Litz woke up late and couldn’t make it on time for the first train. However, the second train had been very late that morning due to technical issues, so she was eventually able to catch it. She jumped at the very last minute and took a seat next to two young girls having refreshing energy drinks on the table. She exchanged a few words with them just to make sure that they were ok with her sitting next to them. They were two very different friends. Both Nordic, one had a clear sporty nature, while the other was more concerned with her appearance. Litz was relieved to have some company!
At the opposite table a couple of Eastern European guys was also waiting for the train to depart. She noticed the elegant profile of the woman, who was wearing colourful jewellery. They had taken away coffee and croissants for the trip.
The scenery was beautiful and the trip was comfortable. She ate something quickly at the restaurant coach, after negotiating hard with the waiter to pay by card. The toilet was too dirty. She had to wait to be at the hotel to put some make up on. Her makeup had become very basic: a neutral foundation bought at the pharmacy and black mascara, an old luxury gift from France. She was on time to meet her friends, a married Moroccan couple living in Vienna for its extraordinary musical scene.
Litz met her friends at the metro station. It had become her favourite mean of transportation, mainly because of its speed and reliability. She found it quite easy to navigate the maps, which follow the same logics everywhere in the world. There is actually not much room for fantasy in logistics.
She arrived earlier than expected and attended a violin street concert by a trio of Austrian young girls, who were practising their music school homework. Litz clapped visibly, then moved to greet her upcoming friends waving her hand. She had chosen a tennis outfit for the meetup and wore her latest vintage pair of sunglasses. Her friend Chantal had chosen a silk flowered dress showing a little of her lace bra, something no one would notice anymore in the 21st century. Her husband had a simple jacquard short-sleeved shirt and short trousers, typical summer menswear.
The couple had moved from Morocco to Austria to reduce the costs of travelling for work. They could not easily prepare concerts remotely and flights were very expensive. Litz adored getting more knowledgeable about music and was delighted to have a personalised tour of the city thanks to them. Among the landmarks, she noted the statues of Sissi, Maria Teresa, Mozart and Strauss. She was very upset when she saw the river Wien, giving its name to the city itself, completely dried up as a result of the severe environmental changes due to global warming.
The three friends sat at redesigned benches just in front of the new contemporary art museum sipping lemonade. The museum hosted the latest feminist exhibition in the city. They had to walk only a few steps to find their restaurant for dinner. With typical Austrian cuisine, the restaurant was completely full, and luckily they had booked in advance. After staring astonished at the first page of the menu in Russian, Litz rapidly skimmed the booklet to the British page and ordered rindgoulash with a blonde beer. Red meat abundantly dominated their table. Despite the meal being delicious, she reflected on how traditional cuisines could rivisit their options so that to contribute to international decarbonisation goals.
After a necessary walk to digest, the three friends attended a video modern reproduction of Swan lake ballet. The spectacle was in one of the main squares of the city, the huge screen directly installed on the walls of the centuries-old town hall, and it was completely free. It was part of a film festival sponsored by one of the largest banking groups in the country.
– Ein Sachertorte, bitte.
Litz asked in her rusty German the following day, in the early morning, at the counter of a bakery.
– [ˈzaxɐˌtɔʁtə].
Pointed out the waitress very seriously.
