28. Austria Part 2 and Another Quick Taste of Switzerland, 1970

Actual Tram in Vienna 1970

The next thing I seem to remember is the transit system in Vienna?  You could ride the tram anywhere in the city.  Many of us thought it was for free but later on discovered it was not.  How it worked was on the honor system.  There was a set fare for everyone.  There was also a less expensive fare for children, students and seniors.  There was a drop box near the front and rear exits to the tram.  There was no one there to collect or make change or pass out the transfer tickets.  It was all by exact change and everyone had change if you needed it.  The only control I saw was, if you put nothing in the drop box, people stared at you, pointed and mumbled until you either figured it out and put change in the drop box or got off the tram.  If you stayed and put money in the drop box they would all cheer and then be able to speak your language and try to help and tell you which transfer ticket you needed and how to get where you were headed and what trams you needed to ride.

After a day or so, I headed south west to the lake district that is south of Salzberg.  I was looking for the American student that gave me his address.  I was riding with a man named Carl Erik Rosen.  He worked for The IRO Distribution Corp that I think was headquartered in Sweden.  He did his best to help me locate the students address.  We did find the address but the landlady told us that the American student was attending some lectures in Vienna.  I decided to continue on my journey and headed for Switzerland and Italy again.  As I was moving on, Carl Rosen handed me a twenty dollar bill and told me that when I was in a similar situation to pass it on and help someone else.  That I have done Carl Erik Rosen, That I have done.

Interlaken Corn Field

I eventually ended up with a ride into Switzerland and found myself heading for Interlaken again.  I was riding with a bunch of road weary travelers and while we were still outside of Interlaken, we were passing fields of corn.  Naturally there was no one around, so we helped ourselves to a couple of ears apiece to boil for our supper that night.  The corn was a little to early and I think it was actually silage corn, but it was still sweet and tasty.

Interlaken

I spent two nights at the youth hostel in Interlaken again.  While there, I remember walking through a few neighborhoods looking at and smelling all the fresh flowers that were growing in everyone's yard, fences and windows.  There was also a walk to the center of town to try some chocolate and fresh baked pastries and cakes!

Chocolate Shop in Interlaken

At the youth hostel I met the girl I had traveled with from Milan to Rome.  She was now heading north while I was heading south again.   She had left Rome and headed for Naples and spent some time there and then worked her way back north through Italy.  She told me she wished that she had accompanied me through Greece and Turkey rather than going to Milan and staying in Italy.  Anyway, the next morning found her heading north while I headed south.  She told me the Professor who gave us a riding tour of the Milan to Rome route was correct, and to be sure to see Michelangelo's David in Florance!  But first, you have to go through Milan, Italy!