Safety concerns in the city

View of the Danube from my office

If one year ago if a soothsayer of some kind had told Lori, "A year from now you let Nathan ride the subway alone through one of the largest cities in Europe." She would have said, "Not Likely." If she had told her further, "He's going alone to pick up Emily from a foreign school where she has spent the day studying another language." She would have asked what this person was smoking. If she had been told that it was true and they were going to ride back alone through the city. She would have suspected that if such a course of events were really going to take place in a year's time, she must be dead--if in truth such strange things were going to transpire. But so it was. It's Nathan's job to make his way on the U-bahn to Emily's school where Lori drops her off in the morning. Nathan makes his way there and they ride back together by themselves. Thursday, Nathan will take U-bahn, buses and trolley's to seminary--again alone. (Even more unlikely, if this soothsayer, had said, "Behold in one year's time, I say unto you, you will be drinking diet Coke without ice." She would have suspected that the Millennium must surely begin in the coming year. (Of course, she would ask could it really be a paradise without ice in your diet Coke?))

So what allows her to sit at home while two of her children wander around a major metropolis? Vienna is very safe. I used to worry if Nathan walked to Walmart. It seems strange, but here things are very safe (it's claimed that it is the third safest city in Europe although I'm not sure what that means). I'm not sure why. There is no large police presence, in fact I cannot remember seeing one except in cars on the road. I've seen people begging, many from Eastern Europe. So I figure there is probably crime about, in fact, there are warnings about pickpockets at the airports and major train stations, but then in general people leave things laying around that I think would be taken in the US. There is just a feeling of security about the place. Very curious. And of course most people would think us over protective--I mean why are we sending Nathan when Emily could come home by herself?

Of course, there are some exciting challenges that we didn't face in Utah. Walking on our way to church there was a van parked near the church with a twice life-sized picture of a big-breasted naked woman kneeling provocatively on the side. As we passed, I said to Nathan, "You know when we walked to church in Pleasant Grove we hardly ever saw pictures like that." He laughed. So did Emily. Both kept their eyes on the ground--pretty much.

You also have to get used to smelling like cigarette smoke.

There are a lot of good things. It's hard to find non-organic food. People smile a lot and seem to help out when they can. Dogs can go anywhere--On the U-bahn (if they are muzzled), into the stores, etc. I haven't seen but the occasional dog poop, and I don't know what they do with it. And Walmart had to shut down (in Germany actually, but close enough) because no one would shop there. At night from 10:30-11:00 there is a concert pianist above us that plays wildly modern classical music (think Phillip Glass), at first I was annoyed, but now I listen and feel robbed if he or she does not play.

Church is wildly diverse. The people are from all over the world. The Bishop is from Africa as are many in the ward. There are people from the Philippians, Hawaii, North America with all economic and educational levels represented and appreciated. It is going to be fun getting to know people of so many walks of life. Plus the scenery on the way to church is stunning--just ask Nathan.