The Power of a Smile

I chomped on a gala apple as I walked briskly towards the U-Bahn station near my home this morning when I was about to turn the corner when all A SUDDEN ----

WHOOOAH
I almost walked right into an alluring young woman. There was a pause for maybe half-a-second until we both apologized in our native tongues. The seemingly cacophonous utterance of the two words, "Sorry" and "Entschuldigung" was actually quite gorgeous.

We would soon part ways, but not before a brief but unmistakable exchange of half, no-teeth showing-smiles took place. It made my day --- well, it made my 7 minute train ride.
I didn't get to snap a photo of the young lad, but this is pretty much what she looked like:





Keep in mind, I made eye contact with her for around one second -- alas, my mind's a bit hazy.

I can say for sure that she is not currently writing a blog post about this particular event like someone else, but I'll be able to sleep tonight as long my "Sorry" echoed in her head for a second or two after our shortened "date."

In other Viennese news, the weather hasn't been all that fantastic. However, I have seen the heat that New Yorkers
have been dealing with and I am perfectly fine with a few rainy and cloudy days.

Last fall semester at Bard College, I took a course entitled "Gustav Mahler & Fin-de-siecle Vienna" with Professor Christopher Gibbs. This fall semester, I'm taking a course entitled "Gustav Mahler and Turn-of-the-Century Vienna" with Dr. Morten Solvik. I guess it wouldn't surprise you that the two professors are good friends. After tonight's first class, I can already tell this course will be as enlightening if not more than the Bardo-world one.

Cheers from Vienna, boys and girls.