---
title: "Vienna for birthday ball"
date: 2024-01-10
tripit: 339701663
nights: 5
modes: ["rail", "air"]
flights:
  -
    date: 2024-01-10
    number: KL1845
    from: AMS
    to: VIX
    km: 958
trains:
  -
    date: 2024-01-14
    from: vienna
    to: amsterdam
destinations:
  -
    title: "Vienna"
    nights: 4
    location: "Hotel Gilbertz"
    geo: [48.20360, 16.35668]
---

Shannon's friend is moving back to Austria and invited people to celebrate her 30th birthday at the [ZuckerBäckerball](http://www.zuckerbaeckerball.com/).

We planned to take an ÖBB night train, but the German rail workers went on strike and we ended up having to take a flight there. But we returned on the train. I left some thoughts on that in the [weeknotes](/weeks/2601).

It was nice to revisit Vienna after 14 years, and we enjoyed a few great meals and museums. The Leopold was a highlight, with good exhibitions in a brilliatly arranged building.

The ball was a blast, like a Mardi Gras event but in an elegant venue with a diverity of experiences. I will remember the side quest of trying to find out how to turn in my cake ticket for a cake, which included "my white rabbit" leading me through a labyrinth of dance floors and ended with many of the ladies in formalwear shoving their faces into the chocolate cake while I struggled to hold it. And, of course, that the night ended when one of us put her drink on a small stage once too often and security kicked us out. I spent quite some time simply making that staff, especially the one I've named "Biff", uncomfortable with their weilding of authority without clear communication.
