Psellus Does the Byzantine Commonwealth: My Balkan Adventures

[Queequeg]

Syt, I can assure you, that's pretty mild stuff compared to what I'll tell you about the Balkans tomorrow.

[Josquius]

Hate caritas. Once went into one of their shops thinking it was a normal crappy supermarket and they were really rather rude with me.
Food banks should be round the back of churches, not in regular shopping centres. 

[Syt]

Psellus; I'm afraid I need to renege on tomorrow. I got hit with a major case of the runs and puking. So much for spending Christmas Eve with little kids. "Oh, yours had a stomach bug, too?" "Oh, don't worry, if she was contagious, we'd have it, too!" Not how I imagined to spend Christmas Day.

[Queequeg]

I'm here till Monday.  VIENNA SO GOOD. Very tired.  Did the Albertina and Leopold museums today. 

[Syt]

Sorry, still feeling pretty shitty (pun intended).

But it sounds like you love Vienna a bit, and maybe there's another chance for meeting - I think you're on of the most intriguing people on Languish, so I hate to miss the opportunity.

If you feel like taking a look at the working class areas of Vienna, there's two tram rides (ca. half an hour to hour each) that you can take: Line 5 from Westbahnhof (U3/U6) to Praterstern (U1/U2) first takes you through 7th, 8th, 9th district, which are hipster, bourgeois, middle class, respectively, then 22nd after the Danube Canal and the 2nd which are a bit more working class/immigrant (though the worst areas of Vienna are still not too horrible IMHO). Or there's Line 6 from Burggasse (U6) to Reumannplatz (U1). Reumannplatz is considered a horrible place by many people from nicer Viennese areas, because in summer it's crowded by immigrants from all ethnicities. Line 6 goes through the 5th district, which is middle to lower middle class, depending of area you're in, and the Quellenstraße in 10th district which is one of the main streets there. You could take a walk down the pedestrian area from Reumannplatz to the next U1 station at Kepplerplatz (about 5 minute walk), or further down to Hauptbahnhof. It being Sunday, all shops will be closed, though, and it will be much less busy than on workdays. You could also take the line 6 further to Enkplatz (U3) or Simmering (U3) which goes through 11th district.

There's no significant sights along the roads, but it would give you a decent idea of Vienna off the tourist paths.

[Queequeg]

I am in Vienna again, prior to a trip to Prague, Krakow, Warsaw, Lviv and Kiev.  Any suggestions?

[Valmy]

Damn Spellus how long is this trip?

[Admiral Yi]

Eat some sacher torte.

[Duque de Bragança]

I am in Vienna again, prior to a trip to Prague, Krakow, Warsaw, Leopolis and Kiev.  Any suggestions?

Suggestion added! 
As for Sachertorte, and for many Vienna things, I assume Syt knows about Hotel Sacher and Demel.

[Barrister]

SPellus, the Kunsthistorisches Museum was well worth the visit.

[Queequeg]

Leaving for Prague for a week tomorrow.  God damn I love this city.  I wish I could find some way to work with migrant populations here, I have no idea how this city manages to have so many Serbs, Turks, Albanians, Croats and Arabs without exploding every night.  Instead it looks gorgeous and organized and is full of nice, attractive people and reasonably well behaved tourists. 

[barkdreg]

If you need some ideas or help for Lviv and Kiev I can help. Spend a few weeks over there last summer.

[Syt]

Glad you enjoy(ed) it here. Besides the sights, have you ventured into the other parts of Vienna?

If you want to get the immigrant/low income area feeling, I recommend taking a tram to Quellenplatz (6 or 71, I believe), walk the last bit to Reumannplatz (the actual Reumannplatz, not the U-Bahn exit next to the Libro), have lunch at the Türkis (or the nearby Kümmeltürk in Davidgasse), and take a stroll to Columbusplatz and Südtiroler Platz (U1 station Südtiroler Platz).

Or go to Praterstern, take the 5 to station Rauscherstraße and take a stroll down Wallensteinstraße to the U4 Friedensbrücke. During weekdays, take a detour by turning right at Jägerstraße and heading to the Hannovermarkt (cheap but great kebab to be had).

Also, the area behind the Westbahnhof (or anywhere near the Gürtel on the double-digit district side).

[Queequeg]

I'm in Warsaw RN.  Very, very tired.

[Grinning_Colossus]

Warsaw was my last stop in Europe. I took a train from Berlin to take advantage of a $700 Warsaw-San Francisco flight and was only there overnight. I wish I'd stayed longer. Everything was so cheap and the people were so attractive.