Ten years ago, we lived in this busy area of Vienna, where shopping stores are abundant and where there are always a lot of people like ants going about looking for food.There's a number of romantic Vienna hotels, apartments and cafes lining up - it was a busy everyday fare.

Since we transferred to a place a little farther from the city center (below photo), I rarely get the chance to take photos of Vienna's busy streets at night, except of course if we go out for dinner, during a special event to cover or attend or venture through the Long Nights at the Museums (which happened last week and I have an overdue post once again). I truly miss taking night shots in this illustrious city.

There have been big changes comparing how the city was nine or ten years ago, economically speaking - there's a rapid change at commodity prices and even apartment rent. Imagine it going up from 400Euro to 500Euro in 2 years! There are now security guards in many shops - which points out that crime rate has certainly gone up. I don't read much of the tabloids because they always contain such stories, based from those few instances I got ahold of one to pass time off while in the train when I forgot my precious book. For those who have lived in this city all their life, it is but rightful to complain how things have changed.

I, however, being a foreigner have seen worse. I still appreciate the government for providing affordable housing, a transportation system that is perhaps par none, clean, pure water you can drink from the tap and of course, free education for children.

Change is inevitable, that's true, it's much unfortunate if that change is for the worse...but Vienna still remains to be at the top of the list of most livable cities in the world (2nd to be exact). With its culture-rich history, it's music filled late nights, palaces of grandeur, walkable parks, friendly people (mostly), the most picturesque surroundings, I wouldn't trade Vienna for any city in the world...

Then again, I think of Tokyo. ^_^