Slow Down and Have a Coffee
My new travel goal is to balance touring and leisure time. This is one of the hardest things for me. My 2023 European Viking River Cruise seems like a blur now. The trip happened; there are pictures to prove it. Looking back on the cruise experience, the new plan is to slow the Pace down. I strive to live in the moment, drinking in all life’s experiences. Sit and have a coffee. This thought is a takeaway from what I observed in Vienna coffee culture.http://www.wien.info
What’s more, there is the overall European culture and Vienna coffee culture. I traveled with my sister and brother-in-law on this same trip, meeting them in Prague. Moreover, my sister is American-born but lives a European-cultured life. My sibling has lived abroad in Milan, Italy, for over twenty-eight years. I would say she is more European now.
Learning From Vienna Coffee Culture
Did you know that culture is not just about what we wear or how we look? It’s also about how we think, feel, and spend time. Our internal clocks play a significant role in shaping our cultural identity. Let’s explore this fascinating topic some more!
See below for a great place to be immersed in the Vienna coffee culture.
Making Good Choices Embracing the Vienna Coffee Culture
Furthermore, when touring, the obstacle is time you are on a defined schedule. With the lack of time, slowing down is not an option. On the excursion, there is a push to finish on time, making full enjoyment harder. You must keep Pace with the group you are with. An old, worn-out cliché says life is full of choices. This is true!
Moreover, an alternative could be to opt out of the excursion and see what you want when you want—setting your own Pace. Your only responsibility is to get back to the ship on time. For some, this is a challenge. Some see time as non-existent; hence, they are chronically late. I do not want to sound like I am being derogatory. Time-challenged people should be on a set schedule with a tour. This little rant comes from a man whose wife nicknamed him “Mr. Clock.”Balance in all things. That’s why I need to embrace more of the coffee culture daily. Putting this notion of Vienna coffee culture into practice will be beneficial.https://floridacruiseextension.com/hate-when-bad-travel-things-happened-in-transit/
Whoops spilled the beans.
Ship Card With Mooring Location
Besides time, it is essential to know where the ship is moored. A ship card with a mooring location is available at the lobby desk if you are cruising with Viking. Whereas This comes in handy when returning to the boat. You hand the card to the Taxi/Uber driver, and they do the rest. Moreover, you do not need to know the local language. Finally, getting information about the public transit system is also helpful. The ship’s location card can be shown to transit employees. Meanwhile, in Vienna, my wife and I went on the walking tour offered by Viking. After the tour, the guide offered to let you return to the coach or the ship https://cruisingthroughlife4now.com/mishaps-while-traveling/
See the below post about travel time and experiences.
Know Your Way Back to the Ship
We opted to make our way back on our own. Unfortunately, I did not get a ship card and was unsure how to return to the boat. We had a wonderful time of discovery at our own Pace.
Again, this was a plus—meanwhile, panic set in when it was time to return to the ship. Besides, it was not a complete panic attack. My sense of direction is usually surprisingly good. We walked for a long time, not knowing precisely the right direction. As luck would have it, I saw a Viking coach, and I stopped it in the middle of the street. The passengers on the coach must have thought we looked lost because I was desperately waving the coach down. We were going in the right direction and close to the dock. Sure, we could have paid for a Taxi/Uber. What is the fun of that?
Being stubborn, I soldiered on pushing forward. My wife is a trusting sole. Honestly, I was not sure we were going the right way. If you are not a risk taker, stick with the tour and play it safe. Besides, you will have fewer remarkable stories to tell if you live through the adventure. I suppose that is why I am looking for balance—the freedom to take things at a more moderate pace.
Experiencing Cool Stuff at our Pace.
On our own, we slowed it down a little. We visited the Stadtpark Gardens, a park in the middle of Vienna. I had a Mélange coffee in a Vienna coffee house and experienced part of their coffee culture. We watched a peaceful protest while eating at an Austrian version of McDonald’s, sitting outdoors cafe-style.
Furthermore, I kept track of the steps during the trip and logged an average of forty-five miles a week for two weeks. That is around six-plus miles a day. These steps were taken in addition to the public transportation used in Prague and Budapest. We extended the cruise at the beginning and end of the trip. I think it may have been too much. There is a need to rethink this. Could less be more?
Ridden Hard and Put Away Wet
I am turning sixty-six this year and cannot keep the same Pace I once did. We need our brains to catch up with our bodies. I walk around two to five miles a day at home every week. Yes, I came home a little beat up. Cobblestones and uneven terrain take a toll. The upside is that I lost three pounds on the trip, and my A1C went normal.
When I arrived home, the doctor did backflips after seeing my blood work. I am glad I saw and experienced what I did, but I wish I had slowed it down slightly. I’m leaving you with a sage quote. I’m unsure who said this, but I heard, “It is better to burn out than rust out.”
