Well, this trip started in a most interesting way:
Christin drove me to Klagenfurt, from where I planned to take the train to Vienna.
We waved good-by, she drove off and I turned to the entrance of the Klagenfurt Railway Station, only to be denied entry by several police men who barred all entrance ways.
Soon all the staff came out. The ticket sellers, the operators of the little stores, the cleaning staff, everybody was escorted out and we all had to move back, away from the front of the building.
Obviously the cops did not tell us any reason, just asking us to be patient.
We were assured that we would not miss our trains, since no train was allowed to enter the station area.
So, we waited, about 35 of us, and waited some more. Thirty minutes later, the all clear was given, we boarded the train, bound for Vienna and that is the end of the story.
I can only assume that there was a threatening call which turned out to be just a hoax. Well, whatever.
Arrived in Vienna, checked into the "Motel One" and went for dinner to one of the few remaining typical Viennese Coffee houses and Restaurants. Large, L shaped room furnished with black tables and chairs and green plush upholstered benches. On 16 large windows the proud inscription assured all comers that this place was "Klimatisiert" "Air Conditioned"...
I sweated through a mediocre, overpriced "Wienerschnitzel"
"French Fries or Roasted Potatoes?"
Roasted Potatoes please !
"Cranberries ?
Yes please !
"A Lemon Wedge?"
Sure, please !
"A small Salad ?"
yes please !
When the bill came, everything, potatoes, cranberries, lemon wedge, small salad was charged extra, almost doubling the Schnitzel's Menu Price.
Watch out for slick operators and their prices in Vienna.
I could not help but ask the waiter, how they reconcile the advertised "Air Condition" and the almost unbearable heat and humidity within the premises. I mentioned that if this was "air conditioning" then I was the Emperor of China.
Oh, Sir, the Waiter ventured, this applies only to the small extra room in the back. You don't expect us to air-condition this entire, large, high ceilinged room, do You ?
If, indeed, you cannot air condition this "entire, large, high-ceilinged room", then for Honesty's sake, SAY SO. Write on all your 16 super large windows, something like this:
"Klimatisiert, Air Condition,... but only the small extra room in the back. The rest of the large, high-ceilinged room is as hot as hell.
First, they lye to you about the climatic condition of the whole place ( yes, yes, I know except for the small room in the back..) then they have the audacity to charge extra for a few potatoes, a tiny little bowl of cranberries, the smallest bowl of lettuce.... I cannot go on anymore, except for assuring you that Hell will freeze over, before I go back there again.
Bertstravels
is super-cheezed off and is thinking of mentioning the name of this rip-off joint.
but, since my fans from Mauritius won't come to Vienna, it won't make any difference.
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