Eurotrip

I met several interesting people throughout the last eight days. A Romanian born college dropout running stock trading firm, small town Austrian dude living and working in Vienna, French-American couple expat in Czech, Polish lady born in communist era small town Poland and living in Krakow, two college kids passionate about studying physical therapy and self-proclaimed yoga-freak.

All this travelling only re-affirmed my belief that people everywhere in the world are same. All of us need love, acceptance and appreciation. And secondly that Polish women are among the most beautiful lot.

I was really haphazard in my planning and it only added more adventure to the trip. I had to run and dash to get to travel Vienna-to-Prague. Half of the journey done in a shabby car ride share and other half in a bus whose ticket I bought in 10 min before departure. For rest of the international travel I booked tickets on the fly. But it concluded well with me watching Polish animated movies in a park with two polkas. A friend of friend bid me farewell in Vienna before my flight. Now I'm in India facing the heat and waiting for monsoons.

Austria is a place which I think did not had much remnants of the forgotten war. Partly because most of it was destroyed in the war. I’m not sure of this but this is my guess. Even though in East Europe this part is quite well developed. There are a lot of other industries than the tourism. It was a busier town much like Delhi but with less people. Unlike US and like many European cities the public transport is excellent. But it doesn’t come really cheap in Vienna. I paid 2.10 euro for a single surface tram ride. The ticket cannot be used even if you get down the next station. Most of the Vienna’s population lives in box flats. I spotted very few houses with frontyard and backyard.

My host in Austria was a Mathematician working in IT field. He was in his own words pure authentic Austrian awesomeness. :) We exchange Indian and Austrian cuisines. I cooked mushroom masala and was served käsespätzle. It was one of the best pasta dish I had had!

Prague was even wonderful. I had a really comfy couch and blanket and I slept well two nights at my hosts. They were a couple and a kitty. The apartment building where I stayed itself had a medieval architecture. The whole of Prague is filled with architecture marvels, Prague castle being the most marvellous in town, and probably in the world too! One morning I was eating breakfast and the kitty was loitering around the house. She was really comfortable around me and accepted me as house member. Then all of a sudden she decided to jump into my lap and sit there :) Cute kitty!
I took a WW2 history tour in Prague by Marek and it was quite good. We learned a lot about Prague history. I also picked up strangers and started talking and hanging out with them. I met a guy from Hong Kong and we were in Prague together for half a day. Then there was this travelling musicians from Dutch and Canada with whom I hung out for a while. They were called Te (Traum-Tânz-Orkester). I took a lot of pictures of them playing on Charles Bridge. I promised to share the pictures with them. I didn't get their email but I finally hunted them down on facebook. They are difficult to find on internet!

Trains are awesome feature of Europe which I miss in US. I took a night train from Prague and Krakow. I befriended a German guy from train and we travelled in Krakow together for a day. Next day I hung out with my host. I tried a lot of polish food and drink with the help of my host. Naleśniki, pierogi and Obwarzanek and Orzechowka. If you get a chance don't miss naleśniki.