It may sound contradictory but I have to admit, when it does happen, it can sometimes make me feel quite…lonely. Humor. The kind that finds you when you are not in a hurry. When you let your gaze wander. When you might even tilt your head to the side a little bit. I’m pretty sure that countless of people have seen this place and that sign long before I came across this subway station. I’m also pretty sure that in many of those people’s minds a certain filter kicked in just the second after they have spotted it. “Too flat.”, “Too embarrassing.” “Too infantile and immature.”, “Too vulgar.”
For me, it’s often the opposite. Details that make me cheerfully giggle. With a niceely lasting echo in mind too. Even if I end up being the only one who appreciates such kind of jokes or humor – as offensive as such signs might sound to English-speaking people. Or not.
Speaking of contradictions. “Vienna is different.” is or was one of the more legendary tourism slogans of Austria’s capital. Vienna is indeed quite different. On so many levels. I am sure that I will touch upon these contradictions a few more times here on our blog in the coming weeks which is why I want to leave my today’s entry with a quote from a song. One which I too unexpectedly came across just a few days ago. It’s a song by Austrian Jazz guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel called, of course, “Vienna” and it’s deeply honest lyrics was again something that made me giggle and smile ever since I’ve heard them for the very first time…
The City is grumpy and wet,
its Secrets beg to be kept.
The Market turns into a Mall,
the Airport is ugly, the Thinking is small.
But when you come from outside,
this is a good Place to hide.
And you’ll be fine
because Vienna has time.
Yes, Vienna has time. It always had. And humor too. And…a handful of unintentionally explicit (and hopefully amusing to others as well) street names.