Traveling to Vienna to dance and adding a couple of days before and after for acclimatisation and sightseeing proved to be a good combination, as the dancing gave a focus for the trip.
The competition was very well organized and ran on schedule. The numerous competitors in the various categories meant many dancers on the floor in the many heats, and caused problems for those of us who were first-time international competitors, and unaccustomed to the somewhat different dance floor etiquette and pace of international competitions. But it did not detract from the experience to Waltz in the Great Hall of the Vienna Town Hall, in the Town of Waltzes; a more impressive and beautiful venue is hard to think of.
Besides, Suzanne and I enjoyed the company of team friends and that of good Canadian friends too. The team had the excitement of one of our couples, Tatiana Keegan and Anatoliy Shvarts, being crowned Senior III Latin World Champions after a row of sizzling performances (six rounds, 110 competitors). As several other couples of our team also did well, there was ample cause for celebration.
Vienna has unending opportunities to immerse yourself in the rich cultural history, and with a superb public transport system, getting from one to the other is easy and economical on a seven-day pass. Like all old European cities, Vienna is also wonderful to experience on foot to get an idea of the ambiance of the city. There are museums of world-class art of any kind and palaces galore to see, beautiful parks to enjoy, and concerts to attend. If you do not collapse tired at night, you are missing out.
Concomitant with the competition, there was the Vienna Film Festival in the Town Hall Park with delicious, inexpensive street food from many corners of the world. Likewise, if you are a gourmand, the temptations of Starbucks and McDonald’s are easy to resist
Suzanne and I were already in Denmark, so we travelled there overnight on a sleeper train, arriving refreshed and awake. We are currently on our way back in the daytime so we can watch the changing landscapes of Europe.
This competition/vacation will be hard to beat.
