For me, almost every summer starts with a firm resolution to find a new favourite flavour of ice-cream, befriend someone with a pool, and dance under a warm rain. Then almost every summer ends with an astonishing realisation that yet again, I did none of these things but instead, had another season full of work, study, and socialising. What remains most memorable is my trip to Vienna to visit my Dr Friend: you remember me writing about Schönbrunn Palace, a former imperial residence for Austrian monarchs, and spending the night on the steps of Leopold Museum. On my last day in town, my Dr Friend invited me to Sunday brunch at Cafe Central — not a biggie, really, only THE place frequented in the past by the likes of Leon Trotsky, Sigmund Freud, Josip Broz Tito, and Vladimir Lenin. It was an amazing feeling to be drinking coffee and champagne somewhere that used to be visited by Europe’s intellectual elite. What if Lenin himself sat in my chair and plotted the Bolshevik Revolution? Shudder…

The cakes and drinks here are spectacular though.

A special hanger for fresh newspapers.

And a stellar breakfast with Viennese coffee (which turned out to be just like a regular cappuccino!)

Having had our fill of warm croissants, hips of fresh salmon, nice breads, and eggs, we strolled out into the street and somehow ended up in a chocolate shop. No idea how it happened!

They had truffles with any flavour imaginable: from coconut to chilli, from caramel to whiskey.

My favourite? A chocolate shoe!

This shop definitely made me happy!

And inspired in me a desire to hug random ice-cream cones!

Followed by a walk through town, a short trip to a butterfly house, and a visit to Klimt exhibition in Belvedere.

With frequent stops for refreshments, naturally.

and posing…

and property-shopping…

In Vienna, traffic lights are awesome! Instead of the usual stick man, they show couples — a man and a woman, two men and two women.

This summer weekend in Vienna will certainly stay in my memory as time filled with love, laughter, and loyalty — I think Kat (aka Dr Friend) is one of the nicest and definitely most loyal people I have a pleasure of knowing. Thank you, Kat, for hosting me in your beautiful abode, for making me breakfasts, for taking lots of pictures of me and for me, and for simply being there. I love you.