Currently in a Viennese bar overlooking the Danube.
Three hours ago I was in another bar, in a hotel some kilometres outside Vienna, with a certain Dave Atherton. Chris Snowdon - another name familiar to readers of this blog - was in the vicinity too, threatening to visit the hotel sauna.
What are we doing in Austria? I will reveal all on Wednesday when I get back. I have invited Dave to write a guest post, and Chris will be blogging too, I'm sure.
I should mention that people are smoking (shock horror) in the bar where I am currently sitting, just as they were in the hotel restaurant last night. Writing as a non-smoker, I genuinely consider it to be the height of civility and quite wonderful to behold. I can't understand why Britain doesn't try it.
Sadly, if the tobacco control movement has its way, the unsuspecting Austrians around me could lose this precious freedom in the near future if a referendum goes against them. We must do everything we can to stop it happening.
Update on Monday, April 11, 2011 at 22:58 by
Simon Clark
Dinner at Griechenbeisl, "the historic old Viennese inn since 1447" whose walls have been signed by, among others, Richard Wagner, Mark Twain, Johnny Cash, Ludwig v. Beethoven and a certain W A Mozart. Beef and onion soup followed by lamb chops, medium rare. Delicious.
Back to the hotel and there, in a shop window, I see a poster that reads: 'Lucky Strike Loves Austria'. I'm beginning to think that I do too.
Article originally appeared on Simon Clark (http://taking-liberties.squarespace.com/).
See website for complete article licensing information.