Vienna was much less picturesquely antique than I had imagined. There were some nice buildings designed to look old, but they were constructed in the 1860s. Our tour guide said Vienna wasn’t very damaged during WWII, so I’m not sure what happened to the truly old places.
Read More
I’ve been having a difficult time proving my existence lately. Two major banks refused to accept me because I don’t have a lease or any bills in my name to prove my address—and haven’t had such proof in years! HSBC finally offered me a no-frills “passport account” for foreigners, which costs $150 a year—no wonder immigrants hide their money in a shoebox!
Read More
They use more slang here and their use of the language charms me. I met up with an Italian for a conversation exchange Friday and she brought a London travel book, which was filled with comments such as “Next time we’re at this homely spot, we’ll plump for the Victorian sponge,” which I attempted to interpret for my new friend. My flatmate and I recently had our own misunderstanding online.
Read More