"...if anybody asks you why, you just tell 'em because You been daincin' like the dickens to the West Texas Waltz..." -- Joe Ely

 We're getting a bit more of a focus on what we want to do, where we want to do it and when. Our main focus up to now has been just getting here and settling in. We're still finding weird stuff in drawers and getting to know what's at the various Metro stops and we'll never get to know as much as we want while we're here. But each day is a treasure of new information, experience and eye-rolling.

The grocery carts here are different. In the US, the front wheels turn but the back ones don't. Often you get one with a wiggly or otherwise recalcitrant front wheel that sticks or pulls in one direction or another. Over here, all four wheels are on overlubricated swivels that, if you're unprepared, have you doing an unplanned do-si-do with your cart in the produce section. And the produce is more seasonal, being more locally produced. Sure, there are watermelons from Greece and grapes from Egypt but I am seeing a smaller variety overall simply because things like fresh corn just aren't in season yet. Asparagus is either long gone or yet to arrive.

This apartment continues to surprise, though less now than a week ago. I have no thermometer nor do I have a clue about oven temperature aside from putting my hand in and feeling "yeah that's good." I put in a meatloaf this evening (takes an hour at 350) and went about other stuff, only to open the oven at the one-hour point to find it was off and had been off for awhile. Nothing to do but crank it again and see. Fortunately I have experience enough to touch and know when shit is done, so we wound up 30 minutes later with everything just fine. But the guesswork (yeah I know I could just go get a meat thermometer and other stuff) is part of the challenge. We good.

We have ample windows and shades but no screens plus no a/c so windows remain open all the time unless the sun is in a bad place briefly. Or there is a stiff breeze (which today knocked over Bob the Mint Plant we bought yesterday to make mojitos). One window is above our bed and it is normally okay except closing the window makes the bedroom a bit stuffy and opening it all night brings blinding sunlight to our eyes at 5am. This afternoon we were taking a nap with the window open and water starts splashing in from above (we are on the third floor). It's the second time this has happened. Unsure who or what is above us but our floor is as far as the elevator goes. Stairs go higher so I'll have to investigate.

My sojourn for tobacco today discovered construction work between our Metro stop and the next one headed to the center of the city (basically anyplace we want to go). This will apparently be going on until about August 11th so we'll just have to deal. Any historic things we've seen so far have been strictly by accident while in search of stuff like groceries and whatnot but that's changing. The Belvedere Palace has the world's largest collection of Klimpt artwork and of course there's all the Habsburg stuff we'll get to eventually. But upcoming this week will be the daytrip to nearby Slovakia and also a day at the indoor/outdoor thermal pool operation when temps return to the 90s midweek. At least in this part of the world, our blinding alabaster skin isn't out of place.

Sunday is a Day Off here for most folks, reminding me of the old Blue Law days in Texas and much of the South. Except it's not mandated by law -- it's just what people do. There are open convenience stores and gas stations and the Asian groceries are open. But while the malls allow traffic, nearly all stores are closed. There are available restaurants and public transportation runs and many of the galleries and tourist spots are open for fuh-ree. But most things just stop by mutual consent and I'm okay with that. You wanna buy whiskey and get ripped? You can do it. Feel like going out to eat? That's fine. Need to get from Point A to Point B or you're a tourist wanting to see stuff? Here's your ticket. But for most folks, we'll see you Monday.

The best part about how we're doing this is we don't have to do it all tomorrow or this week or even this month. We can stop and be locals.

That's the damn point.