Vienna pt2

I'm currently in the middle of my 4th day in Vienna.

I stayed with a new host last night in a flat full of anarchists. One of them inherited it but no one pays rent and they live cooperatively. 

My host is one of the most interesting people I have every met. Very intelligent, and having some of the least concern with material things in ever seen. He convinced me to discard my route as planned and head directly into the Austrian Alps. 

I had planned on heading along the Danube to Munich. He asked why I want to go along a touristic cycle path along a river that has been artificialky constrained on both sides when just south of there is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

My thoughts went back to 80 or so kilometers outside of Vienna when I entered a forest which was so beautiful that I started weeping. Forests have energies and this one was overwhelming. And this was in the smaller hills just outside the Alps. So it's hard not to imagine this would be more impactful for me. 

My new plan is to shoot through the center of the Austrian Alps and take them all the way to Lake Constance.

What have been doing in Vienna?

Biking around like mad mainly. I purposely plan all my errands and sightseeing to not follow any sort of efficient path because biking here is just f****** amazing. Without my panniers my bike now feels like it may as will be a carbon fiber race bike. 

I'm heading back to St Stephens cathedral to check out the catacombs. I bought this all access ticket, so I feel obligated ha. If I had it to over again I would just do the art museum part and the tower with stairs.

I've spend a ton of time  hanging out in Augarten park. I put my hammock up there and spend time napping, exercising, playing, etc.  This park sits beneath an unaltered flak towers. These were giant anti-aircraft installations from WW2 that were so big they weren't feasible to be removed. 

Similar to Budapest, parks in green spaces here utilized to a very high degree. You're always people there dokling all sorts of activities. It's a really vibrant place to spend the day. 

My warmshowers host says he goes there and just jumps into random martial arts or other dance groups for fun.

I went to an aquarium/zoo built into another one of the flaktowers and it was amazing!

Floor after floor of stuff is a maze of animal (fish, insects, reptiles, birds, etc) exhibits and you could just wander around. And it was so full of joyful people and kids. It was also really cool how many of the animals are just kind of running free and you walk through. The monkeys were climbing on ropes 6" from my head.

The vibe especially touching given how the structure's history. It makes one almost hopeful for mankind. 

Here's a picture taken from some of the platforms that used to have flak cannon: 

I think tonight I might go on the Ferris wheel. One of my all-time favorite movies is Before Sunrise and I really want to take in at least one site from that movie. And the Ferris wheel is where they have their first kiss. 

Vienna is my new favorite city ♥️♥️♥️.  Tomorrow I hit the road.