On my way back from a trip to Vienna, I got breakfast at the airport. My flight was early, so I was especially looking forward to having a coffee with my meal.
At the breakfast eatery I visited, there was a quiet room. The room was detached from the rest of the cafe with a glass wall, enough to significantly dull the sounds from outside. Whereas a breakfast cafe in the morning would be bustling with noise, the quiet room was a retreat: a place where you could have your breakfast in peace.
I was delighted when I saw the room; a place I could eat breakfast without hearing too much noise. While I like hearing the sounds of coffee shops – of coffee being brewed, conversations with baristas – in that morning I needed space. Airports can get busy; there were already lots of people waiting for flights. But in the quiet room, there were a few people peacefully enjoying breakfast.
I wish more public spaces had quiet rooms where you could go to rest amid a busy place. They are a boon to people who suffer from anxiety.
