Wien, du Stadt meiner Träume

Mein Herz und mein Sinn
Schwärmt stets nur für Wien,
Für Wien, wie es weint, wie es lacht!
Da kenn ich mich aus,
Da bin i halt z’Haus,
Bei Tag und noch mehr bei der Nacht.

I’ll be leaving for Berlin tomorrow,

which makes tonight my second-last night in Vienna.

It just felt so hard to leave.

I’ve grown to love this city so much,

from the frequent tram #49 rides to the Innenstadt,

to the awe-inspiring Jugendstil that colours the city,

the stroll along the gloomy yet beautiful Danube,

with An der schönen blauen Donau waltzing in my head,

or spending the afternoon sipping Wiener Melange with no agenda in line.

I will miss,

greeting strangers with “Grüß Gott”,

the taste of the fresh-from-the-vineyards Traubensaft,

and the ever-addictive Almdudler (been drinking that every single day this week, in anticipation of upcoming deprivation syndroms) at the Heuriger,

I relish,

sneaking for kebab or pizza before catching opera,

being mesmerized by graceful yet solid ballet moves,

and the powerful voices of the sopranos.

So it’s Auf Wiedersehen for now,

but one day -I will make sure- one day,

I’m coming back,

for you alone will always be the city of my dreams.

My heart and my mind
is so full of Vienna
for Vienna as it weeps, as it laughs
that’s where I know my way, that’s where I’m at home
at day and at night.

[Wien, du Stadt meiner Träume]