Now here is something special. After emerging from the internet cafe, I thought I would go out and finish off sight-seeing Vienna. I was just taking some really bad pictures of a historic and artistic looking dome when I heard a really loud noise and trucks going past about 300m away. I had to investigate.
Coming closer, I saw it was a procession of punks and others and about a dozen floats with various types of music and noise coming out at a f/loud volume. So of course I found a beer and joined in.
Basically, this was a parade, for free, doing laps around the Vienna ring road. Something a bit like the proshcession but longer, louder, and better. It was proof to me that Vienna wasn’t just businessmen and tourists, and at least some people were awake.
My favourite float would have to have been The Riotanic, I pirate ship pulled by a tractor. At one point the parade came to a halt and I caught up to the sinking Riotanic. Something was wrong with the engine. Looked like the radiator fan wasn’t working. A dreadlocked girl was sticking her arms in and pulling out a greasy stocking.
So there was a stocking stuck in the fan belt? No, the stocking was the fan belt, and now it’s broken. Does anyone have a spare tractor fan belt? No, but the second dreadlocked mechanic ripped open a previously unseen spare pack of stockings and they proceeded to install it.
So The Riotanic was afloat again and the party could proceed… and the police could unblock the roads where the Vienna drivers were going bananas. More photos…
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All up, an excellent time. I had a few beers, chatted with a couple of people. Actually most of them came up asking if I had any drugs and the conversation started from there. They must have thought my bicycle handlebars manbag was packed full of pills and LSD. If only I had brought my multivitamin tablets with me I could have made some money. The police were cool and seemingly turning a blind eye to the various illegal activities going on, from street drinking, to punks sitting on the curb with their bong. Some natives watched open eyed (one told me, “today, I’m a tourist in Vienna”), others covered their ears. Many tourists soaked it up, others were a bit ginger and stood and watched.
The parade ended after dusk in Sigmund Freud park and from there it was winding down, so I headed home. Unfortunately my 24h public transport ticket had expired so I decided to walk home… after all Vienna’s not that big. Anyway got back to camping at 12:30 with bloody sore feet and worn out thongs.
Good day. Unfortunately I never had time to go shopping, and tomorrow was Sunday.