, we booked the tickets 3 months prior to the trip and eventually locate the attachment needed. It takes some searching to find the constipated, irritable ticket taker. After looking at the attachment, none of which is mentioned as being necessary in any of the documentation associated with the train trip, he says it is what he needed to scan but any refund will have to be handled at the Salzburg station. This information is gleaned through the help of the young man and woman staffing the food car as the nasty ticket takers English is a little faulty. It appears it is taking an incredible amount of restraint on the part of the 2 younger people to keep from rolling their eyes at him. The young man's eyes are wide, cute and deer-like, "I hope you get your money back" he says. I resist the urge to kiss him as thanks for his concern.
Upon arriving at Salzburg we are told by the woman behind the counter, rudely, that there is no one there that can help us and that we will have to contact the headquarters in Vienna. She dismissively shoves a form, printed entirely in German, and an envelope across the counter to us, then glares at us as she motions the next person in line to come forward. My husband places a hairdresser hex on her, after her next bleach job her hair will fall out and she will be left completely bald.
We do enjoy the view on the ride. The green countryside is dotted with farms and small villages dominated by churches with onion domed spires. We ignore the areas of industrial warehouses. As we pull into Linz, Austria's 3rd largest city, there is a cemetery next to the tracks. beyond it are modern highrises. On the opposite side I glimpse a section of older, historic buildings.
We climb into a cab outside the train station in Salzburg and our adventure continues.
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