(8/7/12) Lost in Vienna

In the mystical land of Vienna, you’ll find that not all U-Bahns are created equal. I learned this first hand after spending several hours trekking around Vienna (and getting remarkably lost) by bus, train, and foot. Unfortunately, due to my incompetence in the field of direction and map interpretation, I’m unsure of exactly where I was. Initially, I set out on a night walk around 8 o clock. I intended to be out for an hour or so, just to clear my head. I was feeling nauseous (mostly from sleep deprivation and eating too many lactose-filled products) and craved some fresh air. So, I set out of my journey, attempting to go north, since our classes and field trips usually send us southbound. I walked some unfamiliar streets, but everything was lit and safe. However, to my disappointment, I suddenly came across the Museumquarter. Now, I love the Museumquarter, but I wanted to walk in unfamiliar territory! Before I knew it, I reached the most familiar part of Vienna, besides my own apartment, which was the classroom right next to the Opera House. In frustration, and stupidity, I got on the first  street car I saw, promising myself that I’d get out when I found somewhere cool to walk around.

Screw you, too!

Nothing seemed to appease my touristy interests, and before I knew it, the cable car I was on went underground. This completely shocked me, reminding me of a ride at Disneyland or something. I had no idea the street cars went underground! Out of partly excitement and partly unfamiliarity, I decided to remain on the cable car in search of something new, instead of getting out and retracing my steps like I should have done. The cable car reached the end of the line, and I realized I had better get off once I saw the driver of the cable car exit. But at the very least, I was somewhere new, just like I wanted. So new, of course, that I had no idea where I was or where I needed to go. From what I could tell, I was in some kind of suburban area on the edge of the city. Panic began to slowly set in, but I remained as calm as I could. “If I need to splurge on a taxi, I’ll just not eat for a week or something,” I thought to myself. That would have been an expensive taxi ride, I bet.

I found a bus and hopped on, hoping it would lead me to some kind of familiar area. Luckily, I noticed that the end of the bus line I was on was a stop with a “U” next to it, presumably signifying the U-Bahn. Still remaining a little skeptical, I rode the bus until the end of the line, waiting in anticipation to spot the big, blue, familiar U-Bahn sign I yearned for. The second the bus came to a halt at the end of the line, I jumped off and hastily walked towards the U-Bahn. Just as I was patting myself on the back for finding my way home, I discovered that the U1, the U-Bahn train I had been directed to, was closed. It wasn’t even 11 at this point! (I later found that the U1 was closed for construction for the entire month of August. Go figure.) But the gate was shut and I was once again up the creek without a paddle. I decided it was time to put aside my pride and ask for directions. I entered a busy ice cream parlor, busting out my favorite line “Sprecken Sie Englisch???” The Austrian woman behind the counter unwillingly admitted that she did, in fact, sprecke Englisch. I asked her for a chocolate ice cream on a cone and directions to the U-Bahn, and she delivered. I was finally going to end my panic-inducing journey. 

Shoulda had one of these with me...

Needless to say, not much else happened except spilling the chocolate ice cream (she gave me way too much for my cone to handle). I eventually found the 68 tram that she guided me to, which took me to the U-Bahn, which trustingly led me home. I’ve gotten lost in this city a number of times, but the other times it was during the day or when I was with other people. I don’t really mind getting lost, but I do mind getting stressed, so I need to be a little more mindful of where I am going. But as Alanis Morissette once famously said, "You live, you learn." 

Alanis teaching us life lessons.