I had hoped to share photos of my tour of Prince Eugene of Savoy’s Winter Palace today. But, no. “Kein Photography” was the phrase of the day. All I could snap were a handful of photos of the Baroque entrance hall.
Hercules and Prince Eugene greeted visiting dignitaries at the top of the staircase, I learned. I leave the literary comparison discussions to you.
Overall I was underwhelmed with our tour. Not because our guide did not do her usual outstanding job, but because the “representative rooms” were a mess. The decorating styles of Prince Eugene, and then the new owner, Maria Theresa, were not all that compatible.
But onto the real reason for the post. One morning this week the Idiot News Network (CNN), International edition, ran a feature on “The World’s 12 Best Shopping Cities.” I jokingly said to Tony over our coffee, “Ha. No way Vienna will be on the list.”
Well.
The Imperial City came in at Number 8. Although the early store closing hours were described as a “buzz-kill,” somehow the author had the chutzpah to suggest that one could “whip out the plastic” at both the tourist-icon Naschmarkt to eat their way through the market, and at the Wiener Christkindlmarkt to “sip on glühwein at the Platonic ideal of a fairy-tale Christmas.” Should any tourist attempt to hand my favorite cheese vendor at Naschmarkt a credit card they would be laughed at. Same goes for my falafel guy, my lamb cutlet guy, my new favorite fish guy…
Recently in one of the English language newspapers here I read an article on the cultural origins of Austrian expletives. As with any culture there are subtleties lost in translation, of course; what caught my attention is that the majority of Austrian expletives are aimed not at a subject necessarily, but out of general anger or frustration. Take, for example the expletive, “So a Schaaaasss!” The literal translation is “What a fart.”
Perhaps the idiot writers at CNN should include “So a Schaaaasss” in the article to help all those tourists who try to whip out the ole AmEx for a round of glühwein at the Christmas markets blow off a little steam.
November 19, 2013 at 16:00
I still marvel at my friend back in DC when she pays our Sternchenkaffee lattes with plastic. 😉
Yes, yes, it is true, plastic is not accepted everywhere, but does carrying a little cash for a cup or two of mulled wine or some Falafel at the market really spoil your day? New World, Old World, life's too short, have another coffee (cash, please), and think of all those sugar plums, er, ATM machines were you can safely withdraw more cash should the need arise. At least they don't charge your for each and every withdrawal like they do on the other side of the Big Pond. 😉
I have been paying with plastic at quite a few places at the Naschmarkt, but always cash at the farmers market section. I have also learned that my organic turkey only gobbles for cash. Now, if anyone there would carry really fresh pecan nuts, I am ready to pay in cash!
November 19, 2013 at 17:29
Merisi, your comments always make me smile. In DC I was notorious for rarely, if ever, having enough (US) pocket change on my person to get myself out of the most minor of situations because I always held the power of the plastic card. However, when my darling husband was called to depart for Fukushima mere hours after the tragedy and in the middle of the night, I drove him to a most unusual terminal at Dulles, bid him safe travels, and handed him the ¥5.000 (that was in my pocketbook from a trip to Japan three years prior, for a tea when he landed), I felt vindicated.
I learned early on here to carry what seems like extraordinary amounts of Euros whenever I leave the house; but I still think it's disingenuous for a major information website to lead tourists to think that Vienna (willingly and consistently) accepts plastic. 😉
Good luck with the fresh pecan hunt, and Happy Thanksgiving!
November 19, 2013 at 22:28
I loved the humor in your two photos! hehe!
November 20, 2013 at 13:36
That is why I posted them. 🙂