Karlsplatz

There is an U-Bahn (the subway system) stop that has become a landmark for us here in Vienna. Karlsplatz station is that "downward slope" hotspot of Vienna. Every city has one. The one area of town that when you start hanging out there, you know you have hit rock bottom. There is enough drugs, alcohol, and more illegal substances than I want to know about going through just this one strech of this underground. You would be able to tell what area I am talking about when you see without knowing where it is because as soon as you get there your lungs cry in despair. Walking through this one area that only takes about two minutes to walk through will make your clothes and hair smell for the rest of the day.
I have many fond memories which I will always remember from Karlsplatz, but we had a choice incident yesterday. As we boarded the UBahn there was a man you was obviously drunk with a bottle in one hand and a glazed look on his face. When we sat down Kimberlee was telling some story from earlier in the night to Kim and I. The man is staring at Kim and nodding along to her story and showing expressions that infer that he too is part of the conversation. We are beginning to feel uncomfortable when we hear that beautiful melody by Mr. William Joel. "It's 9 o'clock on a Saturday. The regular crowd shuffles in. There's an old man sitting next to me, making love to his tonic and gin." Our Karlsplatz friend broke into song and when I say broke I mean that something had to have broken because it was awful and very loud. He is basically serenading us in the middle of this jammed metro car. Some are looking at us as if it is our fault, some are blank faced in true Austrian fashion, and some are smiling in sympathy. After he finishes the chorus he yells, "Nevada!" To which Kim responds, "Nein, California." After some drunken German murmurings we had to get off the train, but I will never forget the night I was serenaded by the the old man sitting next to me making love to his tonic and gin.