Cafe's

27.5.09

Coffee houses in Vienna differ greatly from those in America. They have a much more leisurely atmosphere about them. In America, if you sit at a table for more than an hour a waiter usually asks if you want anything else or in some way indicates that you should leave. Often they give you the bill just moments after getting your food and say “whenever you’re ready” but really they mean sooner rather than later. In Vienna the concept of a coffee house is completely different.  No one is going to ask you to leave after a while.  In fact, people often spend the entire day in a single coffee house. It is a place where one can go to read the newspaper or read a book.  In the past, there were even showers available because travelers would often come and want a place to freshen up and relax.