May 8 @ Schönbrunner, Vienna
Once again I have hopped on a plane to escape my thoughts. I find travelling one of the best forms of meditation there are. I'm now sitting on a bench, looking at the Royal Gardens and imagining what life here would have been like...
It hasn't been more than 8 hours in this city and already I have some interesting stuff to write about. I haven't slept much. Well, actually I've slept for 2 hours last night, cause I went to see my friends' band and I ended up singing with them till 1am. I got up at 4am to catch my flight at 6am and I have been walking since 8 in the morning. It's now 4 in the afternoon...
When I arrived at the airport, my instinct put me on a bus to Westbahnhof which was only two blocks away from my Hostel. BEAUTIFUL!! (both the hostel and my instinct as travelling guide) I left my bags and went for breakfast at a small but cute little Cafe, Vienna style. After enjoying my coffee, I walked following the wind. I walked straight, turned corners. I stopped, looked around, took photographs and continued walking until I found a park and a guy playing guitar. I got close to him and took pictures, only to discover that he was pretty cute. And well, those who know my nature can guess what happened next. Yes, conversation. I find it irresistible to talk to cute guys, specially if there's a guitar under their arms and they are singing beautifully. So we talked. He's name was Daniel. "I'm a composer and play the piano. I'm learning now how to play guitar" -he said- "Sing one of your songs" -I asked. He sang for me and I listened. We talked some more and then asked me if I didn't mind if he smoked his joint, which was sitting next to me waiting patiently on the bench. He offered me a cigarette and we chatted for a while, like old time friends. Then he offered me a toke and told me some more about his interesting life. Also a traveller... No wonder... I always feel very comfortable around artists and world wanderers - as if an invisible bond joining us together is waiting to be revealed- and this guy was BOTH.
Forty minutes later he stood up, looked at me carefully and quietly said he needed to get going, as he had his guitar lesson. We looked at each other, almost examining the inside of our eyes; silently thanking each other for the moment just shared. Those were some awkwardly nice couple of minutes. "Now what?" I thought. "Now nothing" I said to myself. Let the moment go when it has to. Stop trying to save them or make them longer. It never works. "See you around" I said. I could have asked for his number, I could have told him to meet somewhere later. I could have extended the moment in many ways if I wanted to, and I kind of did. But it wasn't what I needed, so I didn't... I'm learning and it felt good to let go. No future plans, no expectations. Just the moment... "It was a pleasure to meet you"-he said. He gave me his joint as a gift and I gave him a small baggy I brought from Amsterdam, as a souvenir. He then turned around and walked away. He looked back once and waved. I smiled and continued walking feeling a bit fuller... a bit happier and very grateful for the existence of such people.
I walked straight for half an hour until my stomach made me stop in front of a food stand at the entrance of the park where I now am. I had lunch soaking in sunlight and felt like I was in a dream as I entered Schönbrunner. I find no proper words to describe this place. The park, the palace and it's gardens are something I've never seen before except in movies. So much green... colourful flowers... birds... trees... I could spend days here. I also went to one of those labyrinths made of tall bushes, perfectly pruned. I can picture those Epoque women running around, laughing... I don't know, I'm thinking of Amadeus (the film) Well, after all I am in Vienna, right? Oops, interruption. I'll be back later...
It hasn't been more than 8 hours in this city and already I have some interesting stuff to write about. I haven't slept much. Well, actually I've slept for 2 hours last night, cause I went to see my friends' band and I ended up singing with them till 1am. I got up at 4am to catch my flight at 6am and I have been walking since 8 in the morning. It's now 4 in the afternoon...
When I arrived at the airport, my instinct put me on a bus to Westbahnhof which was only two blocks away from my Hostel. BEAUTIFUL!! (both the hostel and my instinct as travelling guide) I left my bags and went for breakfast at a small but cute little Cafe, Vienna style. After enjoying my coffee, I walked following the wind. I walked straight, turned corners. I stopped, looked around, took photographs and continued walking until I found a park and a guy playing guitar. I got close to him and took pictures, only to discover that he was pretty cute. And well, those who know my nature can guess what happened next. Yes, conversation. I find it irresistible to talk to cute guys, specially if there's a guitar under their arms and they are singing beautifully. So we talked. He's name was Daniel. "I'm a composer and play the piano. I'm learning now how to play guitar" -he said- "Sing one of your songs" -I asked. He sang for me and I listened. We talked some more and then asked me if I didn't mind if he smoked his joint, which was sitting next to me waiting patiently on the bench. He offered me a cigarette and we chatted for a while, like old time friends. Then he offered me a toke and told me some more about his interesting life. Also a traveller... No wonder... I always feel very comfortable around artists and world wanderers - as if an invisible bond joining us together is waiting to be revealed- and this guy was BOTH.
Forty minutes later he stood up, looked at me carefully and quietly said he needed to get going, as he had his guitar lesson. We looked at each other, almost examining the inside of our eyes; silently thanking each other for the moment just shared. Those were some awkwardly nice couple of minutes. "Now what?" I thought. "Now nothing" I said to myself. Let the moment go when it has to. Stop trying to save them or make them longer. It never works. "See you around" I said. I could have asked for his number, I could have told him to meet somewhere later. I could have extended the moment in many ways if I wanted to, and I kind of did. But it wasn't what I needed, so I didn't... I'm learning and it felt good to let go. No future plans, no expectations. Just the moment... "It was a pleasure to meet you"-he said. He gave me his joint as a gift and I gave him a small baggy I brought from Amsterdam, as a souvenir. He then turned around and walked away. He looked back once and waved. I smiled and continued walking feeling a bit fuller... a bit happier and very grateful for the existence of such people.
I walked straight for half an hour until my stomach made me stop in front of a food stand at the entrance of the park where I now am. I had lunch soaking in sunlight and felt like I was in a dream as I entered Schönbrunner. I find no proper words to describe this place. The park, the palace and it's gardens are something I've never seen before except in movies. So much green... colourful flowers... birds... trees... I could spend days here. I also went to one of those labyrinths made of tall bushes, perfectly pruned. I can picture those Epoque women running around, laughing... I don't know, I'm thinking of Amadeus (the film) Well, after all I am in Vienna, right? Oops, interruption. I'll be back later...
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