Ah, Vienna

'Now in Vienna there's ten pretty women' sang Leonard Cohen, omitting to mention the gazillion of so REALLY RUDE and unsmiling folk that populate the town, all willing to look sourly upon happy tourists. Grr, even the cops gave me a bum steer with directions to my hostel! Maybe it was my unsual head and dress sense, maybe I smiled too much or looked to enthusiastic? Whatever, the city is so gorgeous and so full of fabulous architecture and art that even the grumpybum demeanour of its inhabitants couldn't quite kill the appeal. Met up with a lovely Canadian boy from the conference and we went exploring, through endless squares full of enormous statues and fountains (oh, the SCALE of the place! I felt tiny!) and the Xmas market and bought a rose from a lady whilst we ate crepes and went to the Modern Art Museum, which was simply extraordinary. FOUR levels of contemporary Chinese art, some of which I have put pix of here, and two of the Vienna Action Movement. Oh my goddess, it was mindblowing, could barely comprehend the scope and volume of it... and then, in this BIG city, the Vienna Opera! Tosca for only 3.5euro, in the standing stall. Sore feet and back from 2 hours of queuing and 3 of standing watching (after a day of walking around the city), but well worth it!