As
some of you may know, last weekend saw Christmas celebrated Wordville style. Not
for us the food induced coma and drunken jive round the local watering hole.
No- we jetted out the city and hit the streets of Vienna for a whirlwind 24
hours of frozen fun and frolics.
I
don’t think any of us know how such a momentous party concept came about.
It’s possible Lucy mentioned the idea in late summer and, once in the public
domain, it was impossible to retract. We ran with it like hungry leopards
smelling buffalo, and before we knew it we’d booked flights, a hotel and were
researching the nuances of the city’s many Christmas markets.
This
epic Christmas party (which we’ve been assured will NOT happen every year),
provided a fitting end for what has been an action-packed 2012 at Wordville.
For those of you that can bare to read them, here are some highs, lows and
memorable moments from the trip…
1. Suitcase situation- The
moment Steph realised that she’d locked her suitcase- with her phone, purse and
key inside it. Now this would be an unfortunate situation for anyone but for
Steph, our resident news wire, this forced separation from her iPhone was quite
catastrophic. What if there was a flash flood somewhere, another royal got pregnant or ASOS had a 50% off bonanza? Thankfully it wasn’t long before
Pema came to the rescue with a blunt airport knife and, using some questionable
skills, triumphed over the lock to reunite Steph with her cash.
2. Let the party
commence- After a long journey, a rapid change and a stumble round Vienna in
search of food, we were finally settled in a buzzing bar over-looking a
snow-dusted cathedral. With drinks in our hands and a hefty selection of bar
snacks, it finally sunk in that we’d made this happen.
3. Doing it Wordville
style- If there’s one thing we like doing- even more that ringing up the FT-
it’s dancing. Determined not to leave Vienna without showcasing our skills, we
took to the floor of some unsuspecting establishment and strutted our stuff
till the early hours.
4. The Sheep pig- Yes.
It may shock some of you to know but the greatest treasure in Vienna does not
lie amongst the crown jewels; it’s not hiding in the museum quartier and you
most certainly won’t find it in Mozart’s house. However, scour a straw filled
enclosure at the heart of one of the city’s lesser-known Christmas markets, and
you may be rewarded with a glimpse of… the sheep pig. We all agreed that this
fleece-covered piggy was unlike anything we’d ever seen. It was spectacular,
even when scratching its bum on the water butt.
5. Getting in…and out
of the cold – After spending some time, and quite a few of our hard-earned
euros, in two of the city’s bustling Christmas markets, we were all ready for a
sit-down and a break from the -2 °C conditions. Entering into a warm café and
thawing out with a hot drink and some Viennese pastries was the perfect end to
truly memorable 24 hours in Vienna.
By
Polly Robinson
