With one child carving through the snowy slopes and another immersed in university life, my husband Paul and I opted for a getaway to visit our friends in Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia.

Our connection with them goes back to the time when we lived in Arusha, Tanzania - during my two-year teaching stint. Those were golden times—our children ran wild with each other on the extensive, enclosed school campus surrounded by coffee plantations, while we sat on our porches enjoying views of Mount Meru volcano and the monkeys playing nearby.

Meanwhile, it turns out that it was easier to fly into Vienna first, where we spent three days, before bussing to Bratislava.

Whilst we wandered this extensive and impressive capital city, I reflected on how my journalist husband had a knack for noticing things I overlooked. While I often hurry towards my destination on a mission, he slows down, capturing the small, quirky details along the way.

Inspired by Paul’s pensive pace, I’ve been attempting to adopt his perspective…

What haven’t you noticed this week?

🖋️Random Diablogs from Random Dialoguists

⚡Everyone Else Seems To Have It All Worked Out | Seeing The Way with Ian Moncrieff MacMillan 👀

It all looks so easy for them.

Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. Or wasn't.

Maybe our inner chaos, curiosity, doubt, and dabbling are all part of the process of discovering and developing something new.

Or simply finding our way in this crazy, confusing world.

⚡Our Environment Is More Toxic Than We Realise - So What Can We Do? - How to Grow Younger Series Part 15 by Yvette Masure | Health is Wealth 🌱

Heavy inescapable toxins are causing our health epidemics. For sure. The Science is coming out, slow but sure, at last.

Though it’s not rocket science; just common sense in the long run really, and not economically viable for the systems and social structures financially being supported, which are in place these days. 

The average person it is recorded, has over 91 and up to 165, toxins ie. chemicals, in their body. 

An example, Chronic Cadmium exposure causes multi-modular goitre in the Thyroid gland and this leads to the decrease of thyroglobulin release. 

This leads to thyroid cell hypoplasia, which is, in effect, the beginnings of cancer.

This is found in the likes of mining and smelting, sewage sludge, batteries, pigments, plastics, and phosphate fertiliser, to name but a few.

Statistics now show the brain and nervous system, are setting the stakes and these toxins in the body are even causing birth defects. 

You know, we know? So what’s the antidote? Answers please. Or I could tell you some in next week’s article on request…

Otherwise, watch ‘The Heavymovie.com’ which airs to the public from 15th February👌

Detox methods are now groundbreaking and go beyond traditional and functional medicine: to counteract our daily widespread exposure. 

It’s a slow reset but imperative for our well-being and our future legacy for the next generation. 

The Earth can look after itself: but can we look after ourselves? 

There’s a question.

Breath. Live. Life.🍄💚🌱

#wabisabi🙏

⚡The Artist Living in the Shadows 🎨

LinkedIn thinks I have similar interests to Steven Bartlett and so therefore I should follow him.

Now I wonder if he gets the same LinkedIn message coming up on his phone saying that he has similar interests as Jason Arbiter from Delacroix Jewellery and so he should follow me?

Now that would be funny.

⚡Random Habsburgs by Random Dialoguist John FitzAlan-Blackhurst

Did you know… 

The Habsburgs suffered from inbreeding with their cousins the Wittelsbach family of Bavaria (Royal family) and were eccentric/mad - look up Princess Alexandra of Bavaria and the Empress Elisabeth of Austria (cousins) and of course Ludwig II of Bavaria. 

Habsburg jaw was a byproduct of inbreeding. Huge jaws meant they couldn’t close their mouths.

One emperor of Austria couldn’t talk properly and was epileptic. For fun, he rolled around on the floor in waste paper baskets and his only coherent sentence was “I am the emperor and I want dumplings”.

It’s funny but tragic. Elisabeth was a real beauty trapped in a loveless marrying the crusty emperor. On their royal boat during storms, she would tie herself to the mast.  Elisabeth would wash her hair every day using raw eggs, Cognac, herbs etc. She had very long hair so it took a long time to wash. She spent hours brushing her regal locks. 

She and Ludwig were considered the most beautiful people in Europe. Ludwig was eccentric and I think misunderstood. Admittedly his castle building bankrupted Bavaria.

Things hit rock bottom when he contracted genital warts from a lady of the night. 

Elisabeth was killed by an anarchist.

🔚And Finally

👀10 Things I Noticed In Vienna, and 3 I Didn’t

1. Even if the roads are empty of cars, everyone waits obediently (and infuriatingly) for the green people to flash at them, before they cross the road. This stopping and starting can slow you down - maybe a good thing? Upon investigation, jay walking incurs a fine of up to 140 Euros 😮

2. 🚣🏽The Danube is a huge river with 350km of it flowing through Austria and 32km of it in Vienna.  It is not, as my husband pointed out to me, the storm drain that I thought was just outside the Hotel Indigo where we stayed (by the way, this hotel does the best breakfast buffet).

3. There are 22 districts in Vienna, most tourists head to the 1st one and there is so much to see and do. We opted for the impressive “Art History Museum” -  Kunsthistorisches Museum 🖼️. I asked my friend “The Artist Living In The Shadows” who doesn’t contribute to this weekly Random Dialogue newsletter (see above), what he would enjoy best about being there. He encouraged me to find Caravaggio’s art.

   Alongside, the Caravaggios, “Cleopatra’s Suicide” captured my interest, as did the stunning ceilings and seven euros green tea in the circular posh cafe - check out this video and my “Wien Highlights” photos and vlogs on Instagram.

4. 🚲When hiring a bike from the numerous roadside racks, you don’t need to call customer support because the bike won’t work - it turns out there’s a clip at the back of the bike which you also need to flick as well as pull out. (Wien Bikes App - E0.60 per 30 minutes). The roads are flat, wide, and well-marked for bikes.

5. If you decide to go for a stroll in Prater Park to see the infamous Ferris wheel 🎡, head a bit deeper into the area and check out the “Offenliche 🚾” which has a huge confusing seat/sink combo, and caused me a bit of vertigo and gave Paul a laugh. 

6. 🥗Grated horseradish features on quite a few dishes and its heat can take you by surprise - I thought it was cheese on my bagel at the super Cafe Savoy. Sausages, sauerkraut, mustard, and stews are plentiful too.

7. We felt a bit old and frumpy at the hip and vibrant Cafe Drechsler ☕ with its chic and contemporary wallpaper and youthful crowd. We will return though with wrinkles and all for their fantastic, soup, sandwiches and cakes (which were more accessible and affordable than the popular Sacher Torte tourist trap).

8. 🎟️Tram, bus, and underground train tickets are interchangeable.  You purchase them from designated machines (info) and validate them in the machine before commencing your single journey. In hindsight, we maybe could have opted for a weekly one. 
   
   Trams 1 and 2 offer a great opportunity to tour Vienna’s Ringstrasse, a route that travels parallel to the old town and follows the path of the old wall that once protected the city -  and is a much more budget-friendly alternative to the tour bus.  This is a comprehensive and informative blog that I found with more info for you.

9. A lot happens around the “Hofburg” zone, so if like me you get a bit touristed out, it’s worth seeking a bit of tranquility in the gardens by a tree. I found one with lots of graffiti carvings and made up some stories about them - it turns out the Hofburg has quite a story which John delves deeper into below.

    

10. Caution: refrain from playing Ultravox’s “Vienna” as you’ll have it in a mind loop - choose your playlist wisely 🎧

There was an interesting repurposed flak tower that Paul noticed too, shortly after he’d spotted “The Secret Society Of Super Villain Artists Local Headquarters” and interesting graffiti on a nearby tower block - I missed all of this.

📽️Have you ever seen this film? It was shot around Vienna ⬇️

🎣And a Bit More Finally

Enjoy this “Random Dialogues Playlist” on Spotify. I believe you can add your choices to it too.

As always, thank you❤️ CLICK TO REVIEW

Until next Friday at 6:08 am (ish).

Jane
Random Dialogues ❤️
Core Values: ⚡️Vision ⚡️Vitality ⚡️Voice

📅Events With Me

Listed HERE 

By the way, my Forest Immersion Technique session is this Sunday in Guildford and FREE Canva for Beginners on Zoom is on Monday. I’m also putting on a virtual gathering for everyone who has participated in a Random Dialogue speaking event, info in next Friday’s 6:08am update.

🎵We walked in the cold air

Freezing breath on a window pane, lying and waiting…