Arriving in Vienna

I arrived in Vienna tired, dirty, and hungry. And with no money.

My Austrian friend met me at the train station, and after taking a shower at his place I collapsed into bed for a little while.

Then we went for a long walk through the city. He showed me the enormous, impressive, impossibly white imperial buildings. Stunned, a little, by the show of power.

We walked by the new palace, where Hitler stood and spoke to a crowd of over a million during World War II. I listened to my friend speak about who Austrians are now, how that time affected the people.

His friend was throwing a fruit and chocolate party that night, and asked everyone to bring something. With the some of the last bit of money (he only had about 20 Euros), we bought watermelon, peaches...and beer. Tall cans of cold Austrian beer that we drank was we walked through the city.