Op-Expat » expat http://op-expat.com An Expat's Hilarious Observations About Life Abroad Sun, 20 May 2012 09:53:18 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Vienna vs. Stockholm http://op-expat.com/2011/07/vienna-vs-stockholm/ http://op-expat.com/2011/07/vienna-vs-stockholm/#comments Sun, 03 Jul 2011 12:04:25 +0000 BM Pitcher http://op-expat.com/?p=637 Continue reading →]]> Whenever I travel to another city, I like to post my observations about how the other city compares with Vienna.

I have to admit that I like Stockholm a lot. Though Vienna is a clean city, Stockholm is even cleaner. Both cities are great for walking. Both cities have good public transportation. Both cities have good food.

What Stockholm has that Vienna lacks, however, is a lot of seafood and a lot of beef. I like both so this was a piece of heaven for me. Also the people are really nice in Stockholm. Perky, happy, helpful. Such a nice change to the cranky Viennese. Also shopping is good with stores open on Sundays! A miracle.

Let’s get to the heart of what is really important to me. The ocean. Water is everywhere in Stockholm and I love it. Austria is landlocked and I would have to drive for five hours to get to the ocean. I try to convince myself that I no longer miss the ocean. However after months of not seeing it, then flying into a place like Stockholm, I almost weep with homesickness for the ocean.

However there are two things which Stockholm cannot keep up with concerning Vienna. The coffee there is no good (but for you poor Americans probably still an improvement) and the pastries just aren’t what they should be. Vienna knows its cakes and pastries like no place else.

To sum up Vienna and Stockholm. In Vienna throw a rock and hit a church or a coffeehouse. In Stockholm throw a rock and hit an H&M.

]]> http://op-expat.com/2011/07/vienna-vs-stockholm/feed/ 0 Castle and Underground Lake Near Vienna http://op-expat.com/2011/05/castle-and-underground-lake-near-vienna/ http://op-expat.com/2011/05/castle-and-underground-lake-near-vienna/#comments Mon, 30 May 2011 09:07:59 +0000 BM Pitcher http://op-expat.com/?p=634 Continue reading →]]> Bored as usual on a Sunday, my husband and I were flipping through the Austrian guidebook that I purchased to find some entertainment. We were successful. I recommend both places for a Sunday afternoon romp.

Burg Lichtenstein

http://www.burgliechtenstein.eu/de/anfahrt.html

Seegrotte Hinterbrühl

http://www.seegrotte.at/002_englisch/frameset.htm

]]> http://op-expat.com/2011/05/castle-and-underground-lake-near-vienna/feed/ 0 Article about Cultural Differences http://op-expat.com/2011/05/article-about-cultural-differences/ http://op-expat.com/2011/05/article-about-cultural-differences/#comments Fri, 27 May 2011 10:30:25 +0000 BM Pitcher http://op-expat.com/?p=630 Continue reading →]]> A good article from BBC about cultural differences between the English and the Germans. American behaviour is fairly similar to that the of the British and the Austrian behaviour is fairly similar to that of the Germans.

If you are Austrian and just read that statement, please do not blast me. =)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13545386

]]> http://op-expat.com/2011/05/article-about-cultural-differences/feed/ 0 Where to Hang Out in Vienna in the Summer http://op-expat.com/2011/05/where-to-hang-out-in-vienna-in-the-summer/ http://op-expat.com/2011/05/where-to-hang-out-in-vienna-in-the-summer/#comments Fri, 20 May 2011 13:06:24 +0000 BM Pitcher http://op-expat.com/?p=628 Continue reading →]]> A friend of mine put together an awesome list of places to hang out in Vienna during the summer. Take a look.

1)      At the water – An ocean breeze is a bit hard to come by in Vienna, so the “Alte Donau” will have to do. It is quite beautiful there actually

“Alte Donau”

La Creperie

Zur alten Kaisermühle

Ufertaverne

Fabelhaft

Strandcafe

Straßenbahnerbad

Wake up

2)      Heurige – two of my personal favourites and a bit away from the beaten tourist tracks

Weingut Reisenberg

Steirerstöckl

3)      Donauinsel – Viennas very own “Jersey Shore”

Copa Cagrana

Sunken City

4)      Summer in the City – Ideal for an after work spritzer

Altes AKH

               Stigl Ambulanz

               Salettl

25 hours Hotel

Summerstage (some nice, some not so nice bars & restaurants)

Sand in the city

Bunkerei (Rather “alternative” but very nice location right in the middle of the augarten)

Eis Greissler (no spritzers but bio icecream)

5)      Away from it all – For those with access to a car, some locations outside of Vienna

Mole West

Klosterneuburg Heurige

Kahlenberg

6)      Donaukanal

Strandbar Herman

Adria Beach

Tel Aviv Beach

Badeschiff

7)      My favourite place in the summer

Krapfenwaldbad – Enjoy the view, and I am not (just) talking about the Viennese vineyards…

8)      Open Air Cinemas

Augarten Kino – Perfect for a Picnic

Hauptbibliothek Kino – very urban

Kino unter Sternen

]]> http://op-expat.com/2011/05/where-to-hang-out-in-vienna-in-the-summer/feed/ 1 Vienna vs. Budapest http://op-expat.com/2011/04/vienna-vs-budapest/ http://op-expat.com/2011/04/vienna-vs-budapest/#comments Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:46:01 +0000 BM Pitcher http://op-expat.com/?p=624 Continue reading →]]> Whenever I go to other cities in the world, I like to compare them to Vienna. This Easter weekend I spent in Budapest. They say that Budapest is Vienna’s “sister city.” What they don’t say however, is that Budapest is the rundown, poor sister to Vienna.

From the moment my husband and I arrived in Budapest, the city rubbed us the wrong way. We became sullen, cranky and disinterested. We walked around listlessly and looked at this and that without having the slightest excitement woken within us.

Budapest has the same shops and restaurants as Vienna. For example, Vienna has the famous Cafe Central and so does Budapest. Both cities have the Danube flowing through it. Both cities have similar architecture.

Despite the strong similarities between the cities, Budapest is a sorry, rundown version of Vienna. Everywhere we looked something was crumbling, chipping or sagging. When we did see a pretty building it was either a hotel, an embassy, or had a decrepit looking building next to it.

We were also never left alone by the Hungarians trying to hawk something to the tourists. More than once I gave a tight smile and said, “I’ll let you know if I decide” or “Please just give me a moment.” In Vienna, they could care less if you come in or buy something. On one side it’s rude, but at least the Viennese leave you in peace.

Though the food was good in Budapest, somehow it was sold in the most unappetizing way. We went to a really nice restaurant and hemmed and hawwed over the menu. We were trying to decide between tongue salad and head cheese. Finally out of despair we ordered just anything. Lucky for us it turned out and we enjoyed our meal, but somehow the hard decision-making process took the fun out of it.

To be honest, I couldn’t get out of Budapest fast enough. If I never see that city again in my life, I won’t feel bad about it.

]]> http://op-expat.com/2011/04/vienna-vs-budapest/feed/ 5 Coffee is Good for You http://op-expat.com/2011/04/coffee-is-good-for-you/ http://op-expat.com/2011/04/coffee-is-good-for-you/#comments Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:56:45 +0000 BM Pitcher http://op-expat.com/?p=622 Continue reading →]]> Dear Austrians,

Your precious brew is safe! So go to your favorite coffeehouse and throw back a cuppa

http://health.msn.com/healthy-living/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100271111&imageindex=1

]]> http://op-expat.com/2011/04/coffee-is-good-for-you/feed/ 0 Good Article – Making Friends http://op-expat.com/2011/03/good-article-making-friends/ http://op-expat.com/2011/03/good-article-making-friends/#comments Wed, 16 Mar 2011 08:47:33 +0000 BM Pitcher http://op-expat.com/?p=617 Continue reading →]]> This is a good article on how to make friends when moving to a new city

http://www.prettyyoungprofessional.com/featured/be-my-friend-socializing-in-a-new-city.html

]]> http://op-expat.com/2011/03/good-article-making-friends/feed/ 0 Thermal Baths Austria http://op-expat.com/2011/02/thermal-baths-austria/ http://op-expat.com/2011/02/thermal-baths-austria/#comments Sun, 27 Feb 2011 20:09:58 +0000 BM Pitcher http://op-expat.com/?p=612 Continue reading →]]> Today Paul and I went to a thermal bath near Vienna call St. Martin’s.

These are giant swimming pools using naturally heated water for people to swim around in them. It’s a really relaxing experience. You swim, you lounge, you eat and you go home.

Austria is full of these thermal baths. Vienna even has its own. However, Therme Wien as it is called is really awful. Overcrowded and not clean enough.

I highly suggest St. Martins even though it is an hour drive away from Vienna.

]]> http://op-expat.com/2011/02/thermal-baths-austria/feed/ 0 Restaurant Week Vienna http://op-expat.com/2011/02/restaurant-week-vienna/ http://op-expat.com/2011/02/restaurant-week-vienna/#comments Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:13:03 +0000 BM Pitcher http://op-expat.com/?p=608 Continue reading →]]> Restaurant week in Vienna is coming up fast. Click on the link below to find out what it is and make a reservation while you still can.

http://www.restaurantwoche.at/lang/en/cities/wien/restaurants

]]> http://op-expat.com/2011/02/restaurant-week-vienna/feed/ 0 Give the Viennese a Break http://op-expat.com/2011/01/give-the-viennese-a-break/ http://op-expat.com/2011/01/give-the-viennese-a-break/#comments Sun, 30 Jan 2011 10:16:21 +0000 BM Pitcher http://op-expat.com/?p=606 Continue reading →]]> I was watching TV the other day and laughing at some cranky Viennese. They were protesting that a commuter train did not stop when it was supposed to. Apparently the train company was thinking about closing the stop down, because not enough people were using it. To make a long story short, the Viennese formed a group (with assigned head of the group) and protested strongly enough to prevent their station from being closed.

The fact that this group won their protest made me stop laughing at them. I thought about it for awhile and have decided this. I need to give the cranky Viennese a break and actually thank them instead of making fun of them. They protest about anything that doesn’t suit them. They put up a fuss until they get what they want. They form a group and in an organized manner, nip and nip and nip at the government until, in exhaustion/exasperation, the government just gives the people what they want.

So thank you dear Viennese for being so damn cranky. Thank you for standing up to what you perceive as unjust or unfair. Because if you did what a lot of other cultures/people do, and look away as the city deteriorates around them, Vienna wouldn’t be the #1 city to live in.

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