Vienna for birthday ball
Shannon’s friend is moving back to Austria and invited people to celebrate her 30th birthday at the ZuckerBäckerball.
We planned to take an ÖBB night train, but the German rail workers went on strike and we ended up having to take a flight there. But we returned on the train. I left some thoughts on that in the weeknotes.
It was nice to revisit Vienna after 14 years, and we enjoyed a few great meals and museums. The Leopold was a highlight, with good exhibitions in a brilliatly arranged building.
The ball was a blast, like a Mardi Gras event but in an elegant venue with a diverity of experiences. I will remember the side quest of trying to find out how to turn in my cake ticket for a cake, which included “my white rabbit” leading me through a labyrinth of dance floors and ended with many of the ladies in formalwear shoving their faces into the chocolate cake while I struggled to hold it. And, of course, that the night ended when one of us put her drink on a small stage once too often and security kicked us out. I spent quite some time simply making that staff, especially the one I’ve named “Biff”, uncomfortable with their weilding of authority without clear communication.
- 4 nights at Hotel Gilbertz in Vienna