back to normality, back to regular coffee
Back safely from Vienna: the trip was smooth, though it started ungodly early in the morning (5.30am Vienna time, 4.30am UK time) in order to finish packing, get across town to the airport rather than paying extortionate price for taxi, etc. Plus there was a 4.5 hour break at Amsterdam. But that's preferable to too short a changeover, and I had reading matter, and Schipol Airport is comfortable and has plenty of chairs, so . . .
Vienna was fantastic. It really was. I walked round a lot of museums (the Art History Museum in particular was stunning), I gained a new appreciation of what happens when you rule a country for centuries and accumulate artworks/private dinner services/etc, I ate too much, I had a splendid time. I also saw Don Giovanni at the opera - gorgeous, gorgeous voices, fantastic to watch and hear and just be there - and Tanz der Vampire at the Ronacher Theatre, which was just plain fun. (Here's the trailer for the show - though I saw it with a different Graf von Krolock, who was still extremely good.) I have to say that while they were both marvellous in different ways, if I'd had the chance to see one of the two again, I'd have picked Tanz der Vampire - though that may be partly because there is no other way to see the show, but there are a number of versions of Don Giovanni more easily available.
I have the rest of the week off, and will be using it to recover, and hopefully get some work done on book five. This was a great vacation, but it was a rather strenuous one - the sort when you feel that if you aren't out seeing Vienna somehow, you're not fully using your time. I would appreciate a bit of sit-down now, and maybe even some sleeping in.
Vienna was fantastic. It really was. I walked round a lot of museums (the Art History Museum in particular was stunning), I gained a new appreciation of what happens when you rule a country for centuries and accumulate artworks/private dinner services/etc, I ate too much, I had a splendid time. I also saw Don Giovanni at the opera - gorgeous, gorgeous voices, fantastic to watch and hear and just be there - and Tanz der Vampire at the Ronacher Theatre, which was just plain fun. (Here's the trailer for the show - though I saw it with a different Graf von Krolock, who was still extremely good.) I have to say that while they were both marvellous in different ways, if I'd had the chance to see one of the two again, I'd have picked Tanz der Vampire - though that may be partly because there is no other way to see the show, but there are a number of versions of Don Giovanni more easily available.
I have the rest of the week off, and will be using it to recover, and hopefully get some work done on book five. This was a great vacation, but it was a rather strenuous one - the sort when you feel that if you aren't out seeing Vienna somehow, you're not fully using your time. I would appreciate a bit of sit-down now, and maybe even some sleeping in.