you might think this word names the holidays you need to get back your energy at this exhausting time of the year, but: they were founded in the 70ies (oil crisis!) to save energy by closing the schools (so no heating!).

2) Anfahrtstage – “arrival days”, sailing dates

If there is one free holiday in the middle of the week you can easily take another day off, or at least half a day: because the holiday is made for having party with your family, which might be far away in the mountains. Unlike in Germany where you would meet half the poplulation on the railways and on the streets during the holiday evening until late, it is a clear thing over here that the day afterwards has to be the day for traveling. I like this catholic country!

3) Strizi – naughty boy

Well, what else is there to say? Just think of the nice sound of this word.

4) Vollkoffer

…is the right word for my so-called Italian ex-boy-friend. (An Austrian friend of mine explained it to me like this referring to my stories. I immediately understood.)

5) Kieperei – a disrespectful word for the police

I guess this derives from the English “keeper”. I think the Austrian way of taking up English words and appropriating or even transforming them to something Austrian is really funny, impressive and an interesting phenomenon.

Ba-ba,

until next time!

The Austrian says: The situation is hopeless but not serious.

see yourself:

it is forbidden to take photos of the paintings...

but you can take pictures of the mirrors in Schloss Belvedere!

white sounds

...and how to become part of it

fashion victim

window shopping perfection

red and green

happiness

and they are all mine…

...aller guten dinge sind drei!

…and what should I do with it now? Any ideas?

 The one who gives me the best idea will win a postcard of Vienna and two apple-stickers!!!! Come on guys!!!!

Thank you!

detail of the newly restored fresco of the Karlskirche in Vienna, constructed around 1730 as a prayer for help against pestilence

(in Italy “fare bella figura” is everything, so noone risks a joke that might make himself look ugly. This here is a refreshing difference!)

2. the good tap water

(a) you don’t have to carry heavy bottles at home, (b) it tastes that good that you can drink it in masses and (c) you even get it for free as much as you want in the coffee houses, so that you can choose your drink for pleasure and taste and get the additional water for the thirst.

3. Kaffeehäuser – coffee houses

(they are huuuuuge chambers, you can pass hours there, they are places for chilling, enjoying, having sacher cake and hot chocolate or for showing your new dress)

mmm, what should we go for today???

4. the special spirit – sometimes you might think someone just turned back the clocks and

I swear, I have the feeling Freud would just come around…

5. the smell of horse shit that sometimes comes to your nose when you pass by in city center…

Yesterday I forgot to add some of my examples for my italian-austrian confusion:

I realize that I divide my meal into several dishes

Vienna, a street, no car in sight, red traffic lights for pedestrians: One is crossing the street, 30 people are waiting. Guess, who is that one.

I cross the streets also when there are no traffic lights and I get shocked about the cars that push on the gas instead of the break. In Italy they would break and shout out of the window that I was a “deficiente!” “stronza!” “biondina”, a blond stupid a…. I was already used to it. All of a sudden I get more fear over here than in the chaotic Florence!

I am not used to the hectic rush at the paying desks in the supermarket any more. You have to show how much you are organized, that you make it to let your bought disappear in your bag within seconds, so that you are ready to leave the space for the next customer immediately after you paid the bill. It totally stresses me.

About three times a week I end up in front of closed doors. Shops close at 6 p.m. (yes, seems like kinder garden, should I also go to bed at ninish?) supermarkets at 7 p.m….

I try to remember myself how often I found the shops closed in Italy. There at 1 p.m., because I always forgot that they have a lunch break-siesta.