trick? or treat?

I was sitting in Blitz just a little bit ago, chompin' down a cheap vegan meal. Some haggard old dude comes up and speaks norsk to me. I ask him to switch to english and he says he has a bike he wants to sell for 300 kr. I had been wanting to get a bike here, but after shopping around online I decided I couldn't afford the 1000kr + for used. New in stores around 4000. So I finish my meal and go check it out. Its a nice mountain bike. I note the clip on shoes - a hassle for me - so he drops the price to 250. I take it out of Blitz and ride it for a minute. Feels alright.
I spend several minutes contemplating my ethical dilemma. I have the opportunity to buy a GOOD bike for super cheap. But the bike was clearly stolen and the dude was likely going to use the cash for drugs. He kinda had this nervousness to him, this shaky edge. And he was kinda old and haggard hanging around Blitz...
I decide to pass.

I go in and tell him. He looks pained. "200. 150!"
I pause.

I contemplate. What is one person's price?


My price was 150. What's yours?

nachips

Hmmm, the wolf. My friend definitely said lonely wolf. Perhaps lone wolf would have better established the base of my existence, while lonely defines the emotional world I (usually) inhabit.

My room is on the side of a hill. I can look out my window and see lights from nearby single family homes and god-knows-what in the distance. About a kilometer away is a freeway. Next to it runs the T-Bane line to Kringsja. Every 15 minutes I can see the T-Bane ride by. It is beautiful at night viewed through bare trees, lit cars moving across my window. No leaves left. Sunsets at five. There is occasional snow in outlying parts of the city, but I haven't tasted it yet.

This week I have downloaded and loved music. Against Me!'s latest album, New Wave, is anarcho-punk at its funnest. Meat Puppet's II is just so damn good I can't believe I hadn't heard it yet. I knew a few of their songs from Nirvana covering them for MTV Unplugged, but hadn't heard the band before.

I'm still waiting for a haircut. I look ridiculous and usually wear a hat.

I don't know what I'm gonna do for Halloween. There is a big International Student party. Most folks I know are going. What will I be?
Tempting to go the guerrilla revolutionary look: green shirt and pants w/ hiking boots.

There are many many magpies here. and pigeons. Thats about all the birds I've seen.


where do bad folks go when they die?
they don't go to heaven where the angels fly
they go to the lake of fire and fry
won't see 'em again till the fourth of july

i knew a lady who came from duluth
who got bit by a dog with a rabid tooth
she went to her grave a little too soon
and flew away howling on the yellow moon

where do bad folks go when they die?
they don't go to heaven where the angels fly
they go to the lake of fire and fry
won't see 'em again till the fourth of july

now people cry and people moan
look for a dry place to call their own
try to find some place to rest their bones
before the angels and the devils
fight to make them their own

where do bad folks go when they die?
they don't go to heaven where the angels fly
they go to the lake of fire and fry
won't see 'em again till the fourth of july

update

Well, I can't really explain the reasons for outbursts in the last couple of posts in this public setting. It will have to remain a mystery.

Things seem more or less back to normal now. I have much free time, especially now that I'm not taking norsk. I'm actually friends with a couple of the students now, which is positive for my mental health but occasionally problematic. I am much closer to a couple of my flatmates, especially Isi and Wiebtke.

I've heard about two awesome job openings in the Twin Cities, which is quite hard to hear. HECUA's City Arts TA and a job as coordinator at Jane Addams School. And I've been getting some love at JAS and YF lately.
I still don't actually know if I'll be here next spring. It drives me crazy. Right now there are 4 students expected. I don't know if more will register, the deadline is Nov. 1st. Tim has said he would definitely run the program if 5 register. Four is a weird zone and I don't know what any of it means for next year.

I'm trying to appreciate Oslo again, but it is much more difficult here than in Stockholm or Copenhagen, especially Copenhagen. It is not an easy city to get to know well solo either. It is not easy to break into and become established on your own. My reserved nature around folks I don't know well makes this much more difficult. And this city is so damn expensive that to do anything on the town.

Not much to say. Any questions?

still feelin in

I am feeling very West Bank right now. In touch with my inner anarchist. Wanna hit the Hex and the Seward and NORTH COUNTRY and Luce and Hard Times and Arise and Mayday and Heart of the Beast and CC Club and Triple Rock and Intermedia Arts and MINNEAPOLIS

Punk music and street art and disturbing the paradigm and culture revolution and revolution and fight

Not my revolution if I can't dance

I'm beating my eartrumpet into a megaphone

I got mine here. scandinavia is a radical nexus. but oslo is dull and only the kids are here.

Must fight for it. only way i can do it.

phoenix

photos from prague posted to flickr. monthly quota full.

trip to stockholm and copenhagen with class complete.
highlights:
-Political rally in Norrebro for Ungdomshuset with set by Manu Chao
-Stockholm's KulturHuset and its showing of Martin Parr photos
-Getting in touch with my inner anarchist
-Sweden's Museum of Modern Art
-Hot White Chocolate at Chokladkoppen, a gay-friendly cafe in Stockholm's old town
-Yummy sandwich at Kaffekoppen, next door to above
-Drinks with Tim, including a Left Hand Sawtooth Ale
-Student engagement with our speakers and our course material
-Yummy mochas in Norrebro, with steaming whole milk poured onto a popsicle of chocolate slowly melting in quality espresso
-Living dreams in Tivoli
-Seeing smoldering street barricade and riot police outside Christiania
-Three trips to Christiania
-Two delicious meals at Christiania's vegetarian cafe Morgenstedet
-Accepting the limitations of my situation and refusing the submersing/subverting/sublimating of myself
-A renewed affection for Oslo
-Fall train rides through Sweden
-Meeting some incredible people through class
-Surviving Sweden's U.S. Embassy
-Late night Cheap Red Wine over a 14th floor view
-Two visits to Riz Raz, a cheap and delicious Mediterranean buffet in Copenhagen
-Falafel Stand in Christiania
-Reading Havel's Disturbing the Peace
-Free drinks in Vesterbro
-Tipsy and ineffective communication in French
-Forging friendship
-Survival

ANARCHY

www.ungdomshuset.dk
www.obeygiant.com
www.adbusters.org
www.blitz.no
www.christiania.org
www.dontdoitarmy.com
www.derrickjensen.org
www.banksy.co.uk

in a fightin mood

Turman

Cate sent me a small package recently that included a recent issue of the Minneapolis Observer Quarterly. The MOQ used to be a free monthly but is now a paid quarterly, given as a gift from Cate's folks (thanks Rynda!). I like the rag, even though it makes me feel like an elite liberal. Its very MPR/Garisson Keiler/Kenwood in some ways.

In this most recent issue sent my direction, a Minneapolis based graphic artist, Adam Turman, was featured on the cover with a the above print based on the Gold Medal sign and building. I like Adam Turman, I dig his style. He did the main graphic for last summer's Stone Arch Bridge Festival, and I checked out his work at that fest. I kept him in mind, and a few weeks later saw some of his work at some concert/gallery showing. What stands out for me are his designs based on landmarks in Minneapolis.

He also does a fair amount of work based on voluptous women. I don't like these nearly as much, I find them kind of... pointlessly sexist maybe? (can sexism have a point?) Maybe I'm just bothered because a man is making prints of women that I think are both sexy and art. Am I such a prude as this? The women are as similarly artificial as barbie dolls. It bothers my inner feminist.


Despite these reservations about this part of his work, I still really dig on his stuff. Below are a few favorites of mine, and a couple of new prints that are just outstanding for many reasons.

The above is beloved.

This should hang on many a wall. The only thing that would make this better woulda been tattooed forearms. Ikke sant?

This is one of the best beers I've ever had AND it is from a local company. I've seen it rated one of the best in the world by some of those beer snob websites. And its called fucking Surly Darkness. How bad ass is that?

A different sort of Purple Pride.

Solo Oslo

I posted photos on Flickr of Copenhagen and Vienna. Lots of photos of palaces and churches, but hopefully some more interesting ones from Hundertwasser and other random bits and pieces I found interesting. My account is full up right now, so photos of Prague may have to wait unless I go through a bit of trouble with Yahoo! Accounts.

I am back in Oslo, got in at 6 this morning. It was cold!
It is beautiful here today, but I've spent most of the day inside. Napping for a few hours, becoming reacquainted with my laptop.

I had a solid 10 hours in Copenhagen yesterday. I walked Stroget, but mostly hung out in Norrebro. Norrebro is this awesome neighborhood full of youth activists and immigrants. My kinda place, its got a great diverse vibrancy to it. I hung out on this pedestrian mall in the hood a chunk of the day, sipping a cafe or beer. I finished the Chomsky, thankfully. It was a great book to understand U.S. foreign policy, but kinda depressing.
Last night I picked up the Vaclav Havel, Disturbing the Peace, that I had bought on Wenceslas Square. I am LOVING this book. It is totally addressing some of those things I was thinking about the other day about the need for a creative and democratic society.

Here he describes the crisis caused by the world becoming super organizned, whether through the communism of the U.S.S.R. or the capitalism of the U.S.A.
"The reasons for the crisis in which the world now finds itself are lodged in something deeper than a particular way of organizing the economy or a particular political system. The West and the East, though different in so many ways, are going through a single, common crisis... This late period [is] one of conflict between an impersonal, anonymous, irresponsible, and uncontrollable juggernaut of power (the power of "megamachinery"), and the elemental and original interests of man [sic] as a concrete individual."

This is part of his description of his "personal 'utopia'"
"I would tend to favor an economic system based on the maximum possible plurality of many decentralized, structurally varied, and preferably small enterprises that respect the specific nature of different localities and different traditions and that resist the pressures of uniformity by maintaining a plurality of modes of ownership and economic decision-making, from private (indispensable in the area of crafts, trades, services, small business, and retail enterprises and areas of agriculture and, of course, in culture as well) through various types of cooperative and shareholding ventures, collective ownerships (connected with self-management schemes), right up to state ownership."
That is awesome!


He also stress the importance of relationships, however he focuses on relationships between individuals. Added to this, I think, should be further attention to relationship with the rest of the natural environment.



Also to continue in super blogging mode which you have been privy to lately, right before I left on this trip I made a mix. I did not have time to share it with you. Now I do.

Happy Travels/Happy Feet:

1. Prince and the Revolution - Let's Go Crazy
2. Kanye West - Stronger
3. Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, and the Furious Five - White Lines
4. Mark Ronson - God Put a Smile Upon Your Face
5. Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up
6. Jamie Cullum - Get Your Way
7. Aceyalone - All for U
8. Tom Waits - Step Right Up
9. Ike Reilly Assassination - The Boat Song (We're Getting Loaded)
10. The Hold Steady - Massive Nights
11. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
12. The Go! Team - Feel Good by Numbers
13. Jens Lekman - The Opposite of Hallelujah
14. Belle & Sebastian - Electronic Renaissance
15. Paul Simon - Kodachrome
16. Heiruspecs - 5ives
17. Paul Westerburg - Angels Walk

Hard to describe the theme. Mostly playful, uplifting, danceable songs that bring me joy. I needed it.

'Mother Prague has cluthes'

Things I didn't do in Prague that I wish I had:
-Go out to the bars and clubs. There was one really cool bar that had like 7 rooms all splayed out in this cavernous underground setting. I just walked through, couldn't pull myself to a solo beer. There is also this famous 5 story club that I was supposed to go to last night. I did not.
-I didn't really find the 'alternative' prague I was looking for. I blame lack of guidebook.
-Walk into St. Nicholosas' Church. It is supposed to be awesome. The one time I walked by I didn't go in, and I never came that direction again.
-Learn more about the history of Prague Castle. This didn't happen beause I didn't want to pony up the 300 ck for a ticket. Cheapskate!

Other notes:
-Some Americans here when they first met me thought I was European, because of how I talk.
-My first day here I went to a traditional czech restaurant. The tables there were built the exact same way as the desk/table I use at home. The table I use was made by Russ's father. I ended up thinking about Bohemian settlers in the midwest, partly also because I've been reading Willa Cather's My Antonia. It was a pleasurable read that made me feel warm. That's all I can say to recommend it, some will find it dull.
-I've been spending a lot of time here in Prague thinking about societal collapse. Perhaps it is because of reflections on the collapse of Sovietism. 'Freedom' came where there was none. I want to ask people whether they are happy with their capitalist Czech Rep. Is that rude? I suppose I think about it strangely, because of thinking about civilizational collapse and environmental damage. We have freedom for individuals (certainly much more so now than under the long arm of Soviet rule, even if you consider some of the different freedoms Communism championed). So freedom in relationships with others. But what about our relationship with nature? And there is our relationship with humans who are dying from lack of medicine, water, food, safety, and so many of the other things we could lessen if we tried (or cared). I am stuck on what is good, what is the way forward to sustainable existence where people can be creative and free and live with love in their hearts. Is it possible for us to create this condition? Will be have societal collapse first? In the process of trying to create this new society within the shell of the old, will new forms of oppression be created (as happened with the Reds)?
-I need a vacation from my vacation.
-I read Prachet and Gaiman's Good Omens on the way to Vienna. Very reminiscent of Gaiman's American Gods and Anasazi Boys,. They are all page turners and highly recommended by me. Good Omens was an excellent vacation book. I got lost in it, instead of feeling shitty for a 4 hour layerover in Dusseldorf on my way to Vienna. In Vienna I was reading Chomsky's Hegemony or Survival . I still got a ways to go. What is with me and the downy clowny stuff? Cather has been a better fit, its all about the midwest prairie and a bunch of settlers. Those Bohemians I mentioned also provide a small flavor of the old Czech country.
-Being here and especially in Vienna, I've been reminded at how fit Norwegians and Scandinavians are.

On my way home tonight I was thinking about things that I like and dislike. How that changes over time and further develops. How some of my tastes are distinct. It started with thinking about my taste in 'art'.
I started to make a little list of things I like and dislike:

likes: Matisee, Hundertwasser, Rothko, Russian icons, cedar and maple trees, pine forests, small creeks, graffitti, the radical left, collective work, cozy cafes and good coffee, tasty suds, gardens for food or flowers, public transportation, unprententiousness, humility, David Bowie, beards, strong independent women, skateboarding, books, love, warm hugs and soft kisses, wood furniture, being comfortable, whiskey, white russians and hot toddies, fires, red wine with close friends, getting cozy under a blanket, sharing poetry outloud with others, deep greens and blues, Minneapolis, the West Side of St. Paul, the art farm, walking, iPod, playing hockey, learning, log cabins, urban neighborhoods, community, walks in the prairie, dogs and cats, Canada, pancakes, pita bread, Thai Tofu Dip, brick walls, the sun on my face, being warm in crisp weather, sweating

disikes: hostels full of loud and dull australians, chauvinists, racists, aristocrats of blood or wealth, experiencing Western Europe as a tourist, fear, aching knees, pollution, homophobia, xenophobia, empty e-mail boxes, being cold to the bone



-I have other things to share. This happens when you travel solo, I suppose. I figure two long posts in one day should be enough for you. You'll likely hear from me next when I'm back in Oslo.

P.S. Kafka wrote that quote about mother prague. Maybe my next post will talk about kafka? Oh, you know I know Kafka. I suck like that.

More news from old Prague

I like Prague.

There, you've had the ever important judgement of Phil. Truly you need never think of Prague again, except to know that Yes, Phil likes Prague.



Sorry.
Too much solo time?




Anyway...

It is a fun city to walk around in. The old part of town is well preserved, though there are too many souvenir shops and restos geared to tourists. There is still a bit of an off the beaten path, but not much. I'll say this though: Prague is a beautiful city with an incredible history. Thats another reason why I enjoy this place. It is incredible to hike up to Prague Castle, go to the Vitus Church, walk across the Charles Bridge, sit in the Old Town Square. All pondering the history of the Hussites and Bohemians and what all.
The Jewish Quarter, Josefov, is incredible and includes the oldest synagogue in Europe and an old cemetary dating to the 15th century. The graves are piled on top of each other with 12,000 souls filling perhaps 2 acres.
The recent history of the end of communism still marks the city. I vistited a the Museum of Communism, which was in the same building as a casino and right above a McDonalds. It had a very amusing pro-capitalist bent. It was also incredible to sit in Wenseclas Square, stare at the national museum and ponder the Velvet Revolution. I'd been meaning to read Vaclav Havel's Disturbing the Peace for a few years but haven't gotten around to it. I was inspired sitting there, and proceeded to a book shop on the square and picked it up. I also got two other books I've been meaning to read: Collapse by Jared Diamond and No Logo by Naomi Kline. Nice uplifting and light vacation reading, eh?

I sometimes joke that I can tell how much I'll like a city based on how often I get offered hash. And it is here! Walking around the tourist drag one night I got three offers. Last night it appeared at my hostel. I ended up going out last night, deals were fairly open in the club we went to. In part of the club folks openly rolled their sticks and lit up right there.

Besides seeing a bit of hash, last night I also saw a shadier side of Prague. I met up with two English girls I'd met and befriended in Vienna. We went to this club in Old Town called Chateau. I liked the place decent, besides it being filled with tourist types and a disproportianite amount of sausage. Soon after we arrived one of ladies I was with became violently ill. After getting her out of the bar we hoped a taxi to a hospital. We suspected she'd been sliped something, but not sure. There'd been a strange shady dude hanging around us a bit, couldn't qutie figure him out. Paranoia?
She'd been out last night, but hadn't partied to hard. Poor planning had her eat only one meal that day. She had a couple drinks and most of a spliff on her own (but word was she smoked plenty at home, though a different grade). I went with the ladies to the hospital, of course. They didn't do much for her there, except advise a night of sleep for her and a friend to keep a watch on her to ensure she didn't asphxyiate (too lazy to look up spelling). So, I ended up back at their hostel. I stayed up an early shift with coffee and a borrowed book. Bill Bryson's A Brief History of Everything, but I didn't take to it. Pop-science short on ideas and long on prose. I was able to crash there for free, thankfully. It was a disappointing evening, not only because a friend became ill, but also because I hadn't really had a single big night out on this trip. I've had a few beers here and there, but its not really me to hit up a scene solo. The folks I've met haven't had schedules conducive with mine for partying. Last night was gonna be big night out, and was gonna top what was by far my best day of travel.

Other news: my cold cleared! thank fucking god!

I had my first ever Vodka Red Bull! It was gross and tasted like cough syrup. Why would anyone drink that trash? especially here in Czech, home of the Pilsner and some of the finest brews on the continent?

I start heading home tomorrow. boo. Plane to copenhagen, hang out for afternoon and evening, night bus to Oslo. I've done bits of work related business here and there. I'm not looking forward to returning, even though this trek hasn't been all that I'd hoped.

have travel, will blog

A few further thoughts about Vienna before I get into Praha.
I was struck at how polluted Vienna seemed. It was not a "dirty" city, really, but the air quality was atrocious. The hills in the distance were barely visable. Before you point out that hey, they're in the distance and so will be hard to see, I will also note the the city's skyscrapers were also quite fuzzy. There are few pedestrian only streets, and I swear I was smelling auto exhaust most of the time I was there. At least, I smelled car fumes when the occasionally waft of piss (human?) and shit (horse?) came in my direction. I will add the caveat that I had a sore throat when I was there and may (was) more attentive and bothered by these things than I am normally. I guess I'm used to the clean air of Oslo. Copenhagen isn't too bad, since everyone bikes everywhere. Minneapolis has its rough days, but compared to most U.S. cities isn't too terrible.
Other notes. Austrians: not very attractive. (I am such an ASSHOLE)
Today Vienna is definitely central european. It has not be a major power in the vast part of the 20th century. And there seems to have been a vast influx of eastern europeans into the city, causing a bit of a boom in the last 15 years or so. Nonetheless, the city was quite modern and very Western (capital W on that shit). Meaning: it wasn't as cheap or as intersting of a contrast to what I'm used to as I thought it would be.

Enough Vienna!

Yesterday after a slow morning I took an afternoon train in to the Czech Republic and Prague. The train ride was pretty dull on the Austrian side, but became much more interesting one we crossed the old East-West divide. For one thing, it was just more beautiful: mountains (okay...hills) combined with autumn foliage, small rivers, and a nice small-hamlet vibe from a few villages. Plus, it was awesome to see all the crumbling buildings from the warsaw pact era (and all that business).

Prague is...a beautiful city and (!) it is a joy to walk around in.
There are too many tourists, parts of it overflow. I feel like I'm 5-10 years to late to enjoy Prague as it once was. Yes, it is "safe" for tourists now. Meaning, a bit too many souvenir shops, trinket hawkers, and befuddled groups abound (albiet sluggishly).
Still, the city has some edge to it. For one thing, I felt like a complete asshole for speaking English. I was treated to as poor of restaurant service as I've gotten anywhere, it may match a nefarious resto in Nice from previous trip. Speaking of the French, I've been suprised at how often I've heard my mother('s) tongue. New french hotspot?
Still, the city is cheap. Not as cheap as it once was...tourism is driving up the prices. Still, I can get a good hot filling meal and beer for 10 USD close to a tourist area. In Norway I'd be paying 12 USD just for a beer in a comparative location.

Ughing Norway. This trip has reminded me what a small town Oslo is. Fuck-ing Os-lo.

Can I mention: I am tired of feeling like shit. My sore throat has moved into runny nose town. Full blast the last two days. My knee feels much better today, which I am very thankful for. The last full day in Vienna was pain.

I sene I've written a lot but haven't SAID ANYTHING. This may deserve a later post. I have thought more of things to put up. Maybe later tonight, maybe tomorrow. Maybe never?

More from Vienna

Okay, I accidently deleted the blogpost I was working on. I HATE that.

I've been in Vienna for 48 hours or so now. I've got a bit of a feel for the place, more so than the avg. tourist I hope. It is difficult without a guidebook (or guide for that matter) to know where to go and what to skip. I got drawn in to a couple things I maybe could done without. The Leopold Museum for one. I didn't go to a couple things I wish I had: like the KunstHistoireMuseum or whatever it is called. Still, I think I did well for myself. I made it to the PalmHaus and Schloss Schönbrün. I checked out the major churches, palaces, and sights (I think). I never found "the hip neighborhood", which is a bummer. I usually trz to hang out in that kinda district anztime I visit a citz. Just have a coffee and browse through some book or record stores. Didn't see it :(

I made it to the Hundertwasser House, which was fucking awesome. So was the KunstHausWien, which was mostly dedicated to the Hundertwasser. I am now a fan.


Can you blame me? That is awesome! I am really looking forward to posting photos up of my visits there. I heard of Hundertwasser through Russ, ye olde stepe-dadde. I can see connections between their ceramics and approach to house renovating. If any of you made it to the studio in wisconsin, you especially know what I'm talking about.

I'm looking forward to Prague. I take the train tomorrow at 1:33. Just under 4 hour trip. That'll be nice, and will round out the trains, planes, and automobiles randomness that is going on. I need a bit of a travel/rest day anyhoo. My sickness is mostlz gone. It was just a sore throat and general exhaustion. But my knee really does need some rest! I keep worrying it will flame up really bad while I'm travelling. My only insurance coverage right now is under the Norwegian National Health Insurance Scheme, and I'm fairlz sure it would not cover expenses here (even if I wanted to risk the Austrian or Czech medical systems!).

I kinda dislike travelling solo! I really wish Cate was here. My hostel is fairly big. I've met a few folks, but I'm still kinda inward when I meet new folks. Plus, I don't meet new folks very easily! Maybe I look off-putting or threatening? I blame the beard!

Always the beard!
More thoughts about Vienna:
I think Satan would like it here. There is something about its aristocratic air combined with the haute couture just barely hiding what I imagine to be an extremely seedy underbelly (but an underbelly I haven't really seen!). Vienna makes me think of S&M. Or that Kubrick movie that sucked: Eyes Wide Shut!


Now you know: Vienna=S&M=bad Kubrick

Wien!

I am in Vienna.

Do we in the States sleep on Vienna? Whenever folks talk about where they want to visit its Paris, London, Italy, Spain. Even Germany or Ireland. But Austria? Vienna? Why go there?

Man, do we sleep on Vienna. I think Vienna would be upset if it knew the extent. Vienna considers itself a cultural capital of the world (THE world capital of music) and capital of central europe. Its is architecturally beautiful. It has incredible churches and palaces. A beautiful and accessible Opera House. Many high quality theatres.

But its kinda old. Established. Prentious and too preoccupied with its own status as elite.

I make broad generalizations based on truly nothing, but I may just be right.
I could also be some American asshole trumping some bizarre Midwestern system of quasi analysis based on non-rigourous qualities like democratic, open, diverse, etc.

Am I already sick of travelling? I am tired here. And sick, I may add. And my fucking knees hurt from walking 6-7 hours daily.

Anyway, enough about me. I am deflating my own analysis by shifting lens from Vienna to I. Just like Vienna to do that.

I got in last night around 6. Checked into hostel. Grabbed a kebab and walked down Mariahilfe Strasse. It was beautiful! The street has all these trees that are going yellow, and under the street lamps and neon signs it was as a glowing golden canopy. Under this cover I strolled a hopping boutique lined street, punctuated by cafes and pizza shops.

Last night I got my closest thing to a good nights sleep since Friday. Spent the day walking around the Old Town checking out some of the major sights. I went to the Leopold Museum, lured in by its poster advertising Klimt masterpieces. I found masterpiece and was disappointed. Still, good walking. I took a prolonged break at a cafe housed in a greenhouse just off a royal garden. More walking brought me to Karls Church, which was beautiful (the nicest of the three I walked into today). Then I took the tram around the Ring, which limits the Old Town and highlights the sights. Tonight I hope to do the same, but with the city all lit up nice. Take in a couple sights all well lit, too. Not too major plans, I need to rest more. Break this cold or whatever I got and rest 'dem knees.

Tomorrow I hope for Schonbrun Palace (sp?), the big market, and Hundertvasser. Maybe a sachertorte, depending on my cash.