Inertia Kills

Any visit to Vienna is incomplete without seeing at least some opera. Even if you don’t like it, it’s something everyone should experience. Tickets for performances at the Staatsoper (State Opera) can run well up into the hundreds of Euros, depending on the opera and performers. The cheapest seats can be purchased for around 10 Euro, but these will all come with at least a partially (if not entirely) obstructed view. Thankfully, there is a fine tradition in all of the premier opera houses in the world to save hundreds of standing room tickets to be sold 80-90 minutes before each performance. These tickets run from 3-4 Euro, making it possible for even the thriftiest of travelers to indulge in a slice of upper-crust entertainment.

Vienna's State Opera House

During my visit, I saw a dual performance of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, by Pierto Mascagni and Ruggero Leoncavallo, respectively. My Vienna opera experience, particularly Pagliacci, turned out to be the highlight of my entire visit; however, there are a few things that I wish I knew about purchasing standing room tickets beforehand. Here, I’ll provide a few quick pointers on how to go about buying the cheap seats to some of the best opera performances on the planet.

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Last week, while on ski break, I met some incredible ladies, three in particular. I immediately found myself very attracted to each of them, each for very different reasons. These are the kinds of women that, in one situation or another, I’d love to picture myself dating for an extended period of time, but probably will never be so lucky. Read the rest of this entry »