Vienna: Notes from Sacher

This morning I paused, undecided, right in the crossfire on the street between Starbucks and Café Sacher. I walked to Sacher. Looked in the window at tourists eating cake. Back to Starbucks, almost caved for a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Finally, chose to do the cultural thing and entered Sacher.

Sacher is where I'm writing from now. I have to say: so far, I'm pleasantly surprised. Guidebooks had lead me to expect old-world stuffiness crossed with a tourist attraction, but the atmosphere is actually somewhat laid-back. It's not as packed as I'd feared. (Maybe the competition across the street has something to do with that.) It's pretty small, too, just a gathering of high-top tables around a horseshoe bar. Jazzy, reggae-type music wafts from the ceiling. Of course, the primary clientele consists of tourists eating cake. The waiter speaks perfect and easy English. But it's okay. It's even-- dare I say-- comfortable.

The downside is that it's way overpriced. (Small avocado salad: ten euros. Lukewarm hot chocolate: five.) Starbucks may also be overpriced, but at least there you have the satisfaction of a big hot cup to go with the big hot price.

So now that I've had my dose of ambience . . . Back to Starbucks for my eight ounces of caffeine.