"...I'll take my chances on the far side of the world..." -- Jimmy Buffett

 Jimmy Buffett is in the DC area tonight as part of his latest tour and it's good to know he's still rolling. Lord knows he doesn't have to, what with the music on top of retirement complexes and restaurants and so much. We shared a few conversations and an interview or two over the years, as well as some talk about our boats. A very nice and extremely intelligent man.

We're dealing with hot weather right now, as is much of Europe. Glad we're not in England (yet), where it got to like 109 or some shit today in London. Not all of the UK is dealing with this but it's still the absolute shits for those who simply have no experience with it or the tools to deal. There's only so many window a/c units for sale and only so many who can afford them and whatnot. Hurricane experience with no power and the fact our windows open wide have taught me the value of just putting on a wet shirt and powering through shit with a fan. I refuse to cook (except breakfast, before it gets hot again) and charcuterie is our friend. The only issue is bread (unless it's in the very tiny fridge) gets moldy in a heartbeat.

While Texas continues to bake and its electric grid remains in crisis, that is not the case here despite record heat. Solar panels are ubiquitous and a trip outside town shows huge wind power arrays that easily provide power. Of course this isn't winter and the results of Russian gas cutoffs remain to be seen. Virtually everything in this apartment relies on gas. We'll be gone come Oct. 1st but I don't think things will be easier in England. At least it'll be much cooler.

   I came across this plaque on a nearby building today (the city is full of them, marking all kinds of things from the residences of historic figures to various events -- pretty much like any city that values its history). It says, basically, this building was destroyed during the war but rebuilt in about 1960. It's your average apartment/professional building and we live in a complex that dates from the same era. There are clear markers on each to clarify when things happened.

Because it's fucking important. As Americans, we don't get that.

The US hasn't been invaded since 1812 and we've never had our entire shit bombed to rubble because too many of us bought into some jackleg's Master Race crap. These folks have. They had to pile that onto the complete ruination of centuries of the Habsburgs less than three decades earlier. This beautiful city, with all its musical, cultural and artistic accomplishment, has had to basically start over twice in a little more than a century. It bows to no one, loudly acknowledges its history and presses ahead with a progressive and inclusive outlook. I am only just starting to understand. I can only hope the US can one day be as honest about its own history as Austria is with its own. On every street. Every day.

Vienna has always been, thanks to the Danube, a culinary melting pot and the chef in me finds it frustrating. Yes the wiener schnitzel is an iconic dish as is the local apple strudel. But beyond those, much of the culinary landscape is your typical German wurst or similar or a melange of international cuisines from Indian to Asian to Arab to...

Greek. Y'all. We found a Greek place at the Nachtsmarkt. I have not been to Greece (it's on the short list) but I have had great Greek food all over including the fantastic Molyvos in Manhattan and this place made me literally stand up just to appreciate. Simple halloumi (a Cypriot cheese) with pesto and tomatoes, a fresh tzatziki and a kalamata tapenade. A Greek sesame bread. Plus an orange cake with ice cream for dessert. The cake was basically a pineapple upside-down cake done with oranges for who the fuck cares? With a dry Greek white, it was world-class. We will return soon.

(as an aside, the Markt also has an Argentine steak place on our short list. The menu looks right. We'll see.)

The hot weather had us seeking cooler venues earlier in the week and Denise mentioned a thermal spa down the Metro a few stops. We checked it out and basically found complete physical heaven for these two old folks so we are returning tomorrow to bask in the water and let a waterfall pound on us for a few hours. My daughter says there are a coupla places around the DFW that do this and I had no idea. It's the best water I've known since leaving Florida nearly 20 years ago and, except for actually being on the boat, is better in so many ways.

We're less than a month into our adventure but it's already so much more than we anticipated. I left the apartment at midmorning to just get more acquainted with the neighborhood and I tell ya it's only beginning.

"...God I do love this job so..."