Vienna:

There are very few places in time I would like to of visited in time. Vienna would be one of them. Few of us can recall that the Austrian Hungarian Empire not only ruled much of Europe for over 380 years, that they were the center of the universe. They were rich victors whom knew how to live, spending their wealth wisely on the Arts, they bathed in it. Lacking any other forms of entertainment or diversion in the idle dark hours, from 1450 - 1880's they spent lavishly on their thrown's, summer palaces, winter fortresses, foreign guest plazas. It was the place to be seen, and heard from if you were part of the very choice few.

If you were connected enough to be invited to be part of the Habsburge gatherings, it was the only place that Mozart or Hayden or Beethoven could of emerged. You can see it reflected in the city walls down to every last detail. The Spires calling to the heavens, every window laced in stone arches, every doorway standing tall; with roman statues heroically standing proud holding up the doorways. They not only conquered man, but the silent forest too. Building cities grand, strong, and bowing to god in a curved lattice grid. So proud were they, that they would tear down their fortress walls in the 1850's as they were that confident that they would last forever, as they owned it all. They were the ,"man" who did everything possible to live civilized lives so far removed from that barbaric lifestyles of the time. This is where you yearned to eat, work & to play.

It is one thing to be rich, yet it is quite another to know what to do with it or simply have good common taste. The Viennese like the Floriens, Romans, and Parisians, had tremendous reflection. They were wonderful at balance in their lives, and reminding us all from where you could fall if you were not prudent. They couldn't just have a sweet statue of goddesses inviting us, they always had to remind us and surrounded with serpents & snakes, or where anyone could fall, from. A Cross could not be a cross with Jesus on it, it had to be erupting from the skull and crossbones; in graphically strong counters. The stone would be cut in smooth glazed polishes, offset against ruff, coarse, natural rock. Everything had to be balanced, reminded of our mortality. It was infectious, taste was a way of being civilized, shedding your façades.

There had to be something in the water. Coming out of the Dark Ages, and illiteracy; in this Renaissance or rebirth, the Arts were alive for the conquers. Celebrating alike, and the spoils of the victors was what it was all about if you were lucky enough to be invited to the ball. The city was alive in artistic discourse, the buildings came to life in terrocotta, no wooden shacks for these valor's. It is almost too easy to see why Mozart, or Bach worked & gravitated there, Vienna was their home & refuge. They were tested daily, were you good enough, to be hired by the court ? They could look out their windows for inspiration. Seeing the delicious gothic spires tempting the heavens one after another in a wonderful harmonious reflection. Or take a walk among the palaces, in the evening and write Don Giovanni, or The Requiem 626. Yet he could not write a simple melody, it had to have counters, reflections in the base line, teasing in the flutes, pauses of immeasurable length, into soaring crescendos. Their music breathed with the life that they would encounter in their daily musings. Nothing was ever simple, yet well thought out and refined, every note was perfect for mocking time, yet they hardly knew it. Vienna was their competitive proving grounds, demanding.

It is easy to see why Mozart has lasted 220 years, and why although Austria can barley be recalled today after WW I, it is their music or the arts, influence that recalls the ages. With an Empire comprising at least 5 other languages, it was it's instrumentals that could unite them all in a single, universal tongue. As puzzling as it may seam today that Mozart died virtually lost and broken man from Vienna at the early age of 36, and placed in a paupers grave, it was only because he was just another musician at the time in a city of greats. There is much culturally that we owe to Vienna today. We need be reminded that artistically it was not Berlin, St, Petersburg, or Zurich that we emerged from culturally, but Vienna's center that we all silently emulate.

Power is as power does, inbreeding was a way of life, holding on as in the Hapsburg family. They loved their power and wealth. They would always have maids and servants in the room when they made love as they had to know. Was the prince a prince; or who the proclaimed prince's father was. It was a serious business.

There were few other matrimonial choices or cultural, social ties with others who lived as you did; the wealthy & rich kings & princesses. The only options were royalty from other countries, alliances and sharing of thrones that was a unwelcome sharing of power & fortunes, so they inbred. It made for unhealthy offspring. That is why mothers would give birth to 10 children as only 4 would survive to adult ages. These Kings were ruthless, nasty, greedy, guised in palaces.

I loved Europe, and could see myself living there. I was amazed that I could feel so comfortable in such a short amount of time. Yet I was still trying to understand the differences. I was just a traveler, so I saw this amazing past. In america we are babies, telling the rest of the world how to live ? . . . and there I saw the difference, americans are disposable, throw it away, start over tomorrow.

If one were to try to make a broad argument in terms of understanding the differences, one can begin to see it from our architecture . . . Our houses are designed to thrown away after 80 years, we use wood, they stone; history means almost nothing to an american. We live in short 20 year generational spans. We change our presidents every 4 years, they wait on & on.

In Europe you build in brick and ceramic roofs like your not going to ever move in 300 years ? They love their history, which can be cumbersome, and impossible to live up too. Holding on after you get invaded time after time. They are stubborn, yet loyal, hating change. American's loving change, willing to move on; yet are un loyal, undisciplined, optimistic, free to move on to the next one in a heart beat.

One can learn from your mistakes as history will teach you, or you can chose to be ignorant, and live by the seat of your pants, and react to change.

It was also home to Sigmund Fraud.

All photos property of Strodl 2008