Chapter 3 (Vienna): Hundertwasser and a rat
Luke and Lorelai arrived in Vienna at six o'clock in the morning. Both were tired and exhausted. They were still struggling with the jetlag and the too long of stays in trains during the few last days. Lorelai couldn't sleep at all within the three hour drive from Prague because she was thinking of the loss of her precious shoes. She kept Luke awake and he was very tired of hearing about it. He knew if he told her that he warned her all day long that something like this could happen, she would tell him that he should've watched closer. But when they finally left the train Lorelai was really sleepy, so he left her sitting on the bags and went to the tourist information to ask for addresses of B&Bs and hostels. After having bad luck with Lorelai's shoes, they had good luck now. Another backpacking couple just arrived some minutes earlier and cancelled the room they had booked. Luke felt relieved that they wouldn't have to call every hostel, but could just take this room, if it was still available.
"Could you just call a place called Bag and Map again and ask if we can stay? It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just a place to get some rest."
"Of course, Sir. Give me just a minute."
Luke turned around and looked at Lorelai. She was very sleepy and her eyes closed from time to time. But then she shrugged looking around herself with suspicious eyes which made Luke smile. At first she wasn't listening to him and now she was extremely wary. He turned around to the information as the man addressed him:
"Sir? I managed to get you into this room. It is called Bag and Map Apartment Guesthouse and it's an apartment booked for three nights with two single beds. If you don't mind to sleep separated from your wife?"
"Oh no. That's perfectly fine. Would you please give me the directions?" He pointed to Lorelai and added, "I fear she will fall asleep before we can get there."
"May I ask one question? Why does she look so confused?" Luke thought that she maybe looked confused because her head was a mess but instead of saying that he answered,
"We just arrived from Prague and right before we took the train her bag with her shoes was stolen. A great disaster for the woman. Now she is very suspicious."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Sir. If I can give you some advice? Don't feel too safe here in Vienna either. Especially in the subways, where you are no safer from pocket picking than you were in Prague."
"Really? All right then, thanks for the warning."
"You are welcome," he said and showed Luke a map, unfolded it and continued, "So, here is a map of Vienna. I marked the house with the apartments for you. Just take subway line U3 heading for Westbahnhof and switch trains there. Then take subway line U6 heading for Floridsdorf. Leave the subway at station Burggasse and then it's just around the corner. It's not that close to downtown but it doesn't take more than 15 minutes to get there."
"It's perfect and thanks again."
"No problem. Have a nice stay in Vienna, Sir." Luke returned to Lorelai and pulled her up carefully because she had fallen asleep.
"Hey Lorelai, it's too early to fall asleep. I found an apartment for us." Hearing these words woke Lorelai up a bit.
"Really? That's great. I hope the place is not too far away and has a big bed there."
"I think chances are good. Here, take your backpack and let's go. And before I forget about it: The guy from the tourist information just told me we should be careful in Vienna, too."
"Do you mean about thieves?"
"Yes."
"Okay, this time I will take it into consideration. I will watch my stuff all the time and won't let it go. And here: you take my credit card."
"Why?"
"It's safer. And it'll be your fault if it gets stolen."
"Well, thanks for your trust. Anything else I gotta keep that is precious enough?"
"No. There's nothing more anyone could steal from me."
"No? What about your wallet with all your other credentials? Or your clothes?" Lorelai thought about it really hard and then answered.
"Luke, you will never be able to understand what my shoes mean to me."
"You mean meant to you?"
"You are enjoying this, you little sadist, aren't you? You will pay for making fun of me, believe me. The minute you expect it the least is when it will come back on you. And I know exactly when this will happen."
"Oh no, I don't like the look on your face. What is it, huh?"
"I won't tell. You will know soon enough. So, let's go see our housing. What is it?"
"It's an apartment for three days."
"Great. Enough time to finally get over this horrible jetlag and to get my revenge." Luke rolled his eyes and pulled Lorelai into the direction of the subway line sign.
They arrived at the apartment house one hour later and were welcomed by a sleepy young man who guided them to their apartment room on the second floor. Without another word he handed them their keys and left the room. One second after he had closed the door he knocked again.
"Let's talk later; the morning is just not my time", he said and Lorelai smiled. She knew exactly how he felt. Focusing on their apartment, she was impressed.
"Luke, this is pretty. It's newly redecorated. Nothing in comparison to that cruddy hole in Prague."
"Yeah, we are fortunate."
"Yes, and we have a kitchen here. That's why I have even more luck considering I brought my own cook to Europe."
"I'm not your cook." He walked over to the cupboard and unpacked some of his clothes, preparing to have a shower. Meanwhile Lorelai sat down on one of the beds and found that the pillow looked really inviting. She almost wanted to lay down when Luke said,
"Don't even think about it. We talked about this on the train. If we sleep now we will never be able to achieve the right rhythm here. So stay awake. I don't wanna wake you up."
"Come on, Luke. Just five minutes. And why don't you want to wake me up?"
"Because you are unbearable when you are tired". He said this when he was about to enter the bathroom and he had to hide behind the door because Lorelai's reaction to his statement was a flying pillow. When he had locked the door Lorelai got up and grabbed her pillow to put it back on the bed. To stay awake she started to unpack some of her clothes, too, but was finished with that a few minutes later. As she didn't know what to do next she sat down on the bed again and couldn't prevent falling asleep. When Luke returned from the bathroom and saw Lorelai sleeping he sighed, shook his head and muttered:
"Impossible".
It was just half past seven and he felt tired, too. If they slept now it wouldn't get better. But he couldn't wake her up. Although he didn't understand, he knew that the loss of her shoes made Lorelai feel bad and that she just needed to rest. He pulled her shoes off and set his alarm clock for 10 o'clock. Then he laid down on his own bed and fell asleep immediately.
When the alarm rang later Lorelai almost jumped out of the bed. She had fallen asleep although she didn't intend to do it; but did she set an alarm? She couldn't remember. But when she looked around she saw Luke reaching out for the clock to turn the alarm off. She was confused and Luke saw it:
"Well, I told you I don't like to wake you up. And as it was still very early I decided we both needed a rest."
"Thanks, I just fell asleep. But I don't feel better now that this thing scared me half to death."
"Two hours of sleep are better than none." She hardly got off her bed and went to the bathroom.
"Luke, would you be my hero and prepare some coffee for me? Otherwise I won't be able to move today."
"I'll see what I can do."
When Lorelai returned, she didn't smell coffee. Luke was sitting at the table studying a map of Vienna and looked up when he heard her:
"Before you start complaining, as you can see, this is an apartment. One has to buy stuff to have stuff."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning there is no coffee." Lorelai let herself fall on her bed theatrically which in turn made Luke roll his eyes and almost snap.
"Stop it. Don't you remember that we saw the mall opposite the station? We can have breakfast there."
"Is it far away?" Luke took a breath.
"I told you, it's just on the other side of the street were the station is. I guess a five minute walk." Lorelai raised her head with effort letting it fall down one second later:
"Too far for me. You gotta go and bring the breakfast here."
"That would take longer. Tomorrow you will get your breakfast here. We can go shopping after having breakfast." Lorelai jumped up hearing the magic word.
"Shopping?"
"Food shopping, Lorelai. Eggs, ham, juice, bread and for your addiction: coffee."
"Come on, Luke. Why don't we just buy the food and then find some new shoes for me?"
"Because I did not come here to go shoe-shopping. End of discussion. What about that breakfast now? Aren't you starving?" Luke could see the fight that was going on in Lorelai. Should she argue any further about shopping, thereby staying hungry and caffeine-less or should she go for the breakfast thereby dropping the shopping idea? Her stomach won the fight - at least this time.
"All right, let's go then. But I won't forget it, Luke, be assured." Speaking the last words while pointing at him with one of her fingers. "I never forget things like that."
"I know. But I won't stop avoiding anything that is related to shoes and shopping", he sighed and murmured.
He followed her out of their room and less than fifteen minutes later Lorelai was able to take the first sip of her highly anticipated coffee. She sighed deeply and leaned back inhaling the smell of her coffee.
"Now I feel like a complete person again. I am ready for the city."
"I hope the city is ready for you."
"I'm ignoring that tone of yours, Lucas."
"How come you can be a different person with one sip of coffee?"
"I can't tell you, Luke. That's a secret between me and the caffeine spirit." He raised his eyebrows and decided that he wouldn't let himself be drawn into such a conversation. Therefore he changed the subject.
"I took a look at the city map of Vienna when you were having your shower. I suggest we take it easy today. Just see one famous building and visit the Prater. And we can go to bed early tonight."
"Uh, is this an offer, Mister? If so, you are irresistible", Lorelai gestured with her eyes.
"When will you ever act like a grown up person?"
"Mmh, let me think about it. I guess the same day you make Taylor your best friend. Now, tell me what that Prater thingy is!"
"It is an amusement park."
Lorelai interrupted him by clapping her hands like a child. "With roller coasters? Are there any haunted houses, too?"
"I don't know, Lorelai. Stop acting like a child. People are starting to stare."
"Aren't we Mister Sunshine this morning? What's wrong with you? Don't you like amusement parks?"
"Are you kidding me? They are way too expensive and too dangerous. And in addition - what makes it worse - there are grown up people dressed like ducks and mice and other animals." Lorelai laughed at Luke.
"That's just Disney Land, Luke."
"I don't care. I don't like them in general. But as it is your trip, too, and as you like this stuff, we will go there. I read that one has a great view over the city from the Ferris wheel."
"All right, then its settled."
"As long as it makes you happy. Tomorrow we can go sight seeing and visit the Schönbrunn Palace and the day after that we will leave for Athens."
"Everything sounds good. But what is it exactly that we'll do today?"
"First we have breakfast and we can take our time. Then we buy the food for our apartment. And after we brought it there we can go and watch the Hundertwasser House."
"What's that?"
"You don't know? I thought you prepared for the trip. Well, it's a quite uncommon house with very uncommon architecture. I bet you'll love it."
"Mmh, no hint at all what it looks like?"
"It looks like a house a certain person would perfectly fit in."
"You know, Mister Danes, that a certain person is very impatient?"
"I know. But I just don't get the chance very often to tease you. So let me just have my little moment." She smiled at him. Today Luke wasn't in the grumpy mood that she was used to. He even let her have the much needed nap and now he was even making jokes.
"All right. You have your fun but this is added to what I officially call the payback list now. First playing the hungry-card against me and now teasing me."
"I'll take the risk".
Some coffees and rolls later they went to the supermarket, bought everything Lorelai thought they needed in the next couple of days - and Luke of course knew they wouldn't - and went back to their apartment. It was early noon when they finally sallied for the Hundertwasser House which they approached half an hour later. Lorelai was fascinated by the house.
"Oh my god, Luke, have you ever seen something like that? It's great. Look at all those different colors that are not ordered in any obvious way. God, I wish my house would look like that. And look at the trees! They have their own park on their roof, in the middle of the city."
"What are you doing, Lorelai?"
She was digging in her bag searching for something special and putting her camera, her lipsticks and an old cracker into Luke's hands.
"I'm searching for my cell phone. I want to call Rory."
"To tell her what?"
"That she has to plant trees on our roof, of course. I want those, too."
She finally had found her cell phone but Luke took it away from her immediately.
"Hey, give it back to me!"
"No, I won't. Do you remember that your daughter is currently wearing a cast? If you send her on your roof I promise you that there will be more than just one broken leg."
"Rory is not as clumsy as I am. I want some trees on my house."
"What for? Birds are gonna nestle in the trees and you will have to hear them chirping all the time."
"That's a cute idea."
"They will start chirping at 5 am."
"That's indeed the opposite of cute."
Luke smiled at her. "I thought so. Can I give you the phone back?"
"Yes, you can. Why do you always ruin my greatest ideas, Luke? I always loved little birdies and now all I'm gonna think of them forever is that they are annoying starting to chirp that early. That adds another point to my list."
"Stop with that list, Lorelai. And now, take at least some pictures of the house that fascinates you so much."
"I will. And I will do more. I will knock on one door and ask the people to see what it looks like inside."
"You can't do that."
"Why not?"
"Don't you think they could be annoyed when every tourist that stops here knocks at their door? Imagine if you lived here. How would you feel about that?"
Lorelai thought about it for some seconds and then made a disappointed face.
"You did it again, you blighted my idea. That's just not fair."
"Nobody ever said life was fair."
On their way back Lorelai realized they had passed a building designed by Hundertwasser already, and before Luke had a chance to react or protest she had pulled him out of the train.
"Look, there's another building like that. And hey, the factory really wears a hat."
"I can see it. I don't see its use, but I can see it."
"Well, that's modern art and I like it. It looks like Rory's golf hat."
"Rory has a golf hat?"
"Yeah, you must have seen it. She got it from her grandfather when he took her to the club once. And although I didn't like it Rory had fun there and wore the hat afterwards. And this hat looks pretty similar. I just want to take a picture. We will be able to take the next train as if nothing happened."
"Okay, hand me your camera. I will take the picture for Rory."
"Thanks, Luke. She will love it."
The next train arrived five minutes later and they returned to their room where Lorelai just threw her bag on the bed and murmured something like 'too much coffee' when she ran to the bathroom. When she returned Luke gave her a sandwich he had prepared for her:
"I know you will get hungry every minute. You always do when you're excited."
"Sometimes it scares me that you know me so well. You're not stalking me or anything, are you?"
"Of course I'm not stalking you. You eat at my diner every day. I know what you order when you are sad. What you eat when you are happy and want to celebrate and I know it when you had a fight with Rory."
"Now, that's even scarier. Am I that predictable?"
"With your eating habits? Yes. Now, eat your sandwich because I know you are going to be very excited about the roller coasters and everything else there. And I don't want you to eat fast food there. You'll get sick."
"Come on, Luke, don't be so negative. And your sandwich cannot prevent me from eating in the amusement park."
"Why not?"
"Because it is a rule to have at least cotton candy or ice cream in such a park."
"Whose rule is that?"
"Rory's and mine, of course. You don't get the whole experience if you don't eat candy. That's what kids do, that's the magic of amusement, Luke."
"But I'm not a kid anymore."
"What about your own kids? Are they simply not supposed to have fun because Daddy doesn't like it there?"
"I have no kids."
"Not so far. Give me an answer: Will they live in a dark cave without ever knowing about the fun things that exist in this world?"
"Of course they won't live in a cave. But what is so bad about the idea of protecting them from fast food and accidents?"
"Nothing, Luke. But believe me, kids love fast food and they love roller coasters."
"Obviously not only kids do. So let's go and let the grown up kid have some fun."
When they arrived at the Prater it was early afternoon and Lorelai was enthused about the park. She had seen amusement parks before but they were usually located outside of cities, not in the middle. She decided to ask Taylor at the next town meeting why Stars Hollow didn't have such an attraction. To her surprise Luke smiled when she told him about it.
"You don't hate the idea?"
"Why should I? Taylor will never agree to do this but it'll be fun to watch him being stressed by you."
"You are evil, Mister."
"How long have you known Taylor, now?"
"Mmh, let me think. I guess about seven years."
"Well, I've known him forever, Lorelai. The first thing I remember of him is that he wanted my father to sort his tools alphabetically."
"I bet your father threw him out of the store."
"Yes, after he tried for the third time. But it never stopped."
"I know something that would cheer you up. If you escorted me onto the Ferris wheel."
"I don't think I will like it."
"Why not, we will have a wonderful view over the city. Don't tell me it'll be too high for you. Do you have acrophobia?"
"I don't have acrophobia."
"So you just don't want to let yourself have some fun?"
"Will you stop asking if I come with you?"
"Of course not. On one of the gondolas you won't have a chance to escape me. But I already know. You just don't wanna go because you said so. Come on, I want to do it to get an overview of the attractions."
"Are you a psychologist now?"
"I don't have to be. As you can tell something about me from my eating habits, I think I know you well enough now to know when you're standing in your own way, Mister."
"If you say so."
They went on the Ferris wheel together but Lorelai didn't manage to get Luke onto one of the roller coasters or other attractions whatever she wanted.
She was disappointed a bit but she knew she would pay him back sooner or later. And when she saw a fast food joint she went straight over and fluted. "Hey, Luuuuuke. Look, what I just found. I will have ice cream now and there's nothing you can do about it. I will relish it and eat it directly in front of your face."
"No Lorelai, look at that joint. It looks all shabby and dirty."
But Lorelai didn't listen and bought herself a big ice cream with many scoops. She returned to him with a glorying look on her face just to turn suspicious instantly because Luke was laughing. Just as she wanted to ask him what was so funny he grabbed her face and turned it around, back to the joint. Lorelai wanted to protest but the words got stuck in her throat as she saw a big rat running around the corner of the joint. She turned back to Luke and whispered: "Did I just see what I think I saw? Please tell me that wasn't a rat I saw."
Luke was trying hard to keep a straight face but he failed piteously: "My father told me to never lie to a girl. So I have to tell you, your eyes told you the truth."
Disgusted Lorelai threw the ice cream into the next trash can. "Ugh, I will never be able to eat ice cream again."
"I'll talk to you in two hours about it. Your stomach is made of iron considering the amount of coffee you consumed in your life so far. A little rat won't change that."
"Stop laughing, that's not funny."
"Believe me, from my point of view it is."
"I'll add that to the list, Mister."
"And will you stop talking about that stupid list. I have done nothing."
"That's your side of the story. But I don't feel like staying here any longer. Let's go back to our apartment. You had too much fun today."
"Well, at least now I will have a pleasant memory of amusement parks."
They returned to their room and Lorelai decided Luke should cook something. She couldn't stand the idea of going to a fast food restaurant ever again. After Luke prepared some pasta and took care of the dishes after they finished eating, they both went to bed and fell asleep immediately.
The next day was all planned for the big sight seeing tour of Vienna. As usual Luke was the first to get up and when he came out of the bathroom Lorelai was still pretending to sleep. He went to the kitchen and said with a loud voice. "Get up, Lorelai. We've been sleeping more than 10 hours and I know you woke up by the alarm, too."
"I don't want to get up."
"Well, I guess I am not preparing any coffee then."
"Oh no, you wouldn't dare."
"Try me."
"All right, you win. But I hate it that you know how you get me to do things."
He looked through the open door with one cup in his hand. "You've given me an insight of your habits for many years now. Come on, get up. It's past nine already and we want to see all of the great spots of Vienna, don't we?"
Lorelai hardly got out of the bed and scuffled over to Luke who sat down at the table to study a card of the city. "Where did you get that from?"
"It was lying on the table. Just go get your shower. Meanwhile, I'll figure out the shortest route through the city."
"That does sound like a hero's word. I'll count on that."
After Lorelai returned from the bathroom she first took a deep sip of her coffee and then leaned over Luke to have a look at the map, too.
"You marked a lot of spots."
"I just marked those that are referred to as a 'must see'. If we want to get them all done, you better hurry with your breakfast. I'll prepare something for us. Something to eat and to drink. I know you get hungry all the time."
"How will you carry it?"
"I brought this additional backpack with me for instances like this."
"That's one ugly looking bag."
"That doesn't matter; it just has to be useful. Start eating."
"Do we really have to take that thing?"
"Do you really have to go shoe-shopping here?"
Lorelai turned away - defeated for now. While she was eating her breakfast she looked at the map that Luke prepared. As far as Lorelai could tell, he had really searched for the shortest distance. It felt good to have someone take care of stuff like that. Therefore she could stand walking around with a bag like that. When she finished Luke was waiting already and they left their apartment at ten o'clock. At the subway station they met many people that carried all the same labels around their necks or pockets and Lorelai pointed at them asking if Luke had any idea who they were.
"Put your hand down, Lorelai. And I have no idea. But I read somewhere that Vienna is one of the most frequented spots in the world for different congresses. I guess there's a congress here at the moment."
When they got onto the train, it was quite crowded and Lorelai was annoyed by a young girl who pushed her into the subway. She thought that the girl didn't have to push her that much as the train wasn't too crowded and was wondering why she left the train all of a sudden when the doors started to close. She overheard a conversation of two women who were participating in a congress standing next to her.
"Look for your purse, Anna."
"Why should I?"
"Haven't you seen this group of girls pushing inside the train just to leave it again? I saw something like that on TV a few days ago."
Lorelai immediately had a bad feeling and looked into her purse just to find it wallet-less and turned pale.
TBC
Remember that there's an extra homepage for this story with pictures of the trip, a map and whatnot. Check it out!
Written by Norma