{AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wrote this over the past few days, but couldn't load any images into the page while on the road. I'm back in Abu Dhabi and can get this finished up now!]
I am in Linz, Austria for a few days. Part of this week is an Islamic holiday (Eid Mubarek to all my Muslim friends!) and the UAE government made the entire week a national holiday. Coincidentally, our daughter and son-in-law, Shannon and David, just moved to Linz. David recently and successfully defended his PhD thesis, and will complete a post-doc here at Johannes Keppler University. Congratulations David! So it seemed like a good time for a quick trip to Austria!
below: A picturesque side street in Vienna. There are overhead wires everywhere, for lights or to power the numerous trams.
below: Courtyard of the Air BnB Shannon and David stayed at in Vienna. Lovely, shaded, and cool, from an era when designers and builders knew how to use the elements to their best advantage.
It is beautiful and green here! Such a lovely difference from the Middle East. I've been in the UAE for 6 months now, and have started many times to write a post but something always stops me - uncertainty. Issues and questions of employment, the work to be done, and the, hmmm, let's say business practices of one of the companies I'm dealing with, have made it difficult to keep looking forward. So it's nice to be here for a short break from all that nonsense.
below: St. Stephen's Cathedral, or Stephansdom in German. The original structure was completed in 1160, but construction continued until 1511. It is an awe-inspiring Gothic structure
below: old and new in Wien
We spent the first day of my trip walking around Vienna - oh my, history on every corner! It's like walking through a giant movie set trying to showcase the best of European architecture, and every hundred meters is a historical sign about a Kaiser, a prince, a king, or a composer did something here. Classical music as we know it today was developed and nurtured here - Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven. And it seems like every few blocks there is a cathedral, each insanely complex and beautiful.
below: at a back corner of the Opera House, and a lovely tree-lined avenue
I'm staying in a student hotel adjacent to the university campus, on the 11th of 12 floors - I have a great view of the hills and trees north of the city through my window, which doubles as the air conditioning. Which is needed because it has been unseasonably warm this week. This weekend fall will begin with rain and a temperature drop, but for now the highs are upper 80sF (near 30C).
On Monday we walked around Linz. It's about the size of Little Rock, Arkansas, and nestled in lovely green mountains with the Danube River flowing through the center of town. There is an impressive public transit system of trams and buses that can get you across town easily and inexpensively. And again, history everywhere. Churches everywhere. And it is mid-September and unseasonably warm this week, so shorts and T-shirts and tank tops are out. Next week fall is forecast, with a big temperature drop and rain. The trees will be gorgeous soon!
below: the Danube River, or Donau in German
Last nighthawk we ate in a garden and enjoyed authentic Wiener Schnitzel. Wien is the German word for Vienna, so it is literally schnitzel of Vienna! No, it isn't a sausage or hot dog. Schnitzel is veal or pork, tenderized and pounded thin, then battered and fried. Served with new potatoes and a haus bier (house beer) it was a great meal to finish the day!
below: at the bier garten, a lovely open green space restaurant with trees and shade, and this one enclosed by a building. We tried to stay out of the open spaces because smoking is widely practiced here, and it twitches some of our noses pretty fierce!
below: authentic Wiener Schnitzel!
below: this lady just finished filling her metal water bottle from this fountain, took a drink, then pedaled off! Don't you wish you could do that?
I just had a nice breakfast in my hotel dining room. Dozens of people were eating and chatting, and two ladies were refreshing the buffet, when two elderly women came in and called out a cheery greeting in German to the room. They were trailed by their large German shepherd, who seemed quite at ease here. No one batted an eye at this! How delightful?!
below: the city feels like a big park - it is immaculately clean, beautifully landscaped, and wonderfully green! Especially for a desert rat.
below: fun with light and shadow
This has been my first non-work trip abroad without Dana, and it has been unusual to do so, but she couldn't make the trip now. It was her generous suggestion and insistence that I come. Thank you sweetheart - it's been wonderful to be here with Shannon and David! Next time we'll all be here together!
Best to all, more soon! Mark
#Austria, #ViennaAustria, #LinzAustria, #AustrianTourist, #WeinerSchnitzel
I am in Linz, Austria for a few days. Part of this week is an Islamic holiday (Eid Mubarek to all my Muslim friends!) and the UAE government made the entire week a national holiday. Coincidentally, our daughter and son-in-law, Shannon and David, just moved to Linz. David recently and successfully defended his PhD thesis, and will complete a post-doc here at Johannes Keppler University. Congratulations David! So it seemed like a good time for a quick trip to Austria!
below: A picturesque side street in Vienna. There are overhead wires everywhere, for lights or to power the numerous trams.
below: Courtyard of the Air BnB Shannon and David stayed at in Vienna. Lovely, shaded, and cool, from an era when designers and builders knew how to use the elements to their best advantage.
It is beautiful and green here! Such a lovely difference from the Middle East. I've been in the UAE for 6 months now, and have started many times to write a post but something always stops me - uncertainty. Issues and questions of employment, the work to be done, and the, hmmm, let's say business practices of one of the companies I'm dealing with, have made it difficult to keep looking forward. So it's nice to be here for a short break from all that nonsense.
below: St. Stephen's Cathedral, or Stephansdom in German. The original structure was completed in 1160, but construction continued until 1511. It is an awe-inspiring Gothic structure
We spent the first day of my trip walking around Vienna - oh my, history on every corner! It's like walking through a giant movie set trying to showcase the best of European architecture, and every hundred meters is a historical sign about a Kaiser, a prince, a king, or a composer did something here. Classical music as we know it today was developed and nurtured here - Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven. And it seems like every few blocks there is a cathedral, each insanely complex and beautiful.
below: at a back corner of the Opera House, and a lovely tree-lined avenue
I'm staying in a student hotel adjacent to the university campus, on the 11th of 12 floors - I have a great view of the hills and trees north of the city through my window, which doubles as the air conditioning. Which is needed because it has been unseasonably warm this week. This weekend fall will begin with rain and a temperature drop, but for now the highs are upper 80sF (near 30C).
below: the Danube River, or Donau in German
Last nighthawk we ate in a garden and enjoyed authentic Wiener Schnitzel. Wien is the German word for Vienna, so it is literally schnitzel of Vienna! No, it isn't a sausage or hot dog. Schnitzel is veal or pork, tenderized and pounded thin, then battered and fried. Served with new potatoes and a haus bier (house beer) it was a great meal to finish the day!
below: at the bier garten, a lovely open green space restaurant with trees and shade, and this one enclosed by a building. We tried to stay out of the open spaces because smoking is widely practiced here, and it twitches some of our noses pretty fierce!
I just had a nice breakfast in my hotel dining room. Dozens of people were eating and chatting, and two ladies were refreshing the buffet, when two elderly women came in and called out a cheery greeting in German to the room. They were trailed by their large German shepherd, who seemed quite at ease here. No one batted an eye at this! How delightful?!
below: the city feels like a big park - it is immaculately clean, beautifully landscaped, and wonderfully green! Especially for a desert rat.
This has been my first non-work trip abroad without Dana, and it has been unusual to do so, but she couldn't make the trip now. It was her generous suggestion and insistence that I come. Thank you sweetheart - it's been wonderful to be here with Shannon and David! Next time we'll all be here together!
#Austria, #ViennaAustria, #LinzAustria, #AustrianTourist, #WeinerSchnitzel
