[seclorum]

I'm in Austria too, and as someone who suffered through 15 years of professional working life in California with no more than 4 consecutive days off the whole time (seriously), I can seriously say: thanks, Austria, for the time off. ;)

Lots of other things not to love about Austria (mobthink, Austro-fascism, the horrid city of Vienna, &etc), but the vacation policies are a dream.

[fierarul]

Austria is actually on my list of countries to move to. And Vienna was the best place to live for many years in the Mercer survey.

Where do I read more about these things that are wrong with Austria?

[davidw]

I lived on the other side of Austria, in Innsbruck, and only visited Vienna a few times, but I thought it was quite pleasant. Not the most 'happening' place, but it seemed nice.

[andrewcooke]

vienna is a great place - one of my favourite cities in europe (i have never lived there, but have a client there so visit regularly). suspect it's just some weirdness on the part of the original poster.

[seclorum]

I live in Vienna, so there's a difference between tourist-view of the place and denizen-view. I don't know if you spent any time anywhere other than the 1st and inner districts, but I respect the fact that everyone has their own opinion. I think its weird to love a city built as a fortress and then as a mass collective to industrial aesthetics, but then again I love big blue sky and buildings with space between them.

[mitsche]

Agree with mobthink and Austro-fascism. I would add lack of enthusiasm and closed-mindedness. Don't know what your problem with the city is, though. Even after having lived in Vienna for more than a year I'm still stunned how beautiful it is and how easy it is to meet interesting people.

If you're in a circle of cool people, Vienna is probably one of the nicer capitols to live in. And as a country-bumpkin I find it a lot less mentally taxing than let's say London or Berlin.

[seclorum]

Beauty is obviously in the eye of the beholder - I grew up in the wide-open desert of Western Australia, and spent my young adult life in Southern California, so I'm used to having more sky above me than the pitiful strip that most Viennese residents have to put up with in their daily lives.

I'm a huge non-fan of all these buildings glommed together, 5 or 6 stories high, and I find it oppressive, personally.

By my reckoning, Vienna is an Imperial Fortress with working-class box-traps being used as buttresses around the center. I wouldn't call it beautiful by any stretch of the word - oppressively architected inventory of the masses does not a beautiful city make.

But hey, to each their own. If you find it beautiful, more power to you. I can't stand Vienna, personally, and am glad I live outside the city border near Bisamberg ..

[mitsche]

I agree with everything you wrote. I recently moved back to Mattersburg because my dad passed away and I took over the house. And I really enjoy living in the open again.

But the things you describe are something that many big cities have in common. It makes me wonder if you've ever been to a city with a somewhat dense population that you enjoyed being in.

[seclorum]

I lived in Tokyo for a year. That has similarly oppressive issues too, but there are aspects of Tokyo that are tremendous for the soul. Haven't found much of that in Vienna, yet, after 7 years.

And, 15 years in Los Angeles - well, I love LA. To each his own. ;)

[mitsche]

I think our tastes are very much alike. I feel what you're saying about the oppressiveness, and I wouldn't want to live in Vienna for the rest of my life either. I just think it's a bit much to call the city of Vienna horrid, especially when so many people say so many nice things about it in general.

You've actually made me want to check out LA sometime soon.

[seclorum]

Really, the only people I've heard say nice things about Vienna have been American tourists who seem to be most impressed of all by the imperial, oppressive, architecture .. but everyone has their taste. Thanks for listing to my rant about my tastes .. ;)

[GFischer]

I like Vienna very much - okay, I was there in the 90's and I come from South America, but I've since visited Toronto and many other European and Latin American cities, and Vienna is among the nicest cities I've visited.

Maybe the problem is a cultural fit, or high expectations from California, but not the city hopefully?

Edit: here in Uruguay we have almost 14 salaries as well: 1/2 a salary in June, 1/2 a salary in December, and 20 days paid vacation (almost a full salary)

[seclorum]

In my case its the pure physical nature of the city that disturbs me. I find no love for the narrow strip of sky that most denizens have to suffer for their daily sunshine needs, and that strip of sky is a consequence of the composition of the citys' buildings, glommed together at a uniform height, each building providing a bare-minimum amount of shelter to the occupants. These 5 or 6 storey buildings are, in my opinion, an intentionally oppressive act designed to keep the working, industrial classes, introverted and perturbed - and in that sense, they function very well.

[krzyk]

Yeah, each their own :) I love narrow streets and high buildings (the older the better, bet skyscrapers are also nice). But yeah it mostly boils down to where one grows up (although I grew up in a small town so I shouldn't lake this ;) )

And I loved Vienna, when I stayed there for few days year ago.

[AYBABTME]

Toronto is a latin city? Do you mean Montreal?

[GFischer]

Sorry, I expressed myself wrong. I meant to say I visited Toronto in North America, and other cities in Europe and Latin America (but I haven't been to the U.S. yet as it's the hardest country to visit in terms of visa requirements. Now that I can get one, I don't have time :) ).