Worlds within Wien (Vienna)

I had a number of attractions in mind to see in Vienna, but upon learning that they had a “World Museum” in the Hofsburg castle complex, I made an impromptu decision to prioritise it over the Schonbrunn Palace or the Albertina. 

While Austria had never colonised the countries of far away continents, it had produced plenty of wealthy adventurers, some of who had carried off beautiful and/or valuable items from the nations they had interacted with. 

I was amazed to see a shiny, brown musical instrument, patterned with red, from Algeria, a nation which is quite mysterious to me. Other highlights included a regal Mexican headdress with huge green feathers, Native American shoes which looked like something a modern fashionista would love, the full armour of a samurai uniform (complete with a dragon on top of the helmet), and Indonesian sculptures of mythical creatures. I was also impressed by the African collection, which included red and purple velvet robes worn by the king of Ethiopia. They were embroidered with a golden thread in a pattern resembling flowers, befitting royalty. In the same room, sculptures from Benin depicted its former social hierarchies, while conjuring up the military might of the kingdom through its elaborately armoured soldiers. Representations of big animals like lions and crocodiles rounded off this collection, and spoke to a sophisticated arts scene in that country. 

My one complaint about the World Museum was that the items weren’t given enough room to breathe. Often a corner of a painting was obscured by the next item, almost as if the curator cared more about the collective impact of each display case than the integrity of each individual work. Was it a lack of respect for world cultures?

To go against my own theory, there was a sign explaining how Austria was complicit in the Western colonial mindset, and encouraging visitors to allocate equal respect to the cultures of the rest of the world. Hmm. 

Savouring a hot chocolate in the museum’s café afterwards (as well making do with a Thai green curry which was utterly devoid of flavour), I overheard a young person in a headscarf conversing with a more typical-looking Viennese local about antiracism measures. They were in agreement that white people had to get out of the way of people of colour trying to effect change, because asserting their lack of understanding in how to help them was creating more harm than good. 

This was admittedly the closest I came to a meaningful conversation in Vienna, but it’s something. The conservative atmosphere of the city rubbed me the wrong way, but I did enjoy the many splendid sights I saw (such as the National Library, the Belvedere Palace and the Kunsthistorisches Museum). The World Museum stands out as a symbol of Austrian effort to appreciate the worth of other nations, and come to terms with its own problematic history as a result.

Back to the Sparks [2]

3. Germany itself!

Having spent months in Hannover in the last two years, some of the shininess of it has worn off, but I managed to find new ways to stay awake to its appeal: Arriving in the final month of spring, I witnessed a warm glow which deepened as summer set in. The reds of the Old Town reached their epiphany, complementing the burgundies, golden yellows and purples of the flowers dotting the centre.

I explored the city through its food scene, revisiting old favourites like Masa (Afghan cuisine), The Bavarium, hof:geflüster (typical German cooking) and Bar Celona (continental European), while discovering great Thai, Mexican and Indian restaurants. Sometimes I opted for cakes at Café Konrad, the apple torte at Kreipe CoffeeTime, and bubble tea at Meet U. On one occasion I tried Belgian-style chips with a cheddar cheese sauce, satiating my curiosity about the flavours of this street food. 

At the supermarket, I tried a species of peach that I’d never seen before. There was a strawberry stall one tram stop over, so I indulged in the ruby fruit a couple of times. And, finally I tried a variety of chocolates which were local to Germany, all of which were mouthwatering. 

I’ve already written about my trips to Coppenbrügge, Hameln and Cologne, but not yet about Aachen:

Aachen’s citizens were almost universally friendly to me and my family. I think it’s the friendliest German city I’ve ever been to, making it easy to enjoy. With plenty of beautiful sights to fill up three days, we took in the mosaics with geometric patterns luxuriating in the cathedral, UNESCO-recognised jewellery and sculpture, life-like paintings of natural settings in the Couvens Museum (once an upper class dwelling), and the tasty local dessert of Printen (gingerbread).

I also enjoyed the layout of the buses, seemingly designed to facilitate communication among the residents, with rows turned to face each other, and some forming a horseshoe - people could conceivably hold a mini conference here!

The city council had recognised the longevity of many of Aachen’s businesses, adorning their shopfronts with a simple, circular sign showing how many years they had been in operation. One pharmacy had been continuously open for 360 years! Every fifth or so shop was emblazoned with one of these green signs, speaking to a respect for tradition.

If you remember the plans I had for travelling around Germany (which largely fell through), Aachen wasn’t among my final list of destinations. I didn’t really know anything about it until circumstances intervened and my parents decided to bring me there, but it turned out to be a happy occasion. I can say that I have savoured one of Germany’s hidden gems!

Back to the Sparks

This year I rediscovered the joy of familiar places which had become disappointing, or threatened to become so, in my mind. 

1. The Netherlands

Having spent all of three days in the place, most of them rushing through Amsterdam, I had left with the impression that the locals were unfriendly and the architecture wasn’t my cup of tea, but upon my return to Maastricht I was given some warm words of advice for tackling the photo museum by its receptionist, as well as given tips for how to hear that night’s André Rieu concert if I didn’t plan to buy an official ticket. The low-rise architecture of this southernmost city was calming, and could even be charming. 

Our taxi driver offered that Rieu was a likeable individual, having stayed unpretentious and maintaining close ties to the community. Indeed, at the concert the orchestrator exalted his hometown, and visibly relished bringing all sorts of international talent for the audience to enjoy. 

And then there was the phenomenon of lower gender inequality than I’m used to.

We spent less than 24 hours in Maastricht, but it was enough to open up an appetite for deeper exploration in the Netherlands. I now want to visit The Hague, Utrecht and maybe Giethoorn. 

2. Portugal

With locals so receptive to travellers, I felt mostly at home. A comforting warmth nestled in my chest, and I didn’t want to leave.

I’m interested in visiting Madeira, Sintra and maybe the Algarve. I would also be happy to return to Coimbra, which I fell in love with. In this small but scenic city, a stranger noticed my mum and I on the bus, and upon disembarking at the same stop as us they helpfully suggested we buy a bus card valid for multiple rides. Instructing us on where to buy the pass and how to use it, I was aglow - it didn’t make financial sense for us to get this deal, but I was grateful for the warmheartedness of the local.

[More soon…]

Notable Moments in My 2024 Travels [2]

- I wasn’t fortunate enough to have a memorable conversation with anyone in Cologne, but three museums stood out to me, each quite different to the next: The Ludwig Museum presented me with a rich feast of thought-provoking modern art. Two cubist artworks by the Ukrainian-born Alexandra Exter made a strong impression, with their elegant, nuanced tributes to the cities of Paris and Genoa, where the artist spent a lot of time. I was excited to see that a piece by Yayoi Kusuma had been made space for, a collection of objects made from fabric of different colours, topped by her signature white dots. Finally, I will mention one of the most modern contributions in the temporary exhibition, an outdoors idyll in which a Black, heterosexual couple enjoy tending to their yard, a small, brown dog as their companion, and a building reminiscent of the White House in the background. The artist intended to situate Black people as inhabiting an American landscape with a great sense of belonging. The couple are at home, possessing a healthy relationship to both their land and the socio-political systems of their country. A state to aspire to. 

- In the Chocolate Museum, I learnt what the cocoa plant looks like in the forests native to the African nations where it is grown. I watched videos of how the plant is treated, fascinated by the sticky, white contents of the husk, and the many steps it takes to transform the raw material into a most enjoyable snack. The museum makes sure the viewer understands some harsh realities, including the frequent exploitation of children for labour in the chocolate-making process, how often the cocoa farmers don’t turn in much of a profit, and how rarely they get to taste chocolate themselves. On a less tragic scale, we were guided through the international shipping process, during which I learnt that it’s possible to contaminate the raw product if it’s placed next to certain kinds of produce - particularly those with a strong smell. There is an emphasis on ethics here, and the price of your ticket goes in part towards sustainable chocolate making processes. (It also goes toward several samples of the delicious treat, and you can purchase even more chocolate in the café next to the museum.)

- The Museum of East Asian Art inspired slow browsing and quiet contemplation. The dim lighting of the first part of the exhibition contributed to the atmosphere. There was a fantastic Japanese statue of a deity (which looked ferocious) to greet us, and beautiful art on paper scrolls nearby. I was surprised to find erotic art from China, rare as it is. From mainland porcelain to Tibetan mandalas, the Chinese section was the biggest, but I made sure I had enough attention span left for the South Korean collection towards the end. This museum made me want to extend my travels into Asia again.

- Finally, I have fond memories of lunching on a chicken schnitzel, salad and chips, while overlooking the front of the famous cathedral. From my vantage point I could notice every inch of the intricate facade. An overwhelming amount of artistic detail had been the aim, and it had succeeded because I couldn’t decide which section was the most photogenic. I experimented with lots of different framing in between those tasty bites.

Notable Moments in My 2024 Travels

- On the way from Hannover to Frankfurt I sat next to a Hamburg native with a Vietnamese background who was studying Theology at university. Influenced by Christianity, she nevertheless made a choice to be atheist. She described herself as happy to live in Hamburg, although some of her friends were perturbed enough by the seeming advance of fascism (see: the Alternative for Germany party) to be planning emigration to somewhere more welcoming. Anne (the name she encouraged me to call her) merely wanted to travel to a lot of places - not move to them. She spoke with longing for the colder climates of Norway and Scandinavia. Like many native Germans, she found the tropical climate of Vietnam too hot for comfort on her sole visit to her parents’ homeland. I encouraged her to keep optimistic about having lots of time to travel around the world - her time to explore was only just beginning. Anne took an interest in my blog, and read a few posts - on my abandoning of astrology, ‘Trans Literacy and Feminism’ and the poem ‘It’s time to look up’. I thanked her for taking the time to read my work, and she graciously replied that it was she who felt lucky to be seated next to a writer. 

- One day in Hannover I made my way over to the lakeside overlooking the New Town Hall, to find an inspiring installation of a floating globe atop the water. I admired the giant ball from numerous angles, pausing at an open stretch of parkland to take in the harmony of the day. There was partial cloud cover, but little hint of rain. The beauty of the natural landscape and man-made structure of the Town Hall took turns to glow in the sunshine, the wind providing ever-changing cloud formations, putting on a show. I was not the only witness - a tall, elderly man stood admiring the globe. We eventually noticed each other and instinctively drew in for a chat. He told me how he and his wife had made tracks all over the world when they were younger. He mentioned that his South African safari was memorable, if a little dramatic, what with being instructed not to leave the accommodation within the wilderness area for any reason during the night. It opened up my curiosity about the country, though I am not in the space to visit Africa at this time. The guy asked me about what brought me to Hannover, and where I was going next. He piped up that the people of Cologne were friendly, and those of Vienna as well, giving me encouragement that I would enjoy my upcoming trips there, and reviving my appreciation for the kindness of the natives of Hannover.