The Rose

The symbol of the rose continued to follow Dave & Kate.

On the bus from Prague to Vienna a girl sitting just across from them had this bag...

On their first stroll out in Vienna they passed a shop with this displayed in the window...

And on 14th Feb, Valentine's Day, not only did a new computer appear, but as they returned to the apartment via Spar the woman at the check-out handed out a fresh rose.  It sat on the glass coffee table for the rest of their time in the apartment...

Dark Clouds The Music

Often the way of Life seems to be that when you are down and out, feeling vulnerable and confused, if you don't panic, something will eventually come to cushion you and lift you up again.  A gift appears and everything seems to come together for a time.  It is often also around this time that trouble comes knocking - "dark forces" which seem to be intent on retaining the status quo at all costs.

Those "dark forces" can take many forms, from the ordinary to the extraordinary, but Dave & Kate (and many others before them) are well aware that something seems to not want anything truly new to be born into this reality.

Their second week in Vienna, once they'd recognised now was the time for Music to come into the picture and that a new phase had begun, was fraught with challenges.  It seemed as if a dark cloud had come to rain on their parade and wouldn't budge.  It was all designed to throw them into chaos and make them doubt themselves, sucking the enthusiastic energy in the same way it was sucking money from them.

Almost every item they knew they required ended up costing more than they'd anticipated through a bizzare series of events and even when they got a break - a free tram ride from Sam the Tram Man - pretty soon they'd be stung from another direction.  The flow of the previous week had certainly been obstructed in some way now that what they had envisioned back in Berlin was becoming a reality.

There was also a familiar pattern emerging here.  Just as in their first week in Europe, back in Barcelona, they seemed to be under attack from all directions, as if something didn't want Europe - the first phase - to happen, it now felt as if that same thing was now trying to prevent the second phase - Music - happening.

From Elisabeth Straße To Bösendorfer Straße

The first few days were spent emailing.  They would nip down to the Spar, buy their groceries and do the Work they had to do, taking turns on the PC.  Going out and about exploring Vienna wasn't on the agenda. 

Pretty soon Music began to show itself.  They had checked in on the Wednesday and on Sunday 6th February it was the birth date of Bob Marley.  Late night Saturday going into that Sunday morning Bob appeared for them in the form of an interview with The Wailers on youtube they hadn't seen before.  They watched it all the way through and it felt as if what was being spoken was happening now.

Going into the next week Dave & Kate found themselves watching something music related every night.  They didn't have to go looking, something would always appear and stir their enthusiasm for Music.  The cable TV in the apartment even had a bunch of music concerts on-demand for free.  They watched The Bee Gees and then they watched an old BBC documentary on music presented by Sir George Martin called 'Rhythm Of Life' on youtube.  Dave had this on tape from years back but watching it again brought new meaning.  Much of it was analytical mind stuff but whenever someone spoke truly of Music it would please Dave & Kate.

Their enthusiasm for Music was growing in intensity each day and then a gift was presented to them.  Will & Georgie, two of the SoulJah's, came along with a very generous offer of financial help.  Initially, Dave & Kate were just delighted and grateful that Europe wasn't coming to an end yet.  They hadn't been worried about the fact they would again be checking out of this apartment with nothing (they were so immersed in Music) but they were aware it was on the cards unless something came.  Now that it had they began to realise a further aspect was opening up for them.  For the first time since arriving in Europe they were in a position to look further than survival. 

They realised that this could bring into reality what they had spoken of back in Berlin.  In that period, it became clear to them what they needed to take things further.  All that was stopping them was money.  They had felt it was coming and then felt slightly confused when royalties never appeared.  They couldn't see another way the amount of money they needed could come to them.  Maybe they had been a little too eager and premature.  Jah delivered it a few weeks later.

The first 10 days in the apartment they had been out into the centre of Vienna ONCE.  They didn't feel they were missing anything.  They knew they'd come to Vienna for Music but had anticipated being out and about, soaking up the musical heritage of the city.  Instead they found Music was coming to them direct through their apartment via modern technology.

As Dave sat staring blankly at the map of Vienna one day, he laughed out loud as he spotted a street called Elisabeth Straße which ran into Bösendorfer Straße (named after the famous Austrian Bösendorfer piano).

Vienna

Everything in life is happening in cycles or seasons.  It started to become clear to Dave & Kate in Prague that there was a pattern to what was going on.  This period was feeling very much like a previous period they'd went through back in Paris.

Back then they'd come to the end of the money they had, they were staying in hotels and there was a lot of confusion and misunderstanding around.  Towards the end of Dresden it began to feel like this all over again.

This was more than simply a feeling.  After the storm in Paris, an apartment showed up for them which had a PC.  Perfect for emailing, of which they had a lot to do.  Now this apartment in Vienna also had a PC at a time when they really needed one.  The Truffaut apartment in Paris was in the 17th district.  This apartment was in the 17th district of Vienna.  The owner of the Truffaut was called Elizabeth, the owner of this apartment was called Elisabeth.

As they entered the apartment they were both struck by how it reminded them of the Truffaut one.  Yellow and orange colour scheme, about the same size overall, the bedroom was arranged almost identically, there was a glass coffee table in each apartment with a guest book on it... these features weren't in every apartment they had stayed in.  The 3 butterflies of Paris had also returned, this time on a mug which Kate would drink from...

Maybe more bizarre was the message graffiti'd on the light in the lift...

On the last day in this apartment they would walk a different way down the street it was on and pass this sign...

Without Brian & Agnes, Dave & Kate wouldn't even have been there.

Just like with Kaisers in Berlin, they were super close to a supermarket.  In fact, this was the closest they'd been, a Spar literally 2 mins round the corner.  They would understand why later. 

As they walked the short distance in this area they already could feel a different energy in Vienna.  It was very serene.  They were just off a busy main street with shops but there was an unusual quietness to the place and they found this everywhere they went in Vienna.  It immediately felt good to be here.

The first night in the apartment they went to bed around 3am.  As Dave was drifting off to sleep he thought he could faintly hear some music he recognised.  It sounded like a ukulele strumming.  Then he heard a familiar voice.  Was this real or a dream?  The upstairs neighbour was playing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" at 4am!

Prague

Right from the beginning, when Kate said "it feels like we're here on a business trip", it went that way.  The 3 days became a blur and the whole focus seemed to be on getting to Vienna.

This was a new experience for them as even back in Hamburg where they stayed only 3 nights they were able to immerse themselves into the city.  In Prague it felt very different.

It is probably one of the most beautiful cities they've been to but as they strolled around in the cold the urgency to get to Vienna was palpable.  They had no idea why, except that it might be the Music - it was like Vienna had sprung up into the consciousness and made its voice heard, calling them on.

Kate's feeling to enquire about Vienna apartments back in Berlin served them well.  She was able to go through the list and write to them again with new dates.  The cheapest offer was EUR 400 for 2 weeks.  They were happy with this one... or so they thought.  The reservation was made but Dave felt very restless that night about the apartment situation and so at 1am they went back down to the PC at reception.  The next best offer was from the same woman - another apartment in the same area for EUR 450.  Only this time Dave spotted that a PC with internet was listed.  They hadn't seen that first time around.  They quickly wrote to the woman and switched apartments.  Now they could rest as the right one had been uncovered.

Another night in the aparthotel Dave was sitting on the bed absently singing away to himself when the next minute he found himself humming some classical music - a rare occurence.  He turned to Kate and said "that's Strauss isn't is?  Wasn't he Austrian?" and they were sure it was The Blue Danube - titles of classical pieces not being their forte.  And it was.  An anthem of Vienna and Austria.

ApartHotel Susa

Dave & Kate checked into the ApartHotel Susa in Prague on Sunday 30th January 2011 for a 3 night stay.  When they entered their room they were taken aback, but not really surprised, by the main picture on the wall opposite their bed...

It was like a confirmation again that they had landed in the right place.  The apartment served all their needs for those few days and even had free internet so they could sort out Vienna.  Inevitably, there were a few hiccups, confusion seemingly following them around wherever they went.  The woman at check-in, although pleasant enough, appeared to have been spellbound by them and then they found the room had only been set-up for one person and so had to be made up for two.

Later at night when Dave asked for a plug for the kitchen sink the guy took him through to the staff kitchen, rummaged around for about 5 mins looking for things, before eventually opening one of the cupboards and asking Dave "is what you are looking for in here?".  Dave pointed to the plug at the sink and said he was looking for one of those.  "Ahhh!" the guy said and handed Dave a new plug from a drawer.  What exactly he was lookng for in those 5 mins remains a mystery!

Still it was a worthwhile visit as it confirmed to Dave & Kate that they wouldn't bother with the free breakfast in the morning - exhibit A) dusty-looking cornflakes lying uncovered in a bowl being the main culprit.

Better news was when they took a walk to the supermarket that Sunday and bought all the groceries they needed for their time in Prague on debit card.  Other than this, the only money they spent was on coffee at Costa and their bus ticket to Vienna, and both could also be purchased by card.  This meant they didn't need to change currency in cash, spending exactly what they needed and no more.  It left them with a confidence that somehow things could work out smoothly even in circumstances that didn't look so favourable beforehand.

Soundtrack To The Zion Europa Express!

Way back in late summer 2009, in their Jordan Lane flat in Edinburgh, this became the 'theme song' of what was coming - a new vision.  Dave & Kate had just moved into the flat and Music began to stir again, this time to do it right:

"its gonna take plenty of money to do it right...  its gonna take time... its gonna take patience and time to do it right...".

Brian, Agnes, Will, Georgie & Brother Mark can already testify to that!

The return of Europe & Music!  This song became very significant during the summer of 2010 when Europe was turning into reality:

"...it all makes sense to me somehow..."

"...and its not what it used to be, no, we're suddenly free to let go..."

"...these are times that come, only once in your life, or twice if you're lucky..."

Another song that found them back in the 'incubation period' of Jordan Lane and which Brother Mark reminded them of in January 2011, Berlin.

The song of Movement!  In the last few weeks before leaving Edinburgh, this became THE SONG!

"...Let me tell you if you're not wrong then everything is alright..."

"...We know where we're going, we know where we're from, we're leaving Babylon, we're going to our Fatherland..." 

"...Oh people if you're ready me say get on board now... and then you praise 'fari"

"...Here you're going in the same direction"

"...And where there's a will, there's always a way..."

Back in the 1980s, when Dave was 7 years old, he used to be fascinated by maps and was especially intrigued by the Eastern Europe area and places like Berlin.  He'd listen to the radio with his friends and they'd study the atlas...  they could name the capital cities to most countries in the world.  This song was a hit at that time and for some reason it always made Dave think of Berlin and wonder what it would be like.  To suddenly hear it come on the radio in January 2011 in Berlin was like deja vu.

Dave & Kate laughed as they began to realise they were in the army Now!  They were SoulJah's on the frontline of a 7-strong army and on the look-out for new recruits.  Jah Rastafari!!!

Many a time when Dave & Kate were feeling stuck and helpless this song would appear...

The 'theme song' to the crushing of ego and return to the Natural State...

The money song... 

First heard back in Barcelona and has been a companion to Dave & Kate ever since...

Eric

Waiting at the bus station in Dresden a young middle-Eastern looking man appeared from a puff of smoke, approached them and asked if this was the stop for Prague.  Then a long pause as he looked at them.  Then whether the journey took 2 hours, which they confirmed.  He again gave them the 'stare' - a look they were becoming familiar with.

They never got used to this look.  Each time they'd wonder if they had a mark on their face, their hair looked funny or if they were being understood at all.

When they got off the bus in Prague, after getting a map and some directions from the tourist info people, they exited the bus station and again bumped into Eric.  He simply asked them "so... where do I get my euro currency changed to Korunas?"

Kate actually had the answer to this as she'd just noticed the currency buro on their way out the station.

Oddly, Eric had no luggage at all with him and disappeared as fast as he had appeared never to be seen again.

Wiener Straße, Prager Straße & Budapester Straße

As they sat on the bus on their way to Prague they began to realise yet again that it was all there, presented for them, even when they felt totally lost.

That second day when they found themselves walking along Wiener Straße to the Hauptbahnhof they did wonder if this was a sign that Vienna was next.  What didn't quite fit was they had arrived in Dresden at the Neustadt station as this was nearer their hotel.  It made sense to leave from this station to wherever they went next.  But they only saw themselves leaving by train...

They hadn't anticipated going anywhere by bus.  Now they actually had left from the very train station Wiener Straße ran along.  In fact, the square directly in front of the station is called Wiener Platz.

Not only that but the main shopping street perpendicular to the station and leading up to it, which they walked along everyday, is called Prager Straße.

Close by is Budapester Straße.  Was Budapest on the horizon?  They couldn't see anywhere else in the frame after Vienna.  Before they were gone Dave left a message for the maid service at the hotel...