It seems amazing that this week has gone so fast. Last Thursday (Feb 14th) we met up with a friend who was leading a group of modern history students and other interested academics on a mini trip to Vienna. We met up with them to eat at the Waldviertlerhof (which I mentioned earlier, and the food was excellent by the way) shortly after they arrived and tagged along at various points throughout their trip.
The weather turned on Friday and the temperature dropped by several degrees. We had a smattering of snow, but the worse thing was the wind. It certainly wasn't the kind of day I would have chosen to stand about in the town Centre.
Unfortunately, we were booked onto the Third Man tour, so this was exactly what we had to do! I Had known about this particular tour for a long time and it had almost worked its way into my folk memory. I was sure that a friend of a friend had been on it and had been taken down into the storm drains that run under Vienna to see the setting of the final scenes where Orson Welles tries to escape the clutches of the authorities. He didn't escape (sorry for the spoiler if you haven't seen it), and we didn't get to see the storm drains as the scene was apparently shot in the Shepperton Studios in London. We left early, feeling a little disappointed and later found out that the tour didn't even take in the Riesenrad (the big wheel) on the Prater which seemed a little odd as it is the most recognisable landmark in the whole film. Hey ho. Photo below is the doorway of Harry Lime's kitty (unacknowledged) accompanied first appearance in the film.
A tip! If you are ever really cold and happen to pass a street vendor selling roasted chestnuts, buy some, give some to your friends, put them in your gloves to warm your hands then eat them. It works a treat. Well done Jill for this inspired bit of improvisation!
Later that evening, we visited the Zwölf Apostelkeller in the centre of town to eat drink and make merry, helped along by a particularly boisterous performance from the resident violinist and accordianist who, when they found out the group was from Wales gave a rousing rendition of Tom Jones' "Why, why, why, Delilah?". All very jolly though secretly I was hoping for "Big Spender"!
Saturday was more sedate (though still freezing cold) as we ambled up and down the Naschmarkt and wandered through the accompanying Saturday Flohmarkt (Flea Market) eyeing the acres of assembled bric a brac, antiques, books, old cutlery, postcards, records and CDs, statues, furniture and general tat (you get the picture) and eventually ended up, via the mulled wine stall, at the Kunsthistorisches Museum to see the newly opened Arcimboldo exhibition.
You probably do know who he is even if you think you don't. He's the man who made portraits out of vegetables, fruit and flowers. They were actually portraits of the court of Rudolf the second (16th century) and very interesting too.
We saw the lovely snowy Breughels too.
Sunday found us at the top the Kahlenberg again, surveying the land with the whole group from on high and actually managing to spot the Riesenrad this time. We descended to the village at the bottom (Kahlenbergerdorf) down a stepped path through a vineyard which was cordoned off due to glaciated steps near the bottom. Naturally we only realised this when we were at the ice, at the bottom of the steps; we suffered no casualties, though it was a tad hairy descending at times.
When at the bottom we decamped to a pre-booked local Heuriger called Steinschaden for a delicious feast of local specialities (even featuring vegetarian options!) and lots and lots of wine. Note to self, I really must find out what Schwarz Wurzel are, because the Schwarz Wurzel salad was delicious. It tasted quite like asparagus but without the side effects. I'd quite like to try to grow some when I get home.
I had a brilliant time last weekend and met some really lovely people. Thank you :)
We had a great couple of days with our friends Gerhard and Lotte who took us around and showed us the sights, smells and tastes of "the heart of Austria".
We visited woodland pigs (more of them later), a bear sanctuary on the Slovenian border (their penchant for carrots was remarkable) and a deer farm in near Graz.
During our trip we visited several Weingüter (vineyard) including
