Ahhhh Vienna....

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving Slovakia but god was it good to arrive in a city that has modern dentistry, deodorant and Helmut Lang.... ahh Vienna.

I knew from the start that I wanted to wade through the Freud Museum. Let me just clarify, you dont wade through anything. Apart from the waiting room which has been reconstructed using photographs, the place is a shell. It took years of acquiring Freuds original apartment back from private renters, ample amounts of cash and the collaboration of architects and artists to create a dull space that resembles nothing of Freuds apartment or office. In a cruel gesture to the museums visitors, photographs of the original space are displayed in corresponding rooms so you can observe the disparity. The patrons, however seemed more interested buying Freud tea-towels, fridge magnets and t-shirts in the gift shop. The designers at least understood the psychology of shopping, a ikea-esque space that you have to wander through in order to get out it also happens to be the only airconditioned space in the whole museum - ching ching!

Take my advice, buy a book on Freud and/or visit the Freud Museum in London. Freuds London home is overflowing with information and artifacts. It has also been kept identical to when Freud was administered that lethal dose of morphine... minus the vomit in the carpet.

After the Freud Museum, Lubos and I then went to the Palmenhause Restaurant in the Wiener Burggarten for a bite. It was such a beautiful day, perfect for people watching so we sat outside. The Viennese are so glamorous and well mannered. In comparison, the Bratislavians look like filthy gypsies. Its easy to see how Vienna ranks third in the world in terms of quality of life as opposed to third world.

When comparing Austria to Slovakia its plain to see Austria is far more prosperous. Both countries were pillaged by the Third Reich, both countries were ravaged by war but fortunately for Austria, the country was spared from Communism.

After a long and full day we returned to Slovakia via Bratislava. With the risk of sounding bourgeois, never, I will repeat NEVER, travel second class on Slovak Rail. It was 30 degrees, there was no airconditioning, all the windows were closed and the stench from the toilet permeated the whole carriage! There were so many passengers, condensation was dripping from the ceiling and the occasional gypsy/beggar/drunk would accost you for money.

God I just read what I wrote. Apart from moving between tenses, I sound like I had the worst time which I absolutley didnt.